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Anti-Terrorism Advisory Council

On September 17, 2001, then Attorney General John Ashcroft directed all United States Attorneys' Offices to make anti-terrorism "our first and overriding priority" :

The fight against terrorism is now the first and overriding priority of the Department of Justice. We will devote all resources necessary to disrupt, weaken, and eliminate the infrastructure of terrorist organizations, to prevent or thwart terrorist attacks, and to bring to justice the perpetrators of terrorist acts.

Our single objective is to prevent terrorist attacks by taking suspected terrorists off the street. We will use every available statute. We will seek every prosecutorial advantage. We will use all our weapons within the law and under the Constitution to protect life and enhance security for America. We will not hesitate in this pursuit, nor will we be thwarted.

- United States Department of Justice Strategic Plan 2001-2006, A Message from the Attorney General

Protecting our citizens against terrorism remains our top priority today, according to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.

A central part of our anti-terrorism strategy was to appoint John Enright as our Director of Counter Terrorism and Law Enforcement and Lee Vilker, Assistant U.S. Attorney, as our ATAC coordinator. Two years later on September 24, 2003 the name of the ATTF was changed to the Anti-Terrorism Advisory Council ("ATAC").

The ATAC serves as a conduit for sharing information among federal and state authorities, a coordinating body for carrying out the anti-terrorism plan, and an organizational structure for responding to any future terrorist incidents. Rhode Island's ATAC is organized to complement the unique size and geography of the state.

The responsibilities of the ATAC continue as they have since the ATTF was first conceived, i.e., the ATAC coordinates anti-terrorism initiatives like:

    1. Facilitate timely sharing of information;
    2. Ensure that federal, state, and local enforcement efforts are focused and coordinated as they pursue targets who may be connected to terrorism;
    3. Mobilize and coordinate federal, state, and local officials for national prevention-based initiatives that involve significant prospects of imminent prosecution;
    4. Provide a central forum for agencies to congregate and identify potential terrorism links among their investigations;
    5. Initiate training programs to local law enforcement, private security groups, colleges and universities, and many more; and
    6. Support and coordinate with the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force ("JTTF") in all operational aspects of terrorism investigations. The JTTF is our nation's front line on terrorism. It includes small cells of highly trained, locally based investigators, analysts, linguists, SWAT experts, and other specialists from dozens of U.S. law enforcement and intelligence agencies. Our closest field office is in Boston, MA.

The ATAC includes representation from federal, state and local agencies. It meets on a regular basis to share information, coordinate and discuss investigative and prosecutorial strategies, security issues, post-incident responses and disaster planning.

The Rhode Island ATAC's goals are:

  1. To enhance communications among state, federal and local law enforcement agencies.
  2. To open lines of communications with the private sector, specifically private security and those critical infrastructure facilities most likely to be targeted by terrorists.
  3. To develop appropriate training and awareness programs to ensure that law enforcement as well as the private sector are knowledgeable in the recognition of situations that may indicate terrorist activity.
  4. To prevent, disrupt and defeat terrorist operations before they occur.
  5. To provide a deterrent of hoax events by vigorously prosecuting those responsible for communicating false threat information.
  6. To assist the State of RI and the private sector in protecting our critical infrastructure by providing timely intelligence information regarding terrorist activity both locally and regionally.
  7. To develop and implement the full range of resources available to investigate terrorist incidents, bringing the perpetrators to justice; and
  8. To forcefully prosecute those who have committed, or intend to commit, terrorist acts in the United States.

Since 9/11, the RI ATAC has:

  1. Developed an 8-hour Anti-Terrorism Training and Awareness Program for state and local law enforcement. Since starting the training in December 2003, the ATAC has educated more than 1000 local police officers, and over 200 private security professionals including university/college campus officers.
  2. Established a number of regional information-sharing working groups as well as a Suspicious Financial Activity Working Group to track the possibility of terrorist pre-operational planning, terrorist financing schemes and other types of financial activities that may involve terrorist organizations and supporters.
  3. Created the RI Anti-Terrorism Bulletin produced and distributed bi-weekly to local, state and federal law enforcement. The Bulletin keeps our partners informed of
    the latest developments in suspicious activity, terrorism cases, as well as national and international trends and developments. The Bulletin also contains training
    information in each issue.
  4. Assisted local law enforcement in the development of information in their jurisdictions that have provided valuable information to the FBI JTTF in Providence as well as in other jurisdictions outside of RI

Preventing terrorist acts requires that we be diligent and proactive in identifying, capturing, and punishing those groups and individuals who would employ violence to impose their will on public policy issues. You are an invaluable resource in our efforts to safeguard our citizens from acts of terrorism.

You can also help by remaining vigilant at all times. Pay attention to the normal routines of neighborhood, community and workplace, so that you can immediately report anything out of the ordinary.

Whether traveling, shopping, at work or at home be on the lookout for suspicious packages, luggage or mail abandoned in crowded places.

Listen carefully. If you hear or know of someone who has bragged or talked about plans to harm citizens in violent attacks; claims membership in a terrorist organization; or talks about hatred of the United States and other infidels, take it seriously and report it to law enforcement immediately. For profile information on al Qaida and other terrorist groups, visit www.ict.org.il/inter_ter/Org.cfm.

If you see any activity that you think is suspicious, and possibly linked to terrorism, please report it promptly to your local law enforcement agency, John Enright, US Attorney's Office (401) 709-5000, to the FBI Providence Field Office (401) 272-8310 or to the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force Boston Field Office (617) 742-5533. To learn more about the history of the JTTF, visit http://www.adl.org/learn/jttf/history_JTTF.asp.