View source for National Counterterrorism Center

{{Short description|U.S. government organization responsible for national and international counterterrorism efforts}}
{{Distinguish|Combating Terrorism Center|Counterterrorism Center|National Counter Terrorism Centre}}
{{Other uses|Counterterrorism Center (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox government agency
| agency_name = National Counterterrorism Center
| nativename = 
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| logo = 
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| seal = Seal of the United States National Counterterrorism Center.svg
| seal_width = 140
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| formed = 2004
| preceding1 = Terrorist Threat Integration Center (establ. 2004)
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| dissolved = 
| superseding = 
| jurisdiction = 
| headquarters = [[McLean, Virginia]], U.S.
| employees = 
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| minister1_name = 
| minister1_pfo = 
| minister2_name = 
| minister2_pfo = 
| chief1_name = Don Holstead (acting)
| chief1_position = Director
| chief2_name = Don Holstead<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.dni.gov/index.php/nctc-who-we-are/deputy-director-nctc | title=Deputy Director NCTC }}</ref>
| chief2_position = Deputy Director
| chief3_name = Celia Durall<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.dni.gov/index.php/nctc-who-we-are/executive-director-nctc | title=Executive Director NCTC }}</ref>
| chief3_position = Executive Director
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| parent_department = 
| parent_agency = [[Office of the Director of National Intelligence]]
| child1_agency = 
| child2_agency = 
| website = {{URL|nctc.gov|NCTC.gov}}
}}

The '''National Counterterrorism Center''' ('''NCTC''') is a [[Federal government of the United States|United States government]] organization responsible for national and international [[counterterrorism]] efforts.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Bloy|first1=Natalie|last2=Peters|first2=Heidi M.|title=National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC)|date=August 18, 2017|publisher=Congressional Research Service|location=Washington, DC|url=https://fas.org/sgp/crs/intel/IF10709.pdf|access-date=21 December 2017}}</ref> It is based in Liberty Crossing in [[McLean, Virginia]].<ref>{{cite news |first=Dana |last=Priest |author2=William M. Arkin |url=http://projects.washingtonpost.com/top-secret-america/articles/a-hidden-world-growing-beyond-control/ |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |title=A hidden world, growing beyond control}}</ref> NCTC advises the United States on terrorism.

Part of the [[Director of National Intelligence|Office of the Director of National Intelligence]], the center brings together specialists from other federal agencies, including the [[Central Intelligence Agency|CIA]], the [[Federal Bureau of Investigation|FBI]], the [[United States Department of Defense|Department of Defense]], and the [[United States Department of Homeland Security|Department of Homeland Security]].<ref>Elliot, Phillip (January 2, 2010). [http://www.680news.com/news/world/article/13132--obama-says-al-qaida-affiliate-in-yemen-apparently-responsible-for-airliner-bombing-plot "Obama says al-Qaida affiliate in Yemen apparently responsible for airliner bombing plot"]{{dead link|date=February 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}. 680 News. [[Associated Press]]. Accessed January 2, 1010. {{dead link|date=May 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

==History==
The idea of a center to merge intelligence on terror threats was proposed by the [[9/11 Commission]] following the completion of its investigation into the [[September 11 attacks]], the deadliest attack in world history.<ref>{{cite web |date=July 22, 2004 |title=Public Statement Release of 9/11 Commission Report The Hon. Thomas H. Kean and the Hon. Lee H. Hamilton |url=http://www.9-11commission.gov/report/911Report_Statement.pdf |access-date=22 Feb 2010}}</ref> Plans to create such a center were announced by [[George W. Bush|President George W. Bush]] in his January 2003 [[State of the Union Address|State of the Union address]]. On May 1, 2003, [[s:Executive Order 13354|Executive Order 13354]] established the Terrorist Threat Integration Center (TTIC).<ref>{{cite web|title=The Terrorist Threat Integration Center: One Year Later|url=https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2004/april/threat_043004|work=FBI.gov|publisher=FBI|access-date=1 July 2013}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://fas.org/irp/agency/ttic/|title=Terrorist Threat Integration Center|access-date=2016-01-01|archive-date=2016-04-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160412083941/http://fas.org/irp/agency/ttic/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 2004, the center was renamed NCTC and placed under the [[United States Director of National Intelligence]] by the [[Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act]].

