Testimony of Philip W. Thomas, Special Agent in Charge,
Memphis Division, FBI
Before
the House Committee on Government Reform, Subcommittee on
Government Efficiency,
Financial Management and Intergovernmental Relations, Nashville,
TN
March 1, 2002
"Terrorism
Preparedness"
Good
morning Chairman Horn, Members of the Subcommittee and distinguished
Members of the Tennessee Delegation. I value the opportunity
to appear before you and discuss terrorism preparedness, including
threats posed by attacks involving biological, chemical or
nuclear agents, as well as measures being taken by the FBI
and our law enforcement partners to address these threats.
Introduction
The mission
of the FBI's counterterrorism program is to detect, deter,
prevent, and swiftly respond to terrorist actions that threaten
the U.S. national interests at home or abroad, and to coordinate
those efforts with local, state, federal, and foreign entities
as appropriate. The counterterrorism responsibilities of the
FBI include the investigation of domestic and international
terrorism. As events during the past several years demonstrate,
both domestic and international terrorist organizations represent
threats within the borders of the US
Domestic
terrorism is the unlawful use, or threatened use, of violence
by a group or individual based and operating entirely within
the US (or its territories) without foreign direction, committed
against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government,
the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance
of political or social objectives.
International
terrorism involves violent acts or acts dangerous to human
life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the US or
any state, or that would be a criminal violation if committed
within the jurisdiction of the US or any state. Acts of international
terrorism are intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian
population, influence the policy of a government, or affect
the conduct of a government. These acts transcend national
boundaries in terms of the means by which they are accomplished,
the persons they are intended to intimidate, or the locale
in which perpetrators operate.
The FBI
has developed a strong response to the threats posed by domestic
and international terrorism. Between fiscal years 1993 and
2003, the number of special agents dedicated to the FBI's
counterterrorism programs grew by approximately 224 percent
(to 1,669--nearly 16 percent of all FBI special agents). In
recent years, the FBI has strengthened its counterterrorism
program to enhance its abilities to carry out these objectives.
The
Memphis Division of the FBI
The Memphis
Division of the FBI is comprised of the Western and Middle
Federal Judicial Districts within the state of Tennessee.
The Division has investigative responsibilities in 54 counties
with an approximate population of 3.2 million. The headquarters
office for the Division is located in Memphis with satellite
offices, or Resident Agencies (RAs), in Jackson, Nashville,
Clarksville, Columbia, and Cookeville. The Division personnel
resource staffing level for Special Agents is approximately
84 and the professional support complement is approximately
61.
FBI Special
Agents assigned to counterterrorism matters in the Memphis
Division meet with their federal, state and local counterparts
in designated alternating locations on a regular basis for
training, discussion of investigations, and to share intelligence.
This provides a necessary structure to direct counterterrorism
resources toward localized terrorism problems. Domestic terrorism
training has been provided by the FBI at numerous agencies
within the Memphis Division including the Nashville Metropolitan
Police Department and the Tennessee Highway Patrol. The FBI
recently assisted the US Attorney's Office in "State
and Local Anti-Terrorism Training " funded by the Department
of Justice (DOJ).
Approximately
two and one half years ago the Memphis Division initiated
working groups in Memphis and Nashville comprised of various
federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. The primary
purpose was to prevent, detect, investigate, and prosecute
individuals and organizations planning and/or committing terrorist
acts. Since September 11, 2001, training by several agencies
has been provided on a monthly basis at the working group
meetings in Nashville.
The establishment
of those working groups required extensive background investigations
on the agents/officers of such agencies as the Tennessee Bureau
of Investigation, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Memphis Police
Department, Shelby County Sheriff's Office, and the Nashville
Metropolitan Police Department. Those members of the working
groups received Top Secret clearances in order to share classified
intelligence and conduct joint classified investigations.
Other federal agencies such as the Federal Aviation Administration,
the Immigration and Naturalization Service, the Internal Revenue
Service, the US Customs Service, the US Secret Service, and
the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms ensured their
clearances were updated and forwarded to the FBI.
Without
delving into the specifics of current international terrorism
cases, international threats to the US generally consist of
state sponsors of international terrorism, formalized terrorist
organizations, and the radical international jihad movement.
