Testimony of Louis J. Freeh, Director, FBI
Before the United States Senate, Committees on Appropriations,
Armed Services, and Select Committee on Intelligence
May 10, 2001
"Threat of Terrorism to the United States"
Good afternoon, Chairman Stevens,
Chairman Warner, Chairman Shelby, Chairman Gregg and Senator
Hollings, Chairman Roberts, and other members of the Committees.
I am pleased to have this opportunity to appear before you
today to discuss the threat of terrorism to the United States.
It is a privilege to join with Director of Central Intelligence
George Tenet for this panel. Over the past few years, the
Central Intelligence Agency has become one of the FBI's strongest
partners in preventing acts of terrorism and in bringing to
justice international terrorists who commit acts of violence
against U.S. citizens and interests. Many of our successes
are their successes.
At the outset, I would like
to recognize the Committees for undertaking this comprehensive
series of hearings. Through these hearings, you have brought
together the many agencies in the U.S. Government that are
partners in dealing with both the response to acts of terrorism
so that we might identify, apprehend, and prosecute those
responsible for such acts, and with the consequences of terrorist
acts so that we might mitigate the impact of these acts on
individual victims, communities, and the Nation.
To help establish a framework
for today's discussion, I would like to start by providing
an assessment of the current international and domestic terrorist
threat, a brief discussion of recent trends in terrorism,
and a description of the FBI's Counterterrorism strategy being
implemented under the leadership of Assistant Director Dale
Watson, who heads our Counterterrorism Division. Finally,
I would like to describe the Counterterrorism Initiative proposed
in our 2002 budget request to Congress.
The threat of terrorism to the
United States remains a concern. Over the past five years,
the level of acts committed in the United States have increased
steadily. There were two known or suspected terrorist acts
recorded in the United States in 1995, three in 1996, four
in 1997, five in 1998, and 12 in 1999. The 12 known or suspected
acts in 1999 included two separate acts committed by lone
domestic extremists in California and Indiana/Illinois, eight
acts attributed to animal rights and environmental extremists,
one bombing incident believed carried out by separatists in
Puerto Rico, and one arson incident possibly committed by
animal rights extremists or anarchists in Washington State.
In addition to the 12 known or suspected terrorist acts in
1999, seven planned acts of terrorism were prevented in the
United States during the year.
The FBI is currently investigating
several criminal acts committed in the United States during
2000 and 2001 for possible designation as acts of terrorism.
The International Terrorist
Situation
International terrorism involves
violent acts, or acts dangerous to human life, that are a
violation of the criminal laws of the United States or any
state, or that would be a criminal violation if committed
within the jurisdiction of the United States or any state,
and which are intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian
population, influence the police of a government, or affect
the conduct of a government. Acts of international terrorism
transcend national boundaries in terms of the means by which
they are accomplished, the intended persons they appear to
intimidate, or the locale in which the perpetrators operate.
The United States continues
to face a formidable challenge from international terrorism.
The prevention of planned terrorist plots in the United States,
Jordan, and Pakistan in December 1999 and the bombing of the
U.S. S. Cole in Yemen in October 2000 underscore the range
of threats to U.S. citizens and interests posed by international
terrorists. In general terms, the international terrorist
threat can be divided into three categories: loosely affiliated
extremists operating under the radical international jihad
movement, formal terrorist organizations, and state sponsors
of terrorism. Each of these categories represents a threat
to U.S. citizens and interests, both abroad and at home.
Loosely affiliated extremists. Loosely affiliated extremists, motivated by political
or religious beliefs, may pose the most urgent threat to the
United States. Within this category, Sunni Islamic extremists,
such as Usama bin Laden and individuals affiliated with his
Al-Qaeda organization, have demonstrated a willingness and
capability to carry out attacks resulting in large-scale casualties
and destruction against U.S. citizens, facilities, and interests,
as demonstrated by the August 1998 bombings of U.S. Embassies
in East Africa. Al-Qaeda is a well organized and financed
criminal network comprised of structured, hierarchical cells
in numerous countries around the world. However, the threat
from Al-Qaeda is only part of the overall threat from the
radical international jihad movement. This movement is comprised
of individuals from varying nationalities, ethnic groups,
tribes, races, and terrorist group members who work together
in support of extremist Sunni goals. One of the primary Sunni
goals is the removal of U.S. military forces from the Persian
Gulf area, most notably Saudi Arabia. The single common element
among these diverse individuals is their commitment to the
radial international jihad movement, which includes a radicalized
ideology and agenda for promoting the use of violence against
the "enemies of Islam" in order to overthrow all
governments which are not ruled by Sharia, or conservative
Islamic law. A primary tactical objective of this movement
is the planning and carrying out of large-scale, high-profile,
high-casualty terrorist attacks against U.S. interests and
citizens and those of our allies, worldwide.
