REMARKS FOR COMMUNITY LUNCH ON MOVING NIO/CT ACCOUNT TO CTC

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06789954
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 11
• Document Creation Date: October 29, 2024
• Document Release Date: August 22, 2024
• Case Number: F-2014-01553
• Publication Date: June 20, 1989

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The Director of Central Intelligence
Washington. D.C. 20505
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National Intelligence Council
20 June 1989
MEMORANDUM FOR: Deputy Director of Central Intelligence
FROM: Fritz W. Ermarth
Chairman
SUBJECT:
Remarks for Community Lunch on Moving
NI/CT Account to CTC
I am having a hell of a time making this seemingly simple and
sensible move happen.
First -- in order of difficulty if not importance -- it is
proving hard to find Andre LeGallo a new assignment. Ted Price
is talking to Andre about a possibility which I hope will work
out.
Second, Fred Turco and apparently have pbe view that
Andre's portfolio can simply be tacked onto their killxisting TO
and workload. Andre thinks this is a major error. I've
delayed sorting this out with CTC hoping we could first come up
with a new assignment for Andre, which would sort of
'depersonalize' a change he naturally finds a bit painful.
Third, in light of DIRNSA's comment at the DCI's Community.
offsite about the founding of the CNC, Community leaders should
be explicitly consulted before a firm decision to abolish
1410/CT is made. We should now take this step; suggested
talking points for your next Community lunch are at TAB A. At
TAB B are some notes prepared by Andre on what the 1410/CT does,
offered as background. Even discounting some 'job inflation'
here, these are probably not tasks an overworked deputy chief
CTC can automatically take over...CTC's present plan.
I would expect Community support for consolidating the
terrorism accounts on condition that CTC treats the Community
aspect of its mission seriously. In any case, I would hope to
resolve this matter by mid-summer. It's not right to keep
Andre, NIC, and CTC turning in the wind on t s.
Attachments:
As stated
tz rmarth
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TALKING POINTS FOR DDCI'S COMMUNITY LUNCH:
SHOULD NIO/CT's FUNCTIONS BE FOLDED INTO CTC?
Want your advice on a move the Judge ,a0 I are considering at the
recommendation. of Fritz Ermarth, Chairman NIC.
Fritz proposes that the functions of NIO Counterterrorism should be taken
over by the DCI's Counterterrorism Center, and the NIO/CT abolished.
The logic here is the same the Judge applied in the case of the recently
established Counternarcotics Center: Where a DCI center exists, there is no
need for an NIO. The Center should perform Community functions on behalf of
the DCI, as well as Agency functions.
Put another way, a center should be like an NIO with extensive staff and
operational responsibilities.
As with narcotics, if we make this move. the NIC would still do any national
estimates treating terrorism. They tend to be very few and can with CTC and
Community support be done by NIOs responsible for the regions where the
terrorists are.
We feel a need to clean up and simplify responsibilities in this area.
When CTC was set up, the NIO/CT also served as deputy cifief CTC. This
was bad because it meant two chains of command.
Today NIO/CT is largely cut out of the operational missions of CTC which
leaves him somewhat weak in a business that is very operational.
However, the NIO/CT performs important interagency functions:
He coordinates among the Community's analysts of terrorism.
He interfaces heavily with the policy agencies that deal with terrorism,
especially with State's Ambassador at Large for Counterterrorism.
He promotes communication and data sharing among the intelligence and
action agencies.
If we make this move, CTC would have.to be clearly charged and staffed to
accept these functions to your satisfaction.
You should be aware that. while CTC is in CIA, today it has
representatives from NSA. FBI, the military services, and FAA on its
staff; State and DIA have been invited to send their representatives.
SECRE1
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I am inclined to accept Fritz's recommendation for a consolidation, making
whatever changes to CTC's mission, staffing, and outlook required to allow
abolishing the P410/CT account.
