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09/16/03
 On
September 16, a new Center in Washington, DC, was announced
that will consolidate U.S. terrorist watchlists and provide
24/7 operational support for the thousands of federal screeners,
state and local law enforcement, and others across the country
and around the world who protect the nation.
Its aim:
To protect America's communities against terrorists entering
the country to stage terrorist incidents.
How?
By ensuring that all investigators, agents, and screeners
who are dedicated to detecting and disrupting terrorist threats
are working off the same unified and comprehensive set of
anti-terrorist information...and that they can access it instantly,
in time to act quickly on a suspected terrorist anywhere they
are in the world.
The announcement
was made in Washington by the leaders of all concerned agencies:
Attorney General John Ashcroft, Secretary of State Colin Powell,
Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge, CIA Director George
Tenet, and FBI Director Robert Mueller.
"What's
different about TSC [the Terrorist Screening Center],"
noted Director Mueller, "is the ability to make the information
available in real time, constantly updated, 24 hours a day
and across the board."
This
multi-agency center was established today, on September 16,
by a Presidential Directive and it will be operational by
December 1st. It will be anchored by the Departments of Justice,
Homeland Security, and State and by the CIA, and will be administered
by the FBI.
Links:
Press
Release | Fact
Sheet
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