U.S. Efforts To Combat International Terrorism

Statements by Ambassador Philip C. Wilcox, Jr., Coordinator for Counterterrorism, and Ambassador Eric Boswell, Assistant Secretary for Diplomatic Security, before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and State, Washington, DC, March 12, 1997.

From the original document at http://www.state.gov/www/global/terrorism/970312.html

Ambassador Philip Wilcox, Jr.

Mr. Chairman, Members of the Subcommittee:

Thank you for the opportunity to discuss the role of the Department of State and its need for resources in our nation's effort to combat international terrorism. I will give a brief overview, and my colleague Ambassador Eric Boswell, the Assistant Secretary for Diplomatic Security, will then describe his bureau's activities.

President Clinton and Secretary Albright have made clear that the struggle against international terrorism is one of our top foreign policy priorities, because of the threat it poses to American citizens and to our interests in a safe and stable world.

Current Threat

To provide a context for U.S. policies and our efforts to curb international terrorism, I would like to begin with a brief overview of current trends.

The picture is mixed, and a clear trend is difficult to discern. Statistics suggest that international terrorism is declining since the number of incidents has dropped from a high of 665 in 1987 to less than 300 in the past year. One explanation for this drop is the end of the Cold War and the sharp decline in revolutionary Marxist terrorism.

Another factor is the Middle East peace process, the renunciation of terrorism by the PLO, and a corresponding effort by most Arab states -- some of whom face terrorist threats themselves -- to join the international fight against terrorism. Terrorism sponsored by rogue states has also declined, in part because of our policy of designating states which sponsor terrorism and imposing U.S. sanctions against them.

No less important, there has been an extraordinary increase in international cooperation against terrorism in the last decade. The great majority of nations today are committed to deal with terrorism as a crime, irrespective of political motivation, to prosecute terrorists more aggressively, and to work with the U.S. and others against terrorism.

While the statistical decline in international terrorist acts and a more resolute world consensus to combat terrorism are good news, there is also a negative side of the ledger:

-- Because of the prominence and leadership of the United States, our interests abroad continue to be targeted disproportionately by terrorists.

-- Terrorists today are using bigger, more sophisticated bombs, and they are seeking higher casualties, as in the bombing of our airmen in the Khobar Towers building in Saudi Arabia last year. Suicide bombings also killed more than 60 civilians in the buses and streets of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv last year.

-- Terrorists also have increasing access to high-technology computers, cellular phones, encryption technology, and more sophisticated weapons. We are also concerned about the threat of terrorism using materials of mass destruction, chemical, biological, or nuclear. We are taking extensive measures to detect, deter, and, if necessary, deal with such threats.

-- Terrorist groups such as HAMAS and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad last year carried out a vicious rear-guard campaign of bombings in Israel in an effort to defeat the Middle East peace process. An Israeli terrorist with the same motive assassinated Prime Minister Rabin in 1995.

-- Iran, notwithstanding U.S. efforts to contain it through sanctions, continues to use terrorism as a weapon of state policy to kill dissidents and disrupt the peace process.

-- Libya, although UN sanctions have curbed its terrorism abroad, still defies the UN's mandate to deliver two suspects in the bombing of Pan Am 103 to a Scottish or U.S. court for trial.

-- The seizure of hostages by the Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement at the Japanese ambassador's residence in Lima in December shows that such revolutionary groups have not disappeared entirely.

-- Today, elements who claim religious motivation -- especially Islamic extremists -- are a dynamic factor in international terrorism, whereas in recent decades, most terrorists represented secular causes. Some Islamic extremists are in organized groups like HAMAS, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the Lebanese Hizballah, and the Egyptian Gamaat. Others are ad hoc Islamic extremist elements, such as Ramzi Ahmed Yousef's gang, many of whom received training in Afghanistan.

These freelance Islamic elements are a much tougher target for intelligence and law enforcement than state-sponsored terrorism and previously known organized groups. Their sources of funding are also difficult to trace.