Each of these categories represents a threat to US interests
abroad and in the United States. With the Top Secret security
clearances, the local, state, and federal agents/officers
on the working groups are able to assist the FBI in international
terrorism investigations. Since September 11, 2001, the Memphis
Division has made personnel changes to address international
terrorism. Through utilization of the individual working groups,
the Division has been able to initiate more cases and gather
additional intelligence. The Al Qaeda organization is the
primary terrorist threat to which investigative efforts are
directed. In conjunction with Treasury Department agencies,
efforts are being made to track funding sources in the Memphis
Division who may support terrorist cells in the US and overseas.
Counterterrorism
Preparedness
In the
counterterrorism preparedness area, the FBI's Knoxville Division
(responsible for the Eastern Federal Judicial District in
Tennessee) has within its territory the Oak Ridge and the
Sequoia nuclear power facilities. There are no nuclear facilities
within the Memphis Division. There are research facilities
and chemical manufacturers such as Dupont and Williams Refinery
in Shelby County. Key assets such as the lakes, dams, and
facilities owned and operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority
are monitored via cooperation and liaison with that agency.
Counterterrorism
preparedness includes field and table top exercises which
test the ability of the response capabilities of agencies
who would participate in a disaster involving biological,
chemical, or nuclear attack. The Memphis Division has participated
in exercises held in Memphis, Nashville, and Wilson County.
The FBI, as lead agency for crisis management, was called
upon to implement a plan in coordination with other law enforcement,
fire, emergency, and health agencies. The response was reviewed
and critiqued by the Department of Defense and DOJ.
The most
recent joint field exercise was conducted at Adelphia Coliseum
and involved virtually every federal, state, and local agency
including the Red Cross. An instructional film was made of
that exercise and is used in various venues across the US
The Memphis Division also participated in a professionally
made film in Nashville which will be used to train WMD personnel
throughout the US Future training events include a hazardous
materials drill which will be hosted by the Shelby County
Emergency Management Agency in March 2002.
Other
domestic terrorism responsibilities assigned to the FBI are
"special events." The Memphis Division opened special
event cases on the Country Music Association Awards, the Maccabi
Games (an international athletic competition sponsored by
the Jewish community), the National Religious Broadcasters
Association, and the American Aviation Association. All FBI
field offices were queried for information related to possible
criminal activities directed against the events or participants.
Because
of its relevance to the topic of this hearing, specifically
the threat to nuclear and chemical facilities, I would like
to briefly discuss the National Infrastructure Protection
Center (NIPC), which was created in 1998. The NIPC is an interagency
center housed at FBI headquarters that serves as the focal
point for the government's effort to warn of and respond to
cyber intrusions, both domestic and international. NIPC programs
have been established in each of the FBI's 56 field divisions,
including the Memphis division. Through a 24-hour watch and
other initiatives, the NIPC has developed processes to ensure
that it receives information in real-time or near-real-time
from relevant sources, including the US intelligence community,
FBI criminal investigations, other federal agencies, the private
sector, emerging intrusion detection systems, and open sources.
This information is quickly evaluated to determine if a broad-scale
attack is imminent or underway.
On January 16, 2002, the FBI disseminated an advisory via
NLETS regarding possible attempts by terrorists to use US
municipal and state web sites to obtain information on local
energy infrastructures, water reservoirs, dams, highly enriched
uranium storage sites, and nuclear and gas facilities. Although
the FBI possesses no specific threat information regarding
these apparent intrusions, these types of activities on the
part of terrorists pose serious challenges to our national
security.
The National
Infrastructure and Computer Intrusion Program also has a role
in preventing terrorist acts. The focus of NIPC's "Key
Asset Initiative" includes asset identification and protection,
and prevention and detection of computer intrusions. Assets
include the major electrical, communications, and water facilities;
transportation hubs; energy plants and other infrastructure
which are instrumental in supporting societal activities and
which, if attacked, would represent a major loss or disruption
to Tennessee and US communities. Computer intrusions financially
impact the business community and computer systems may be
used to gain illegal entry into governmental or military agencies.
Computer terrorists may conduct clandestine communications
via computers located in educational institutions or elsewhere
without the knowledge of the computer system's sponsor.
