S/CT Success Stories

The Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism (S/CT) works with foreign governments, international organizations, and non-state actors in a concerted, global, counterterrorism effort. The following are examples of recent successes.

Anti-Terrorism Assistance Program (ATA)

• In May 2005, after an assailant tossed a hand grenade toward President Bush's podium during a speech in Tbilisi, Georgia, the technical expertise of ATA-trained Georgian bomb forensic and explosive disposal experts helped lay the foundation for a successful criminal investigation.

• In October 2005, following an ATA cyber investigations course, Colombian computer forensic investigators were able to: access vital electronic information for an ongoing investigation against Colombian paramilitaries; analyze hackers attempting to break into Colombian financial institutions' databases; and access e-mail accounts related to drug trafficking and guerilla activity.

• In October 2005, after multiple bomb attacks took place throughout New Delhi, India, two ATA-trained investigators were immediately assigned to important law enforcement roles. Acting as lead investigators in the case, they were able to identify the explosives and methods used in the attacks.

• In November 2005 the Indonesian National Police's elite antiterrorism unit, Task Force 88, located Indonesia's most wanted terrorist, Azahari bin Husin, who was linked to bombings in Bali, and at the Marriott Hotel and the Australian Embassy in Jakarta. Trained by ATA, Task Force 88 planned and executed a successful assault on Azahari's stronghold, killing him and securing valuable intelligence from the enemy safe site.

Counterterrorism Finance Program (CTF)

S/CT's Counterterrorism Finance Unit co-chairs the Terrorist Finance Working Group, established to leverage existing anti-money laundering expertise across the U.S. Government and to develop specific counterterrorism (CT) finance capacity building programs.

• As a result of counterterrorism finance and anti-money laundering assistance provided to Indonesia by the U.S. after the 2002 terrorist bombings in Bali, anti-money laundering legislation has been amended to meet international requirements. The Indonesian Central Bank has implemented rules and procedures to enhance anti-money laundering compliance for private sector banks. Indonesia's Financial Intelligence Unit has become fully operational, and is receiving and analyzing suspicious transaction reports -- over 20 cases have been successfully prosecuted. The Indonesian National Police has established a specialized counterterrorism unit that includes financial investigators who have received CT finance and anti-money laundering training. The Indonesian Government is working with the U.S. Department of Justice to implement anti-money laundering legislation and to prepare financial crimes cases for prosecution.

• The U.S. Government, in partnership with several Middle Eastern governments, has provided specialized training in financial regulation and law enforcement. Specialized financial investigative training to partner nations has resulted in law enforcement actions being taken against identified al Qaeda members in these Persian Gulf countries.

  Terrorist Interdiction Program (TIP)

Suspects captured through TIP include terrorists, narcotics traffickers, insurgents, human traffickers, counterfeiters and other criminals.

• TIP provided photos and travel history to Pakistan of three of the four July 7, 2005 London Metro bombers.

• Within one week of TIP's introduction, a ring of human traffickers were identified at Chiang Mai, Thailand.

• Hundreds of travelers have been interdicted in Pakistan on suspicion of using stolen passports.