	Background

According to the State Department’s 2002 Annual Performance Plan, the  department’s counterterrorism goals are to reduce the number of terrorist  attacks, bring terrorists to justice, reduce or eliminate state-sponsored  terrorist acts, delegitimize the use of terror as a political tool, enhance the  U.S. response to terrorism overseas, and strengthen international  cooperation and operational capabilities to combat terrorism. Programs and Activities to Prevent Terrorism Abroad

The State Department conducts multifaceted activities in an effort to  prevent terrorist attacks on Americans abroad. State has several programs to help warn Americans living and traveling  abroad against potential threats, including those posed by terrorists. The councils are a voluntary, joint effort between State  and the private sector to exchange threat- and security-related information. These programs and activities rely on  military, multilateral, economic, law enforcement, and other capacities, as  the following examples illustrate:  The Bureau of Political-Military Affairs coordinates with Department of  Defense on military cooperation with other countries. The Bureau of Diplomatic Security, working with the Department of  Justice, cooperates with foreign intelligence, security, and law  enforcement entities to track and capture terrorists in foreign countries,  assist in their extradition to the United States, and block attempted  terrorist attacks on U.S. citizens and assets abroad. The Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism, in conjunction with  the Department of Justice and other agencies, coordinates State’s role in  facilitating the arrest of suspected terrorists through an overseas arrest,  known as a rendition, when the United States lacks an extradition  treaty. This includes measures to protect Americans,  minimize incident damage, terminate terrorist attacks, and bring terrorists  to trial. These include the Departments of  Defense, Justice, and the Treasury; the various intelligence agencies; the  FBI and other law enforcement agencies; and USAID. State uses a  variety of methods to coordinate its efforts to combat terrorism abroad,  including the following:  In Washington, D.C., State participates in National Security Council  interagency working groups, issue-specific working groups, and ad hoc  working groups. Table 2 describes:  the strategic framework of State’s efforts to combat terrorism abroad;  State’s programs and activities to prevent terrorism abroad;  State’s programs and activities to disrupt and destroy terrorist   State’s programs and activities to respond to terrorist incidents abroad.
What GAO Found

Efforts to combat terrorism have become an increasingly important part of government activities. These efforts have also become important in the United States' relations with other countries and with international organizations, such as the United Nations (U.N.). The Department of State is charged with coordinating these international efforts and protecting Americans abroad. State has helped direct the U.S. efforts to combat terrorism abroad by building the global coalition against terrorism, including providing diplomatic support for military operations in Afghanistan and other countries. State has also supported international law enforcement efforts to identify, arrest, and bring terrorists to justice, as well as performing other activities intended to reduce the number of terrorist attacks. The State Department conducts multifaceted activities in its effort to prevent terrorist attacks on Americans abroad. For Americans traveling and living abroad, State issues public travel warnings and operates warning systems to convey terrorism-related information. For American businesses and universities operating overseas, State uses the Overseas Security Advisory Councils--voluntary partnerships between the State Department and the private sector--to exchange threat information. To disrupt and destroy terrorist organizations abroad, State has numerous programs and activities that rely on military, multilateral, economic, law enforcement, intelligence, and other capabilities. State uses extradition treaties to bring terrorists to trial in the United States and cooperates with foreign intelligence, security, and law enforcement entities to track and capture terrorists in foreign countries. If the United States has no extradition agreements with a country, then State, with the Department of Justice, can work to obtain the arrest of suspected terrorist overseas through renditions. The State Department leads the U.S. response to terrorist incidents abroad. This includes diplomatic measures to protect Americans, minimize damage, terminate terrorist attacks, and bring terrorists to justice. To coordinate the U.S. effort to combat terrorism internationally, State uses a variety of mechanisms to work with the Departments of Defense, Justice, and the Treasury; the intelligence agencies; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and others. These mechanisms include interagency working groups at the headquarters level in Washington, D.C., emergency action committees at U.S. missions overseas, and liaison exchanges with other government agencies.