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Organized Crime in the United States: Trends and Issues for Congress [December 22, 2010]
"On the national security front, experts and policymakers have expressed concern over a possible nexus between organized crime and terrorism. Despite the difference in motivation for organized crime (profit) and terrorism (ideology), the linking element for the two is money. Terrorists may potentially obtain funding for their operations from partnering directly with organized crime groups or modeling their profitable criminal acts. Even if organized crime groups and terrorist organizations do not form long-term alliances, the possibility of short-term business alliances may be of concern to policymakers. In light of these developments, several possible issues for Congress arise. One issue centers on whether the evolving nature of organized crime requires new enforcement tools. Some policymakers have suggested that current laws may not be effective at countering present threats from organized crime. As organized criminals threaten American society from both within and outside U.S. borders, should Congress expand law enforcement's extraterritorial jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute these criminals, and to what extent should Congress encourage multilateral--both domestic and international--crime fighting efforts? Another possible issue for Congress concerns whether the resources that the federal government allocates to organized crime matters are adequate and appropriately allocated to counter the threats organized crime poses. Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, national priorities and federal resources shifted away from more traditional crime fighting--including that of organized crime--toward counterterrorism and counterintelligence. For instance, the number of federal agents actually working on organized crime matters and the number of organized crime cases opened in FY2004 decreased relative to levels before September 11, 2001."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Finklea, Kristin M.
2010-12-22
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American Jihadist Terrorism: Combating a Complex Threat [December 7, 2010]
"This report describes homegrown violent jihadists and the plots and attacks that have occurred since 9/11. 'Homegrown' and 'domestic' are terms that describe terrorist activity or plots perpetrated within the United States or abroad by American citizens, legal permanent residents, or visitors radicalized largely within the United States. The term 'jihadist' describes radicalized individuals using Islam as an ideological and/or religious justification for their belief in the establishment of a global caliphate, or jurisdiction governed by a Muslim civil and religious leader known as a caliph. The term 'violent jihadist' characterizes jihadists who have made the jump to illegally supporting, plotting, or directly engaging in violent terrorist activity. The report also discusses the radicalization process and the forces driving violent extremist activity. It analyzes post-9/11 domestic jihadist terrorism, describes law enforcement and intelligence efforts to combat terrorism and the challenges associated with those efforts. It also outlines actions underway to build trust and partnership between community groups and government agencies and the tensions that may occur between law enforcement and engagement activities. One appendix provides details about each of the post-9/11 homegrown jihadist terrorist plots and attacks. A second appendix describes engagement and partnership activities by federal agencies with Muslim-American communities. Finally, the report offers policy considerations for Congress."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bjelopera, Jerome P.; Randol, Mark A.
2010-12-07
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Maritime Security: Ferry Security Measures Have Been Implemented, but Evaluating Existing Studies Could Further Enhance Security, Report to the Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security, House of Representatives
Ferries are a vital component of the U.S. transportation system and 2008 data show that U.S. ferries carried more than 82 million passengers and over 25 million vehicles. Ferries are also potential targets for terrorism in the United States and have been terrorist targets overseas. GAO [Government Accountability Office] was asked to review ferry security, and this report addresses the extent to which (1) the Coast Guard, the lead federal agency for maritime security, assessed risk in accordance with the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) guidance and what risks it identified; and (2) federal agencies, ferry and facility operators, and law enforcement entities have taken actions to protect ferries and their facilities. GAO reviewed relevant requirements, analyzed 2006 through 2009 security operations data, interviewed federal and industry officials, and made observations at five domestic and one international locations with varying passenger volumes and relative risk profiles. Site visits provided information on security, but were not projectable to all ports. This is the public version of a sensitive report that GAO issued in October 2010. Information that DHS deemed sensitive has been redacted. GAO recommends that the Commandant of the Coast Guard, after evaluating the completed studies on ferry security, reassess vehicle screening requirements and take further actions to enhance security, if determined warranted. DHS concurred with our recommendations.
