ABSTRACT
The events of September 11, 2001, with attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, marked a major change in the efforts of the American government to cope with the threat of terrorism. The establishment of the Department of Homeland Security and a major reorganization of the government were designed to bring most federal law enforcement and intelligence functions under one “roof.” Although the Federal Bureau of Investigation continues to be the lead domestic agency responsible for terrorism investigations, a greater role has been placed on other federal, state, and local government agencies, the latter being focused largely on identifying threats. Because terrorist cases frequently involve more than one act and sometimes many individuals, the follow-up investigation requires particular care. Because these cases generally produce a large volume of paperwork, the use of computers as a means of storing, analyzing, comparing, and retrieving information should be considered.
