This Antiterrorism module should be read in association with the
Risks During Foreign Travel
module. The latter deals with the protection of sensitive
information and routine safety procedures during foreign travel. This
module deals more specifically with the
protection of people from terrorist attack, especially people on duty assignment abroad.1 Department of Defense (DoD)
policy requires that all DoD military and civilian personnel
and supporting defense contractors receive an Antiterrorism/Force
Protection (AT/FP) briefing before travel to any
destination outside the United States (except Guam and Midway Island). DoD contractors
are to provide
their
personnel working on contracts outside the United States with AT/FP awareness information
commensurate with that which DoD provides to its military and civilian personnel and
their
families.2
This Antiterrorism module is intended to meet the DoD requirements
for such a briefing. If the travel is to a moderate, significant or
high-threat area, DoD requires that the AT/FP briefing be supplemented by a recent
update on threats in the specific area of travel. Updated threat
information on specific countries is readily available from the State
Department. On the Internet,
go http://travel.state.gov, then
click on Travel Warnings and Consular Information Sheets.
Country-specific threat information is also available from the State
Department by telephone at (202)
647-5225 or by fax at (202)
647-3000.
Although antiterrorism training cannot guarantee your safety, it will
make you more aware of your surroundings, help you avoid becoming a
terrorist target, and improve your chances of emerging unharmed if you
do become a target.
The Department of Defense (DoD) defines "antiterrorism" as
"defensive measures used to reduce the vulnerability of individuals
and property to terrorist acts." This is distinct from "counterterrorism,"
which refers to "offensive measures taken to prevent, deter, and
respond to terrorism. Both are part of the DoD concept of "force
protection," which brings together all the security disciplines in
a broader program to protect service members, civilian employees, family
members, facilities and equipment.
The Department of Defense uses a
standardized set of terms to describe the Terrorism Threat Level in each
country. These terms are Low, Moderate, Significant, and High. The
Defense Intelligence Agency sets the Terrorism Threat Level for each
country based on analysis of all available information. Commanders
at all levels use the DIA Terrorism Threat Level plus their own threat
analyses as a basis for developing plans and programs to protect assets
within their area of responsibility. These are called Force Protection
Conditions. A Force Protection Conditions is a set of specific security measures
promulgated by the commander after considering a variety of factors
including the threat level, current events that might increase the risk,
observed suspicious activities, etc.
There is a graduated series of Force
Protection Conditions ranging from Force Protection Conditions Normal to
Force Protection Conditions Delta. There is a
process by which commanders at all levels can raise or lower the Force
Protection Conditions based on local conditions, specific threat information and/or
guidance from higher headquarters. The four Force Protection Conditions above
normal are:
- Force Protection Conditions ALPHA--This condition applies when there is a general threat of possible terrorist activity against personnel and facilities, the nature and extent
of which are unpredictable, and circumstances do not justify full implementation of
Force Protection Conditions BRAVO measures. The measures in this
Force Protection Conditions must be capable of being
maintained indefinitely.
- Force Protection Conditions BRAVO--This condition applies when an increased and more
predictable threat of terrorist activity exists. The measures in this
Force Protection Conditions must be capable of being
maintained for weeks without causing undue hardship, affecting operational capability, and aggravating
relations with local authorities.
- Force Protection Conditions CHARLIE--This condition applies when an incident occurs or
intelligence is received indicating some form of terrorist action against personnel and facilities is imminent.
Implementation of measures in this Force Protection Conditions for more than a short period probably will create hardship
and affect the peacetime activities of the unit and its personnel.
- Force Protection Conditions DELTA--This condition applies in the immediate area where a terrorist attack has occurred or when intelligence has been received that
terrorist action against a specific location or person is likely. Normally, this
Force Protection Conditions is declared as a
localized condition.
Terrorist incidents over the years show a trend toward
ever-increasing numbers of attacks and sophistication in methods.
Terrorist methods include
threats, bombing, kidnapping, hostage taking, hijacking, assassination,
sabotage, arson, armed raids or
attacks, and other measures to disrupt daily activities. Such actions occur rather routinely in some
parts of the world, and almost anyone can become a potential
victim. The attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon have shown
that these attacks can occur within the United States as well. On March 3, 1998,
Islamic terrorist financier Osama bin Laden issued an anti-American "fatwa,"
or religious ruling, in which all Muslims were openly invited to
undertake terrorist attacks against American civilians and allied
interests worldwide. This "fatwa" does not differentiate between
Americans dressed in military uniforms
and civilians. We are all targets. The stated goal
is to send the bodies of Americans home "in wooden boxes and
coffins." The threat
of terrorism must be taken seriously by all
personnel, especially those who travel regularly. It is now clear that
NO U.S. outpost or
installation can be considered a low security risk. All U.S. Government employees and supporting contractors are urged to intensify
personal security practices while on travel outside the U.S.
Reference
1. Information in this module is from the following
sources: Joint Staff Guide 5260, Service Member's Personal Protection
Guide: A Self-Help Handbook to Combating Terrorism. Publications
of the Overseas Security Advisory Council, a joint venture
between State Department and private sector security professionals
designed to exchange security-related information pertaining to foreign
travel. Antiterrorism briefing developed by Space and Naval Warfare
Systems Command and available at
www.spawar.navy.mil/sandiego/security/FP-AT,
and DoD Instruction 2000.16, DoD Antiterrorism Standards.
2. DoD Directive 2000.12, DoD Antiterrorism/Force
Protection (AT/FP) Program.
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