After the Christmas 2009 terrorist attempt on [[Northwest Airlines Flight 253]], the NCTC was tasked with creating a process to "thoroughly and exhaustively" prioritize terrorism threat threads; identify follow-up action by intelligence, law enforcement, and homeland security; and enhance the "Terrorist Identities Datamart Environment" database, to add names to watchlists.<ref>{{cite news |last=Pelofsky |first=Jeremy |date=January 7, 2010 |title=Factbox: Actions Obama ordered after December 25 bomb plot |publisher=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6065ZB20100107 |access-date=2010-02-22}}</ref>

In 2012, [[United States Attorney General]] [[Eric Holder]] granted NCTC the authority to collect, store, and analyze extensive data collections on U.S. citizens compiled from governmental and non-governmental sources for suspicious behavior through [[pattern analysis]] and to share the databases with foreign states. The effort has drawn controversy for its [[pre-crime]] effort, which has been likened to the [[Information Awareness Office]] and its proposed [[mass surveillance]].<ref name="wsj1">{{cite news |last=Angwin |first=Julia |author-link=Julia Angwin |date=December 12, 2012 |title=U.S. Terrorism Agency to Tap a Vast Database of Citizens |newspaper=WSJ |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887324478304578171623040640006}}</ref><ref name="wired1">{{cite news |last=Zetter |first=Kim |date=December 13, 2012 |title=Attorney General Secretly Granted Gov. Ability to Develop and Store Dossiers on Innocent Americans |newspaper=WIRED |url=https://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2012/12/gov-dossiers-on-us-citizens/}}</ref><ref name="Kelley1">{{cite news |last=Kelley |first=Michael |date=Dec 13, 2012 |title=CONFIRMED: US Counterterrorism Agency Can Amass Data On Any Citizen |newspaper=Business Insider |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/confirmed-us-counterterrorism-agency-collect-170500003.html}}</ref><ref name="Forbes1">{{cite news |last=Hill |first=Kashmir |date=December 14, 2012 |title=The Little Known Spy Agency That Knows Your Flight Plans And Much More |newspaper=Forbes |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/kashmirhill/2012/12/14/the-little-known-spy-agency-that-knows-your-flight-plans-and-much-more/}}</ref>

In August 2019, ''The Daily Beast'' reported that the NCTC had begun to work on counterintelligence to combat domestic terrorism.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Woodruff |first=Betsy |date=2019-08-07 |title=Post-9/11 Intel Center Goes After Domestic Terror |language=en |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/national-counterterrorism-center-set-up-after-911-now-going-after-domestic-terrorism |access-date=2019-08-07}}</ref>

==Activities==
The center analyzes [[terrorism]] [[intelligence (information gathering)|intelligence]] including potential domestic threat intelligence; monitors communications internationally and domestically for potential threats; generates actionable information to potentially prevent criminal acts domestically; stores terrorism information; supports U.S. [[counterterrorism]] activities using [[information technology]] (IT); and plans counter-terrorism activities as directed by the [[President of the United States]], the [[United States National Security Council|National Security Council]], and the [[Homeland Security Council]].

It provides terrorism information to the [[United States Intelligence Community|intelligence community]]; makes detailed lists of terrorists, terrorist groups, and worldwide terrorist incidents; supports the response to terrorist incidents in the United States and worldwide; and writes assessments and briefings for policymakers.

The NCTC has access to various [[database]]s, including those from the [[National Security Agency|NSA]] and the [[Central Intelligence Agency|CIA]], and is in charge of the [[Terrorist Identities Datamart Environment]] (TIDE) database.<ref>[[Karen DeYoung|DeYoung Karen]] (January 7, 2010). [https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/06/AR2010010605158.html "After attempted airline bombing, effectiveness of intelligence reforms questioned"]. ''[[The Washington Post]]''.</ref> It also operates the publicly accessible [[Worldwide Incidents Tracking System]] database.

The NCTC's Terrorist Identities Datamart Environment (TIDE) database contains more than 1.2 million identities of people who are known to be terrorists, suspected of it, or linked to people who are.<ref name="wsj1" />

==Leaders==
===Directors===
Source:<ref>{{cite web |title=Acting Director NCTC |url=https://www.dni.gov/index.php/nctc-who-we-are/director-nctc |website=National Counterterrorism Center |publisher=Office of the Director of National Intelligence |access-date=August 13, 2020 |language=en}}</ref>