But I want your comments and input on this. If you could consult with your
own counterterrorism specialists, it would be helpful if you got back to me
or to Fritz with a phone call or a memo within a week or so.
2
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SUBJECT: NIO/CT - Guidelines and Functions
WHAT IS THE NIO/CT SUPPOSED TO DO?
The National Intelligence Officer for Counterterrorism (NIO/CT) has the
traditional duties of an NIO: i.e., he oversees the national estimative
process, he serves as a senior advisor to the DCI and the DDCI, and he tries
to ensure that the intelligence community satisfies the policy makers' need
for relevant facts and judgments. However, he also plays a coordinating role
within his special community which, perhaps unlike the world of other NI0s,
includes both producers and users of intelligence below the policy level. In
addition, counterterrorism (CT) has an important operational facet. However,
for historical reasons, the current NIO is out of that loop.
Several publications provide the NIO/CT with responsibilities and
guidelines, a sampling of which is included below.
The 1985 Vice President's Task Force on Combatting Terrorism notes the
designation of the NIO/CT by the DCI "as the focal point to coordinate
national counterterrorism intelligence activities and to ensure
counterterrorism priorities are established for the intelligence community."
NSW 207 (January 1986) appoints the NIO/CT as Chairman of the
Interagency Intelligence Committee on Terrorism (IICT). created by the DCI and
validated by NSDD 30 (April 1982) with the DC' as Chairman. Bbth NSDD 30 and
207 task the IICT to provide intelligence support to the Special Situation
Group and to the Policy Review Group/Terrorism. This support was more
feasible when the NIO/CT took part in meetings of the PRG/Terrorism's
principal working group, the Coordinating Sub-Group.
Also in 1985, the Critical Intelligence Problems Committee, in "The
Terrorism Intelligence Challenge" (a paper approved by the DCI and concurred
in by the NFIC) states in one of its conclusions: "Effective Community
leadership is essential and should be the responsibility of an NIO focused
solely on counterterrorism." Elsewhere, the study states "The NIO is an
Important element. . . He should serve as the focal point on relevant aspects
of systems development, coordination, and production.
While the creation of the Counterterrorist Center (CTC) in February 1986
was subsequent to these publications, it did not change the duties of the
NIO/CT since his role is primarily of an interagency nature. The CTC charter
Includes three interagency functions:
serve as a central entry point to the Agency for other
counterterrorist components of the USG,
create a "Fusion Center" during crises, and
� provide data base support, intelligence, technical assistance, and
training to other components of the USG.
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SUBJECT: NIO/CT - Guidelines and Functions
CTC�maximizes Agency capabilities by bringing them all together
synergistically with an emphasis on operations; it is an inward looking
organization. At the interagency level, C/CTC and the NIO/CT do not have
duplicative roles. The nature of the NIO/CT's relationship with CTC is
roughly the same as his link with the other important counterterrorist
Intelligence components, such as DIA, NSA, and INR.
WHAT HAS HE DONE RECENTLY?
In recent months. the NIO/CT's activities have been
and coordinating nature, although he has also fulfilled
NIO functions. Examples follow.
Following guidance from the Off-Site Conference hel
the National Intelligence Council in the spring of 1988
focus on "Problem-Fixing". The NIO/CT
- Initiated better coordination to streamline the name-tracing
process between the Department of State. the Agency's Directorate of
Operations, and other agencies to better handle the volume of requests from
the South Korean Government during the period immediately prior to the Seoul
Olympics;
- identified specific intelligence gaps and took remedial action:
of a "problem-fixing"
the more traditional
d by the Chairman of
the NIO/CT tried to
-- One is the lack of knowledge in the community regarding the
sources and management of funding of the major terrorist groups. He initiated
a series of actions to prompt focused collection on
Hizballah, and is now working on the ANO. The aim is to do a paper by the end
of the year that summarizes the results of this effort.
n her wa n for better information on the Ja anese
Red Army (JRA).
