National Security Flashcards
Terrorism **
“the unlawful use of force or violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives.”
- Federal Crimes of Terrorism can be found under 18 USC 2332b
Domestic Terrorism
– Involves acts dangerous to human life that violate federal or state law that are intended to:
1) Intimidate or coerce a civilian population or portion thereof
2) Influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or
3) Affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping
Two important parts: They operate in the US and lack Foreign influence.
International Terrorism – Title 18 U.S.C. §2331(1)
Involves violent acts or acts dangerous to human life that violate federal
or state law
1) Intimidate or coerce a civilian population
2) Influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or
3) Affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping
- Perpetrated by individuals and/or groups inspired by or associated with
designated foreign terrorist organizations - International terrorism also includes homegrown violent extremists
(HVEs) w/ foreign influence ***
HSI Authorities **
- Border Search
- Immigration
- Financial: SAR/Bank Secrecy act, FINCEN
- Undercovers/ C.I’s
- Summons/Subpoenas
- JTTF
Terrorist Attack Cycle **
- Target Selection
- Surveillance
- Helps to facilitate final target selection and mode of attack
- Weapons and material acquisition
- Stage where they are statistically most likely to be caught
- Training
- Could be research, classes (like pilots class)
- Final Surveillance/ Dry Run
- will conduct an actual walk through
- Deployment/ Attack
18 U.S.C. 2339A: Material Support to Terrorists
Material support is defined as: Property, both tangible and intangible b) Service c) Currency or monetary instruments or financial securities d) Financial services e) Lodging f) Training g) Expert advice or assistance h) Safe houses i) False documentation or identification j) Communications equipment or facilities k) Weapons or explosives l) Lethal substances m) Personnel - Transportation
Support must be “knowing and intending”
18 U.S.C. 2339B: Material Support to Terrorist Organizations **
- Most commonly used terrorist charge
Subject must know that the foreign terrorist group to whom
material support is provided is a:
- Designated Terrorist Organization (Designated by the U.S. State Department), OR
- That the terrorist group engages in or has in engaged in terrorism or terrorist activity
Organizations
18 U.S.C. 2339C: Prohibitions Against Financing Terrorism
Proscribes the unlawful and willful provision or collection of funds
with the intention or knowledge that they are to be used, in full or
in part, to carry out a terrorist attack
18 U.S.C. 2339D: Receipt of Terrorist Training
Proscribes individuals from knowingly receiving “military-type
training” from or on behalf of a foreign terrorist organization
- Training on the use, storage, production, or assembly of any explosive, firearm or other weapon
- Must have knowledge
18 U.S.C. 2339: Harboring/Concealing Terrorists
Prohibits harboring or concealing any person whom the subject
knows or has reasonable grounds to believe has committed, or is
about to commit any of the following offenses
Homegrown Violent Extremists (HVEs) *
Persons of any citizenship who have lived and/or operated primarily in the
U.S. or its territories who advocate, engage in, or prepare to engage in
ideologically-motivated terrorist activities (to include providing support to
terrorism) in furtherance of political or social objectives promoted by a
foreign terrorist organization, but is acting independently of direction by a foreign terrorist organization.
HVEs can be classified as either “inspired” or “enabled” by foreign
terrorist organizations
Operate in the US**
Their views it what makes it domestic or international
Directed Plots **
When a violent extremist group plans specific attacks , identifies and trains operatives to affect the attack, provides financing and controls the development of the operatives.
Inspired Plots: **
occur when a violent extremist or small group of violent extremists conduct an attack without operational contact or direct support from a terrorist group.
Enabled Plots **
Occur when terrorist groups provide encouragement or operational support – primarily through online communications – directly to a violent extremist or small group of violent extremists who still retain overall control of the operation.
Group A Indicators – Highly diagnostic (of a HVE) **
1) End of life preparations (preparing and disseminating a last will or martyrdom video/statement
2) Seeking religious or political justification for a planned violent act
3) Preparing to travel to fight with or support terrorist groups
4) Seeking religious or political justification for violent acts
5) Communicating intent to engage in violent extremist activity; a threat with justification for action
Most serious**
Group B indicators – Moderately diagnostic; more so when observed with other indicators **
1) Obtaining or attempting to obtain explosive precursors
2) Creating or engaging in physical or virtual simulations of an
attack/assault
3) Expressing acceptance of violence as a necessary means to
achieve ideological goals
4) Attempting to radicalize others, especially family members and
close friends
5) Creating or joining an exclusive group that promotes violence to
rectify perceived grievances
6) Conducting suspicious financial transactions
7) Receiving unexplained monies from third parties overseas
8) Employing countersurveillance techniques
9) Changing behavior or using linguistic expressions that reflect new
sense of purpose relating to violent extremist causes
10) Engaging in suspicious travel activity
11) Deleting or manipulating social media or other online accounts
either to misrepresent location, or hide extremist activities, group
membership, or contacts
Plus a bunch more
HVE Group C Indicators – Minimally diagnostic on their own; require the
presence of other indicators to gain diagnosticity ***
1) Unusual purchase of military-style tactical equipment
2) Suspicious, unexplained, or illicit acquisition of weapons and/or ammunition
3) Selling personal assets/belongings in an unusual manner
4) Engaging in violent ideologically motivated outbursts/fights with family, friends, religious authorities, fellow employees, or students
5) Blaming external factors for failure in school, career, or relationships
6) Expressing frustration with employment situation
7) Displaying an unstable mental state and violent behavior
Plus many more
Is HSI a part of the intel community?
No.
Terrorist Identities Datamart Environment (TIDE)
- the U.S. government’s central repository for known or suspected international terrorists (KSTs)
- Maintained by NCTC.**
- It does not contain information on domestic terrorists
Terrorist Screening Center (TSC)
- Maintains the Terrorist Screening Database (TSDB)
- Contains both domestic and international terrorists.
Code 1: Possible Terrorist ties and outstanding warrant
Code 2: Indicates the subject has possible terrorist ties and has DHS detainer
Code 3: Indicates subject has possible terrorist ties; LEO shouldn’t extend contact.
National Targeting Center (NTC)
- Tracks potential TIDE hits traveling to/from US
- NTC will notify CBP/HSI/JTTF potential arrival or departure times
- HSI agents assigned to NTC
Two aspects of national security and counterterrorism investigations that differ from other criminal investigations:
- HQ and Seat of Gov (SOG) involvement
- Terrorism subject is known before crime
Counterterrorism and Criminal Exploitation Unit
- CTEU Mission: To prevent terrorists and other related criminals
from exploiting the nation’s immigration system and to expand the
resource equities within the Intelligence Community (IC) and
federal agencies. - CTCEU provides oversight of investigations related to
nonimmigrant visa holders who violate their immigration
status. - Reviewing the immigration status of known or suspected terrorists
- Combating criminal exploitations of the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP)
CTCEU viable lead
a) The individual is still believed to be in the U.S.
b) The individual must be in violation of their immigration status.
c) The individual must be able to be located by HSI Special Agents.
