Background/Summary:
The
Department of Justice, acting through the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
is the lead domestic agency for the counterterrorism effort. In order to ensure the capability to deter,
defeat and respond to terrorism in the U.S., the FBI recognizes the need for federal,
state, local and tribal agencies that are involved in fighting terrorism to
coordinate and share information and resources.
This
agreement facilitates sharing FBI information with the intelligence and law
enforcement communities to protect the U.S. against threats to
national security and thereby improve the effectiveness of law
enforcement. The purpose of the
agreement is to outline the mission of the Joint Terrorism Task Force and
maximize cooperation to create a cohesive unit capable of addressing the most
complex terrorism investigations.
The
mission of the Joint Terrorism Task Force is to leverage the collective
resources of the member agencies for the prevention, preemption, deterrence and
investigation of terrorist acts that affect U.S. interests, and to disrupt and
prevent terrorist acts and apprehend individuals who may commit or plan to
commit such acts. Sworn law enforcement
officers from participating agencies will be federally deputized while detailed
to the task force.