1.5 Improvement of security skills and efforts

 < Day Day Up > 



On March 4, 2003, Robert S. Mueller, director of the FBI, testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary in Washington, DC, about what the FBI has done to improve the skills and work methods of the bureau. This includes establishing the Analysis Branch in the Counterterrorism Division to conduct strategic assessments of the terrorism threat to the United States. Since September 11, 2001, the FBI increased the number of counterterrorism analysts by 61 percent, which quadruples the number of analysts performing such work prior to September 11, 2001.

The FBI also implemented a number of initiatives aimed at enhancing training for the analytical workforce, including creating the College of Analytical Studies, which, in conjunction with the CIA, has begun training new intelligence analysts. By the end of 2003 more than 200 analysts are expected to have completed the six-week training course.

A new executive assistant director for intelligence (EAD/I) will have direct authority and responsibility for the FBI's national intelligence program. Specifically, the EAD/I will be responsible for ensuring that the FBI has the optimum strategies, structure, and policies in place, first and foremost, for the counterterrorism mission. The EAD/I will also oversee the intelligence programs for the counterintelligence, criminal, and cyberdivisions and will ensure that the FBI is sharing information with federal, state, and local agencies.

To improve the system for threat warnings, several specialized counterterrorism units were formed, including:

  • CT Watch, a 24-hour counterterrorism watch center, to serve as the FBI's focal point for all incoming terrorist threats

  • The Communications Analysis Section to analyze terrorist electronic and telephone communications and identify terrorist associations and networks

  • The Document Exploitation Unit, which identifies and disseminates intelligence gleaned from millions of pages of documents or computers seized overseas by intelligence agencies

  • The Special Technologies and Applications Section to provide technical support for FBI field office investigations requiring specialized computer technology expertise and support

  • The interagency Terrorist Financing Operations Section devoted entirely to the financial aspects of terrorism investigations and liaison with the financial services industry

There are also 66 joint terrorism task forces (JTTFs) in place to enhance cooperation with federal, state, and local agencies. It was also planned that the FBI would provide 500 JTTF agents and state and local lawenforcement personnel with specialized counterterrorism training. In addition, specialized counterterrorism training will be provided to 224 agents and training technicians from every field division in the country so that they, in turn, can train an estimated 26,800 federal, state, and local lawenforcement officers in basic counterterrorism.

The Office of Law Enforcement Coordination (OLEC) was created to enhance the ability of the FBI to forge cooperation and substantive relationships with all of its state and local law-enforcement counterparts. The OLEC has liaison responsibilities with the White House Homeland Security Council.

The FBI Intelligence Bulletin, which is disseminated weekly to over 17,000 law-enforcement agencies and to 60 federal agencies, provides information about terrorism issues and threats to patrol officers and other local law-enforcement personnel who have direct daily contact with the general public, contact which could result in the discovery of critical information about those issues and threats.

To prevent terrorists from acquiring weapons of mass destruction (WMD), the FBI is coordinating with suppliers and manufacturers of WMD materials in an effort to help them voluntarily report any suspicious purchases or inquiries.

To augment local field office investigative capabilities, flying squads were established to provide for specialized personnel to respond to fastbreaking situations and provide a surge capacity in support of FBI rapid deployment teams.

Several steps are also being taken to address the shortcomings of the bureau's IT. The first major step in the right direction is the Trilogy Program. The Trilogy Program was designed as a 36-month effort to enhance effectiveness through technologies that facilitate better organization, access, and analysis of information. The overall direction of the Trilogy Program is to provide all FBI offices with improved network communications, a common and current set of office automation tools, and easy-to-use, reengineered, Web-based applications.

The original plan for Trilogy was development and deployment over 36 months from the date of the contract awards for the infrastructure and applications development, May and June 2001, respectively. The events of September 11, 2001, impacted many aspects of the FBI, including the Trilogy Program. Recognizing the urgent need for improved IT, I ordered that Trilogy implementation emphasize those capabilities most urgently needed to support the FBI's priority cases.

Director Mueller also pledged support for the president's initiative to establish a Terrorist Threat Integration Center (TTIC), which will merge and analyze terrorist-related information collected domestically and abroad. TTIC will analyze information, both foreign and domestic to provide a comprehensive threat picture. TTIC participants will continue to be bound by all applicable privacy statutes, executive orders (EOs), and other relevant legal authorities for protecting privacy and constitutional liberties. TTIC will institutionalize the process to produce the daily threat matrix. As it becomes fully operational, it will be the focal point for requests for terrorist threat analysis.

TTIC is headed by a senior U.S. government official, who will report to the director of Central Intelligence. This individual will be appointed by the director of Central Intelligence, in consultation with the director of the FBI and the attorney general, and the secretaries of homeland security and defense.

The FBI's Counterterrorism Division, the director of Central Intelligence's Counterterrorist Center, and TTIC (which will include significant participation by DHS) will relocate to a single new facility in order to improve collaboration and enhance the government's ability to thwart terrorist attacks and bring terrorists to justice. This move is designed to:

  • Speed the creation of compatible information infrastructure with enhanced capabilities, expanded and more accessible databases, and greater network sharing on counterterrorism issues.

  • Enhance interaction, information sharing, and synergy among U.S. officials involved in the war against terrorism.

  • Potentially allow the FBI and CIA each to manage more effectively their counterterrorism resources by reducing overhead and redundant capabilities.

  • Further enhance the ability of comprehensive, all-source analysis to guide collection strategies.



 < Day Day Up > 



Implementing Homeland Security for Enterprise IT
Implementing Homeland Security for Enterprise IT
ISBN: 1555583121
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2003
Pages: 248

flylib.com © 2008-2017.
If you may any questions please contact us: flylib@qtcs.net