Finally, although the number of international terrorist incidents has declined, there has been an apparent increase in acts of domestic terrorism around the world -- for example, in countries like Algeria, Colombia, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. This has taken a heavy toll in casualties, economic damage, and instability.

In short, although the number of international terrorist incidents has declined, the threat of international terrorism and the cost to our country and to our foreign policy interests remains high.

Basic Policies

To deal effectively with this threat, U.S. counterterrorism efforts abroad are grounded on these basic policies:

-- We make no concessions to terrorist demands, recognizing that to do so only invites further terrorism.

-- We are determined to seek out relentlessly and punish terrorists wherever they may be, using the combined assets of U.S. law enforcement, diplomacy, intelligence, and, if necessary, our superb military assets.

-- We insist that terrorism is an unmitigated crime, whatever its motives or causes, and we promote the rule of law to criminalize it and bring terrorists to justice.

-- We designate states which sponsor terrorism, imposing a wide range of U.S. sanctions against them. And we encourage our friends to do likewise.

-- We seek maximum cooperation from other governments, recognizing that, as terrorism is increasingly transnational, international cooperation is critical.

A Coordinated Interagency Process

Effective counterterrorism calls for the skills and resources of many U.S. Government agencies. We have learned from past experience with fragmented efforts that coordination is essential. The President has designated the Department of State, in keeping with its foreign policy responsibilities, as the lead agency for coordination of our counterterrorism policy and operations abroad. The FBI has been designated as the lead agency for countering terrorism in the United States.

My office, the Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism, or S/CT as it is known, is responsible for this coordinating role for international terrorism. The Coordinator for Counterterrorism serves as chairman of the Interagency Working Group on Terrorism (IWGT), which, in turn, operates through a series of functional subgroups.

Crisis Response, Exercises

When international terrorist crises strike, we have an emergency response team, led by S/CT and including crisis management experts from various agencies, as needed, that can be deployed promptly anywhere in the world. The team's job is to respond to requests from the U.S. ambassador on the scene and the host government for advice and assistance in resolving the crisis. Flexibility and responsiveness are the watchwords of this team.

State also participates in interagency counterterrorism exercises -- sometimes with friendly states abroad -- together with partners from Defense, the FBI, and the intelligence community. Such exercises are critical for readiness to meet new threats. They range from "table top" simulations to actual deployments. Scenarios include hostage negotiations and rescue, hijackings, and threats or attacks involving weapons of mass destruction.

Enforcing the Rule of Law

We also work very closely with the FBI and Justice on law enforcement aspects of counterterrorism abroad, and with foreign governments concerned -- for example, when the FBI investigates terrorist crimes against U.S. interests abroad and in cases involving the apprehension and extradition of terrorists overseas to bring them to trial in the United States. Close coordination between our ambassadors and host governments abroad, rapid reaction, and intricate planning are critical to success in such operations.

I am pleased to say that the United States has achieved some remarkable successes in this area in recent years.

The strengthening of international law and increased adherence to 10 international treaties and conventions on terrorism, and expanding extradition treaties with other states, have also enhanced our efforts against international terrorism. The U.S. has led the way in ratifying and bringing into effect these treaties. It was our initiative in the Group of Seven last year that led to the introduction of a new draft treaty on Suppression of Terrorist Bombing that is now being negotiated at the UN.

Identifying State Sponsors of Terrorism

Identifying state sponsors of terrorism, enforcing U.S. sanctions against them, and attempting to mobilize allied support for sanctions are important weapons in our policy arsenal. Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan, Syria, North Korea, and Cuba have been designated by the Secretary of State as state sponsors. Of these, Iran is the most flagrant violator. We are also active in working with other states to ensure strict compliance with UN sanctions against Libya, Sudan, and Iraq.

