From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The National Counterterrorism Center
(NCTC) is a United States government organization
responsible for national and international counterterrorism
efforts. NCTC advises the United States on terrorism. It is often
described, inaccurately, as the real version of the Counter Terrorist Unit from the American serial television series 24.
The center is part of the Office of the Director of National
Intelligence, and draws experts from the CIA, FBI, Pentagon, and other agencies who try to ensure
that clues about potential attacks are not missed.[1]
In light of the Christmas 2009 terrorist
attempt which failed only because of passenger action, the NCTC
has been tasked with the following corrective measures:[2]
- Create a process to "thoroughly and exhaustively" prioritize
terrorism threat threads. Identify follow-up action by
intelligence, law enforcement and homeland security.
- Enhance the "Terrorist Identities Datamart Environment"
database, to add names to watchlists.
History
The precursor organization of NCTC, the Terrorist Threat Integration Center (TTIC),
established on May 1, 2003, was created by President George W.
Bush by Executive Order 13354.
President Bush announced the creation of TTIC in his 2003 State of the
Union Address. TTIC was established in response to
recommendations by the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon
the United States (9/11 Commission) that investigated the
terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. Among other things, the
9/11 Commission concluded that "none of the measures adopted by
the U.S. government before 9/11 disturbed or even delayed the
progress of the al Qaeda plot."[3]
The Intelligence
Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 renamed TTIC to NCTC and placed it under the
United States Director of National
Intelligence. It has access to various databases, including thoses from the NSA and the CIA, and is in charge of
the Terrorist
Identities Datamart Environment (TIDE) database [4].
Activities
- Analyzes terrorism
intelligence
(except purely domestic terrorism);
- Stores terrorism information;
- Supports U.S. counterterrorism
activities using information technology (IT);
and
- Plans counterterrorism activities as directed by the President of the United
States, the National Security
Council, and the Homeland Security
Council.
Goals
- Provide terrorism information to the intelligence community.
- Products, such as detailed lists of terrorists, terrorist
groups, and worldwide terrorist incidents.
- Support the response to terrorist incidents in the U.S. and
worldwide.
- Write assessments and briefings for policymakers.
Leadership
Directors
Principal Deputy Directors
- Arthur M. Cummings (2004-05)
- Kevin R. Brock (2005–07)
- Michael E. Leiter (2007-08)
- Geoff O'Connell (2008-present)
Coordinates: 38°55′59″N 77°12′18″W / 38.933°N
77.205°W / 38.933;
-77.205
See also
References
- ^
Elliot, Phillip, "Obama says
al-Qaida affiliate in Yemen apparently responsible for airliner
bombing plot," Minneapolis
Star Tribune, January 2, 2010, accessed January 2, 1010
- ^
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6065ZB20100107
Factbox: Actions Obama ordered after December 25 bomb plot
- ^
http://www.9-11commission.gov/report/911Report_Statement.pdf
- ^
Karen DeYoung,
After attempted airline
bombing, effectiveness of intelligence reforms questioned,
Washington Post, January 7, 2010
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