Formal terrorist organizations. The second category of international terrorist
threat is made up of formal terrorist organizations. Typically,
these autonomous, generally
transnational organizations have their own infrastructures,
personnel, financial arrangements, and training facilities.
These organizations are capable of planning and mounting terrorist
campaigns on an international basis. A number of these organizations
maintain operations and support networks in the United States.
For example, extremist groups such as the Palestinian Hamas,
the Irish Republican Army, the Egyptian Al-Gama Al-Islamiyya,
and the Lebanese Hizballah have a presence in the United States
whose members are primarily engaged in fund-raising, recruiting,
and low-level intelligence gathering. In July 2000, an FBI
Joint Terrorism Task Force investigation led to the arrests
of 23 individuals alleged to be supporters of Hizballah in
Charlotte, Concord, and Lexington, North Carolina. These individuals
were charged with a variety of offenses, including providing
material support to a foreign terrorist organization, immigration
and visa fraud, bribery of government officials, and money
laundering.
Hizballah is responsible for
the deaths of more Americans than any other terrorist group,
including the terrorist network of Usama bin Laden. Among
the notorious acts committed by this group are the 1983 truck
bombings of the United States Embassy and United States Marine
Corps barracks in Lebanon, the 1984 bombing of the United
States Embassy Annex in Beirut, and the 1985 hijacking of
TWA Flight 847, during which United States Navy diver Robert
Stehem, a passenger on the flight, was murdered by the hijackers.
To date, however, Hizballah has not carried out a terrorist
act in the United States.
State sponsors of terrorism. The third category of the international terrorist
threat is comprised of state sponsors of terrorism, or countries
that view terrorism as a tool of foreign policy. Presently,
the Department of State lists seven countries as state sponsors
of terrorism: Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Libya, Syria, Cuba, and North
Korea. Of these, Iran represents the greatest terrorist threat
to the United States. Despite a moderation in its public anti-U.S.
rhetoric since the election of Mohammed Khatemi as president,
the Government of Iran remains controlled by conservative
clerics opposed to reform and normalization of relations with
Western countries. The Government of Iran continues to target
dissidents living outside the country and supports financially
and logistically anti-Western acts of terrorism by others.
Syria has not been directly involved in conducting terrorist
activities for a number of years; however, the country still
provides safe haven to international terrorist groups and
rogue extremists. Cuba and North Korea appear to have significantly
reduced their direct involvement with terrorism due to the
rapidly diminishing capacity of their economies to support
such activities.
The Domestic Terrorism
Threat
Domestic terrorist groups represent
interests that span the full spectrum of political and economic
viewpoints, as well as social issues and concerns. It is important
to understand, however, that FBI investigations of domestic
terrorist groups or individuals are not predicated upon social
or political beliefs; rather, FBI investigations are based
upon information regarding planned or actual criminal activity.
The FBI views domestic terrorism as the unlawful use, or threatened
use, of violence by a group or individual that is based and
operating entirely within the United States or its territories
without foreign direction and which is committed against persons
or property with the intent of intimidating or coercing a
government or its population in furtherance of political or
social objectives. The current domestic terrorist threat primarily
comes from right-wing extremist groups, left-wing and Puerto
Rican extremist groups, and special interest extremists.
Right-wing extremist groups. Fight-wing terrorist groups often adhere to the
principles of racial supremacy and embrace antigovernment,
antiregulatory beliefs. Generally, extremist right-wing groups
engage in activity that is protected by constitutional guarantees
of free speech and assembly. Law enforcement becomes involved
when the volatile talk of these groups transgresses into unlawful
action.
On the national level, formal
right-wing hate groups, such as World Church of the Creator
(WCOTC) and the Aryan Nations, represent a continuing terrorist
threat. Although efforts have been made by some extremist
groups to reduce openly racist rhetoric in order to appeal
to a broader segment of the population and to focus increased
attention on anti-government sentiment, racism-based hatred
remains an integral component of these groups, core orientations.
