The National Counterterrorism Center

Following the al Qaeda terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the U.S. government convened a special commission to investigate the intelligence failure that allowed the attacks to happen. Known informally as the 9/11 Commission, its report concluded among other things that "none of the measures adopted by the U.S. government before 9/11 disturbed or even delayed the progress of the al Qaeda plot." An important step toward addressing this failure was the formation of the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC). Successfully combatting terrorism often comes down to the quality of the intelligence that's gathered. That's where the NCTC comes in. Established in 2002, this agency gathers intelligence 24/7, staying on the continuous lookout for potential threats. It has access to intelligence gathered by the CIA and National Security Agency as well as maintaining its own databases. Learn about this crucial new bureau and how it synchronizes operations across more than 20 government departments and agencies within the United States and many more around the world to keep people safe from terrorist attacks.