United States. Government Accountability Office
2010-12-03
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Internet and Homegrown Jihadist Terrorism: Assessing U.S. Detection Techniques
"The idea of homegrown terrorism is not a new concept, especially considering the history of challenges faced by the United States and other Western countries. However, the current violent jihadist problem has overshadowed those past misfortunes in terms of its objective and volatility. What is emergent is the means by which the individuals involved in this movement reinforce or possibly operationalize their radicalized behavior. The Internet is often that vehicle. Efforts to reform U.S. intelligence have placed increasing value on open source information for threat assessments. Consequently, the open Internet has been targeted in search of radical actors, both foreign and homegrown. Some analysts contend that the availability of radical discourse on the Internet presents an opportunity for early identification by authorities. This thesis analyzes the value of open source exploitation of the Internet in the domestic counterterrorism role in relation to other detection techniques in order to extract best practices and lessons learned for improved intelligence and law enforcement activities."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Bañez, Justin D.
2010-12
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Algeria: Current Issues [November 22, 2010]
"The focus of this report is Algeria, a country in North Africa that is increasingly important for U.S. efforts to counter international terrorism as a key partner in the fight against Al Qaeda linked groups. As an energy producer, it also is a significant source of natural gas for the United States and not a major recipient of U.S. aid. The overall domestic situation in Algeria remains relatively stable. An elected president dominates the political system, but the military, the most significant political force since independence in 1962, still is viewed as the ultimate arbiter of who fills the office. It backed Abdelaziz Bouteflika for the presidency in 1999. He was reelected for a third term in April 2009 and has no clear successor. The voice of the military has been muted publicly since Bouteflika was first selected, but may be heard during presidential succession. Low voter turnout in the May 2007 parliamentary election may have reflected general lack of public faith in the political system as well as common knowledge that the legislature is weak. Authorities specifically boasted of a higher turnout in the 2009 presidential election. The major domestic problem is terrorism, which has spread beyond Algeria's borders. It persists at home while Algerian terrorists operate across the southern border in the Sahel and are linked to terrorism abroad. The U.S. State Department lists two Algerian groups as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs). The more notorious and active is Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), which pledged allegiance to Al Qaeda in 2006 and may increasingly be described as a criminal-terrorist mutation. Algeria, as the dominant economic and military power in the region, has attempted to take the lead in developing a regional approach to counterterrorism in the Sahel. In addition to addressing the threat, Algiers seeks to prevent foreign, that is, French and U.S., intervention justified by the need to combat terrorists. However, it does welcome other kinds of outside support for the effort.The United States has increasingly viewed the government of Algeria as an important partner in counterterrorism and the fight against Al Qaeda-linked groups in North Africa. The Algerian economy is largely based on hydrocarbons, and the country is a significant source of natural gas for the United States and Europe. Algeria receives little development assistance from the United States, but its security forces benefit from U.S. security assistance and participation in bilateral and regional military cooperation programs. Algeria's relative stability, always tenuous, has most recently been challenged by a series of riots, strikes, and popular demonstrations that have occurred since early January 2011."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Migdalovitz, Carol
2010-11-22
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Turkey: Politics of Identity and Power [September 21, 2010]
"The main theme of the report is that the ongoing struggle for power in Turkey will determine the country's identity, and that will have consequences for U.S. policymakers. Turkey's secular identity has long been considered unique among majority Muslim states, as secularism was a founding principle of the modern Turkish Republic as well as the principle that has produced the most domestic political tension. The AKP [Justice and Development Party], formed in 2001, has Islamist roots but claims to be conservative and democratic. Its emergence and acquisition of power have exacerbated concerns, especially in secularist circles, about whether AKP is intent on altering Turkey's identity. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his AKP have governed in an increasingly confident manner since a court refused to ban the party for being 'a focal point of anti-secular activities' in 2008. Already in control of the executive and legislature, they have gained influence over bastions of secularism in the judiciary and military. These developments may enable the AKP to implement a domestic agenda that is more consistent with its core identity. However, the AKP has failed to deal comprehensively with a significant domestic group's struggle for recognition of its own identity--the Kurds in a majority Turkish state. The government initiated a 'Kurdish opening,' but managed it poorly, produced unfulfilled expectations, and may have contributed to an escalation in terrorism. [...] For in-depth information on the period prior to this report, see CRS Report RL34646, 'Turkey: Update on Crisis of Identity and Power', by Carol Migdalovitz."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Migdalovitz, Carol
2010-09-21
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American Jihadist Terrorism: Combating a Complex Threat [September 20, 2010]
"This report describes homegrown violent jihadists and the plots and attacks that have occurred since 9/11. 'Homegrown' and 'domestic' are terms that describe terrorist activity or plots perpetrated within the United States or abroad by American citizens, legal permanent residents, or visitors radicalized largely within the United States. The term 'jihadist' describes radicalized individuals using Islam as an ideological and/or religious justification for their belief in the establishment of a global caliphate, or jurisdiction governed by a Muslim civil and religious leader known as a caliph. The term 'violent jihadist' characterizes jihadists who have made the jump to illegally supporting, plotting, or directly engaging in violent terrorist activity. The report also discusses the radicalization process and the forces driving violent extremist activity. It analyzes post-9/11 domestic jihadist terrorism, describes law enforcement and intelligence efforts to combat terrorism and the challenges associated with those efforts. It also outlines actions underway to build trust and partnership between community groups and government agencies and the tensions that may occur between law enforcement and engagement activities. One appendix provides details about each of the post-9/11 homegrown jihadist terrorist plots and attacks. A second appendix describes engagement and partnership activities by federal agencies with Muslim-American communities. Finally, the report offers policy considerations for Congress."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Randol, Mark A.; Bjelopera, Jerome P.
