1 minute read

U.S. State Department

Did You Know . . .

In 2002 no successful attacks by foreign terrorist groups occurred in the U.S. homeland.
The 2002 "Patterns" report included a section on weapons of mass destruction and terrorists entitled "Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear (CBRN) Terrorism." It reported while terrorists will continue to use traditional tactics such as bombing, abductions, and murder, they increasingly seek WMDs. The section quotes the leader of al Qaeda, Osama bin Laden, as saying he sees acquiring WMDs for use in terrorist actions as a "religious duty."
U.S. counterterrorism assistance to other countries attempting to improve counterterrorism capabilities includes a wide variety of programs. Some of these programs are: (1) training foreign police and security forces in airport security and bomb blast investigation; (2) holding seminars on how to write effective counterterrorism laws; (3) conferences on how to investigate and halt financial support to terrorists; and, (4) policy workshops building relationships and cooperation between counterterrorism agencies from different nations.
Another vital report on terrorism issued in July 2002 was the National Strategy for Homeland Security. It was produced by the Office of Homeland Security within the White House (which later grew into the Department of Homeland Security). The report served as the overall policy statement for the U.S. government's counterterrorism efforts.