| | Counterterrorism OfficeThe Coordinator for Counterterrorism, Ambassador J. Cofer Black, heads the office and coordinates all U.S. Government efforts to improve counterterrorism cooperation with foreign governments. He also chairs the Interagency Working Group on Counterterrorism and the State Department's terrorism task forces to coordinate responses to major international terrorist incidents that are in progress. Another primary responsibility is to develop, coordinate, and implement American counterterrorism policy.
U.S. Counterterrorism Policy First, make no concessions to terrorists and strike no deals; Second, bring terrorists to justice for their crimes; Third, isolate and apply pressure on states that sponsor terrorism to force them to change their behavior; and Fourth, bolster the counterterrorism capabilities of those countries that work with the U.S. and require assistance.
International Terrorism: American Hostages The U.S. Government will make no concessions to individuals or groups holding official or private U.S. citizens hostage. The United States will use every appropriate resource to gain the safe return of American citizens who are held hostage. At the same time, it is U.S. Government policy to deny hostage takers the benefits of ransom, prisoner releases, policy changes, or other acts of concession. | | Highlights | Iraq has been removed from the list of state sponsors of terrorism. Department Spokesman Richard Boucher discussed this at a press briefing on October 20, 2004. The six countries that remain on the list are Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Sudan, and Syria.
Ambassador Black spoke to the Second Intergovernmental High-Level Meeting on the Prevention and Combating of Terrorism in Africa (10/13)
Anti-Terrrorism Assistance (ATA) helps countries meet UN standards, protects people, homeland
Foreign Terrorist Organization: Designation of Jama'at al-Tawhid wa'al-Jihad and Aliases [more]
In September, Principal Deputy Coordinator for Counterterrorism William P. Pope spoke on Strategic Asia and the War on Terrorism at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace where he highlighted successes against al-Qaida.
European Cooperation with the United States in the Global War on Terrorism Principal Deputy Coordinator for Counterterrorism William P. Pope testified on 9/14/04 to the House International Relations Committee Subcommittee on Europe and on International Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Human Rights
Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Ambassador Black testified at four Congressional hearings in August on the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission. [8/4/04, 8/6/04, 8/17/04, 8/19/04]
Revisions to Patterns of Global Terrorism Released A review of the 2003 edition of "Patterns of Global Terrorism" determined that the data in the report was incomplete and in some cases incorrect. The corrected Year in Review, Appendix A, and Appendix G have now been posted. Numbers in the text, specifically numbers of killed and wounded, will be revised to reflect the corrected Appendices. [Remarks by Secretary Powell DSL/Cable dial-up-modem audio] [Remarks by Ambassador Black and Director Brennan]
Current list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations |
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