2010-09-20
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Homeland Insecurity: Thinking about CBRN Terrorism
"As the U.S. government has seen a change of administrations, there is an opportunity for a constructive review of how the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has addressed the threat of chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) terrorism in terms of policy development and execution to date. Our current homeland security approach to CBRN terrorism seems to have its basis in the incidents of 9/11 and the U.S. anthrax attacks in October-November 2001. However, our history of homeland defense goes back to 1941 (at least); to understand from a policy perspective how the government ought to address domestic CBRN terrorism, we need to put it all in context. This essay examines the issues of how DHS has prepared for chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear terrorism incidents. DHS should address these threats in a consistent and holistic manner, but instead the federal government has developed singular hazard-based approaches to each threat. DHS has not assessed its efforts to address CBRN terrorism or identified where DHS could improve, and as a result we see merely the continuation of previous initiatives. The essay concludes with some recommendations on how DHS could improve this area with better policy practices."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Mauroni, Albert J., 1962-
2010-09
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Bioterrorism: Threat to the U.S. Food System - Concerns for Food and the Food Distribution Infrastructure
"Food bioterrorism is an intentional attack targeted against the food system using a disease-causing biological agent. The U.S. food supply is susceptible to intentional contamination by terrorists, where food could be used as a vehicle for introducing harmful disease pathogens into the United States. The U.S. food system is far reaching, encompassing the full range of domestically produced foods (fish, fruits, grains, meats, nuts, poultry, vegetables), a large variety of processed food products (deli meat, juices, milk, snack foods, etc.), as well as those foods and food products imported into the United States. Potential targets of a bioterrorism attack can be found all along the food production and supply chain, including production, processing, and packaging facilities, transportation vehicles, ports of entry, distribution and warehouse centers, and retail outlets"
United States. Department of Homeland Security
2010-09-01?
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Designating Domestic Terrorist Individuals or Groups
From the thesis abstract: "Terrorism is a crime committed by individuals with a political or social agenda designed to influence a government or its population. The U.S. government, state and local law enforcement agencies have, as a priority, the mission of protecting the homeland from the threats of terrorism-domestic or foreign. However, the U.S. government has not effectively defined what constitutes a domestic terrorist with the same processes and vigor used to identify international terrorists, gang members, or sex offenders. The lack of a workable definition and validation process for identifying a 'domestic terrorist' places law enforcement and homeland security agencies in a position of having to balance the need to protect constitutional rights and the need to protect against the nation's security threats. To this end, this thesis will identify the problems associated with a lack of a comprehensive definition, address the safeguards required in a definition to ensure constitutionally protected rights are not impinged, and will offer a working definition and designation process."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Heller, David E.
2010-09
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Bioterrorism: Threat to the U.S. Food System - Concerns for Food Imports [brochure]
"Food bioterrorism is an intentional attack targeted against the food system using a disease-causing biological agent. The U.S. food supply is susceptible to intentional contamination by terrorists, where food could be used as a vehicle for introducing harmful disease pathogens into the United States. The U.S. food system is far reaching, encompassing the full range of domestically produced foods (fish, fruits, grains, meats, nuts, poultry, vegetables), a large variety of processed food products (deli meat, juices, milk, snack foods, etc.), as well as those foods and food products imported into the United States. Imported foods arrive daily in the United States on ships from all over the world, and on trucks and rail from Canada and Mexico. The possibility exists for deliberate contamination within the foreign country, during international transport to the United States, or domestically during storage or transport from a port of entry."