With
computer technology in mind and the desire to prevent computer
attacks and intrusions, the Memphis Division initiated the
InfraGard Program which incorporated business, governmental,
and military communities into a system similar to a Neighborhood
Watch. They conduct meetings to discuss awareness of computer
issues and operate a self warning system.
Joint
Terrorism Task Forces (JTTFs)
Cooperation
among law enforcement agencies at all levels represents an
important component of a comprehensive response to terrorism.
This cooperation assumes its most tangible operational form
in the joint terrorism task forces (JTTFs) that are established
in 44 cities across the nation. These task forces are particularly
well-suited to responding to terrorism because they combine
the national and international investigative resources of
the FBI with the street-level expertise of local law enforcement
agencies. This cop-to-cop cooperation has proven highly successful
in preventing several potential terrorist attacks.
Given
the success of the JTTF concept, the FBI has established 15
new JTTFs since the end of 1999. Contingent upon the FBI's
2003 budget request for funds to expand the JTTF program,
the FBI plans to have established JTTFs in each of its 56
field divisions, including the Memphis Division, by the end
of 2003. By integrating the investigative abilities of the
FBI and local law enforcement agencies these task forces represent
an effective response to the threats posed to US communities
by domestic and international terrorists.
The FBI
is presently working with the Department of Justice to ensure
that the JTTFs are coordinated with the newly created Anti-Terrorism
Task Forces located in the offices of US Attorneys throughout
the country. This coordination is crucial, to avoid duplication
of effort and enhance the exchange of information and overall
counterterrrorism objectives. In addition to the JTTFs, the
Regional Terrorism Task Force (RTTF) initiative serves as
a viable means of accomplishing the benefits associated with
information sharing for those areas without an established,
full-time JTTF. There are currently six RTTFs : the Inland
Northwest RTTF, the South Central RTTF, the Southeastern RTTF,
the Northeast Border RTTF, the Deep South RTTF, and the Southwest
RTTF. Special Agents from the Memphis Division have attended
RTTF conferences and training in El Paso and San Antonio,
along with a working group member from the Nashville Metropolitan
Police Department.
The Memphis
Division will initiate a JTTF in the near future. A Memorandum
of Understanding will be sent to the participating agencies
for their review and personnel commitments. The JTTF will
enhance our already productive relationship with the agencies
in our working groups by adding resources and by bringing
investigators from other agencies onto the JTTF on a full-time
basis. Until the Memphis Division JTTF is approved, we will
continue working with our law enforcement partners via the
aforementioned working groups and RTTF.
Investigations
by the working groups which were displayed in the media included
the case brought to the Middle Tennessee Counterterrorism
Working Group in Nashville by the Nashville Metropolitan Police
Department. An individual was spotted by an alert citizen
outside a Jewish school in his vehicle while armed with a
military type long gun. After the initial investigation and
a high speed chase, a search was conducted of the individual's
residence and a rented storage locker. Hate literature, guns
(including a .50 caliber rifle), hand grenades, pipe bombs,
an inactive LAWS rocket, material for making explosives (the
equivalent of 50 sticks of dynamite), survival gear, police
scanners, and a computer were seized. An additional site in
Maury County contained buried explosives. A search of the
computer revealed his connections to the National Alliance
and other hate groups, as well as a picture of Timothy McVeigh.
Agencies assisting in that investigation included the Nashville
Metropolitan Police Department, the US Secret Service, the
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, the Tennessee Highway
Patrol and the FBI.
Another
recent example of a successful joint investigation was the
case brought to the Middle Tennessee Counterterrorism Working
Group by the Tennessee Highway Patrol which involved the sale
of police badges via the Internet. An undercover operation
revealed an individual in Florida who possessed and sold badges
of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the US Customs Service,
the US Marshals, and shields of local and state law enforcement
agencies. Approximately 900 badges were bought or seized.
Some were stolen, some were original, and some were counterfeit.
One counterfeit badge from the FBI was included, as well as
Olympic badges for the Utah Highway Patrol which were not
yet on the market for collectors. This latter case received
nationwide media attention. Both case examples represent the
collaboration and excellent working relationships enjoyed
by law enforcement agencies in the Western and Middle Districts
of Tennessee. The ability of the agencies to share intelligence
and pool investigative resources is key to preventing terrorist
acts.
