15 September 2011

Strategic Counterterrorism Commuications Initiative

[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 179 (Thursday, September 15, 2011)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 56945-56947]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-23891]




                        Presidential Documents 



Federal Register / Vol. 76 , No. 179 / Thursday, September 15, 2011 / 
Presidential Documents

___________________________________________________________________

Title 3--
The President

[[Page 56945]]

                Executive Order 13584 of September 9, 2011

                
Developing an Integrated Strategic 
                Counterterrorism Communications Initiative and 
                Establishing a Temporary Organization to Support 
                Certain Government-wide Communications Activities 
                Directed Abroad

                By the authority vested in me as President by the 
                Constitution and the laws of the United States of 
                America, including section 2656 of title 22, United 
                States Code, and section 3161 of title 5, United States 
                Code, it is hereby ordered as follows:

                Section 1. Policy. The United States is committed to 
                actively countering the actions and ideologies of al-
                Qa'ida, its affiliates and adherents, other terrorist 
                organizations, and violent extremists overseas that 
                threaten the interests and national security of the 
                United States. These efforts take many forms, but all 
                contain a communications element and some use of 
                communications strategies directed to audiences outside 
                the United States to counter the ideology and 
                activities of such organizations. These communications 
                strategies focus not only on the violent actions and 
                human costs of terrorism, but also on narratives that 
                can positively influence those who may be susceptible 
                to radicalization and recruitment by terrorist 
                organizations.

                The purpose of this Executive Order is to reinforce, 
                integrate, and complement public communications efforts 
                across the executive branch that are (1) focused on 
                countering the actions and ideology of al-Qa'ida, its 
                affiliates and adherents, and other international 
                terrorist organizations and violent extremists 
                overseas, and (2) directed to audiences outside the 
                United States. This collaborative work among executive 
                departments and agencies (agencies) brings together 
                expertise, capabilities, and resources to realize 
                efficiencies and better coordination of U.S. Government 
                communications investments to combat terrorism and 
                extremism.

                Sec. 2. Assigned Responsibilities to the Center for 
                Strategic Counterterrorism Communications.

                    (a) Under the direction of the Secretary of State 
                (Secretary), the Center for Strategic Counterterrorism 
                Communications (Center) that has been established in 
                the Department of State by the Secretary shall 
                coordinate, orient, and inform Government-wide public 
                communications activities directed at audiences abroad 
                and targeted against violent extremists and terrorist 
                organizations, especially al-Qa'ida and its affiliates 
                and adherents, with the goal of using communication 
                tools to reduce radicalization by terrorists and 
                extremist violence and terrorism that threaten the 
                interests and national security of the United States. 
                Consistent with section 404o of title 50, United States 
                Code, the Center shall coordinate its analysis, 
                evaluation, and planning functions with the National 
                Counterterrorism Center. The Center shall also 
                coordinate these functions with other agencies, as 
                appropriate.

                Executive branch efforts undertaken through the Center 
                shall draw on all agencies with relevant information or 
                capabilities, to prepare, plan for, and conduct these 
                communications efforts.

                    (b) To achieve these objectives, the Center's 
                functions shall include:

(i) monitoring and evaluating narratives (overarching communication themes 
that reflect a community's identity, experiences, aspirations, and 
concerns) and events abroad that are relevant to the development of a

[[Page 56946]]

U.S. strategic counterterrorism narrative designed to counter violent 
extremism and terrorism that threaten the interests and national security 
of the United States;

(ii) developing and promulgating for use throughout the executive branch 
the U.S. strategic counterterrorism narratives and public communications 
strategies to counter the messaging of violent extremists and terrorist 
organizations, especially al-Qa'ida and its affiliates and adherents;

(iii) identifying current and emerging trends in extremist communications 
and communications by al-Qa'ida and its affiliates and adherents in order 
to coordinate and provide thematic guidance to U.S. Government 
communicators on how best to proactively promote the U.S. strategic 
counterterrorism narrative and policies and to respond to and rebut 
extremist messaging and narratives when communicating to audiences outside 
the United States, as informed by a wide variety of Government and non-
government sources, including nongovernmental organizations, academic 
sources, and finished intelligence created by the intelligence community;

(iv) facilitating the use of a wide range of communications technologies, 
including digital tools, by sharing expertise among agencies, seeking 
expertise from external sources, and extending best practices;

(v) identifying and requesting relevant information from agencies, 
including intelligence reporting, data, and analysis; and

(vi) identifying shortfalls in U.S. capabilities in any areas relevant to 
the Center's mission and recommending necessary enhancements or changes.