United States. Department of Homeland Security
2010-08-31?
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Bioterrorism: Threat to the U.S. Food System - Biological Agents of Concern [brochure]
"Food bioterrorism is an intentional attack targeted against the food system using a disease-causing biological agent. The U.S. food supply is susceptible to intentional contamination by terrorists, where food could be used as a vehicle for introducing harmful disease pathogens into the United States. The U.S. food system is far reaching, encompassing the full range of domestically produced foods (fish, fruits, grains, meats, nuts, poultry, vegetables), a large variety of processed food products (deli meat, juices, milk, snack foods, etc.), as well as those foods and food products imported into the United States. Most common food-borne illnesses are caused by a handful of bacterial species, most notably Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella, and Shigella. Terrorists could intentionally add these commonly found food pathogens or other bioterrorism threat agents to legally or illegally imported foods, or contaminate a facility where foods are being produced, packaged, and distributed."
United States. Department of Homeland Security
2010-08-31?
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Listing of Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
"Today, Anwar al-Aulaqi, an operative of al-Qa'ida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and member of the group's senior leadership, was added to the United Nations 1267 Committee's Consolidated List of individuals and entities associated with al Qa'ida or the Taliban. The United Nations 1267 Committee's listing of Aulaqi requires all UN Member States to implement an assets freeze, travel ban, and arms embargo against this individual. On Friday, July 16, the U.S. Department of the Treasury designated al-Aulaqi under Executive Order 13224, which targets terrorists and those providing support to terrorists or acts of terrorism. These tandem actions will help stem the domestic and international flow of finances to al-Aulaqi, and to AQAP, which is a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization."
United States. Department of State
2010-07-20
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Financial Services Sector Open Source Digest: July 2010
"The Sector Open Source Digest (SOSD) is a sector-wide summary of events that have taken place during the past month domestically and internationally. The SOSD is primarily a compilation and reorganization of reporting drawn from the Daily Open Source Intelligence Report (OSIR). The SOSD may also contain additional reporting not originally published in the OSIR. The source materials for the OSIR and SOSD are found using open source research methodologies and include imagery; local, national, and international media reports; academia and industry sources; multimedia and blogs; and other relevant publicly available sources. The SOSD is a compilation of unclassified source material and does not provide analysis or projection. The content found within the SOSD is strictly for sector situational awareness." This edition contains the following articles: "Account Takeover: The new wrinkle"; "Newest attack on your credit card: ATM shims"; "Police: Man drove car bomb into a bank"; "Gunman makes terror threat, robs downtown office"; "41% of IT pros admit to snooping on confidential information"; "Six indicted in Colorado on bank fraud charges"; "Fla. man indicted in $880M Ponzi scheme"; "Bank Failures: 2010 Pace Exceeds 2009"; and "Europe votes to send secret bank data to U.S. authorities".
United States. Department of the Treasury. Financial and Banking Information Infrastructure Committee
2010-07
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Secretary Napolitano Announces Second Major Aviation Security Milestone this Month [June 24, 2010]
"Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano today announced that 100 percent of passengers flying domestically and internationally on U.S. airlines are now being checked against government watch lists through the Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) Secure Flight program--the second major step in fulfilling a key 9/11 Commission recommendation achieved this month. Today's announcement comes less than three weeks after TSA reached 100 percent watchlist checking for all passengers traveling within the United States and its territories through Secure Flight. Before TSA began implementing Secure Flight, airlines held responsibility for checking passengers against terrorist watchlists. 'Secure Flight fulfills a key recommendation of the of the 9/11 Commission Report, enabling TSA to screen passengers directly against government watchlists using passenger name, date of birth, and gender before a boarding pass is issued,' said Secretary Napolitano. 'This achievement significantly enhances one of our many layers of security--coordinated with our partners in the airline industry and governments around the world--that we leverage to protect the traveling public against threats of terrorism.'"
