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Communitv ReSDOnSe to the Threat of Terrorism - A Public Entitv Risk Institute Svnmosium . politically embarrassing for the local government and its policy makers, However, having a terrorist incident that mighl have been prevented by sound intelligence informalion would be more than jusl embarrassing, In counter-intelligence activities, success is measured by what DOES NOT HAPPEN! The basic purpose of government is to protect lives and property, Everything else springs from that fundamental duty, Regarding terrorism, governmenl has a two-fold mission: . PREVENTION -- Intelligence gathering. . REACTION -- Responding to and investigation acts committed by terrorists, Keep uppermost in mind Ihat when a terrorist incident happens, the local first responders will be firsl on Ihe scene, Federal personnel may not arrive for several hours, Acts of lerrorism, like all crimes, are primarily local. Recognizing that facl, the federal governmenl is committing a considerable amount of money to train and assist local governments in this effort. Because state and local governments are charged with the primary enforcemenl and public safety responsibilities related to terrorist attacks, there must be a close working relationship between a local government's policy makers and operational people and wilh other government agencies al all levels, . In addition 10 other intemational terrorists, you may have in your area American organizations which have strong ethnic or nationalistic ties to foreign countries and these groups might pose a terrorist threat. Strong and bitter rivalries between nations or ethnic and religious groups within other nations are frequently reflected in sympathetic U.S,-based organizations, These domestic groups might be made up offormer nationals oflhose countries and their descendants or American citizens with shared cultural, religious or ideological affinity, or foreign students. Visits by foreign dignitaries might also pose a danger. Assassinalions, bombings, kidnapping, and other acls of violence against official or unofficial represenlalives of the rival country or group while visiling the United State constitule serious lerrorist problems, even though Ihe United States itself might not be the target of the hostility in those instances. But, ifit happens here, it's our problem, There is a need to develop a cooperative partnersmp among local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies and other emergency response agencies along with a coordinated incident command system. (John Kane will discuss this in his presentation,) What Should You Be Doing Now? What should local governments be doing in the face of these multiple threats? . Introduction and Overview 3