Terrorism Task Forces

The September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks prompted the Department ofJustice (Department) to redefine its mission, objectives, and priorities to focusits top priority on counterterrorism. As a result, the Attorney Generalelevated counterterrorism to the Department's first strategic goal and shiftedthe Department's resources to eliminating terrorist networks, preventingterrorist operations, and prosecuting perpetrators of terrorist acts. TheDepartment also directed the formation or...
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The September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks prompted the Department ofJustice (Department) to redefine its mission, objectives, and priorities to focusits top priority on counterterrorism. As a result, the Attorney Generalelevated counterterrorism to the Department's first strategic goal and shiftedthe Department's resources to eliminating terrorist networks, preventingterrorist operations, and prosecuting perpetrators of terrorist acts. TheDepartment also directed the formation or expansion of terrorism task forcesand councils (with members from many federal, state, and local agencies andprivate industry) that coordinate and integrate intelligence and lawenforcement functions to achieve the Department's counterterrorism goal.In this review, the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) assessed therole and operations of these terrorism task forces and councils. We examinedwhether the task forces and councils were achieving their purposes; whethergaps, duplication, and overlap existed in counterterrorism coverage; and howthe performance of the task forces and councils is measured. We collectedinformation through interviews of senior Department officials, task force andcouncil managers and members, and state and local law enforcementofficials; a survey of task force managers and members; document reviews;and direct observation of task force and council activities.