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Press Office
2010-06-24
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Secretary Napolitano Announces Major Aviation Security Milestone [June 7, 2010]
"Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano today announced that 100 percent of passengers traveling within the United States and its territories are now being checked against terrorist watchlists through the Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) Secure Flight program--a major step in fulfilling a key 9/11 Commission recommendation. Before Secure Flight, airlines conducted passenger watchlist checking. 'Secure Flight fulfills a key recommendation of the of the 9/11 Commission Report, enabling TSA to screen passengers directly against government watchlists using passenger name, date of birth, and gender before a boarding pass is issued,' said Secretary Napolitano. 'This program is one of our many layers of security--coordinated with our partners in the airline industry and governments around the world--that we leverage to protect the traveling public against threats of terrorism.' Under Secure Flight, TSA prescreens passenger name, date of birth and gender against government watchlists for domestic and international flights. In addition to facilitating secure travel for all passengers, the program helps prevent the misidentification of passengers who have names similar to individuals on government watchlists."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Press Office
2010-06-07
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Maritime Interdiction in Counterinsurgency: The Role of the Sri Lankan Navy in the Defeat of the Tamil Tigers
From the thesis abstract: "In the last several years, the United States has made a significant effort to improve its ability to conduct counterinsurgency operations in land-locked Afghanistan and primarily land operations in Iraq. However, a large number of countries fighting insurgencies today have large maritime borders. This thesis will demonstrate how maritime interdiction can effectively contribute to counterinsurgency operations. Sri Lanka provides a unique perspective on how to defeat an insurgency. Through decades of trial and error, Sri Lanka's final attempt to defeat the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) took less than three years. Several elements were core to the defeat of the LTTE. First, the Sri Lankan government showed the political will needed to use military force to defeat the LTTE. Second, the Sri Lankan Navy played a critical role in countering the LTTE's arms smuggling, maritime terrorism, and piracy operations. Third, support from the international community allowed Sri Lanka to handle its domestic 'terrorism' problems without outside intervention. Finally, the Sri Lankan Army employed an effective military offensive to destroy the insurgent forces. Sri Lanka's successful counterinsurgency reinforces the importance of prioritizing logistics and stands as a test case to calibrate U.S. assistance in future counterinsurgencies."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Smith, Justin O.
2010-06
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Readout of Secretary Napolitano's Remarks to the Aero Club on DHS Efforts to Bolster Aviation Security [April 26, 2010]
"Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano today delivered remarks to domestic and international aviation leaders about the Department's ongoing efforts to bolster global aviation security at a luncheon hosted by the Aero Club of Washington. 'Protecting the international aviation system is a shared challenge that requires the mutual commitment of our international allies and private sector partners,' said Secretary Napolitano. 'We are committed to working closely with our partners around the world to deploy intelligence-based targeting, state-of-the art technologies and proactive screening measures to deter and disrupt terrorism and other threats to the global aviation system.' In her remarks, Secretary Napolitano commended the United States' many international partners who have taken steps to enhance aviation security through deployment of new technology, enhanced information sharing, and stronger standards to keep air travel safe. She also discussed DHS' ongoing efforts to bolster aviation security in the United States by assigning additional behavior detection officers, air marshals and explosives detection canine teams to airports around the country, and developing, updating and deploying the latest technology--highlighting the 450 Advanced Imaging Technology machines she has pledged to have in place by the end of 2010. The President's fiscal year 2011 budget proposal includes funding for the purchase and installation of 500 additional units."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Press Office
2010-04-26
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Colombia: Issues for Congress [April 23, 2010]
From the Summary: "Since the development of Plan Colombia in 1999, the Colombian government has stepped up its counter-narcotics and security efforts. The U.S. Congress has provided more than $7 billion to support Colombia from FY2000 through FY2010. In October 2009, Colombia and the United States signed a defense agreement that provides U.S. access to Colombian military bases for counter-terrorism and security-related operations for the next decade. The improving security conditions in the country and the weakening of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrillas are cited as evidence that the strategy is working by supporters. Critics, however, argue that while pursuing these security improvements, U.S. policy has not rigorously promoted human rights, provided for sustainable economic alternatives for drug crop farmers, or reduced the amount of drugs available in the United States. […]. While acknowledging the progress in security conditions in Colombia, some Members of Congress have expressed concerns about labor activist killings and labor rights in Colombia; extrajudicial killings of Colombian civilians by the Colombian military; the para-political scandal (linking Colombian politicians with paramilitaries); and the domestic security agency (DAS) scandal concerning unauthorized spying on President Uribe's political opponents and human rights activists. These concerns have delayed consideration of the pending U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement (CFTA). President Obama in his State of the Union address in January 2010 supported strengthening trade ties with Colombia, but prospects for the CFTA in the 111th Congress remain uncertain."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Beittel, June S.