- took important initiatives to bolster National Security Agency
(NSA) support to the Counterterrorist Community - For example, he obtained
- D/NSA approval "in principle" to improve the dissemination of
terrorist related items, and
-- an NSA commitment to improve its support of FLASHBOARD, a
computerized message sending system linking analysts in the CT community
funded by NSA but under the administrative supervision of the NIO/CT, as noted
by "Staff Report on the Status of FLASHBOARD and DESIST Systems" published by
the Critical Intelligence Problems Committee in February 1987. (A memorandum
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SUBJECT: NIO/CT - Guidelines and Functions
issued by the IICT, coordinated by the Counterterrorist Intelligence
Community, gives overall responsibility for the management of the National
Threat Warning System to the NIO/CT);
- acted as a catalyst to have the Community consider the question
of the next generation of a community-wide counterterrorist data base, to
Implement a commitment made by the DCI;
- interceded on behalf of the Department of Energy (DOE) to have
the CTC increase its distribution of information to DOE to enable DOE to
better fulfill its mission of defending its nuclear installations against
terrorism;
- at the suggestion of CTC and ORD (DDS&T), requested DARPA
conduct a counterterrorism R&D study; DARPA has agreed to carry out the
study and has committed 5 million dollars of its funds to implement ideas
recommended by the study;
- prompted the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to compile
resourcing figures on the USG's counterterrorism efforts; as a result of
that exercise, OMB will be improving the way it keeps those figures;
These problem-fixing actions were not done at the expense ofitraditional
NIO responsibilities.
The office of the NIO/CT supported Ambassador at Large for
Counterterrorism L. Paul Bremer III in his policy level bilateral and
multilateral conferences.
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SUBJECT: NIO/CT - Guidelines and Functions
Similarly, the NIO/CT office provided support to the Department of
Justice:
The NIO/CT meet frequently with the NSC officer responsible for
counterterrorism, Rand Beers, and briefed him on topical subjects (e.g.,
possible Iranian responses to the shoot-down of Iran Air 655, the hostage
situation, and the Seoul Olympics). On one occasion, the NIO/CT defused a
problem between the NSC and the DO (Latin America Division) based on a
misperception was not performing well in regards to an
Abu Nidal case. The NIO/CT also helped Mr. Beers prepare for a trip to
Latin America by having him briefed by the Deputy Chief of the Latin
America Division.
The NIO/CT was called on to make speeches/presentations at
the National War College.
the DOE (keynote speech for a "Nuclear Terrorism" course run at
the DOE academy in Albuquerque),
Harvard Law School.
4E
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SUBJECT: NIO/CT - Guidelines and Functions
George Washington University Terrorism Conference (the Assistant
NIO/CT made this presentation), and
the Defense Intelligence Agency College (the Assistant NIO/CT made
this presentation as well).
The NIO/CT office initiated and sponsored several interagency
products, mostly "Sense of the Community" papers which are best suited to
the counterterrorist account because they provide assessments on topical
issues more quickly than other National Intelligence Council art forms.
The most recent such paper was "Prospects for Palestinian Terrorism in
1989", issued 23 January 1989. It provides the Community's views in the
context of the US/PLO dialogue. Other recent "Sense of the Community"
products from this office focused on the following issues:
Terrorism and the USSR,
The Chemical and Biological Terrorist Threat,
The 17 November Group.
Another paper done by the NIO/CT reviewed the terrorist threats from
Iran and Iraq. Ambassador Bremer has had the NIO/CT brief the contents of
this paper to officials of several foreign countries. And the NIO/CT
wrote another short paper (which prompted particularly good reviews both
Inside and outside this building) which summarized British and Israeli
views of terrorism.
WHAT IS HE PLANNING TO DO?
Looking ahead, there are several projects, many of a "Problem-Fixing"
nature, on the agenda.
