| | | | | conjunction with ongoing efforts to protect and |
| | | | | defend the homeland and efforts to attack terrorists |
| By Michael Webster: Syndicated Investigative | | | | and reduce their capabilities. |
| Reporter. June 1, 2009 at 12:01 AM PDT | | | | A modern trend in terrorism is toward loosely |
| Protecting America against terrorist attacks are the | | | | organized, self-financed, international networks of |
| FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Forces, or JTTFs, our | | | | terrorists. Another trend is toward terrorism that is |
| nation's front line fighting terrorism: JTTF (much like | | | | religiously- or ideologically-motivated. Radical Islamic |
| their pray the terrorist) they consists of small cells of | | | | fundamentalist groups, or groups using religion as a |
| highly trained, locally based, passionately committed | | | | pretext, pose terrorist threats of varying kinds to |
| volunteers, however in the case of JTTF their | | | | U.S. interests and to friendly regimes. A third trend is |
| volunteers are professional investigators, analysts, | | | | the apparent growth of cross-national links among |
| linguists, SWAT experts, and other specialists from | | | | different terrorist organizations, which may involve |
| dozens of U.S. law enforcement and intelligence | | | | combinations of military training, funding, technology |
| agencies from all over the U.S. | | | | transfer, or political advice. |
| According to the FBI when it comes to investigating | | | | Terrorists have been able to develop their own |
| terrorism, they do it all: chase down leads, gather | | | | sources of financing, which range from charities to |
| evidence, make arrests, provide security for special | | | | illegal enterprises such as growing, producing and |
| events, conduct training, collect and share intelligence, | | | | trafficking in narcotics, extortion, kidnapping and |
| and respond to threats and incidents at a moment's | | | | smuggling drugs and humans. |
| notice. | | | | The Taliban and Al-Qaeda according to some |
| This massive organization within the U.S.Government | | | | government reports make millions from taxing poppy |
| operate the task force's based in 106 cities | | | | crops and other illegal activities. |
| nationwide, including at least one in each of the FBI's | | | | Bin Laden’s Al Qaeda depends on a formidable |
| 56 field offices. A total of 71 of these JTTFs have | | | | array of fundraising operations including Muslim |
| been created since 9/11; the first was established | | | | charities and wealthy well-wishers, such as the Sadie's |
| in New York City in 1980. | | | | and other Arabic countries and seemingly legitimate |
| Today, the JTTFs include more than 4,400 members | | | | businesses world-wide. This includes, banking |
| nationwide—more than four times the pre-9/11 | | | | connections in the Persian Gulf and elsewhere, as well |
| total—hailing from over 600 state and local | | | | as various smuggling and fraud activities. Furthermore, |
| agencies and 50 federal agencies (the Department of | | | | reports are ongoing of cross-national links among |
| Homeland Security, the U.S. military, Immigration and | | | | different terrorist organizations. |
| Customs Enforcement, and the Transportation | | | | Colombia’s FARC is said to make hundreds of |
| Security Administration, to name but a few). | | | | millions annually from criminal activities, mostly from |
| The FBI claims that the benefits of JTTFs are many | | | | taxing or participating in the narcotics trade. |
| and over come many of the critic's who say the | | | | Money is a powerful motivator. Rewards for |
| feds don't share enough information with other law | | | | information have been instrumental in Italy in |
| enforcement organizations, nor have enough linguists, | | | | destroying the Red Brigades and in Colombia and |
| as well as other short comings in their war on terror. | | | | Mexico in apprehending drug cartel leaders. A State |
| The feds indicate this will over come many of their | | | | Department program is in place, supplemented by the |
| most ardent critics. The feds say JTTF currently | | | | aviation industry, usually offering rewards of up to $5 |
| provides a one-stop shopping for information | | | | million to anyone providing information that would |
| regarding terrorist activities. They now are the | | | | prevent or resolve an act of international terrorism |
| enablers that share intelligence across many agencies. | | | | against U.S. citizens or U.S. property, or that leads to |
| They create familiarity among investigators and | | | | the arrest or conviction of terrorist criminals involved |
| managers before a crisis. And perhaps most | | | | in such acts. This program contributed to the 1997 |
| importantly, we pool talents, skills, and knowledge | | | | arrest of Mir Amal Kansi who shot CIA personnel in |
| from across the law enforcement and intelligence | | | | Virginia, and possibly to the arrest of Ramzi Yousef, |
