Preventing IED Attacks

Earlier today I gave a speech to the Center for Strategic and International Studies on the Department’s efforts to prevent the use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) against our country. All of us have seen the horrible images of our soldiers being attacked overseas by roadside bombs and other forms of IEDs. Over the past two decades, IEDs have been used by terrorists in attacks ranging from the U.S.S. Cole to the London and Madrid bombings to the Oklahoma City attack in 1995. IEDs remain a terrorist weapon of choice: they are easy to make, difficult to defend against, and cause untold death and destruction.

Our Department is 100 percent committed to protecting the people of the United States from IEDs. All of our counterterrorism efforts focus directly or indirectly on bombing prevention--whether that involves screening passengers for explosives at airports, checking cargo for radiological materials that can be used to make “dirty bombs,” protecting dangerous chemicals from theft, hardening critical infrastructure, advancing research and technology to defeat IEDs, or sharing information and intelligence with state and local partners.

These efforts are not scattershot or uncoordinated. Within the Department, we established an Office for Bombing Prevention specifically to work with other federal, state, and local agencies, as well as members of the private sector, to implement a national strategy to address IED threats. This office also sponsors TRIPWire, an information sharing portal that brings together bomb squad technicians, intelligence analysts, and state and local law enforcement to share expertise on the latest terrorist IED tactics, techniques, and procedures.

Our Science and Technology Directorate is also leveraging the vast knowledge and expertise of our nation’s science and research community to develop next generation IED screening tools and countermeasures. This includes technology to identify and alert authorities to suspicious behaviors that precede an IED attack, and developing bomb-resistant materials and barriers to minimize damage after an explosion.

At our airports, we’ve deployed a full complement of screening tools and procedures, from bomb-sniffing “puffer” machines to explosives detection canine teams to Bomb Appraisal Officers trained to look at a person’s behavior for signs of malicious intent. We’re also stepping up security requirements for chemical sites and facilities, small planes, and small boats operating in U.S. waters.

In all of this, we are making it harder for terrorists to acquire materials to make IEDs. We are educating state and local partners on the latest IED threats and techniques. We are working with the private sector to elevate security in and around critical infrastructure. And we are providing substantial resources, including $1.7 billion to date in grants for IED prevention, detection, protection, and response.

There is no guarantee against an IED attack, but we are raising our barrier against the use of this deadly terrorist weapon. Of course, an alert and informed public is a key part of our nation’s defense. We appreciate your continued vigilance and your support.

Michael Chertoff