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National Security

National security is a main priority of the Department of Justice and the United States Attorney's Office in the District of Massachusetts. In addition to the Criminal Division's National Security Unit, there are various initiatives devoted to protecting public safety:

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The Massachusetts Anti-Terrorism Advisory Committee (ATAC)

The Massachusetts Anti-Terrorism Advisory Council is chaired by the United States Attorney and the Special Agent-in-Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division. Its several hundred members include representatives from every federal, state, and local law enforcement authority, as well as private institutions in Massachusetts with a stake in anti-terrorism prevention and response. To learn more, visit the Massachusetts Anti-Terrorism Advisory Committee page.

Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) 

The Joint Terrorism Task Force is the operational arm of the ATAC based in 104 cities nationwide. They are made up of small cells of highly-trained, locally-based, committed investigators, analysts, linguists, SWAT experts, and other specialists from dozens of U.S. law enforcement and intelligence agencies. This multi-agency effort, led by the Justice Department and the FBI, is designed to combine the resources of federal, state, and local law enforcement to investigate terrorism. A member of the JTTF can be contacted 24 hours a day at 857-386-2000. To learn more, visit the Joint Terrorism Task Forces page at the FBI's website.

Counter-proliferation Working Group (CPWP) 

The purpose of the CPWP is to harness the counter-proliferation assets of U.S. law enforcement, licensing, and intelligence agencies to combat the growing national security threat posed by illegal exports of restricted U.S. military and dual-use technology to foreign nations and terrorist organizations. To learn more, visit our Counter-Proliferation Working Group page.

More information on terrorism and homeland security