Threat
Warning Systems
Because
warning is critical to the prevention of terrorist acts, the
FBI also has expanded the National Threat Warning System (NTWS)
first implemented in 1989. The system now reaches all aspects
of the law enforcement and intelligence communities. Currently,
sixty federal agencies and their subcomponents receive information
via secure teletype through this system. The messages also
are transmitted to all 56 FBI field offices and 44 legal attaches.
If threat information requires nationwide unclassified dissemination
to all federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies,
the FBI transmits messages via the National Law Enforcement
Telecommunications System (NLETS). In addition, the FBI disseminates
threat information to security managers of thousands of US
commercial interests through the Awareness of National Security
Issues and Response (ANSIR) program. If warranted, the expanded
NTWS also enables the FBI to communicate threat information
directly to the American people. Since the terrorist attack
of September 11, the FBI has disseminated 37 warnings via
the NTWS. The FBI also has issued more than 40 "be on
the lookout" (BOLO) alerts via the NLETS system. BOLO
alerts provide the names of individuals who are of investigative
interest to the FBI.
In an
effort to further disseminate terrorism information, the Memphis
Division entered into an agreement with the Regional Organized
Crime Information Center (ROCIC) which is located in Nashville
and which is a member of the Regional Information Sharing
System (RISS) in order to enter information on the secure
Internet for retrieval by Tennessee law enforcement agencies.
Several meetings were held which included leaders of the Tennessee
Association of Chiefs of Police, Tennessee Sheriff's Association,
Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Nashville Metropolitan
Police Department, and Knoxville Police Department and it
was determined that ROCIC was the best vehicle for sharing
information with all law enforcement agencies in the state.
Bioterrorism
and Weapons of Mass Destruction
The FBI
Counterterrorism Division's Weapons of Mass Destruction Countermeasures
Unit (WMDCU) plans and conducts Weapons of Mass Destruction
(WMD) exercises which address the specific needs and objectives
of state and local emergency responders. State and local emergency
management officials may request this assistance through their
respective WMD Coordinators who forward the request to WMDCU.
Every FBI Field Division, including the Memphis Division,
has a WMD Coordinator. WMDCU fully integrates state and local
planning officials into the exercise planning process to ensure
their requirements are specifically met. WMDCU also co-chairs
the InterAgency Board (IAB) for Equipment Standardization
and Interoperability. Comprised of over 48 separate local,
state and federal organizations, the IAB is responsible for
the creation of the Standardized Equipment List and is recognized
as the leading authority in the area of WMD response equipment.
The bioterrorism threat has risen to a new level. The federal
government, in partnership with state and local law enforcement
agencies, has always taken threats concerning the intentional
release of biological agents seriously. However, until recently,
neither the federal government nor state and local responders
have been required to utilize their assets to coordinate a
response to an actual release of anthrax. The intentional
introduction of anthrax into our infrastructure has resulted
in significant alarm concerning our health and safety. I would
like to comment on the manner in which the law enforcement
community responds to a suspected act of terrorism involving
biological agents, and reinforce the cooperative effort that
is in place between the federal government and the myriad
of first responders who provide guidance, assistance and expertise.
The response
to a potential bioterrorist threat can be broken down into
two different scenarios: overt and covert releases. The distinction
between the two involves the manner in which the biological
threat agent is introduced into the community and the nature
of the response. Regardless of whether a biological release
is overt or covert, the primary mission of law enforcement
and the public health community is saving lives.
An overt
scenario involves the announced release of an agent, often
with some type of articulated threat. An example of this would
be the receipt of a letter containing a powder and a note
indicating that the recipient has been exposed to anthrax.
This type of situation would prompt an immediate law enforcement
response, to include local police, fire and emergency medical
service (EMS) personnel. As noted earlier, each FBI field
office is staffed with a WMD Coordinator whose responsibilities
include liaison with first responders in the community. Due
to this established relationship with first responders, the
local FBI WMD Coordinator would be notified and dispatched
to the scene.
The response
protocol would involve securing the crime scene and initiating
the FBI's interagency threat assessment process. The FBI's
WMD Operations Unit of the Counterterrorism Division at FBI
Headquarters, coordinates this threat assessment which determines
the credibility of the threat received, the immediate concerns
involving health and safety of the responding personnel, and
the requisite level of response warranted by the federal government.
