ANTITERROR – 400 words

ANTITERROR PARTNERS

INTRODUCTION

In its report following the September 11, 2001 attacks, the commission that studied the attacks concluded that federal, state, and local agencies needed better information sharing and collaboration to improve counterterrorism efforts. As a result, the federal government began to build more collaborative relationships with partners at all levels of the government. Today, many federal, state, and local agencies employ staff whose main focus is counterterrorism. Some of the partner agencies work with homeland security, fusion centers, or joint terrorism task forces.

This discussion is intended to identify the many U.S. partners in counterterrorism and explain how the various agencies support counterterrorism at all levels of the government. You may find the partners participating in the Maryland Anti-Terrorism Advisory Council (ATAC) Web site (linked in Resources) helpful to identify agencies that work on the state and local level.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Select an agency involved in counterterrorism efforts from each level of government: federal, state, and local.
2. Describe the role and responsibility each of the three agencies have related to counterterrorism.
3. Explain how the creation of a collaborative culture among federal, state, and local agencies has impacted counterterrorism efforts.