Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre
The Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre is an intelligence body linked to the UK Security Service that assesses terrorist threats and advises the government and operators of critical national infrastructure.
Operating from Thames House on Millbank in central London, JTAC provides regular assessments to government departments and major companies and institutions, predominantly in the transport, financial services, utilities and telecommunications industries.
Organisation
The Director of JTAC reports to the Director General of the Security Service, and directs a staff including personnel from the Security Service, Secret Intelligence Service, Government Communications Headquarters, Defence Intelligence Staff, Counter Terrorism Policing and six other government departments. Staff working at JTAC are seconded from other organisations but remain under the control of their original employers.As a body closely related to the Security Service, JTAC is bound by the provisions of the Intelligence Services Act 1994 and is subject to the oversight of the Intelligence and Security Committee.
Dissemination of information
Assessments are used to inform the threat levels disseminated through the Security Service, Home Office and Ministry of Defence. Until very recently these threat levels were promulgated in a form known as the BIKINI state and Tesseral State. The current threat system is similar to, and largely aligned with, the US Department of Homeland Security rating system.Threat levels
The range of five available threat levels is:- Low – an attack is unlikely
- Moderate – an attack is possible, but not likely
- Substantial – an attack is likely
- Severe – an attack is highly likely
- Critical – an attack is highly likely in the near future