International Consultations, Role of the G-7/P-8, Fundraising

State also holds regular bilateral consultations with dozens of foreign governments worldwide, together with our partners from Justice, FBI, the intelligence community and the Department of Defense (DoD), and we are involved increasingly in multilateral efforts to combat terrorism. We have worked in the Group of Seven, plus Russia, for example, to tighten cooperation among the major industrial states. The 25 counterterrorism recommendations of the G-7/P-8 Ministerial held in Paris last July are a solid basis for international cooperation. The United States plans to give this effort further momentum at the summit we will host in Denver in June.

We are also working with the European Union and the Organization of American States on counterterrorism cooperation. We participated in a series of conferences last year, including a meeting in March of counterterrorism experts from the Middle East, whose governments took part in the Sharm El Sheikh Summit.

We also support efforts of Treasury, FBI, and Justice to combat fund raising by foreign terrorist organizations in the U.S.

Other State Counterterrorism Activities

Within the Department of State, an effective counterterrorism effort requires the skills of various bureaus.

As the Coordinator for Counterterrorism, we rely heavily on the Bureau of Intelligence and Research (INR) to provide us with timely, around the clock intelligence and analysis on terrorism. INR also compiles and maintains our computerized TIPOFF system, an important border control mechanism which links visa sections at our missions abroad to a master data base of names of terrorists, criminals, and drug traffickers. It is essential that INR be given adequate resources to do its indispensable job.

The Bureau of Consular Affairs, charged with the protection of Americans overseas, works closely with my office and the Bureau of Diplomatic Security to provide warnings to Americans overseas about terrorist and other risks.

The Office of the Legal Adviser provides daily guidance on all legal aspects of counterterrorism, treaties, and extradition issues.

My colleague, Ambassador Boswell, will describe the many antiterrorism activities of the Bureau of Diplomatic Security, including State's Antiterrorism Training Assistance (ATA) Program for training foreign officials, and our Antiterrorism Rewards Program.

Research and Development

In order to use state-of-the-art technology in combating terrorism, the Technical Support Working Group, known as the TSWG, comprising 50 government agencies, operates a vigorous R&D program. The TSWG conducts research, development, and rapid prototyping of antiterrorism and counterterrorism technologies.

The goal of the TSWG is to develop new technologies which can be used by many federal, state, and local agencies. There is special emphasis on explosives detection technology and x-rays, and a strong focus on detection of and protection against terrorist use of materials of mass destruction. About 16 items of equipment developed through the TSWG program were deployed at the Atlanta Olympics.

As Coordinator for Counterterrorism, I provide policy guidance for the TSWG program, and the Department of Defense is the executive agent. Today, DoD provides the major share of funding, but it is important for State also to contribute to this important program and to maintain its policy direction role. The State Department request is $1.8 million for FY 1998, as part of the Diplomatic and Consular Programs portion of the State budget.

State also leads three bilateral R&D programs with Canada, the United Kingdom, and Israel. They contribute funds and expertise, thus creating a strong multiplier effect for our investment.

Counterterrorism and U.S. Foreign Policy

Mr. Chairman, I have described what I believe is an aggressive, coherent, well-coordinated interagency effort under State's leadership to combat international terrorism and mobilize support from other nations abroad in this campaign.

But good counterterrorism policies, ample resources, and programs cannot do this job alone. The United States also needs to maintain its leadership in dealing with a host of problems and conflicts abroad that, if neglected, can lead to terrorism, other forms of violence, and war. The U.S. must foster strong relationships with nations around the world, whose help we need to go after terrorists. We cannot do this alone.

Finally, we also need a strong Foreign Service and diplomatic presence abroad to do this. Without this kind of U.S. leadership and engagement abroad, and investment in the resources we need to sustain it, American interests, including our interest in reducing the menace of terrorism, will suffer.

Thank you Mr. Chairman. I now yield to Assistant Secretary Boswell for the details of his bureau's programs.

Assistant Secretary Boswell

Mr. Chairman, Members of the Committee:

I am pleased to have the opportunity to participate in this hearing on the important subject of terrorism. As the Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security, I am here to address the role of the Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DS), particularly as it relates to countering terrorism at home and abroad.

