Anti-Terrorism
In response to the attack against the United States on September 11,2001, the Attorney General directed that the fight against terrorism and the prevention of future terrorist acts must be law enforcement’s first priority. He directed every United States Attorney to establish an Anti-Terrorism Advisory Council (ATAC) to serve as a conduit for information sharing about suspected terrorists among federal, state and local law enforcement entities.
In the Eastern District of Tennessee, the ATAC operates as an umbrella organization of local, state, and federal agencies that coordinates activities, develops policy, implements strategic plans, and provides training to combat terrorism. It also coordinates with the other ATACs around the nation and works closely with the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF). Member agencies include those from law enforcement, public health, emergency planning and response, the military and the intelligence community.
Some of the cases brought by the United States Attorney’s Office to protect our national security include:
Investigations are undertaken with agents from the FBI, the Office of the Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and other federal and state agencies. ACE cases can present facts and issues that warrant criminal as well as civil prosecution.
- Researcher At University Of Tennessee Arrested For Wire Fraud And Making False Statements About Affiliation With A Chinese University.
- Szuhsiung Ho, aka Allen Ho, a naturalized U.S. citizen, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to unlawfully engage or participate in the production or development of special nuclear material outside the U.S., without the required authorization from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in violation of the Atomic Energy Act.
- Michael Walli, Megan Rice, and Greg Boertje-Obed, were convicted of one count of injuring national defense premises (the Y-12 National Security Complex) with the intent to interfere with the national defense of the United States, and another count of depredation against property of the United States. Rice was sentenced to serve 35 months in prison. Walli and Boertje-Obed were each sentenced to serve 62 months in prison. All three will serve three years supervised release upon their release from prison. Additionally, these individuals were ordered to pay $52,953 in restitution to the Department of Energy. https://www.justice.gov/usao-edtn/pr/three-individuals-convicted-sabotage-y-12-national-security-complex-sentenced
- Dr. J Reece Roth, a University of Tennessee physics professor, was convicted after a jury trial of violating the Arms Export Control Act. Roth exported sensitive technical data from an U.S. Air Force research contract to China. The research concerned an advanced weapons project for the development of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (drones). He was sentenced to 48 months in prison. https://www.justice.gov/archive/usao/tne/news/2012/February/020112%20Roth%20Sentence%20Foreign%20Export%20Control%20Act.html
If you have information about individuals or groups that may be involved in domestic or foreign terrorism please contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation at (865) 544-0751 or you can report suspicious activity through the Tennessee Fusion Center.