TEDAC
Terrorist Explosive Device Analytical Center (TEDAC)
Overview
TEDAC was conceived in response to a need by the Department of Defense (DOD) to combat the improvised explosive device (IED) threat in Iraq and Afghanistan. In October 2003, TEDAC began receiving its first devices. To date, TEDAC has received more than 71,000 IED submissions from Iraq and Afghanistan. Additionally, TEDAC has received several devices from international partners.
TEDAC consists of a TEDAC director (FBI), a deputy director (ATF), a DOD executive manager, and five units relating to forensics, technical exploitation, intelligence, and investigations. With approximately 300 full-time government and contractor personnel, TEDAC includes representatives from the FBI; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); DOD; international partner agencies; and members of the intelligence community.
TEDAC is located at the FBI Laboratory in Quantico, Virginia.
Mission
The mission of TEDAC is to directly contribute to the eradication of the IED threat. TEDAC informs its partners, who disrupt those individuals and networks responsible for the design, development, purchase, assembly, and deployment of IEDs by providing:
- Scientific and technical exploitation of IEDs through physical examination utilizing established and innovative forensic techniques;
- Actionable intelligence related to device attributes and terrorist tactics, techniques, and procedures made available to intelligence and law enforcement partners;
- Timely response according to partners' priority requests for intelligence, device exploitation, data, and analysis;
- Forecasts of IED-related threats worldwide through research and development and the production and dissemination of finished intelligence products by leveraging deliberate scientific and technical analysis of IEDs; and a
- Centralized repository for IED-related material collected through liaison and strategic partnering.
TEDAC’s Work
TEDAC provides direct support to broader U.S. government efforts to prevent and mitigate improvised explosive device (IED) attacks by performing advanced exploitation of IEDs through physical examination resulting in scientific and technical information and intelligence of value. Through its integration of intelligence resources, TEDAC also provides expeditious reporting of raw and finished intelligence involving device attributes and terrorist tactics, techniques, and procedures to intelligence and law enforcement partners to enhance knowledge and understanding of current and future threats.
TEDAC's continued success relies on a whole-of-government approach to addressing the IED threat. By serving as a collaborative, multi-agency, single-point advanced IED analytical center, TEDAC is able to identify actionable intelligence, make associations between devices, and communicate findings to a broad customer base consisting of state and local law enforcement, the U.S. military, the intelligence community, and partner nations. In addition, through its demonstrated capacity to disseminate raw intelligence, TEDAC serves a key role in broader FBI efforts to acquire, analyze, act on, and share terrorist-related information.
TEDAC performs IED exploitation using both established and novel forensic techniques. TEDAC performs these activities in a high-capacity, multi-agency, collaborative environment using experienced scientists, engineers, and technicians.
Significant Accomplishments
- More than 71,000 IED submissions have been processed through TEDAC since October 2003.
- Since 2005, the military’s Biometric Information Management Agency—using TEDAC-provided latent print information extracted from IED submissions—has identified 432 prints.
- More than 2,800 Intelligence Information Reports (IIRs) have been provided to the U.S. Intelligence Community and others since 2009.
- The first IED-focused intelligence unit was established within the U.S. government, analyzing and assessing IED trends, patterns, and indicators and contributing to overall knowledge of terror networks and the capacity of the U.S. to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat those using the IED as a strategic weapon.
- According to the Commander of the National Ground Intelligence Center, TEDAC technically-exploited data has been used to support 21 named operations in Iraq.