The Department of State and DS have no higher priority than the fight against terrorism. The protection of life is the Bureau's primary goal. In that regard, I want to start by thanking you and your colleagues for approving the FY 1997 budget amendment that is being used for security upgrades and the deployment of additional security personnel. The DS portion of that amendment has been included in the Department's FY 1998 budget request of $285.2 million for operating programs to cover diplomatic security and law enforcement. This is essential for continuing the security improvements now underway.

The Bureau of Diplomatic Security has a broad mission. Our primary function is one of providing the security platform to allow safe conduct of foreign affairs. This effort is carried out through various programs focused on the protection of U.S. government personnel, national security information, and diplomatic facilities under the authority of the Chief of Mission.

In addition, we provide protection for the Secretary of State and other senior government officials, for resident and visiting foreign dignitaries, and for foreign missions in the United States.

We also have statutory responsibility to investigate passport and visa fraud -- crimes that often facilitate terrorist and other criminal attacks on American interests. Jointly with others, DS also provides the operational component for the Antiterrorism Assistance (ATA) Program, the Counterterrorism Rewards Program, and the program for the Protection of Foreign Missions and Officials (PFMO).

Finally, DS also directs one of the most successful security outreach efforts to the private sector overseas -- the Overseas Security Advisory Council.

The Bureau's dynamic mission is accomplished through a worldwide cadre of dedicated special agents, security engineers, couriers, security specialists, and other professionals. We have approximately 240 Regional Security Officers (RSOs) assigned to 133 countries, 70 Security Engineering Officers operating out of 28 locations, and 160 Special Agents assigned to field and resident offices in 18 cities throughout the United States, as well as the personnel at headquarters here in Washington who support those on the frontline.

Appropriations

The lion's share of the Diplomatic Security Bureau's operations and salaries are funded through the Diplomatic and Consular Programs (DC&P) appropriation and the Salaries and Expenses (S&E) appropriation. Our FY 1998 budget request for these DS Bureau expenses is $235.2 million -- including American salaries -- an increase of $8.5 million over our current FY 1997 level. Separate from these appropriations is $7.9 million we are requesting in FY 1998 for the Protection of Foreign Missions and Officials account, which reimburses state and local jurisdictions for the provision of "extraordinary" protective services associated with the activities of foreign missions and officials. Another important counterterrorism effort is the Rewards Program, which is funded through the Emergencies in the Diplomatic and Consular Service account. The FY 1998 request for this account includes $1.5 million for potential reward payments. The Security and Maintenance of United States Missions account supports overseas buildings under the Bureau of Administration's Foreign Building Office (A/FBO). DS works closely with FBO to ensure appropriate security. Finally, $19 million is requested for the assistance provided by the ATA program, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Foreign Operations Subcommittee.

Security Resource Allocations for Overseas Missions

In 1987, DS initiated an Operational Planning System to establish specific goals and monitor progress in programs receiving funds and positions from the so-called Inman Supplemental. This system, which applies "management by objective" principles, is used to manage all DS programs and is fully integrated into the Bureau's program and budget planning process. The framework of our planning and budget strategy is implementation of security standards according to threat levels, based on the interagency process for establishing security requirements at overseas missions. In setting priorities, we give more weight to programs for protecting life over protection of facilities or information.

Security resources for our overseas missions are allocated on the basis of critical, high-, medium-, or low-threat levels. The levels fall within four categories of threat: 1) Political Violence/Terrorism; 2) Human Intelligence or Espionage; (3) Technical Penetration; and 4) Crime. DS maintains a Composite Threat List (CTL), updated semiannually, based upon post reporting and interagency coordination.

Security programs that counter the threats of terrorism and crime generally support our goal of protecting the lives of personnel serving at U.S. missions abroad and their dependents. Security programs that counter the threat of espionage and technical penetration generally support our second goal of protecting information.