Right-wing extremists continue
to represent a serious terrorist threat. Two of the seven
planned acts of terrorism prevented in 1999 were potentially
large-scale, high-casualty attacks being planned by organized
right-wing extremists. In December 1999, individuals associated
with an anti-government group and who were planning to attack
a large propane storage facility in Elk Grove, California,
were arrested by the Sacramento Joint Terrorism Task Force.
When arrested, these individuals were in possession of detonation
cord, blasting caps, grenade hulls, weapons, and various chemicals,
including ammonium nitrate. Also in 1999, the FBI interrupted
plans by members of the Southeastern States Alliance -- an
umbrella organization of militias in Florida, Georgia, South
Carolina, Alabama, and other southern states - to steal weapons
from national guard armories in Central Florida, attack power
lines in several states, and ambush federal law enforcement
officers. The goal of this group was to create social and
political chaos, thereby forcing the U.S. Government to declare
martial law, an act the group believed would lead to a violent
overthrow of the Government by the American people.
Left-wing and Puerto Rican
extremist groups.
The second category of domestic terrorists, left-wing groups,
generally profess a revolutionary socialist doctrine and view
themselves as protectors of the people against the "dehumanizing
effects" of capitalism and imperialism. They aim to bring
about change in the United States through revolution rather
than through the established political process. From the 1960s
to the 1980s, leftist-oriented extremist groups posed the
most serious domestic terrorist threat to the United States.
In the 1980s, however, the fortunes of the leftist movement
changed dramatically as law enforcement dismantled the infrastructure
of many of these groups and the fall of communism in Eastern
Europe deprived the movement of its ideological foundation
and patronage.
Terrorist groups seeking to
secure full Puerto Rican independence from the United
States through violent means represent one of the remaining
active vestiges of left-wing
terrorism. While these groups believe that bombings alone
will not result in change, they view these acts of terrorism
as a means by which to draw attention to their desire for
independence. During the 1970s and 1980s numerous leftist
groups, including extremist Puerto Rican separatist groups
such as the Armed Forces for Puerto Rican National Liberation
(FALN Fuerzas Armadas de Liberacion Nacional Puertorriquena),
carried out bombings on the U.S. mainland, primarily in and
around New York City. However, just as the leftist threat
in general declined dramatically throughout the 1990s, the
threat posed by Puerto Rican extremist groups to mainland
U.S. communities decreased during the past decade.
Acts of terrorism continue to be perpetrated, however, by
violent separatists in Puerto Rico. Three acts of terrorism
and one suspected act of terrorism have taken place in various
Puerto Rican locales during the past three years. These acts,
including the March 1998 bombing of a super-aqueduct project
in Arecibo, the bombings of bank offices in Rio Piedras and
Santa Isabel in June 1998, and the bombing of a highway in
Hato Rey, remain under investigation. The extremist Puerto
Rican separatist group Los Macheteros is suspected in each
of these attacks.
Anarchists and extremist socialist
groups -- many of which, such as the Workers' World Party,
Reclaim the Streets, and Carnival Against Capitalism -- have
an international presence and, at times, also represent a
potential threat in the United States. For example, anarchists,
operating individually and in groups, caused much of the damage
during the 1999 World Trade Organization ministerial meeting
in Seattle.
Special interest extremists. Special interest terrorism differs from traditional
right-wing and left-wing terrorism in that extremist special
interest groups seek to resolve specific issues, rather than
effect more widespread political change. Special interest
extremists continue to conduct acts of politically motivated
violence to force segments of society, including, the general
public, to change attitudes about issues considered important
to their causes. These groups occupy the extreme fringes of
animal rights, pro-life, environmental, anti-nuclear, and
other political and social movements. Some special interest
extremists -- most notably within the animal rights and environmental
movements -- have turned increasingly toward vandalism and
terrorist activity in attempts to further their causes.
