normally be received from U.S. security authorities.
They may also be received through the security
agencies of the host countries concerned. Infor-
mation may also come from local police forces
or be received directly by a U.S. command or
agency as a threat or warning from a terrorist
organization.
The declaration of a THREATCON, in-
cluding the security measures it requires,
may be decreed by a U.S. command or agency
or by a local commanding officer or head of
an agency following receipt of intelligence
through official sources or following an
anonymous threat message. The Alpha, Bravo,
Charlie, and Delta THREATCONs are described
in the following paragraphs:
THREATCON ALPHAThis condition
is a general warning of possible terrorist activity,
the nature and extent of which are unpredictable.
The circumstances do not justify the declaration
of a THREATCON BRAVO.
THREATCON BRAVOThis condition
is declared when an increased and more predictable
threat of terrorist activity exists even though no
particular target is identified. The security
measures required during this condition may have
to be maintained for weeks without causing undue
hardship, without affecting operational capability,
and without aggravating relations with local
authorities.
THREATCON CHARLIEThis condition
is declared when an incident occurs or when
intelligence is received indicating that some form
of terrorist action against an installation or
personnel is imminent. The security measures
required during this condition for more than short
periods will probably create hardship and will
affect the peacetime activities of the installation
and its personnel.
THREATCON DELTAA terrorist attack
has occurred or intelligence has been received that
terrorist action against a specific location is likely.
Normally, this THREATCON is declared as a
localized warning.
Each naval installation or command provides
instructions on the measures its personnel should
take during each of the four THREATCONs.
THREAT ASSESSMENTS
Based on available information, your command
must determine if the threat is going to be a short-,
medium-, or long-term threat. Although the Naval
Investigative Service (NIS) can supply those threat
evaluations on request, they must be carefully
analyzed to determine the required THREATCON
level.
SAFEGUARDS AGAINST
TERRORISM
Department of Defense (DOD) policy is to
protect to the best of its ability DOD facilities,
equipment, and personnel and their dependents
from terrorist acts. Particular attention is given
to informing and protecting high-risk targets.
High-risk targets include the following:
Key DOD personnel
U.S. Military Assistance Advisory Groups
(MAAGs) and other military missions
Technical assistance field teams
Training and advisory teams
Defense attaché offices
Nuclear weapons sites
Recruiting offices
Small communications, liaison, and admin-
istrative activities considered to be especially
vulnerable to terrorist acts
Absolute protection against terrorist activities
is impossible. Therefore, protective plans and
procedures are based upon a balance between the
degree of protection desired, mission require-
ments, and available manpower and fiscal
resources.
The most cost-effective, broadly based method
of organizing an antiterrorism effort is to integrate
it as much as possible with crisis management
procedures. Those procedures should set up ways
to prevent, control, or contain natural and man-
made crises. Essentially, specific antiterrorism
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