DS has established 46 standards. These standards range from the requirements for local guards at our embassies to the need for secure enclosures for classified information. Each standard establishes a separate set of countermeasures for each level of threat that it is designed to address. For instance, our requirements for fully armored vehicles change significantly as the terrorist threat varies from critical to low.

All security standards must be approved by the Overseas Security Policy Board (OSPB), which is made up of all agencies represented at U.S. missions abroad, and is chaired by the Director of the Diplomatic Security Service. Security standards can be more specifically tailored and implemented through the Risk Management policy process, which calls for a detailed examination of the specific threat, an analysis of how vulnerable our assets are to that particular threat, and an assessment of the value of the physical assets to be protected.

This approach enables DS to prioritize and employ resources effectively and efficiently, so that we can deploy them to meet the most pressing security needs.

DS Counterterrorism Programs

The focus of DS in counterterrorism is one of deterrence and defense. Our job is to create a "hardened" target to deter attack or, if attacked, to provide sufficient defense to prevent injury or death. We try to carry out this responsibility through a series of programs which I would like to highlight.

Overseas Operations

The approximately 240 RSOs assigned to 133 countries are responsible for implementing and managing the full range of the Department's security program abroad. RSOs are the Chief of Mission's principal security advisor at their resident post and at those missions for which they have constituent responsibility. RSOs manage and implement DS standards, policies, and procedures dealing with the protection of life, information, and property; plus, when appropriate, represent the U.S. law enforcement community. In particular, they are responsible for coordinating emergency action planning, ensuring that post planning to deal with terrorist attacks, evacuations, and mass casualties, etc., is current and appropriate.

The FY 1997 budget amendment is helping us to fund 15 new security officers to increase support to posts in the Persian Gulf and the former Soviet Union, including 11 overseas positions and 4 in Washington to directly support overseas operations. The amendment also helps fund 6 additional mobile security teams, which will provide emergency security support and allow training at each of the 125 critical and high-threat posts worldwide every other year.

Physical Security

The Department's basic physical security concept is to create a layered or "tiered" defensive system to delay intruders. The tiered defensive system consists of zones of increasing defense starting at the outer perimeter and ending with the safe haven area. The system provides a deterrent to hostile acts and a response time for local security forces.

Major physical security programs include the approximately 16,000 local guards at our posts and residences overseas, residential security upgrades (such as grilles and alarms), armored vehicles, defensive equipment, electronic security, and public access controls. Over half of the FY 1997 counterterrorism budget amendment will address important security needs in this category.

Technical Security

It should be noted that even though we give highest priority to the protection of life and try to allocate resources accordingly, there is an interdependence of physical and technical security programs. For example, the barriers and other physical security measures employed to thwart terrorism are supplemented by alarms, cameras, and other technical security systems primarily designed to protect classified information. Cleared American guards, typically United States Marine security guards, whose primary mission is to protect sensitive national security information, also deter potential terrorists. In addition, the information being protected often is used to detect and combat terrorism and other life-threatening actions.

Our technical security program plays an integral part in the Department's efforts to combat terrorism through the development, deployment, and maintenance of access control, intrusion detection, closed-circuit television (CCTV), and public address systems. Approximately 60% of the technical security equipment installed overseas was purchased between 1986 and 1988 using the FY 1986 "Inman" security supplemental. Among the technical security related benefits from the counterterrorism budget amendment will be the replacement of 80 aging, closed-circuit television and alarm systems at critical and high-threat posts; the funding of additional Security Equipment Maintenance Program (SEMP) teams, and six new Security Engineering Officers, who plan and oversee installation and maintenance of equipment at posts.

Security of Domestic Facilities

Domestically, DS is responsible for the safety and security of the Department's personnel and the 83 facilities in which they work, many of which are shared with other public and private entities. Following the Oklahoma City bombing, we conducted physical security surveys of all 83 facilities and worked with the General Services Administration's Building Security Committees (BSC) to develop recommendations based on federal standards outlined by the Department of Justice (DoJ) in its June 1995 report, "The Vulnerability Assessment of Federal Facilities."

