Sharing information, especially potential threat-related information, is crucial to protecting the United States and the country’s communities from terrorist attacks. Agencies at all levels may have various pieces of the puzzle that, when put together, illustrate a real threat that the agencies may not have seen independently. There are, however, many different channels for exchanging information—both formal and informal—that can create confusion and increase the chance that essential details will slip through the cracks. Strong communication channels must exist to facilitate threat reporting and information sharing for terrorism prevention.
Cover photographs by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland Security.