NCJ Number
191178
Date Published
July 2000
Length
18 pages
Annotation
This report documents findings from a series of workshops where participants role-played in a hypothetical attack with a biological agent dispersed throughout both military and civilian communities.
Abstract
The objective of the workshop was to step through the U.S. Government processes and activities required to successfully prevent, deter, and detect a biological attack against the U.S. territory. Analytic Services (ANSER) has initiated a Homeland Defense Strategic Thrust, which is a strategy upon which ANSER intends to support the national security community. ANSER hopes to develop a roadmap for how it intends to implement its vision of enhancing public safety by helping the Nation identify and develop strategies, plans, and capabilities to address 21st century threats. ANSER seeks to help the community gain a better understanding in areas such as: activities that can lead to an attack; disseminating timely information; and establishment of clear, credible passive and active deterrent measures. Participants were divided into three teams: terrorists, the U.S. intelligence community, and U.S. policy makers and operational personnel. The perspectives of the participants produced three common themes: (1) the need for an intelligence cycle tailored to the needs of low-observable indications and warning; (2) a well established public awareness and perception management campaign; and (3) clarification of national policy and strong leadership. Ongoing surveillance of suspected terrorists would be complemented by more specific, directed collection activities. Surveillance activities can be fused by electronic database training and automated processing via intelligent search agents. A need to strengthen human intelligence is continually cited as a challenge. A well-informed public that is knowledgeable of response procedures will enhance the Nation's overall deterrence posture. Education and training of medical and emergency response personnel remains the foundation of successful mitigation. Key spokesmen or media sources of public information at national, State, and local levels should be trained to disseminate information efficiently during crisis situations. A nation prepared to handle the mass disruption and panic the terrorist intends to inflict will remove or greatly limit the terrorist's ability to achieve that objective. Information-sharing between Federal and State officials remains difficult because of bureaucratic stove piping. The intelligence community must improve the process with which it identifies and correlates low-signature indications and warnings of terrorist attacks. The United States needs to take immediate steps to develop an information infrastructure and awareness campaign to prepare the population at large for a terrorist attack. The United States requires a clear, balanced national strategy for Homeland Defense. Appendix