Pursuant to the DoJ report, the Department of State is the lead agency for implementation of physical security upgrades at 28 of those facilities, and we have been giving highest priority to the so-called "Level 4 and 5" facilities identified by the report as being most vulnerable. For example, we have increased guard operations and purchased additional surveillance cameras, access controls, and security locks. The post-Oklahoma City Fiscal Year 1996 Antiterrorism Budget Supplemental earmarked $1.68 million in no-year funds for the Department to help in this effort.

Protection

In addition to protecting the Secretary of State and certain other official representatives of the U.S. Government, DS is charged with protecting visiting foreign government officials below the rank of chief of state or head of government, as well as other distinguished visitors and diplomatic facilities outside the Washington area. (The Secret Service is responsible for heads of state or government and the embassy facilities in Washington.)

To fulfill our protective responsibilities, we draw upon personnel from headquarters and our field offices, and we employ our RSOs during overseas trips. We also have an extensive protective liaison program with local, state, Federal, and international law enforcement agencies. The liaison program is aimed at providing professional security guidance to all members of the foreign diplomatic corps, securing appropriate support from local and state law enforcement elements, and monitoring the security threat to resident foreign officials.

Our Protective Intelligence Investigations Division (PII) is responsible for investigations involving terrorist threats and activities directed at the personnel and facilities we are responsible for protecting. PII works closely with the Department's Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism, has permanent representatives assigned to the FBI's terrorism unit and the CIA Counterterrorism Center, and is represented on various terrorism task forces. The counterterrorism budget amendment will allow us to increase our task force participation and enhance our investigative/coordination roles by adding 10 additional officers to the staff.

Border Security -- Passport/Visa Fraud

The Secretary of State is responsible for the issuance and integrity of U.S. passports -- the world's most sought-after identity documents, which are evidence of U.S. citizenship and allow unrestricted travel to and from the United States. DS has statutory authority to investigate suspected passport and visa fraud, which has become a common tool for major international criminals and terrorists intent on advancing their criminal activities through false identities.

DS criminal investigations have doubled their number of passport and visa fraud related arrests from 256 in 1992 to 567 last year. Meanwhile, Congress has indicated the importance it attaches to combating passport and visa violations by significantly increasing the maximum fines and periods of imprisonment for violating the statutes that DS is charged with enforcing, including the imposition of a 25-year maximum sentence if the violation was committed to facilitate international terrorism.

Other Investigations

In addition to our criminal and protective intelligence investigative activities, DS directs the conduct of personnel security investigations of employees, applicants, contractors, and others seeking access to Department information and facilities. In close cooperation with the FBI and other agencies our counterintelligence program is designed to deter foreign intelligence efforts directed against our personnel and facilities worldwide.

Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC)

The Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) is a joint venture of U.S. Government agencies and private sector representatives interacting to address overseas security problems of mutual concern. It provides unclassified security related information and guidance to more than 1,500 U.S. firms and other private sector groups operating internationally to protect themselves against crime, terrorism, and espionage.

OSAC, which is managed by DS, maintains an interactive Electronic Bulletin Board (EBB) that contains timely unclassified information on crime and security conditions abroad. The EBB contains data from corporate security sources, as well as official and media reporting. The DS Office of Intelligence and Threat Analysis plays a key role in this exchange of information between the Department and the private sector, drawing on its research, monitoring, and analysis of all-source intelligence on terrorist activities and threats directed against Americans and U.S. Diplomatic and Consular facilities overseas.

The Department of Commerce's U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service (US&FCS) is a key participant in OSAC activities, and I am pleased to note that $1.25 million of the counterterrorism budget amendment funds directed to US&FCS will be used for OSAC activities in support of the private sector. These funds will allow us to dedicate more resources to improve the effectiveness of the Electronic Bulletin Board and more thoroughly evaluate security issues that affect American interests abroad.