The FBI obtains detailed information from the on-scene personnel
and input from the necessary federal agencies with responsibility
in the particular incident. In a biological event, the Department
of Health and Human Services (DHHS), including Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and Food and Drug Administration
(FDA), as well as the United States Department of Agriculture
(USDA) are the key agencies called upon to assist FBI personnel
in assessing the particular threat. Based upon the assessment,
a determination is made as to the level of response necessary
to adequately address the particular threat, which could range
from a full federal response if the threat is deemed credible,
to collection of the material in an effort to rule out the
presence of any biological material if the threat is deemed
not credible. (In the event of a chemical, nuclear or radiological
threat, a similar threat assessment would occur.)
The FBI
Headquarters Counterterrorism Division interaction with the
field and the WMD coordinators, along with other internal
and external agencies, has improved the threat assessment
process and allowed federal, state, and local agencies to
scale back responses and provide a measured response. In many
cases, the situation is handled with minimal publicity, therefore
limiting the impact of the terrorist objective. The process
has been effective in saving the federal government, and the
state and local communities, time and money, and has allayed
the fears of victims in rapid fashion on numerous occasions.
The method
of collecting suspect material is established by protocols
set forth by the FBI's Hazardous Material Response Unit (HMRU).
These protocols, recognized and followed by state and local
Hazmat teams, are necessary to ensure that sufficient evidentiary
samples are collected, screened and over-packed according
to scientific safety guidelines for transportation to the
appropriate testing facility. Over 85 State Health Laboratories
perform this analysis on behalf of HHS/CDC and belong to a
coordinated collection of facilities known as the Laboratory
Response Network (LRN). Once the testing has been completed,
results are provided to the FBI for dissemination in the appropriate
manner. The results of the analysis are then disseminated
to the exposed person or persons, local first responders and
to the local public health department. Additionally, results
will be forwarded to the CDC in Atlanta, GA.
A covert
release of a biological agent invokes a different type of
response, driven by the public health community. By its nature,
a covert introduction is not accompanied by any articulated
or known threat. The presence of the disease is discovered
through the presentation of unusual signs and/or symptoms
in individuals reporting to local hospitals or physician clinics.
In this situation, there is initially no crime scene for law
enforcement personnel to investigate. The criminal act may
not be revealed until days have elapsed, following the agent
identification and preliminary results obtained from the epidemiological
inquiry conducted by the public health sector. Contrary to
an overt act where law enforcement makes the necessary notification
to public health, in a covert release, notification to law
enforcement is made by the public health sector. The early
notification of law enforcement in this process encourages
the sharing of information between criminal and epidemiological
investigators. Once an indication of a criminal act utilizing
a biological agent is suspected, the FBI assumes primary authority
in conducting the criminal investigation, while public health
maintains responsibility for the health and welfare of the
citizens. At the local level, involving the FBI WMD Coordinator
and the state or local public health department, and at the
national level between FBI Headquarters and the CDC, an effective
coordination has been accomplished to address the requisite
roles and responsibilities of each agency.
The response
to an actual threat or one that is later determined not to
be credible, or a hoax, is indistinguishable. This includes
deployment of a Hazmat team, thorough examination of the potentially
contaminated area (including situations where a telephonic
reporting is received) and the disruption of the normal operations
of the affected entity. Additionally, the individuals potentially
exposed to the WMD may experience extreme anxiety/fear due
to the reported release. Potential victims may have to be
decontaminated or transported to a medical facility. The first
responders must treat each incident as a real event until
scientific analysis proves that the material is not a biological
agent. To both the responding entities and the potentially
exposed victims, the presence of powder threatening the presence
of a biological agent is not a hoax, or something to be taken
lightly. The individuals perpetrating such an activity must
be held accountable for their actions.
In the
area of Weapons of Mass Destruction Operations, the Memphis
Division is in constant communication with members of the
law enforcement, fire, emergency management, and medical communities.