In recent years, the Animal
Liberation Front (ALF) -- an extremist animal rights movement
-- has become one of the most active extremist elements in
the United States. Despite the destructive aspects of ALF's
operations, its operational philosophy discourages acts that
harm "any animal, human and nonhuman." Animal rights
groups in the United States, including ALF, have generally
adhered to this mandate. A distinct but related group, the
Earth Liberation Front (ELF), claimed responsibility for the
arson fires set at a Vail, Colorado, ski resort in October
1998 that destroyed eight separate structures and caused $12
million dollars in damages. In a communique issued after the
fires, ELF claimed that the fires were in retaliation for
the resort's planned expansion that would destroy the last
remaining habitat in Colorado for the lynx. Eight of the terrorist
incidents occurring in the United States during 1999 have
been attributed to either ALF or ELF. Several additional acts
committed during 2000 and 2001 are currently being reviewed
for possible designation as terrorist incidents.
Current Trends in Terrorism
In addition to the activities
of individuals and groups, two other factors, the growing
interest in the acquisition of weapons of mass destruction
by terrorists and other groups and the potential use of the
Internet and cyberspace to commit acts of terrorism, are factors
that contribute to the current terrorist threat to the United
States.
Weapons of mass destruction. The trend toward high-profile, high-impact attacks
comes at a time when interest is growing among both international
and domestic terrorist groups in acquiring weapons of mass
destruction (WMD ). Currently, there is no credible information
that a terrorist group has acquired, developed, or is planning
to use chemical, biological, or radiological agents in the
United States. However, there has been an increase in the
number of cases or incidents involving use or threatened use
of such agents in the United States. Between 1997 and 2000,
the FBI investigated 779 WMD-related reports, generally involving
individuals or small groups. The vast majority of these cases
were found to be false or fabricated reports. The biological
toxin ricin and the bacterial agent anthrax are emerging as
the most prevalent agents involved in investigations. In 2000,
90 of II 5 biological threats investigated by the FBI involved
threatened use of anthrax. While actual ricin toxin has been
involved in a limited number of cases, anthrax agents have
not been uncovered in any law enforcement investigation in
the United States to date. Given the potential for inflicting
large-scale injury or death, the efforts of international
and domestic terrorists to acquire WMD remains a significant
concern and priority of the FBI.
Terrorist use of emerging
technology. Terrorist
groups are increasingly using new information technology and
the Internet to formulate plans, recruit members, communicate
between cells and members, raise funds, and spread propaganda.
Last year, in his statement on the Worldwide Threat in 2000,
DCI Tenet testified before Congress that terrorist groups,
"including Hizballah, Hamas, the Abu Nidal Organization,
and bin Laden's Al-Queda Organization are using computerized
files, e-mail, and encryption to support their operations."
While these terrorist groups have not employed cyber-tools
as a weapon to use against critical infrastructures, the reliance,
accessibility, and expertise of these groups with computer
and information technology networks and systems represents
a clear warning sign.
Other terrorist groups, such
as the Internet Black Tigers, who are reportedly affiliated
with the Tamil Tigers, have engaged in attacks on foreign
government web-sites and e-mail servers. During the unrest
on the West Bank in the Fall of 2000, Israeli Government sites
were subjected to e-mail flooding and "ping" attacks.
These attacks allegedly originated with Islamic elements and
were an attempt to inundate the systems with e-mail messages
and degrade or deny services.
The FBI believes cyber-terrorism,
the use of cyber-tools to shut down, degrade, or deny critical
national infrastructures, such as energy, transportation,
communications, or government services, for the purpose of
coercing or intimidating a government or civilian population,
is clearly an emerging threat for which its must develop prevention,
deterrence, and response capabilities.
FBI Counterterrorism
Jurisdiction and Role
The FBI is the lead federal
agency for investigating terrorism. Under statutory authority
granted by Title 28, United States Code, Section 533, the
Attorney General has specifically assigned the FBI "lead
agency responsibilities in investigating all crimes for which
it has primary or concurrent jurisdiction and which involve
terrorist activities or acts in preparation of terrorist activities
within the statutory jurisdiction of the United States".
In the United States, this would include the collection, coordination,
analysis, management and dissemination of intelligence and
criminal information as appropriate. If another federal agency
identifies an individual who is engaged in terrorist activities
or acts in preparation of terrorist activities, that agency
is requested to promptly notify the FBI.