* [[John O. Brennan]] (Interim) (August 27, 2004 – August 1, 2005)
* Vice Admiral (Ret.) [[John Scott Redd]] (August 1, 2005 – November 10, 2007)
* [[Michael E. Leiter]] (Acting) (November 10, 2007 – June 12, 2008)
* [[Michael E. Leiter]] (June 12, 2008 – July 8, 2011)
* [[Matthew G. Olsen]] (August 16, 2011 – July 2014)
* [[Nicholas J. Rasmussen|Nicholas Rasmussen]] (December 18, 2014 – December 24, 2017)<ref>{{cite web|title=Acting Director of NCTC Nicholas J. Rasmussen|url=http://www.nctc.gov/director.html|website=National Counterterrorism Center|access-date=19 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170120000329/https://www.nctc.gov/director.html|archive-date=20 January 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* [[Russell Travers]] (acting) (December 24, 2017 – December 27, 2018)
* [[Joseph Maguire]] (December 27, 2018 – August 15, 2019)
* [[Russell Travers]] (acting) (August 16, 2019 – March 18, 2020)
* [[Lora Shiao]] (acting) (April 3, 2020 – August 10, 2020)<ref>{{Cite press release |title=Acting DNI Grenell Names New NCTC Leadership |date=March 23, 2020 |publisher=Office of the Director of National Intelligence |url=https://www.dni.gov/index.php/newsroom/press-releases/item/2107-acting-dni-grenell-names-new-nctc-leadership |access-date=November 10, 2020 |archive-date=January 18, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220118150114/https://www.dni.gov/index.php/newsroom/press-releases/item/2107-acting-dni-grenell-names-new-nctc-leadership |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* [[Christopher C. Miller]] (August 10, 2020 – November 9, 2020)<ref>{{cite web |title=DNI Ratcliffe Welcomes Chris Miller as NCTC Director |url=https://www.dni.gov/index.php/newsroom/press-releases/item/2138-dni-ratcliffe-welcomes-chris-miller-as-nctc-director |website=Office of the Director of National Intelligence |access-date=August 13, 2020 |archive-date=August 10, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200810212714/https://www.dni.gov/index.php/newsroom/press-releases/item/2138-dni-ratcliffe-welcomes-chris-miller-as-nctc-director |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Director NCTC |url=https://www.dni.gov/index.php/nctc-who-we-are/director-nctc |website=National Counterterrorism Center |publisher=Office of the Director of National Intelligence |access-date=August 17, 2020 |language=en}}</ref>
* Steve Vanech (acting) (November 10, 2020 – June 29, 2021)
*[[Christine Abizaid]]  (June 29, 2021 – July 5, 2024)
*[[Brett Holmgren]] (acting) (July 5, 2024 – January 20, 2025)
* Don Holstead (acting) (January 20, 2025 – Present)

===Deputy Directors===
* Arthur M. Cummings (2004–05)
* Kevin R. Brock (2005–07)
* [[Michael E. Leiter]] (2007–08)
* Geoff O'Connell (2008–2011)
* Andrew Liepman (2011–2012)
* Nicholas J. Rasmussen (2012–2014)
* L. Joseph Camilleri (2016–2017)
* John J. Mulligan
* [[Lora Shiao]] (April 3, 2020 – October 2020)
* Steve Vanech (acting) (November 10, 2020 –  March 2024)
* Don Holstead (March 2024 – Present)

==See also==
* [[Director of Central Intelligence Directive]]
* [[Counterterrorism Center]]
* [[Information Sharing Environment]]
* [[Disposition Matrix]]
* [[Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre]] – a similar body in the UK

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20170311084731/https://www.nctc.gov/ NCTC Website]
*[http://www.dni.gov/ Office of the Director of National Intelligence Website]
*[http://www.nctc.gov/press_room/press_releases/02_feb_2007.html NCTC News Story on Appointment of Michael Leiter and retirement of Kevin Brock]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20051129180743/http://www.fbi.gov/page2/aug05/nctc082905.htm News about new NCTC on FBI website]
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/6210090.stm BBC News article with internal photograph]
* [https://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2012/12/12/a-comparison-of-the-2008-and-2012-nctc-guidelines/ A Comparison of the 2008 and 2012 NCTC Guidelines], [[WSJ]]

{{National Counterterrorism Center Directors}}
{{Intelligence agencies of USA}}
{{Authority control}}

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[[Category:Counterterrorist organizations]]
[[Category:United States intelligence agencies]]
[[Category:2003 establishments in the United States]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Fairfax County, Virginia]]
[[Category:Counterterrorism in the United States]]
[[Category:Government agencies established in 2003]]
[[Category:Intelligence analysis agencies]]