DHS Introduces the National Terrorism Advisory System (NTAS)

This week the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) introduced the National Terrorism Advisory System (NTAS), replacing the color-coded Homeland Security Advisory System. Among other things, NTAS simplifies the alert process and provides more precise threat and intelligence information.

There are two categories of NTAS Alerts: the Imminent Threat Alert “[w]arns of a credible, specific, and impending terrorist threat against the United States” while the Elevated Threat Alert “[w]arns of a credible terrorist threat against the United States.” Regardless of the type, DHS will communicate them broadly (including through social media such as Facebook and Twitter). NTAS Alerts automatically expire after a prescribed time (unless extended by DHS).

For additional information on NTAS, see DHS’s National Terrorism Advisory System Public Guide.