|
Program
description / Law
| Funding
| Program
description |
Law |
| The
State Department's Anti-Terrorism Assistance (ATA) program provides
weapons, equipment, services and training designed to help foreign
governments prevent and deal with terrorist acts, such as bombings,
kidnappings, assassinations, hostage-taking, or hijackings. The program's
chief goals, according to the State Department's 2000 Congressional
Presentation for Foreign Operations, are to help protect U.S.
citizens from terrorist attacks abroad and to prevent terrorists "from
undermining the stability of, or otherwise adversely affecting, other
nations where the U.S. has foreign policy, economic, or security interests
at stake."1
The
ATA program is not a major source of assistance to Latin American
security forces; only $2.4 million in ATA funds are expected for
the whole region in 2000. The hemisphere will account for only 7
percent of the program's anticipated worldwide 2000 budget of $33
million.2
The
Congressional Presentation notes that the ATA program "plans
to provide assistance to Colombia to meet the growing threat there.
Details are still being worked out."3
This document also claims that ATA assistance has contributed to
the following successes in Latin America:
The
Organization of American States decision to establish a counterterrorism
center was led by Argentina and supported by other states that
had taken part in ATA programs. The closer working relationships
developed with high level officials through the ATA program contributed
to the cooperation in at least one terrorist rendition case and
smooth security arrangements for the Summit of the Americas Conference.4
Recipients
of ATA assistance need not be members of foreign security forces;
civilian government officials occasionally receive instruction in
such topics as crisis management or prevention of terrorist fund
raising and money transfers.
|
Anti-Terrorism
Assistance (ATA) is governed by Chapter 8 of Part 2 of the Foreign
Assistance Act (FAA) of 1961, as amended. Section 571 of the FAA authorizes
the following types of assistance for anti-terrorism purposes:
- Training
services; and
- Equipment
and other commodities related to bomb detection and disposal,
management of hostage situations, physical security, and other
matters relating to the detection, deterrence, and prevention
of acts of terrorism, the resolution of terrorist incidents, and
the apprehension of those involved in such acts.
Section
572 mandates that the ATA program's activities be designed to achieve
three objectives:
- To
enhance friendly countries' anti-terrorism skills;
- To
strengthen the United States' ties with friendly governments "by
offering concrete assistance in this area of great mutual concern";
and
- "To
increase respect for human rights by sharing with foreign civil
authorities modern, humane, and effective anti-terrorism techniques."
Section
573(b) requires that the Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy,
Human Rights and Labor be consulted when choosing countries that
will receive ATA assistance, and when determining the nature of
the assistance to be provided.
Section
573(c) requires that arms and ammunition can be provided "only
if they are directly related to antiterrorism assistance,"
and specifies that the value of these arms and ammunition cannot
exceed over 30 percent of the ATA program's budget in a given year.
The
law governing the ATA program does not require the State Department
to notify Congress of the recipient countries or the types of assistance
provided.
|
| Assistance |
1998
actual |
1999
estimate |
2000
request |
2001 |
2002
[6]
actual |
2003
request |
2004
request |
| Colomiba
Supp |
|
|
|
NA
|
25,000,000 |
NA
|
NA
|
| ERF
(Emergency Relief Fund) |
|
|
|
NA
|
154,000 |
NA
|
NA
|
| Western
Hemisphere |
|
|
|
NA
|
2,377,000 |
8,442,000 |
2,297,000 |
| Total
ATA for Western Hem. |
1,995,000 |
5,403,000 |
2,400,000 |
NA
|
27,531,000 |
8,442,000 |
2,297,000 |
Sources:
1
United States, Department of State, Congressional Presentation
for Foreign Operations, Fiscal Year 2000, (Washington: Department
of State: March 1999): 1130.
2
Department of State 1134.
3
Department of State 1131.
4
Department of State 1131.
5
Department of State 1134.
6
United States, Department of State, Congressional Presentation
for Foreign Operations, Fiscal Year 2004, (Washington: Department
of State: March 2003): 1130.
|