The NIO/CT plans to improve the National Warning System, by
Injecting needed flexibility into it. At the moment, a Threat Alert can
be issued when there is hard information of an imminent terrorist attack
against US interests of a wide geographical nature, or an Advisory when
the information is less firm. Lacking this type of information, the
National Warning system has been silent in recent months. In contrast,
based on caution (i.e. CYA) rather than information, individual agencies
have issued their own alerts unilaterally. The National Warning System
needs to be heard to put apparent threats in perspective even in the
absence of intelligence regarding specific threats. To that end, the
IICT's Subcommittee on Warning is drafting proposed changes to the Warning
guidelines, and is also drafting a message placing recent unilateral
warnings in perspective.
While the chemical terrorism danger is real, there is little
technology to combat this threat. The NIO/CT is therefore looking into
the need for more work in this area.
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SUBJECT: NIO/CT - Guidelines and Functions
The White House Military Office (WHMO) is concerned that it is not
getting the information it needs regarding Presidential security. The
NIO/CT has invited the WHMO deputy to a meeting later this month to
determine if his problem is real and if help is needed. C/CTC and C/EA
(the President's first foreign travel will be in his area) have been
invited to participate.
The first draft of a paper on Iranian terrorism written at
NW/CT's request by an outside authority is being staffed with the aim of
producing an unclassified paper on this subject which continues to
Interest policy makers.
A major paper on global terrorist trends is being Itten by an
outside authority. This paper should form the basis for an IE on the
same subject.
And the first Interagency Intelligence Memorandum we will produce
this year will be on prospects for terrorism and counterterrorism in
f4 Europe.
t,..
�
[ As stated at the outset of this paper, some of the functions of
the NIO/CT are spelled out in NSDD's which, by the issuance of NSD 1, will
r: be cancelled as of I March. While the structure may change, functions
must continue. The question of how and where the NIO/CT plugs into the
t new structure will be a topic of discussion between the NIO/CT and the NSC
In the near future.
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CARRY. OUT FULL INTERAGENCY ESTIMATIVE PROCESS (from typescripts to NIE's).
PLAY AN ACTIVE LEADERSHIP ROLE IN THE INTELLIGENCE COUNTERTERRORIST COMMUNITY:
Chair the Interagency Intelligence Committee on Terrorism and its
subcommittees on Information Handling, Warning, Technical Threat &
Countermeasures, Nuclear/Biological/Chemical Threats, Training, and R & D;
Chair monthly Terrorist Warning Meetings;
Identify intelligence gaps and take remedial action
(e.g. funding of terrorist groups);
Oversee the National Warning System and issue coordinated threat alerts
and advisories as appropriate;
Community Multilateral Counterterrorist Data Base System;
Flashboard (which links .CT analysts in the intelligence community and
over which the National Warning System alerts are coordinated).
SUPPORT POLICY LEVEL OFFICES (e.g. NSC and State Office for Combatting
Terrorism) BY:
Preparing US intelligence
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Ensuring that policy makers receive briefings and papers to support their
own functions,
PARTICIPATE AS A MEMBER OF APPROPRIATE POLICY COMMITTEES (e.g. IG/T)
MISCELLANEOUS:
Speeches (National War College, Harvard, various private groups, G.W.).
TO FULFILL THESE OBJECTIVES, THE NEW OFFICE WOULD REQUIRE:
A firm DO and CTC policy committed to playing an active interagency role
as outlined above, making any necessary changes to the current CTC mission to
ensure compatibility,
Appropriate organizational changes in CTC to support this policy,
Access to CTC resources (e.g. space, budget, personnel),
Unrestricted access to information.
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COUNTERTERRORIST INTERAGENCY INTELLIGENCE FUNCTIONS
POLICY SUPPORT
- Represent Intelligence Community in policy meetings
- Act as principal intelligence advisor to senior policy officials
INTERNATIONAL MEETINGS
INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP
- Chair analytical committees and advisory groups
- Sponsor Intelligence Community spot analysis and typescripts
TERRORISM ALERTS
- Manage national system for issuing alerts
- Supervise government-wide communications net.
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