Following the bombings in Saudia Arabia, OSAC conducted briefings and conducted on-site visits to American business locations in the region. Over 90 corporate security and other private sector representatives were provided a special briefing by Department of State and Defense personnel, and reviews of corporate emergency plans were offered. Site surveys and recommendations were conducted at international schools where dependents of both U.S. Government and private sector employees attended, and an OSAC country council was formed in Riyadh.

Counterterrorism Rewards Program

The Counterterrorism rewards program, administered by DS, has been one of the Department's most visible and successful programs. Since 1984, over $5 million has been paid in more than 20 cases. Rewards program informants have prevented terrorist attacks and have contributed substantially to the investigation, arrest, and successful prosecution in past incidents of international terrorism.

During the Gulf ar, for example, information from a rewards program informant about planned terrorist attacks against U.S. and other nations' airline ticket counters resulted in the saving of an estimated 100 lives. Rewards program publicity also contributed to the arrest in Pakistan of Ramsi Ahmed Youssef, the alleged mastermind of the World Trade Center attack.

The Director of the Diplomatic Security Service chairs an interagency committee that identifies reward candidates and then recommends rewards to the Secretary of State. The committee serves as the forum for discussion of many aspects of the program, and the Secretary makes rewards only after consultation with the Attorney General.

A key element of the program's success is the worldwide involvement of the DS regional security officers at our posts abroad, who are both collectors of vital information and disseminators of reward-related publicity. Our vigorous publicity campaign includes posters, radio-TV announcements, print advertisements, a post office box, and the HEROES 800 number. We even have successfully used match book covers.

One of the more recent innovations is a site on the Internet. There are, of course, countries that sponsor terrorist activity where the state controls the media and vital information is censored. Because these governments have not found a way to censor the Internet, it is ideal for communicating reward-related information.

Antiterrorism Assistance (ATA) Program

The Office of Antiterrorism Assistance in DS is responsible for managing the foreign assistance ATA Program under policy guidance from the Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism. The two offices work closely together to ensure excellence in training and overall program effectiveness. In addition, the regional security officer plays a key role overseas, along with other members of the Country Team at each of our embassies, in helping to see that U.S. terrorism-related assistance is both responsive and appropriate to local needs and American interests. Since the start of the ATA Program in 1984, over 18,000 persons from 90 countries have participated. In FY 1996, the program provided assistance to 43 countries. (The actual assistance provided by ATA is funded through the Foreign Operations appropriations.)

Interagency Cooperation and Coordination

The success of DS programs relies on effective cooperation and coordination among various agencies of the Federal Government, especially those serving at our posts overseas. For example:

a. Overseas Security Policy Board (OSPB)

The Overseas Security Policy Board (OSPB) is the interagency consultative body directed by the President to assist the Secretary of State in carrying out the Secretary's statutory responsibilities to provide for the security of U.S. Government operations at U.S. missions abroad. The OSPB develops and coordinates security policies and standards regarding overseas security operations that affect all U.S. Government agencies under the authority of the Chief of Mission.

b. Defense/State Memorandum of Understanding

In the aftermath of the bombings in Saudi Arabia of the OPM/SANG building and the Khobar Towers facility, DS, along with other State personnel, served on a joint DoD/State working group that resulted in a September 15, 1996, Memorandum of Understanding between Defense and State defining the respective security responsibilities for DoD personnel in the Gulf States. This joint DoD/State working group is now developing an understanding to extend the "Gulf MOU" regarding security responsibility to other regions.

c. Border Security Program

The Department's vigorous Border Security program succeeds best with strong working relationships with other agencies. DS has strengthened its liaison efforts, by establishing new positions with not only our own Bureau of Consular Affairs, but with the FBI's International Division, and through participation, via our DS Field Offices, in task forces targeting international criminal/terrorist activity. We have a strong working relationships with the INS at the headquarters and field office levels.

