MANAGING TERRORISM INCIDENTS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP87B01034R000600030007-0
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 1, 2003
• Sequence Number: 7
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2003/1 pp/22 Ip B87B01034R000600030007-0
E
THE WHITE Y
CONFIDENTIAL
National SecwLi ty Decision
Diaec t.Lve Numbeh.
MANAGING TERRORISM INCIDENTS
NSC REVIEW
COMPLETED,
7/2/03.
The United States is committed,, as a matter of national
policy, to -oppose terrorism domestically and internationally.
Efficient and effective management of terrorist incidents is
crucial to this commitment. Successful management of
terrorist incidents requires a rapid, effective response,
immediate access to institutional expertise, and extensive
prior planning. Because of these- requirements, the
management of terrorist incidents will be handled in the
following manner:
(1) Responsibilities. Terrorist Incidents will be considered.
Special Situations. Therefore, overall policy
responsibility for managing terrorist incidents will be
vested in the Special Situation Group (SSG) chaired by the.
Vice President or, in his absence the Assistant to the
President for National Security Affairs.
(2) The Lead Agency. The operational management of terrorist
incidents will.normally be the responsibility of the Lead
..Agency. The Lead Agency will be that agency with the most
direct operational role in dealing with the particular
terrorist incident. at hand. It will coordinate all
operational aspects of the incident including press and
.intelligence. The Lead Agency will normally be:
The-State Department., for international terrorist t/
incidents
The FBI for domestic terrorist incidents
---- The FAA will be the supporting agency to the above
Lead Agencies in airplane hijackings.
The Assistant to the President for National Security
Affairs will resolve any uncertainty on the designation
of the Lead Agency.
CONFIDENTIAL
Review February 12, 1988
Approved For Release 2003/10/22 : CIA-RDP87B01034R0006000007-0
 The InQ 2@2W4W2,ghC? EtPeBIJ .034RIOM00030007-0
Interdepartmental Group' on Terrorism (IG/T), chaired by
the Department of State,' will be responsible for the
development of overall US policy on terrorism, including,,
inter alia, policy directives, organizational issues,
legislate e initiatives, and training programs
representative from the Lead Agency.
(4) The Terrorist Incident Working Group. To support the
Special Situation Group and/or the Lead Agency, a Terrorist
Incident Working Group (TIWG) will be established. This
group will consist of representatives from State, DOD, FBI,
and the NSC staff, with possible augmentation from other
agencies represented on the Interdepartmental. Group on
Terrorism. The TIWG will be activated for the duration of
the incident-by the Assistant to the President for
National Security Affairs. It will be chaired by a
The purpose of the TIWG is to provide the SSG and/or Lead
Agency with direct operational support, to ensure -
interagency coordination, and to provide advice and
recommendations during an incident.
(5) White House Operations Group. The White House Operations
Group, chaired by the white House Military Office, will
have responsibility, for issues relating to threats or acts
of terrorism directed against the President. The NSC staff
will effect liaison between this group and the IG/T and TI11G.
(6) Planning and Exercises. In order to ensure effective
management of terrorism incidents, prior planning and
exercise activity are essential. The Interdepartmental
Group on Terrorism under the Chairmanship of the Department
of State will be the primary mechanism within the US
Government for planning and policy recommendations. To
ensure the development of an effective, coordinated exercise
program, the Chairman of the IG/T will appoint an Exercise
Committee.'which will review all multiple.agency counter-
terrorism exercises.. . This committee will assure that the
government's counter-terrorism capabilities are maintained
in a high state of readiness and that duplication of
exercises is avoided. No multiple agency exercise may be
held without the recommendation of the IG/T and the --
approval of the Assistant to the President for National
.Security Affairs.
This National Security Decision Directive supersedes all
previous directives and instructions on managing terrorism
incidents.
0520560
CONFIDENT I Proved For Release 2003/10/22: CIA-RDP87BO1034R000600030007-0