| communities into a single team that responds as a | | | | architect of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, |
| coordinated force according to an FBI statement. | | | | in 1995. The bounty for the capture of Osama bin |
| The FBI claims they have already contributed more | | | | Laden and his aide Ayman al Zawahiri has been raised |
| than they can share with the public, as some of their | | | | to $50 million. |
| efforts can be stated and much they cannot. The | | | | On November 25, 2002, the President signed the |
| FBI points to the fact that they have been | | | | Homeland Security Act of 2002 (P.L. 107-296), |
| instrumental in breaking up cells like the "Portland | | | | consolidating at least 22 separate federal agencies, |
| Seven," the "Lackawanna Six," and the Northern | | | | offices, and research centers comprising more than |
| Virginia jihad. They’ve foiled attacks on the Ft. | | | | 169,000 employees into a new cabinet level |
| Dix Army base in New Jersey, on the JFK | | | | Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The |
| International Airport in New York, and on various | | | | creation of the new department, charged with |
| military and civilian targets in Los Angeles. They've | | | | coordinating defenses and responses to terrorist |
| traced sources of terrorist funding, responded to | | | | attacks on U.S. soil, constitutes the most substantial |
| anthrax threats, halted the use of fake IDs, and | | | | reorganization of the Federal government agencies |
| quickly arrested suspicious characters with all kinds of | | | | since the National Security Act of 1947 which placed |
| deadly weapons and explosives. Chances are, if you | | | | the different military departments under a Secretary |
| hear about a counterterrorism investigation, JTTFs | | | | of Defense and created the National Security Council |
| are playing an active and often decisive role. | | | | (NSC) and CIA. P.L. 107-296 includes provisions for an |
| The National Joint Terrorism Task Force, or NJTTF, | | | | information analysis element within DHS, many of the |
| was established in 2002 to manage the burgeoning | | | | envisioned tasks of which appear assigned to the |
| Joint Terrorism Task Force program—the number | | | | Administration’s Terrorist Threat Integration |
| of task forces almost doubled overnight, from 35 | | | | Center (TTIC) which was activated May 1, 2003. |
| pre-9/11 to 56 soon after 9/11 (50 more have been | | | | In the 107th Congress, the controversial USA |
| established since then). Of course, JTTFs have been | | | | PATRIOT Act, was enacted on October 2001 |
| around since the 1980s, starting in New York and | | | | (P.L.107-56), and renewed, in March 2006, gave law |
| Chicago. | | | | enforcement unprecedented increased authority to |
| Originally located at FBI Headquarters, the NJTTF | | | | investigate suspected terrorists, including enhanced |
| moved to the multi-agency the National | | | | surveillance procedures such as roving wiretaps; |
| Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), where it performs | | | | provided for strengthened controls on international |
| its mission while also working with NCTC personnel to | | | | money laundering and financing of terrorism; |
| exchange information, analyze data, and plan | | | | improved measures for strengthening of defenses |
| anti-terrorism strategies. | | | | along the U.S. northern border, and authorized |
| The coordination of JTTF's forces efforts are | | | | disclosure of foreign intelligence information obtained |
| largely through the interagency, working out of FBI | | | | in criminal investigations to intelligence and national |
| Headquarters, which makes sure that information and | | | | security officials. |
| intelligence flows freely among the local JTTFs and | | | | According to the feds here's the final—and most |
| beyond. | | | | important—thing you should know about these |
| A new national anti-terrorism strategic approach is | | | | JTTFs: They are working 24/7/365 to protect you, |
| currently being elaborated upon by the United States | | | | your families, and your communities from terrorist |
| government. Its overarching goals are to: (1) defeat | | | | attack. |
| terrorism as a threat to our way of life as a free and | | | | The costs for this huge U.S. Government "War On |
| open society, and (2) create an environment | | | | Drugs" ( now being called by government officials |
| inhospitable to terrorism worldwide. The approach | | | | something other than the "War On Drugs" is |
| seeks to the enhance the existing National Strategy | | | | unknown, but according to Congressional |
| for Combating Terrorism by beefing up the ideological | | | | investigators it is astronomical, so we'll keep digging. |
| component in the war on terror. Inherent here is | | | | Resources: |
| widespread recognition that the United States will | | | | Terrorism and National Security: Issues and Trends |
| need to increasingly engage in the realm of ideas in | | | | 2009. |