Since this past February, the House and Senate Intelligence Committees have conducted a Joint Investigation into the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks against the United States. Over the past couple of months, they held a series of hearings. Their inquiry is focused on what the U.S. intelligence community (IC) knew and didn't know about the attacks, and how the IC's performance can be improved.
While many issues concerning how the IC collects and processes information were covered, one issue that kept coming up was the vast number of IC databases. While many of the databases had valuable information, that information often remained unused because it was not shared amongst intelligence agencies, much less with other U.S. government agencies and law enforcement officials. As Eleanor Hill, staff director of the joint inquiry staff, testified on Oct. 1, 2002, "Not all threat information in possession of the intelligence community or law enforcement agencies is shared with agencies that need it the most in order to counter the threats."
The staff review found no single agency or database or computer network that integrates all counter terrorism information nationwide. Information about the hijackers and al Qaeda can be found in disparate databases spread among a range of intelligence and civilian agencies."
Effective defense against future terrorist attacks will depend in large part on effective entry of information into the databases, as well as the sharing of data amongst them. The following is a listing of those databases, derived from the written testimony presented during the public hearings of the joint inquiry. It is undoubtedly an incomplete list, but the databases described below do include all those described in the hearings.
CCD: The State Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs duplicates biographic data and photos concerning individual visa cases in its Consolidated Consular Database (CCD). The CCD contains records of the past five years nonimmigrant visa issuances and denials. CCD is accessible at all consular posts and is updated around the world every five minutes.
CLASS: Independently from the State Department's TIPOFF system (see below) the Bureau of Consular affairs also receives basic biographic data directly from the FBI criminal databases — some of which might include information about terrorists — and feeds that information into the Consular Lookout and Support System (CLASS). It uses search algorithms to match lookout information to individual visa applicants. All consular officers adjudicating visa applications overseas run checks against that system before issuing a visa. Information entered into the CLASS system is also entered into IBIS (see below) for use by U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service officers at ports-of-entry. Consistent with the requirements of the USA Patriot Act, more than 7 million names of persons with FBI criminal and other name-retrievable records were added to CLASS by August 2002, augmenting 5.8 million name records, from State, the Drug Enforcement Agency, and intelligence sources.
Related document: 9 FAM PART IV Appendix D, 200 CLASS (CONSULAR LOOKOUT AND SUPPORT SYSTEM) (TL:VISA-267; 04-25-2001)
CODIS: Established by the FBI in 1990, the Combined DNA Index System is a national index of DNA profiles. It is a key tool for solving violent crimes by enabling federal, state and local crime labs to exchange and compare DNA profiles electronically, thereby linking crimes to each other and to convicted offenders.
IBIS: The Interagency Border Inspection System assists border enforcement agencies in focusing their limited resources on potential non-compliant travelers at ports of entry. IBIS provides the law enforcement community with access to computer-based enforcement files of common interest. IBIS includes the combined databases of U.S. Customs, Immigration and Naturalization Service, State Department, and 21 other federal agencies. Names are also checked against the FBI's National Crime Information Center wanted persons file and allows this its users to interface with all 50 states via the national Law Enforcement Communications Systems. IBIS also contains the Immigration and Naturalization Service's NAILS database. More than 650,000 federal, state and local officers have on-the-street access to the information it contains. IBIS is supplemented by IDENT, an Immigration and Naturalization Service computer system that uses fingerprints to identify aliens encountered at the borders by U.S. agents and inspectors.
Several databases feed into IBIS. Among the systems now in use are:
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The Central Index System for tracking visas.
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Computerized Applicant Information Management System, which houses information about visa applicants who seek to change their visa status.
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Student Exchange Visitor Information System, which houses information about nonimmigrant students.
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Non-Immigrant Alien Lookout System, which tracks enforcement actions taken against individuals by the Justice Department.
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Consular Lookout and Support System, used by the State Department to house information about people who have violated the terms of their visas.
