The Office of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Terrorism reduces the threat of WMD terrorism by establishing, strengthening and maintaining the capabilities of international partners to deter, detect, defeat, and respond to terrorist attempts to use chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear (CBRN) materials.
Key Missions:
The Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism (GICNT): The GICNT is an international partnership of more than 80 nations and four official observers committed to working individually and collectively to implement a set of shared nuclear security principles. The mission of the GICNT is to strengthen global capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to nuclear terrorism by conducting multilateral activities that strengthen the plans, policies, procedures, and interoperability of partner nations. The United States and Russia are Co-Chairs of the GICNT, and Spain is Coordinator of the Implementation and Assessment Group (IAG). The Office of Weapons of Mass Destruction Terrorism (WMDT) serves as the U.S. Co-Chair’s Representative and coordinates U.S. interagency involvement in GICNT and IAG activities.
Countering Nuclear Smuggling: WMDT’s Smuggling Response Team (SRT) and Nuclear Smuggling Outreach Initiative (NSOI) together lead the State Department’s efforts to counter smuggling of nuclear and radioactive materials. This mission directly supports the Nuclear Security Summit’s objectives and seeks to prevent terrorist acquisition of materials required for a nuclear or radiological attack. WMDT chairs the Nuclear Trafficking Response Group (NTRG), an interagency body established by Presidential Directive. The NTRG is responsible for coordinating the U.S. Government response to nuclear and radiological smuggling incidents overseas and works to support foreign government efforts to secure smuggled material, prosecute those responsible and develop information on smuggling-related threats. In addition to coordinating real-time responses to events, WMDT leads NSOI, a diplomatic effort to enhance partnerships with key countries around the world to strengthen capabilities to prevent, detect, and respond to incidents of nuclear smuggling. NSOI negotiates government-to-government joint action plans specifying priority steps to be taken to improve their capabilities. Through NSOI, WMDT works with the international community of donors to provide and coordinate assistance to key countries to support implementation of their joint action plans. WMDT also manages the Preventing Nuclear Smuggling Program (PNSP), which draws on insights gained through the NTRG and NSOI to directly address the most critical gaps in front-line states and better leverage the efforts of its partners within the U.S. government and international community. WMDT also leads the State Department’s efforts on several key elements of the President’s Nuclear Security Agenda, including promoting nuclear forensics cooperation and enhancing law enforcement efforts to counter nuclear smuggling. WMDT chairs the Forensics Engagement Working Group, which coordinates and facilitates U.S. government outreach, engagement and policy development on nuclear forensics cooperation. WMDT also supports the development of law enforcement capabilities, enhanced legal authorities to prosecute nuclear smuggling, and national response plans in key partner states.
Foreign Consequence Management (FCM): The FCM Program assists partner nations prepare for and respond to intentional or accidental chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear (CBRN) incidents. The FCM Program focuses on minimizing the impact of the contaminant on people and mitigating casualties. FCM’s primary goals include:
Preparedness: The FCM Program coordinates U.S. Government consequence management engagement activities with partner nations to improve their own CBRN response capabilities. Additionally, the FCM Program assists in coordinating U.S. Government activities that prepare and exercise the whole-of-government response to CBRN incidents overseas.
Response: WMDT coordinates the U.S. foreign consequence management assistance activities based upon the host nation’s requests for assistance and the U.S. offers of assistance during the critical first hours and days of a CBRN incident to mitigate human casualties.
Office Director: Mary Witt
Deputy Director: Renee Sonderman