In addition, the FBI's role
as a lead agency for investigating terrorism matters is supported
by various Presidential Decision Directives (PDD). For example:
- PDD-3 9 sets forth the U.S.
counterterrorism policy and outlines the FBI's jurisdictional
responsibilities in relation to terrorism: "unless
otherwise specified by the Attorney General, the FBI shall
have lead responsibility for operational response to terrorist
incidents that take place within U.S. territory or that
occur in international waters and do not involve the flag
vessel of a foreign country. Within this role, the FBI functions
as the on-scene manager for the U.S. Government." Moreover,
"the FBI shall have lead responsibility for investigating
terrorist acts planned or carried out by foreign or domestic
terrorist groups in the U.S. or which are directed at U.S.
citizens or institutions abroad."
- PDD-62 grants the Department
of Justice, acting through the FBI, lead agency or operational
response authority to a incident.
- PDD-63 directs that the National
Infrastructure Protection Center (NIPC) serve as a national
critical infrastructure threat assessment, warning, vulnerability,
and law enforcement investigation and response entity and
that its mission "will include providing timely warnings
of intentional threats, comprehensive analyses and law enforcement
investigation and response." Under the directive, the
Department of Justice/FBI have been given the responsibility
for the Emergency Law Enforcement Services Sector. Helping
assure the security of law enforcement agencies across the
United States greatly increases preparedness to deal with
terrorist incidents.
- PDD-77 set forth requirements
for returning suspected terrorists to stand trial in the
United States.
Various statutes give the FBI
authority to investigate terrorist crimes committed overseas.
Chief among these are the Comprehensive Crime Control Act
of 1984, which created a new section in the U.S. Criminal
Code for Hostage Taking, and the Omnibus Diplomatic Security
and Anti-terrorism Act of 1986, which established a new statute
pertaining to terrorist acts conducted abroad against U.S.
nationals and/or its interests (Extraterritorial Terrorism
Statute).
FBI Counterterrorism
Strategy
The strategic goal of the FBI's
Counterterrorism Program is to identify, prevent, deter, and
respond to acts of terrorism. In the area of responding to
terrorist incidents after they occur, the FBI, with the support
of the Congress and the Administration, has greatly improved
its crisis response capabilities since the World Trade Center
bombing in 1993 and the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995. One
can look to such investigative successes, as the indictment
of 22 individuals in connection with the bombings of the U.S.
Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998 to understand the
FBI's far reaching capability to respond to terrorist incidents
abroad as well as at home.
Even though the FBI has realized
successes in responding to acts of terrorism, the FBI recognizes
that the underlying political/religious/social movements which
produced recent acts of terrorism are beyond its control-
therefore, the FBI will never be able to prevent all acts
of terrorism. International terrorists have demonstrated their
willingness and ability to strike against citizens and facilities
of the United States not only in foreign lands, but also here
at home. Fast-paced global changes, such as the widespread
growth in international trade and commerce; greater international
openness and exchange of ideas brought about by improvements
in communications and the Internet; shifts in the balance
of political/social/economic forces in developing and established
countries; and a growing international financial dependence,
among others, continue to present the FBI with new challenges
in the area of terrorism prevention.
In an effort to keep pace with
the changing terrorist threat to the United States, the FBI
is implementing a new management and operational initiative
to further strengthen its ability to combat terrorism. This
initiative, referred to as MAXCAP05, has
as its goal the achievement by Fiscal Year 2005 of five core
competencies or capacities for its Counterterrorism Program:
investigative, intelligence, communications, liaison, and
program management.
- Investigative Capacity is the extent to which each FBI Field Office
is appropriately staffed, trained, equipped, and managed
to prevent and effectively respond to acts of terrorism
based on the known terrorist threat in that field office.
- Intelligence Capacity is the ability to produce, use, and appropriately
disseminate on a timely basis strategic, operational, and
tactical Counterterrorism intelligence products.
- Communications Capacity is the capability to fully utilize and integrate
FBI resources throughout the Bureau in support of Counterterrorism
programs and initiatives through the use of appropriate
information technology.
- Liaison Capacity is the capacity to prioritize, establish, and
maintain sound and productive relationships with external
counterparts in the intelligence community, law enforcement
communities, other federal agencies, defense establishments,
foreign services, private industry and non-governmental
organizations, State and local agencies, legislative and
executive bodies, the media, and academia to obtain maximum
information and support.
- Program Management
Capacity is the capacity to effectively direct, measure,
and manage the Counterterrorism Program's progress toward
identifying and achieving its core competencies.
