National Counterterrorism Center

The National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) is a United States government organization responsible for national and international counterterrorism efforts.[4] It is based in Liberty Crossing, a modern complex near Tysons Corner in McLean, Virginia.[5] NCTC advises the United States on terrorism.

Not to be confused with Combating Terrorism Center, Counterterrorism Center, or National Counter Terrorism Centre.
For other uses, see Counterterrorism Center (disambiguation).
National Counterterrorism Center
Agency overview
Formed2004
Preceding agency
  • Terrorist Threat Integration Center (establ. 2004)
HeadquartersMcLean, Virginia, U.S.
Agency executives
Parent agencyOffice of the Director of National Intelligence
WebsiteNCTC.gov

Part of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the center brings together specialists from other federal agencies, including the CIA, the FBI, the Department of Defense, and the Department of Homeland Security.[6]

History

The idea of a center to merge intelligence on terror threats was discussed by the 9/11 Commission as it investigated the September 11 attacks.[7] Plans to create such a center were announced by President George W. Bush in his January 2003 State of the Union address. On May 1, 2003, Executive Order 13354 established the Terrorist Threat Integration Center (TTIC) ,[8][9]

In 2004, the center was renamed NCTC and placed under the United States Director of National Intelligence by the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act.

After the Christmas 2009 terrorist attempt on Northwest Airlines Flight 253, the NCTC was tasked with creating a process to "thoroughly and exhaustively" prioritize terrorism threat threads; identify follow-up action by intelligence, law enforcement, and homeland security; and enhance the "Terrorist Identities Datamart Environment" database, to add names to watchlists.[10]

In 2012, United States Attorney General Eric Holder granted NCTC the authority to collect, store, and analyze extensive data collections on U.S. citizens compiled from governmental and non-governmental sources for suspicious behavior through pattern analysis and to share the databases with foreign states. The effort has drawn controversy for its pre-crime effort, which has been likened to the Information Awareness Office and its proposed mass surveillance.[11][12][13][14]

In August 2019, The Daily Beast reported that the NCTC had begun to work on counterintelligence to combat domestic terrorism.[15]

Activities

The center analyzes terrorism intelligence including potential domestic threat intelligence; monitors communications internationally and domestically for potential threats; generates actionable information to potentially prevent criminal acts domestically; stores terrorism information; supports U.S. counterterrorism activities using information technology (IT); and plans counter-terrorism activities as directed by the President of the United States, the National Security Council, and the Homeland Security Council.

It provides terrorism information to the intelligence community; makes detailed lists of terrorists, terrorist groups, and worldwide terrorist incidents; supports the response to terrorist incidents in the United States and worldwide; and writes assessments and briefings for policymakers.

The NCTC has access to various databases, including those from the NSA and the CIA, and is in charge of the Terrorist Identities Datamart Environment (TIDE) database.[16] It also operates the publicly accessible Worldwide Incidents Tracking System database.

The NCTC's Terrorist Identities Datamart Environment (TIDE) database contains more than 1.2 million identities of people who are known to be terrorists, suspected of it, or linked to people who are.[11]

Leaders

Directors

Source:[17]

Deputy Directors
  • Arthur M. Cummings (2004–05)
  • Kevin R. Brock (2005–07)
  • Michael E. Leiter (2007–08)
  • Geoff O'Connell (2008–2011)
  • Andrew Liepman (2011–2012)
  • Nicholas J. Rasmussen (2012–2014)
  • L. Joseph Camilleri (2016–2017)
  • John J. Mulligan
  • Lora Shiao (April 2020 – November 2020)
  • Steve Vanech (acting) (November 2020 – present)

See also

References
  1. "Director NCTC". National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC). Office of the Director of National Intelligence. Retrieved May 14, 2021.
  2. "Deputy Director NCTC". National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC). Office of the Director of National Intelligence. Retrieved May 14, 2021.
  3. "Executive Director NCTC". National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC). Office of the Director of National Intelligence. Retrieved May 14, 2021.
  4. Bloy, Natalie; Peters, Heidi M. (August 18, 2017). National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) (PDF). Washington, DC: Congressional Research Service. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  5. Priest, Dana; William M. Arkin. "A hidden world, growing beyond control". The Washington Post.
  6. Elliot, Phillip (January 2, 2010). "Obama says al-Qaida affiliate in Yemen apparently responsible for airliner bombing plot". 680 News. Associated Press. Accessed January 2, 1010.
  7. "Public Statement Release of 9/11 Commission Report The Hon. Thomas H. Kean and the Hon. Lee H. Hamilton" (PDF). July 22, 2004. Retrieved 22 Feb 2010.
  8. "The Terrorist Threat Integration Center: One Year Later". FBI.gov. FBI. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  9. "Terrorist Threat Integration Center".
  10. Pelofsky, Jeremy (January 7, 2010). "Factbox: Actions Obama ordered after December 25 bomb plot". Reuters. Retrieved 2010-02-22.
  11. Angwin, Julia (December 12, 2012). "U.S. Terrorism Agency to Tap a Vast Database of Citizens". WSJ.
  12. Zetter, Kim (December 13, 2012). "Attorney General Secretly Granted Gov. Ability to Develop and Store Dossiers on Innocent Americans". WIRED.
  13. Kelley, Michael (Dec 13, 2012). "CONFIRMED: US Counterterrorism Agency Can Amass Data On Any Citizen". Business Insider.
  14. Hill, Kashmir (December 14, 2012). "The Little Known Spy Agency That Knows Your Flight Plans And Much More". Forbes.
  15. Woodruff, Betsy (2019-08-07). "Post-9/11 Intel Center Goes After Domestic Terror". Retrieved 2019-08-07.
  16. DeYoung Karen (January 7, 2010). "After attempted airline bombing, effectiveness of intelligence reforms questioned". The Washington Post.
  17. "Acting Director NCTC". National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC). Office of the Director of National Intelligence. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
  18. "Acting Director of NCTC Nicholas J. Rasmussen". National Counterterrorism Center. Archived from the original on 20 January 2017. Retrieved 19 January 2017.
  19. "Acting DNI Grenell Names New NCTC Leadership" (Press release). Office of the Director of National Intelligence. March 23, 2020. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
  20. "DNI Ratcliffe Welcomes Chris Miller as NCTC Director". Office of the Director of National Intelligence. Office of the Director of National Intelligence. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
  21. "Director NCTC". National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC). Office of the Director of National Intelligence. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
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