2010-04-23
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Securing Nuclear Materials: The 2010 Summit and Issues for Congress [April 16, 2010]
"In an April 2009 speech in Prague, President Obama pledged that his Administration would launch 'a new international effort to secure all vulnerable nuclear material around the world within four years.' To motivate world leaders to achieve this goal, the President hosted a Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, DC, on April 12-13, 2010. Leaders of 47 countries attended the summit, including many heads of state. Attendees represent a wide geographic range of states and nuclear capabilities, and include China, India, Israel, and Pakistan. The summit resulted in a joint statement saying that international cooperative action is necessary to prevent an act of nuclear terrorism. Summit attendees also pledged to improve nuclear security standards, bring international agreements into force, and share best practices. Nuclear security measures refer to a wide range of actions to prevent theft or diversion of nuclear material or sabotage at an installation or in transit. They could include physical protection measures, material control and accounting, personnel reliability screening, and training. A broader understanding of nuclear security also includes measures to prevent and detect illicit trafficking-- cargo inspections, border security, and interdiction measures. The U.S. government has worked for more than a decade both domestically and in partnership with other countries to address this problem through multiple programs at the Departments of Defense, Energy, Homeland Security, and State. The International Atomic Energy Agency has also played a lead role in these efforts, particularly since the 9/11 terrorist attacks."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Nikitin, Mary Beth Dunham
2010-04-16
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Domestic Terrorism: The Sovereign Citizen Movement
"Domestic terrorism--Americans attacking Americans because of U.S.-based extremist ideologies--comes in many forms in our post 9/11 world. To help educate the public, we've previously outlined two separate domestic terror threats--ecoterrorists/ animal rights extremists and lone offenders. Today, we look at a third threat--the 'sovereign citizen' extremist movement. Sovereign citizens are anti-government extremists who believe that even though they physically reside in this country, they are separate or 'sovereign' from the United States. As a result, they believe they don't have to answer to any government authority, including courts, taxing entities, motor vehicle departments, or law enforcement. This causes all kinds of problems--and crimes. For example, many sovereign citizens don't pay their taxes. They hold illegal courts that issue warrants for judges and police officers. They clog up the court system with frivolous lawsuits and liens against public officials to harass them. And they use fake money orders, personal checks, and the like at government agencies, banks, and businesses."
United States. Federal Bureau of Investigation
2010-04-13
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Complacency in the West in the Face of Islamic Radicalism
"Osama Bin Laden declared war in 1996 against Americans occupying the 'land of the two holy places.' The Worldwide Islamic Front declared war against the United States in 1998. Islamic radical leaders desire to kill millions of Americans by first lulling the West into a sense of complacency, and they think they can get the United States there via the murky waters of ignorance, apathy, and a lack of moral clarity, leaving America vulnerable to catastrophic attacks. United States national leaders seemingly refuse to acknowledge the commitment of Islamic radicalism's intentions, and this failure is crippling America's efforts to develop a strategy to counter these Islamic radicals. If the American people and her leaders do not take this threat seriously, devise an enduring strategy, and commit sufficient resources to fight it, the next 9-11 will be more devastating than the last. This thesis will assess national policy, expenditure of national power, and public support of the 'War on Terror' from 2001 to present day. Analysis will assess public support for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, but also attitudes concerning related domestic activities. This paper will show that Islamic radicalism presents a formidable threat to America. It will analyze United States strategy to counter Islamic radicalism. The author will analyze American attitudes from 2001 to 2010 in order to survey complacency in the face of this threat, and show that public support for war is strong when the case is well explained, but that this support is perishable, and that it must be sustained by national leadership."
Joint Forces Staff College (U.S.). Joint Advanced Warfighting School
Travis, Matthew E.
2010-04-02
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To Lose China's Support is to Lose Superpower Status
From the thesis abstract: "The United States has been the worlds leading superpower since the end of World War II. However, if history tells us anything, it surely tells us that superpowers, whether a superpower in the true sense of the word, a hegemonic power, imperial dynasty, or even an empire, do not last forever. Many journals often tout China as the next likely superpower. The United States has the largest and most technologically powerful economy in the world. However, the United States is also $12.25 trillion dollars in debt with China being the largest foreign holder of this debt. Additionally, the trade balance, or rather the trade imbalance, between the United States and China is very telling. While the United States receives 16.9% of its imports from China, Chinain turnonly imports 5.6% of its imports from the United States. Given Americas significant debt and trade imbalance with China, the U.S. must maintain good relations with China in order to retain its superpower status. As a communist country, China may never fit the mold to become a full ally with the United States, assisting all NATO countries in spreading democracy around the world. However, the United States must accept the fact that China does possess vital resources and capabilities that would be extremely helpful in assisting to solve world crisis. While the U.S. continues to fight a War on Terror, with no end in sight, and while continuing to honor its commitments to allied nations around the world for various reasons to include domestic, humanitarian, and military operations other than war, it is critical to gain (additional) support from countries able to assist. And China, with its vast economic resources, is a country able to assistthus affording the United States a better opportunity to remain a superpower."