The FBI recently completed a
field-wide assessment of investigative capacity. This assessment
has been used to establish operational priorities. More importantly,
the baseline assessments can serve as a starting point upon
which progress towards achieving core competencies can be
measured. Field office assessments will be updated semiannually.
2002 Counterterrorism
Budget Request
For FY 200 1, the FBI is requesting
increases totaling $32,059,000 and 42 positions (8 agents)
to improve and enhance existing counterterrorism capabilities
and operations.
2002 Winter Olympics Preparation. The 2002 Winter Olympic Games have been designated
a National Special Security Event. Consistent with FBI lead-agency
responsibilities for intelligence collection and crisis management
as contained in PDD-39 and PDD-62, the FBI is working closely
with the United State Secret Service and other federal, state,
and local law enforcement and consequence management agencies
to plan for security and public safety issues for the 2002
Winter Olympic Games that will be hosted by Salt Lake City,
Utah.
For FY 2002, the FBI requests
increases totaling $12,302,000 for 2002 Winter Olympic Games
deployment. The funding requested will cover travel, per diem,
vehicle lease, utilities, telecommunications, and FBI overtime
costs for the planned deployment of over 800 FBI personnel
for the event period. The Salt Lake City games will be conducted
at 20 official Olympic venues spread over a 6,000 square mile
area. Olympic competition will take place simultaneously at
10 venues in 3 major cities and 6 remote mountain resort areas.
Recurring Security Services. The FBI is committed to implementing the security
standards contained in the June 1995 Department of Justice
report entitled,
"Vulnerability Assessment of Federal Facilities."
For FY 2002, the FBI requests an increase of $2,020,000 to
acquire contract guard services for six stand-alone field
office facilities where GSA does not provide such service
($1,600,000), replace an outdated closed-circuit television
(CCTV) security system at FBI Headquarters ($320,000), and
replace three guard booths at FBI Headquarters to facilitate
new visitor identification procedures ($100,000).
Incident Response Readiness. Consistent with the provisions of PDD-62, the FBI
initiated a long-term program in FY 2000 to develop law enforcement
capabilities for the technical resolution of a weapons of
mass destruction incident involving chemical, biological,
or radiological threats or devices. Initial funding for this
effort was provided through an interagency agreement with
the Department of Defense. For FY 2002, the FBI requests 42
positions (8 agents) and $17,737,000 to support ongoing efforts
in the areas of threat assessment, diagnostics, and advanced
render safe equipment.
In addition to the FBI's Counterterrorism
initiative for FY 2002, there is funding proposed within another
Department of Justice program that is considered important
to the FBI's ongoing counterterrorism efforts.
State and Local Bomb Technician
Equipment. Within
the funding proposed for the Office of Justice Programs (OJP),
$ 10,000,000 is included to continue an FBI Laboratorymanaged
program of training and equipping approximately 386 accredited
State and local bomb squads located in communities throughout
the United States.
Continuation of funding for
this program will ensure State and local bomb squads are properly
trained and equipped for dealing with traditional improvised
and explosive devices, as well as the initial response to
devices that may be used by terrorists or others to release
chemical or biological agents. Through this program, the FBI
has provided State and local bomb squads with weapons of mass
destruction (WMD) protective search suits, real-time x-ray
devices, multi-gas monitoring systems, portable radiation
detectors, and computers to access the Chemical and Biological
Organisms - Law Enforcement database through the Law Enforcement
On-line (LEO) program. This initiative compliments the State
and local bomb technician training and accreditation program
that the FBI Laboratory provides at the Hazardous Devices
School, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama.
Summary
Combating terrorism is a priority
of the FBI. Through the support of the Administration and
the Congress, the FBI has been able to greatly improve its
crisis response capabilities to respond to such acts when
and wherever they occur. The management and operational strategy
that the FBI is implementing will further improve its capacity
to counter terrorism. We believe this strategy will allow
the FBI to continually refine, adjust, and upgrade our response
capacities in the face of new threats and groups. Also, this
strategy recognizes and emphasizes the importance of the capacity
for gathering and sharing intelligence on a timely basis with
other agencies involved in countering terrorism. The strategy
places a premium on the importance of establishing and maintaining
communications and liaison with our federal, State, and local
partners. Finally, the strategy emphasizes the effective management
and allocation of program resources provided by the Congress.
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