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Consolidated Consular Database, which integrates State Department information used by foreign visa officers.
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JITF-CT: The Defense Intelligence Agency established the Joint Intelligence Task Force-Combating Terrorism to provide enhanced analysis and production to support worldwide efforts to counter terrorism. JITF-CT analysts produce daily assessments of possible terrorist threats to DoD personnel, facilities, and interests.
NAILS: The National Automated Immigration Lookout System is a central mainframe computer system that provides a reliable method of verifying the admissibility of an individual and preventing inadmissible individuals from entering the United States.
Related document: Department of Justice/U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service — National Automated Immigration Lookout System II
NCIC: The FBI's National Crime Information Center is a national index of theft reports, warrants, and other criminal justice information submitted by law enforcement agencies across the country.
NDPIX: The National Drug Pointer Index (NDPIX) is a system that allows state, local and federal agencies to determine if a suspect is under investigation by any other participating agency. NDPIX became operational across the United States in October 1997. NLETS (see below) is the backbone for the NDPIX. Participating agencies are required to submit active case targeting information to NDPIX in order to receive pointer information from the system. The greater the number of data elements entered, the greater the likelihood of identifying possible matches. Designed to be a true pointer system rather than an intelligence system, the NDPIX merely serves as a "switchboard" that provides a vehicle for timely notification of common investigative targets. The actual case information is shared only when telephonic contact is made between the law enforcement personnel who have been linked by their entries into the NDPIX.
NIBIN: The National Integrated Ballistics Information Network attempts to unify Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and FBI firearms databases.
NLETS: The National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System is a nationwide network that links all states and many federal agencies together for the exchange of criminal justice information. In each state, an agency is responsible for maintaining in-state law enforcement telecommunications systems that deliver messages throughout the state. Each state's criminal justice system can access any other state's criminal justice system to obtain a variety of information, including vehicle registration, drivers licenses, and criminal history records. Other data includes plane, boat and gun registration.
NSEERS: The Immigration and Naturalization Service began to implement the National Security Entry-Exit Registration System at U.S. port-of-entry on Sept. 11, 2002. Under NSEERS, the service is fingerprinting and photographing non-immigrant aliens who may potentially pose a national security risk upon their arrival in the United States.
SEVIS: The Immigration and Naturalization Service recently deployed a new Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, which is the automated part of its Student and Exchange Visitor Program, to track and monitor foreign students. Enrollment of educational institutions in SEVIS began on July 1, 2002.
Related document: Immigration and Naturalization Service — SEVIS overview
TIPOFF: In 1987, the State Department established the TIPOFF program for the purpose of using biographic information drawn from intelligence products for watch-listing purposes. In August 2002, the entire TIPOFF database was made available to authorized users from five IC and law enforcement agencies. TIPOFF currently contains more than 70,000 names of suspected terrorists who are either members of foreign terrorist organizations, known hijackers, car-bombers, assassins, or hostage-takers. Currently, the CIA and the State Department are cooperating to transform the TIPOFF watch-list into a National Watch-list Center. This center will serve as the point of contact and coordination for all watch-lists in the U.S. government.
TIPS: Terrorism Information and Prevention System, established by the FBI consists of a website and a toll free 800 number for reports of any information about possible terrorism crimes.
Visa Vipers: In 1993, the State Department established the Visa Vipers program as a dedicated telegraphic channel for reporting information on known and suspected terrorists directly to the TIPOFF staff. It is used both by State Department overseas and by intelligence agency headquarters in Washington.
TECS: Treasury's Enforcement Communications Systems is a computerized information system designed to identify individuals and businesses suspected of involvement in violations of federal law. It is also a communications system permitting message transmittal between Treasury, law enforcement offices and other national, state and local law enforcement agencies.
Related document: cryptome.org, Handbook 9.10: Administrative Databases and Software — Chapter 2: Treasury Enforcement Communication System (TECS) and International Fugitive Notices
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