That partnership was clearly evident in the cooperation during
the time period after September 11, 2001, when persons bent
on further disrupting life as we know it initiated numerous
anthrax hoaxes in Tennessee. In addition to those hoaxes,
well meaning citizens reported hundreds of suspicious packages
and other items. Since October 2001 the FBI nationwide has
responded to over 16,000 reports of use or threatened use
of anthrax or other hazardous materials. The anthrax cases
in Florida, New York and New Jersey also required investigative
attention by Memphis Division resources.
The Memphis
and Nashville offices established command posts to deal with
the anthrax crisis. A meeting was held with all the Nashville
response agencies and the Memphis Division Domestic Program
Coordinator and a resolution was agreed upon. The law enforcement,
fire, emergency, and medical agencies quickly agreed on the
manner of handling the responses and protocols for handling
potential evidence. Dr. Michael Kimberley, Tennessee Laboratory
Director, agreed to receive suspect packages from any fire,
police, or emergency agency.
The FBI
agents responsible for WMD investigations attend regular meetings
hosted by the Nashville Office of Emergency Management, the
Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, and the Tennessee Office
of Homeland Defense. The FBI immediately responded to the
Nashville Office of Emergency Management command post after
the events of September 11 and attends monthly meetings conducted
by the Office of Emergency Management. I addressed the Tennessee
Association of Chiefs of Police recently regarding Domestic
Terrorism which, of course, includes WMD matters. The Memphis
Division's Domestic Terrorism Program Coordinator recently
briefed the Tennessee Sheriff's Association and the Tennessee
Office of Homeland Defense as well.
In addition
to providing training to other governmental entities, FBI
agents assigned to work WMD matters also speak and provide
instruction to such groups as the National Truck Stops Association,
the Administrators of Nursing Homes, Assisted Living Facilities
and Homes for the Aged, and the Native American Health Directors.
They recently spoke before the Memphis Chamber of Commerce
and were featured on public access television.
The FBI
Laboratory Division is also a key component in dealing with
incidents involving the release of biological, chemical or
nuclear agents. The FBI Laboratory has developed a response
capability to support counterterrorism investigations worldwide.
The FBI's mobile crime laboratory provides the capability
to collect and analyze a range of physical evidence on-scene,
and has been deployed at major crime scenes, including the
World Trade Center bombing, Khobar towers, and the East African
embassy bombings. The mobile crime laboratory contains analytical
instrumentation for rapid screening and triage of explosives
and other trace evidence recovered at crime scenes.
The FBI
Laboratory also provides the capacity to rapidly respond to
criminal acts involving the use of chemical or biological
agents with the mobile, self-contained fly away laboratory
(FAL). The FAL consists of twelve suites of analytical instrumentation
supported by an array of equipment which allows for safe collection
of hazardous materials, sample preparation, storage, and analysis
in a field setting. The major objectives of the mobile crime
laboratory and the FAL are to enhance the safety of deployed
personnel, generate leads through rapid analysis and screening,
and to preserve evidence for further examination at the FBI
laboratory. In addition, the laboratory has developed agreements
with several other federal agencies for rapid and effective
analysis of chemical, biological, and radiological materials.
One partnership, the Laboratory Response Network (LRN), is
supported by the CDC and the Association of Public Health
Laboratories for the Analysis of Biological Agents.
Conclusion
Despite
the recent focus on international terrorism, it is important
to remain cognizant of the full range of threats that confront
the US These threats continue to include domestic and international
terrorists. Terrorism represents a continuing threat to the
US and a formidable challenge to the FBI. In response to this
threat, the FBI has developed a broad-based counterterrorism
program, based on investigations to disrupt terrorist activities,
interagency cooperation, and effective warning. While this
approach has yielded many successes, the dynamic nature of
the terrorist threat demands that our capabilities continually
be refined and adapted to continue to provide the most effective
response.
Within
the Memphis division, all of the FBI's aforementioned investigative
responsibilities are conducted jointly with other law enforcement
agencies and often with the appropriate fire, emergency response,
and medical agencies. It is impossible for the FBI to conduct
investigations and obtain intelligence without the assistance
of all the Tennessee area federal, state, and local agencies.
Communication and coordination is exceptional in all areas
and the Memphis Division consistently strives to maintain
and improve that cooperation.
Chairman
Horn, this concludes my prepared remarks. I would like to
express appreciation for this subcommittee's concentration
on the issue of terrorism preparedness and I look forward
to responding to any questions.
|