Joint Forces Staff College (U.S.). Joint Advanced Warfighting School
Washington, Fletcher V.
2010-04-02
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International Terrorism and Transnational Crime: Security Threats, U.S. Policy, and Considerations for Congress [March 18, 2010]
"This report provides a primer on the confluence of transnational terrorist and criminal groups and related activities abroad. It evaluates possible motivations and disincentives for cooperation between terrorist and criminal organizations, variations in the scope of crime-terrorism links, and the types of criminal activities--fundraising, material and logistics support, and exploitation of corruption and gaps in the rule of law--used by terrorist organizations to sustain operations. This report also discusses several international case studies to illustrate the range of crime-terrorism convergence and non-convergence, including Dawood Ibrahim's D-Company; the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC); the 2004 Madrid bombers; the Taliban; Hezbollah; Al Qaeda; the 2005 London bombers; Al-Shabaab; as well as known or alleged crime-terrorism facilitators such as Viktor Bout, Monzer Al Kasser, and Abu Ghadiyah. Policy considerations discussed in this report include possible tensions between counterterrorism and anti-crime policy objectives, implications for U.S. foreign aid, gaps in human intelligence and analysis, the value of financial intelligence in combating the crime-terrorism nexus, impact of digital and physical safe havens and ungoverned spaces, implications for nuclear proliferation, and effects of crimeterrorism links in conflict and post-conflict zones. Unless otherwise noted, this report does not address potential crime-terrorism links in the domestic or border environment."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Rollins, John; Wyler, Liana Sun
2010-03-18
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Readout of Secretary Napolitano's Meeting with Airline Industry CEOs on Strengthening International Aviation Security [March 4, 2010]
"Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Napolitano today met with CEOs of the member airlines of the Air Transport Association of America (ATA), the largest airline trade association in the United States, and the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which represents approximately 230 airlines and more than 90 percent of the world's air traffic--part of her ongoing efforts to bring together major domestic and foreign air carriers to work on ways to bolster international aviation security. 'Government and the private sector must work collaboratively to develop and implement enhanced international security measures and standards,' said Secretary Napolitano. 'Working together with our partners in the aviation industry, we can and will strengthen the global aviation network to protect the traveling public from terrorism and other threats.' During the meeting, Secretary Napolitano and airline CEOs from across the United States and Europe discussed the international airline industry's important role in implementing stronger and more effective international aviation security measures to protect the traveling public."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Press Office
2010-03-04
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Leveraging Rural America in the Fight against Terrorism in America through the Use of Conservation Districts
From the thesis abstract: "A vast, untapped resource is available to the federal government and the Department of Homeland Security in the war on terror. The citizens that comprise rural America have long been ignored by the efforts to wage the war on terror, and have been told, along with their urban counterparts, that the government would wage the war on terror, not citizens. […]The findings and recommendations of this research advocate the creation of a domestic intelligence-gathering network, which utilizes the nation's 2,946 local conservation districts to interact with rural citizens. Conservation districts, as a unit of local government, occupy a unique place in their local communities due to their nonregulatory nature. As a result, they have a high degree of trust in their local communities. Conservation districts would forge a partnership with rural Americans and state fusion centers for information gathering purposes. Intelligence analysts would analyze that information at the state fusion center and use it to support the war on terror. In this way, the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. intelligence community could leverage rural America as a force multiplier."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Eller, William L.
