U.S.
Counterterrorism Office
The Coordinator for Counterterrorism, Ambassador J.
Cofer Black,
heads the office and coordinates all U.S. Government efforts to
improve counterterrorism cooperation with foreign governments. He also
chairs the Interagency Working Group on Counterterrorism and the State
Department's terrorism task forces to coordinate responses to major
international terrorist incidents that are in progress. Another primary
responsibility is to develop, coordinate, and implement American
counterterrorism policy.
U.S. Counterterrorism Policy
First, make no concessions to terrorists and
strike
no deals;
Second, bring terrorists to justice for their
crimes;
Third, isolate and apply pressure on states
that
sponsor terrorism to force them to change their behavior; and
Fourth, bolster the counterterrorism
capabilities of
those countries that work with the U.S. and require assistance.
International Terrorism: American Hostages
The U.S. Government will make no concessions
to
individuals or groups holding official or private U.S. citizens
hostage. The United States will use every appropriate resource to gain
the safe return of American citizens who are held hostage. At the same
time, it is U.S. Government policy to
deny hostage takers the benefits of ransom, prisoner releases, policy
changes, or other acts of concession.
