The chart below illustrates how data on suspected terrorists is collected at the federal level and disseminated to local police. Cops can access the information via mobile data terminals in their squad cars. If a police officer encounters a suspect whose name matches that of a suspected terrorist, he or she can notify the federal agencies directly to confirm the match, get further instructions and relay new intelligence on the suspect back up the chain.
Click on the boxes below to read more about each step in the process.
FBI
Domestic Terrorism Information
NCTC
International Terrorism Information
The TSDB is the consolidated terrorist watch list for federal government, maintained by the Terrorist Screening Center (TSC).
It contains "sensitive but unclassified" identifying information like name, DOB, and unique physical characteristics.
TSA disseminates to all air carriers.
National Crime Information Center
Maintained by FBI, and accessed by 18,000 local law enforcement agencies.
Consular Lookout and Support System
Maintained by Bureau of Consular Affairs, used to manage visa and passport applications.
Interagency Border Inspection System
Maintained by DHS, used by border inspectors to screen
Automated Case Support System
Maintained by FBI.
During a traffic stop, a police officer checks the motorist's name using the mobile date terminal in his squad car. If there is a "hit" against the terrorist watch list, the officre gets the message: "Warning. Approach with caution. Please contact the TSC"
Over the phone, the officer works with TSC to determine whether the suspect is in fact the one on watch list, ruling out a false positive.
The TSC connects the officer to the Terrorist Screening Operations Unit at the FBI. TSOU then directs the officer to arrest the individual, hold him/her for questioning, or gather more information.
TSOU forwards any new information to the "nominating" agency that put the suspect's name on the terrorist watch list.
This article was a project of the Investigative Journalism for Print and Television Seminar at the University of California at Berkeley, Graduate School of Journalism,
taught by Reva and David Logan Distinguished Professor Lowell Bergman and
Rob Gunnison under the direction of investigative journalist Marlena
Telvick. Reporting by Jeff Kearns, Charlotte Buchen, Jordan deBree, Cathy
Bussewitz, Lee Wang, and Center for Investigative Reporting intern Taylor
Valore. Additional research by Matt Levin, Kate Golden and Joseph De Avila.
Additional editing by Alison Pierce of the Center for Investigative
Reporting. Special thanks to the Reva and David Logan Foundation and the
Gruber Family Foundation.
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