2010-03
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Responding to a Terrorist Attack Involving Chemical Warfare Agents
"Because of their availability and relative ease of dispersal, toxic and often lethal chemicals are potentially attractive weapons for terrorists. A chemical agent attack could result in high casualties, especially if the release occurs in an office building, indoor stadium, airport, or train station. The economic losses would be significant as well because of the time involved to remediate the area following such an attack. Federal and state agencies are thus working with major transportation centers to strengthen plans for responding to the possible use of chemical warfare agents. […] At the Laboratory's Forensic Science Center (FSC), chemists have been working closely with chemical warfare agents since the early 1990s to support treaty verification and U.S. intelligence efforts. Founded in 1991, FSC supplies analytical expertise to counter terrorism, aid domestic law enforcement, and verify compliance with international treaties. FSC researchers analyze virtually every kind of chemical evidence, some of it no greater than a few billionths of a gram. In addition, the center is one of two U.S. laboratories internationally certified for identifying chemical warfare agents, sometimes referred to as the poor-man's atomic bomb. Since 2008, Lawrence Livermore has been working closely with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to prepare for incidents involving chemical weapons. FSC serves as EPA's environmental reference laboratory for developing and validating reliable, accurate, and extremely sensitive methods to analyze chemical warfare agents and their degradation products. Laboratory researchers have also characterized many toxic industrial compounds because the molecular structure and health effects of these substances are similar to those of known chemical warfare agents."
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Heller, Arnie
2010-03
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Improving Strategies to Prevent and Prepare for Radiological Attack
"The threat of radiological attack against the United States is viewed as credible, imminent, and capable of inflicting lasting negative impacts on domestic society. The United States is pursuing detection/denial and public preparedness strategies in order to prevent and minimize the effects of a possible radiological terrorist attack. This thesis surveys the prevalence of radiological material in society, as well as major U.S. programs to secure international trade, U.S. borders, and radiological material, and to prepare the public in order to determine their effectiveness against the threat of radiological attack. The research conducted indicates that U.S. government strategies against the radiological threat favor costly and problematic technological detection programs over public preparedness strategies, which are not optimized or resourced to address the general public's fear of radiation, fatalism toward terrorism preparedness, and skepticism of the government as a credible source of information on terrorism and radiation. This thesis concludes that the government should empower the Weapons of Mass Destruction czar with strategic oversight and technology funding-approval authority to de-conflict and streamline technological detection programs at the national level. It should also improve public education outreach resourcing and capabilities to increase public preparedness, thereby developing the public into a national security asset."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Dubay, Anthony R.
2010-03
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National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC)--Responsibilities and Potential Congressional Concerns [January 15, 2010]
"The National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) was established in 2004 to ensure that information from any source about potential terrorist acts against the U.S. could be made available to analysts and that appropriate responses could be planned. Investigations of the 9/11 attacks had demonstrated that information possessed by different agencies had not been shared and thus that disparate indications of the looming threat had not been connected and warning had not been provided. [...] Two recent incidents--the assassination by an Army Major of some 13 individuals at Fort Hood Army Base on November 5, 2009 and the failed attempt to trigger a bomb on an airliner approaching Detroit on December 25, 2009--led to increased concern about counterterrorism capabilities domestically and internationally. An Executive Branch assessment of the December bombing attempt concluded that, whereas information sharing had been adequate, analysts had failed to 'connect the dots' and achieve an understanding of an ongoing plot. Attention has focused on the NCTC which is responsible for ensuring both the sharing of information and for all-source analysis of terrorist issues. Congressional hearings have been scheduled to review what was known in advance about the individuals involved in these two incidents. Congress may choose to go further to review the statutory responsibilities of NCTC as well as the record of the Center since it was established in 2004. This Report will be updated as more information becomes available."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Best, Richard A.
2010-01-15
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United States and New Zealand Sign New Agreement to Strenghten Security through Increased Cooperation on Science and Technology
"New Zealand and the United States have agreed to enhance cooperation in science and technology research to improve the shared capabilities of both nations to protect against acts of terrorism and other threats to domestic and external security. 'International collaboration in science and technology is a major part of our ongoing efforts to counter threats of terrorism,' said Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Janet Napolitano. 'This agreement will enhance our ability to collaborate on research and share innovative technologies to ensure our mutual security and protect the public.' 'The Agreement on Science and Technology Cooperation Contributing to Domestic and External Security Capabilities strengthens New Zealand's longstanding relationship with the U.S. in research science and technology,' said New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully. 'Under the Agreement New Zealand transport security and civil defense emergency management researchers will now benefit from collaborative project work with their U.S. counterparts.' The Agreement calls for close cooperation between the US and New Zealand on the development of threat and vulnerability analyses and new technologies, and strengthened collaboration on border and transport security and civil defense emergency management."
United States. Office of the White House Press Secretary
2010-01-08