                    (c) The Secretary shall establish a Steering 
                Committee composed of senior representatives of 
                agencies relevant to the Center's mission to provide 
                advice to the Secretary on the operations and strategic 
                orientation of the Center and to ensure adequate 
                support for the Center. The Steering Committee shall 
                meet not less than every 6 months. The Steering 
                Committee shall be chaired by the Under Secretary of 
                State for Public Diplomacy. The Coordinator for 
                Counterterrorism of the Department of State shall serve 
                as Vice Chair. The Coordinator of the Center shall 
                serve as Executive Secretary. The Steering Committee 
                shall include one senior representative designated by 
                the head of each of the following agencies: the 
                Department of Defense, the Department of Justice, the 
                Department of Homeland Security, the Department of the 
                Treasury, the National Counterterrorism Center, the 
                Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Counterterrorism Center of 
                the Central Intelligence Agency, the Broadcast Board of 
                Governors, and the Agency for International 
                Development. Other agencies may be invited to 
                participate in the Steering Committee at the discretion 
                of the Chair.

                Sec. 3. Establishment of a Temporary Organization.

                    (a) There is established within the Department of 
                State, in accordance with section 3161 of title 5, 
                United States Code, a temporary organization to be 
                known as the Counterterrorism Communications Support 
                Office (CCSO).
                    (b) The purpose of the CCSO shall be to perform the 
                specific project of supporting agencies in Government-
                wide public communications activities targeted against 
                violent extremism and terrorist organizations, 
                especially al-Qa'ida and its affiliates and adherents, 
                to audiences abroad by using communication tools 
                designed to counter violent extremism and terrorism 
                that threaten the interests and national security of 
                the United States.
                    (c) In carrying out its purpose set forth in 
                subsection (b) of this section, the CCSO shall:

(i) support agencies in their implementation of whole-of-government public 
communications activities directed at audiences abroad, including by 
providing baseline research on characteristics of these audiences, by 
developing expertise and studies on aspirations, narratives, information 
strategies and tactics of violent extremists and terrorist organizations 
overseas, by designing and developing sustained campaigns on specific areas 
of

[[Page 56947]]

interest to audiences abroad, and by developing expertise on implementing 
highly focused social media campaigns; and

(ii) perform such other functions related to the specific project set forth 
in subsection (b) of this section as the Secretary may assign.

                    (d) The CCSO shall be headed by a Director selected 
                by the Secretary, with the advice of the Steering 
                Committee. Its staff may include, as determined by the 
                Secretary: (1) personnel with relevant expertise 
                detailed on a non-reimbursable basis from other 
                agencies; (2) senior and other technical advisers; and 
                (3) such other personnel as the Secretary may direct to 
                support the CCSO. To accomplish this mission, the heads 
                of agencies participating on the Steering Committee 
                shall provide to the CCSO, on a non-reimbursable basis, 
                assistance, services, and other support including but 
                not limited to logistical and administrative support 
                and details of personnel. Non-reimbursable details 
                shall be based on reasonable requests from the 
                Secretary in light of the need for specific expertise, 
                and after consultation with the relevant agency, to the 
                extent permitted by law.
                    (e) The CCSO shall terminate at the end of the 
                maximum period permitted by section 3161(a)(1) of title 
                5, United States Code, unless sooner terminated by the 
                Secretary consistent with section 3161(a)(2) of such 
                title.

                Sec. 4. General Provisions.

                    (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to 
                impair or otherwise affect:

(i) authority granted by law to an agency, or the head thereof; or

(ii) functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget 
relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

                    (b) This order shall be implemented consistent with 
                applicable law and subject to the availability of 
                appropriations.
                    (c) This order is not intended to, and does not, 
                create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, 
                enforceable at law or in equity by any party against 
                the United States, its departments, agencies, or 
                entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any 
                other person. 
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

                THE WHITE HOUSE,

                    September 9, 2011.

[FR Doc. 2011-23891
Filed 9-14-11; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3195-W1-P