National Intelligence Director Negroponte Discusses Public/Private Information Sharing At OSAC Conference

Contact: Kendal Smith
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Director of National Intelligence John D. Negroponte Speaks About Overseas Security For U.S. Organizations

National Intelligence Director John D. Negroponte addresses the 21st annual meeting of the Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC), Nov. 15, 2006

Director of National Intelligence John D. Negroponte spoke to more than 1,000 executives who gathered at the U.S. Department of State today about information sharing between the federal government and American private sector organizations.

Negroponte spoke at the 21st annual meeting of the Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC), a public-private partnership that exchanges security information between the U.S. Government and American private sector organizations operating abroad. Director Negroponte told the executives that OSAC, administered by the State Department’s Bureau of Diplomatic Security, plays a critically important role in the Global War on Terrorism.

“In today's world, nothing can move faster than information and nothing can enlist the constructive efforts of more diverse institutions and individuals than timely, relevant, objective information. Indeed, the information sharing challenge extends far beyond the Intelligence Community's sixteen agencies to encompass the Federal government; the state, local, and tribal level; and you in the private sector as well,” said Director Negroponte. 

OSAC supplies a wealth of security information to help its 3,500 constituent companies around the world fight terrorism. At the Olympic Games in Torino and the World Cup Games in Germany, for example, OSAC provided a nonstop stream of real-time threat assessments that helped protect our athletes and our citizens. During the Lebanon evacuation this summer, within mere hours, OSAC distributed essential security information across its vast global network. These are just a few examples of OSAC’s security successes.

In the past year, OSAC staff members provided an average of 350 security consultations per month, while the OSAC web site, www.osac.gov, continues to be a significant industry information-sharing platform for free, timely security needs. It is an invaluable tool for security and law enforcement. OSAC’s constituents come from the business community, non-government organizations, faith-based organizations and academia.

Read Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security Richard Griffin's remarks before the 21st annual OSAC conference.

The Bureau of Diplomatic Security is the U.S. Department of State’s law enforcement and security arm. The special agents, engineers, and security professionals of the Bureau are responsible for the security of 285 U.S. diplomatic facilities around the world. In the United States, Diplomatic Security personnel investigate passport and visa fraud, conduct personnel security investigations, and protect the Secretary of State and high-ranking foreign dignitaries and officials visiting the United States. More information about the U.S. Department of State and the Bureau of Diplomatic Security may be obtained at www.state.gov/m/ds http://www.state.gov/m/ds.