In 1985, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the New Jersey State Police (NJSP) entered into a partnership to combat domestic and international terrorism operations. The NJSP assigned a contingent of 5 detectives to participate in the Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF), which was coordinated through the FBI in Newark. Since then, the NJSP has remained the primary partner of the FBI on the JTTF, participating in high profile terrorism investigations with national security implications. Some of the major investigations include:

“KIKBOM”- the arrest and conviction of Yu Kikimura, a member of the Japanese Red Army charged with plotting to bomb the U.S. Army Recruiting Station in New York City in retaliation for U.S. air strike against Libya in 1986;
“TRADEBOM”- the investigation into the initial terrorist bombing of the World Trade Center on February 26, 1993, which resulted in the death of six individuals and injuries to1256 others;
“TERRSTOP”- the investigation which prevented radical fundamentalists from carrying out bombing attacks of the Holland Tunnel, the Lincoln Tunnel, 26 Federal Plaza and the United Nations on July 4, 1993;
“UNABOM”- the investigation which led to the arrest and conviction of serial bomber Ted Kaczynski, who was charged with sending 15 improvised explosive devices (IED) through the mail which killed 2 individuals and wounded 23 others;
“PENTBOMB”- the investigation into the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack by nineteen al-Quida operatives who highjacked four domestic airlines before crashing them into the World Trade Center towers, the Pentagon and a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania;
“AMERITHRAX”- the investigation into the dissemination and exposure of the biological agent “anthrax” through the U.S. Post Office in Hamilton, Mercer County;
“LAKHANI- MISSILE - the sting operation which resulted in the arrest of international arms dealer, Hemant Lakhani, and two others who conspired to sell a surface to air missile to undercover operatives posing as “Muslim’s Extremists”, who intended to shoot down an American commercial airliner; and
“TIGER NATION -The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) ”- a seven year investigation of the LTTE culminated in the August 2006 arrests of fifteen (15) individuals in the U.S. and Canada on charges related to providing material support to terrorism, fund-raising, and weapons procurement.
As a result of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and the increased incidence of domestic and international terrorism, the Counter Terrorism Bureau (CTB) was established within the Division of State Police on February 22, 2003. At that time the CTB was comprised of the 18 detectives assigned to the Counter Terrorism Unit and 6 detectives assigned to the Joint Terrorism Unit.

In order to increase the effectiveness of the CTB and optimize the assets dedicated to this mission, all 25 members of the CTB were deployed to the JTTF in Newark and Philadelphia on October 3, 2005. As a result, the CTB joined forces with 46 federal, state, county and local law enforcement agencies in a collaborative effort to identify, detect, deter and prevent individuals and organizations from engaging in terrorist activities impacting state and national interests.

Joint Terrorism Task Force North Unit

Unit members assigned to the Joint Terrorism Task Forces (JTTF) North Unit are assigned to the FBI in Newark. In collaboration with the FBI and other allied agencies, North Unit members conduct nationally classified investigations of individuals who are actively engaged in domestic and/or international terrorism activities operating in 18 of the 21 counties in the state. Along with being assigned to the Newark office, unit members are assigned to resident offices in Atlantic City and Trenton. Members are also sworn deputies of the United States Marshals Service.

Joint Terrorism Task Force South Unit

Unit members assigned to the Joint Terrorism Task Forces (JTTF) South Unit are assigned to the FBI in Philadelphia. In collaboration with the FBI and other allied agencies, South Unit members conduct nationally classified investigations of individuals who are actively engaged in domestic and/or international terrorism activities operating in Camden, Gloucester and Salem Counties. Along with being assigned to the Philadelphia office, unit members are assigned to the resident office in Cherry Hill. Members are also sworn deputies of the United States Marshals Service.

Related Links

New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness (OHSP)
http://www.state.nj.us/njhomelandsecurity/

New Jersey Office of Emergency Management
http://www.state.nj.us/njoem/

The Federal Bureau of Investigation
http://www.fbi.gov/

U.S. Department of Homeland Security
http://www.dhs.gov/dshpublic/

U.S. Department of Justice
http://www.usdoj.gov/

U.S. Department of Defense
http://www.defendamerica.mil/

U.S. Department of State
http://www.state.gov/

Center For Disease Control and Prevention
http://www.cdc.gov/

Center for Disease Control and Prevention-Anthrax
http://www.bt.cdc.gov/Agent/Anthrax/Anthrax.asp

NJ Domestic Security Preparedness Task Force
http://www.state.nj.us/lps/dsptf/dsptfhome.html

New Jersey Homepage
http://www.nj.gov/