Fusion center
A fusion center is a terrorism prevention and response center that was started as a joint project between the Department of Homeland Security and the US Department of Justice's Office of Justice Programs between 2003 and 2007.
The fusion centers gather information not only from government sources, but also from their partners in the private sector.[1][2]
They are designed to promote information sharing at the federal level between agencies such as the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Department of Justice, US Military and state and local level government. As of July 2009[update], the Department of Homeland Security recognized at least seventy-two fusion centers.[3] Fusion centers may also be affiliated with an Emergency Operations Center that responds in the event of a disaster.
State and local police departments provide both space and resources for the majority of fusion centers. The analysts working there can be drawn from DHS, local police, or the private sector. A number of fusion centers operate tip hotlines and also invite relevant information from public employees, such as sanitation workers or firefighters.[4]
Contents
Criticism
There are a number of documented criticisms of fusion centers, including relative ineffectiveness at counterterrorism activities, the potential to be used for secondary purposes unrelated to counterterrorism, and their links to violations of civil liberties of American citizens and others.[5]
MIAC Report
Missouri Information Analysis Center (MIAC) made news in 2009 for targeting supporters of third party candidates (such as Ron Paul), pro-life activists, and conspiracy theorists as potential militia members.[6] Anti-war activists and Islamic lobby groups were targeted in Texas, drawing criticism from the ACLU.[7]
According to the Department of Homeland Security:[8]
[T]he Privacy Office has identified a number of risks to privacy presented by the fusion center program:
- Justification for fusion centers
- Ambiguous Lines of Authority, Rules, and Oversight
- Participation of the Military and the Private Sector
- Data Mining
- Excessive Secrecy
- Inaccurate or Incomplete Information
- Mission Creep
2009 Virginia Terrorism Threat Assessment
In early April 2009, the Virginia Fusion Center came under criticism for publishing a terrorism threat assessment which stated that certain universities are potential hubs for terror related activity.[9] The report targeted historically black colleges and identified hacktivism as a form of terrorism.[10]
See also
- Surveillance
- ADVISE
- TALON
- Total Information Awareness
- Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007
References
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- Information Fusion Centers and Privacy Information related to Fusion Centers and privacy. Electronic Privacy Information Center June 2008.
- Fusion Center Update Report from the ACLU July 2008.
- Fusion Center Guidelines issued by the US Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs
- Council on Foreign Relations: Fusion Centers
- Thesis on Fusion Centers by William A. Forsyth
- "Fusion Centers", July 15, 2010, Radio4All podcast about fusion centers and the Total Information Awareness program
Please help improve this article by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page. (February 2009) |
- ↑ Monahan, T. 2009. The Murky World of 'Fusion Centres'. Criminal Justice Matters 75 (1): 20-21.
- ↑ http://www.securitymanagement.com/article/smashing-intelligence-stovepipes?page=0%2C1
- ↑ Report on Fusion Centers July 29, 2009 Democracy Now
- ↑ Monahan, T. and Palmer, N.A. 2009. The Emerging Politics of DHS Fusion Centers. Security Dialogue 40 (6): 617-636.
- ↑ Monahan, T. and Palmer, N.A. 2009. The Emerging Politics of DHS Fusion Centers. Security Dialogue 40 (6): 617-636.
- ↑ http://www.foxnews.com/politics/first100days/2009/03/23/fusion-centers-expand-criteria-identify-militia-members/
- ↑ http://www.securitymanagement.com/news/fusion-centers-under-fire-texas-and-new-mexico-005314
- ↑ Privacy Impact Assessment for the Department of Homeland Security State, Local, and Regional Fusion Center Initiative December 11, 2008 [1]
- ↑ http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Virginia_terror_assessment_targets_enormous_crosssection_0406.html
- ↑ http://rawstory.com/images/other/vafusioncenterterrorassessment.pdf
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