Global Counterterrorism Programs

Background

Across the globe, OPDAT provides expert assistance to numerous foreign countries to enhance their ability to prevent, detect, investigate, prosecute, and adjudicate terrorism and terrorism financing.  OPDAT does this by combining its expertise, reaching back to Department of Justice (DOJ) resources with a knowledge of the local legal systems, and building close working relationships with foreign justice sector officials.  As a result, OPDAT provides timely and effective technical assistance to counterparts across the world.

Through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) the Department of State’s Bureau of Counterterrorism (CT) provides funding to OPDAT to deploy Resident Legal Advisors (RLAs) and Intermittent Legal Advisors (ILAs) and host global programs covering over 25 countries. OPDAT also receives funding for a variety of multilateral, global initiatives dedicated to furthering counterterrorism objectives.

Selected Initiatives

Justice Sector Responses to Lebanese Hizballah:

Worldwide attacks have focused an international spotlight on Lebanese Hizballah (LH) and malign Iranian activities.  DOS/CT provides resources to OPDAT to lead an international diplomatic and law enforcement initiative to increase awareness of Hizballah / Iran’s dangerous and destabilizing activities, to increase cooperation in this area, and to build political support for action. In total, OPDAT and CT have implemented over 22 bilateral, regional, and global training seminars throughout Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and the Western Hemisphere, reaching over 35 countries and over 475 participants.

As a part of this initiative, CT and OPDAT regularly host a series of global Law Enforcement Coordination Group meetings (LECGs). The LECG is an informal partnership that unites law enforcement officials and criminal justice practitioners from around the world in a community of interest. The thirteenth meeting of the LECG took place in June 2024.

OPDAT, in partnership with CT and DOJ’s International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program, also developed a 5-week long interactive national counter-LH program for countries where LH has historically operated.  This program featured overviews of host country officials’ experiences handling terrorism, and in particular, LH activity, as well as the challenges they faced investigating and prosecuting LH, including legislative limitations; intelligence and information gaps; the threat posed by foreign terrorist fighters (FTF); and evidence collection and presentation at trial. Three countries have completed the program, gaining valuable insights into counterterrorism investigations and prosecutions, as well as whole-of-government approaches to countering LH.

In September 2019, OPDAT and CT launched the first Counter Transnational Terrorism Forum (CTTF) to increase focus, awareness and understanding about Iranian sponsored and directed terrorist activity. The second was held in March 2023, and the third in October 2024.

Foreign Terrorist Fighters:

To address the time-sensitive issue of SDF detainees and returning FTFs, as well as to play a crucial role in the Department and the Administration’s efforts to combat terrorism and protect the safety of Americans, OPDAT seeks to establish a cadre of experienced federal prosecutors, investigators, and judges to provide technical assistance on returning FTF cases overseas.  This project facilitates the delivery of U.S. and international expertise and sharing of best practices to support counterterrorism efforts using specific counterterrorism tools and techniques. This project also fosters ongoing relationships between DOJ and CT and the target states to ensure continued cooperation in the future.

Meanwhile, RLAs around the globe continue to assess returning foreign terrorist fighter (RFTF) concerns and equip our foreign partners with tools to effectively investigate and prosecute those associated cases.

Racially or Ethnically Motivated Violent Extremism (REMVE):

To increase focus, awareness and understanding among our law enforcement and criminal justice sector partners about global Racially or Ethnically Motivated Violent Extremism (REMVE), OPDAT coordinates with the CT to host an annual Counterterrorism Law Enforcement Forum (CTLEF).  Participating governments aim to: Increase law enforcement cooperation to counter REMVE actors and networks’ activities; bolster international information sharing on how and where REMVE groups and actors are operating, including their recruiting, training, plotting, travel patterns, propaganda, and financing; and explore how law enforcement and financial tools can be used to effectively counter REMVE activity and networks. CTLEF programs have been held in Germany, Norway, and The Netherlands with over 40 countries and organizations represented.

Rapid Response Fund (RRF):

Through its Rapid Response Fund (RRF), OPDAT oversees the deployment of attorneys and other subject matter experts, to include investigators and financial analysts, to serve as short-term advisors to host nations indicating a need and a willingness to investigate and prosecute terrorism cases more effectively.  Small teams of advisors provide guidance and technical assistance to host nation stakeholders and justice sector officials to support the investigation and prosecution of terrorism and terrorism financing-related cases and strengthen bilateral and regional counterterrorism capacity.