d. Building Security Certification

In accordance with Public Law 100-204, the construction security of all new buildings and major renovation projects is certified to Congress by the Department after consultation with the Director of Central Intelligence (DCI) and the preparation of a detailed Construction Security Plan (CSP). DS is responsible for this certification process, as well as for a subsequent accreditation process to ensure that the CSP is properly implemented. A senior DS officer serves as Deputy Director of the DCI's Center for Security Evaluation (CSE), which provides coordination for intelligence community input into the construction certification process, as well as in the areas of standards development, threat assessment, and research and development.

e. Working Together at our Embassies and Consulates

With the increasing importance of international cooperation regarding law enforcement and security activities overseas, DS officers serving as regional security officers are key contributors to the ambassador's Country Team. At posts where other agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, and U.S. Secret Service are represented, the RSO is usually the Executive Secretary of the Law Enforcement Working Group (LEWG). The LEWG serves as a subcommittee of the Country Team and provides the Chief of Mission with the mechanism to coordinate the activities of those law enforcement elements under COM authority.

The liaison activities and relationships with foreign officials necessary for RSOs to successfully fulfill their protective and other responsibilities overseas are invaluable in allowing them to obtain and provide assistance in support of other agencies' law enforcement initiatives and investigations. At most posts, the RSO is the only law enforcement officer on the scene. Each year, RSOs receive hundreds of requests from Justice and Treasury agencies, such as the FBI, DEA, and the Secret Service, as well as other Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies who rely on DS to provide help in accomplishing their important work. This assistance ranges from routine criminal records checks and personnel investigations in connection with government employment to more complex tracing of fugitives; interviewing victims, informants, and suspects; and processing extradition requests.

Although much of the law enforcement assistance provided by our RSOs has little to do with terrorism, this is not always the case. For example, DS's unique global network of professional law enforcement officers was an important conduit between investigators in New York and a complex matrix of international leads spanning five continents in the case against participants in the World Trade Center bombing and the plot to bomb the UN and other landmarks. In addition, four of the conspirators were charged with document fraud violations, in part through investigations conducted by DS agents. Evidence indicated that those arrested were also planning to bomb 11 U.S. commercial airlines in Asia.

Conclusion

As I said earlier, the Department and DS have no higher priority than the fight against terrorism and the fulfillment of our vital security responsibilities. This has not been easy during the restrictive budgetary climate of recent years. Like the rest of the Department, DS has experienced funding and staffing reductions that have seriously eroded our infrastructure.

In addition to replacement of the aging security equipment that I mentioned earlier and other operational requirements, we need a recurring intake of special agents, as well as of security engineers and civil servants, if we are to effectively employ and support the vital security programs that I have just described. For example, DS currently has about 10% fewer special agents (680) than it did in 1992, and projects the loss of 35 agents per year, just through attrition, between fiscal years 1998 and 2002.

We have responded to the budget situation by achieving savings through the stringent application of threat-based security standards using risk management principles and other streamlining and cost-savings measures. However, there is a limit to the savings that can be made without affecting security readiness.

That is why the Department is extremely appreciative of the additional resources made available during the past two years to enhance security. As a result, we have strengthened numerous critical programs -- from adding local guards to replacing equipment. The FY 1997 budget amendment enabled DS to start the hiring process for 61 officers to support an increased effort in the Persian Gulf and elsewhere throughout the world to combat terrorism. However, this momentum must be maintained. The restoration of infrastructure contained in the FY 1998 budget request is crucial to maintaining an effective worldwide Diplomatic Security program.

Again, I want to thank you for the opportunity to participate in this important hearing and for the support you and your colleagues have shown for the fight against terrorism, in general, and for the important security needs of the Department of State and the Bureau of Diplomatic Security in particular. We pledge to spend the funds you have entrusted to us wisely and to work cooperatively with our counterparts across the government to merit your continued support.

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