NSD Organization Chart

The Counterintelligence and Export Control Section (CES) supervises the investigation and prosecution of cases affecting national security, foreign relations, and the export of military and strategic commodities and technology. The Section has executive responsibility for authorizing the prosecution of cases under criminal statutes relating to espionage, sabotage, neutrality, and atomic energy. It provides legal advice to U.S. Attorney's Offices and investigative agencies on all matters within its area of responsibility, which includes 88 federal statutes affecting national security. It also coordinates criminal cases involving the application of the Classified Information Procedures Act. In addition, the Section administers and enforces the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938 and related disclosure statutes.

Related Topics:

• Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA)

The Counterterrorism Section (CTS) is responsible for the design, implementation, and support of law enforcement efforts, legislative initiatives, policies and strategies relating to combating international and domestic terrorism. The Section seeks to assist, through investigation and prosecution, in preventing and disrupting acts of terrorism anywhere in the world that impact on significant United States interests and persons.

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The Executive Office is responsible for providing overall support to the National Security Division’s Sections and Offices in the following areas: 

• management support services;
• personnel management;
• facilities and security programs which include:
  • classified information
  • physical security
  • emergency procedures
  • personnel security
  • computer security
  • security awareness
  • contractor security
  • operational security
• telecommunications;
• budget planning, preparation, and execution; 
• Government Performance Results Act implementation;
• finance and travel services; 
• procurement services;
• information technology;
• correspondence management; and
• training

The Foreign Investment Review Section (FIRS) is responsible for three main portfolios of work. First, FIRS manages the Department of Justice’s participation on the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), an inter-agency body statutorily required to review certain transactions that could result in control of a U.S. business by a foreign person, in order to determine the effect of such acquisitions on the national security of the United States. Second, FIRS leads the Department’s efforts on Team Telecom, an informal inter-agency working group that considers the law enforcement, national security, and public safety implications of applications for licenses from the Federal Communications Commission involving a threshold percentage of foreign ownership or control. Third, FIRS monitors compliance with agreements or orders that mitigate concerns arising from prior CFIUS or Team Telecom cases.

Related Topics:

• The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS)

The Law and Policy Office develops and implements Department of Justice policies with regard to intelligence, counterterrorism, and other national security matters. The Office also assists the Assistant Attorney General in fulfilling the function as the Department of Justice's primary liaison to the Director of National Intelligence, and provides legal assistance and advice on matters of national security law.

The Operations Section handles NSD’s intelligence operations workload, including representing the government before the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC).  The Operations Section is responsible for preparing and filing all applications for Court orders pursuant to FISA. The mission of the section is to ensure that the FBI and other Intelligence Community agencies have the legal tools necessary to conduct intelligence operations in adherence to the requirements and safeguards of the law.  The Operations Section is divided into three operational units: the Counterterrorism Unit, the Counterintelligence Unit, and the Special Operations Unit.  In addition to its legal staff, the Operations Section is supported by two intelligence research specialists and employees who work as part of the Classified Information Management Unit.

The Operations Section also works with the Oversight Section in various matters, including overseeing compliance with FISC orders and working on projects involving information sharing among Intelligence Community agencies and modifications to authorities governing the acquisition, retention, and dissemination of FISA-related information.  In addition, the Operations Section closely coordinates with the FBI and other Intelligence Community agencies on intelligence operational matters and provides legal advice to other government agencies on matters relating to FISA and other national security laws and governing authorities.

The Department of Justice bears the responsibility of overseeing the foreign intelligence, counterintelligence and other national security activities of the United States Intelligence Community to ensure compliance with the Constitution, statutes and Executive Branch policies.  In fulfilling this responsibility, the Department must weigh the need to protect individual privacy and civil liberties against the need of the United States to gather foreign intelligence.  The Oversight Section of the National Security Division’s Office of Intelligence is charged with meeting this responsibility by monitoring the activities of various Intelligence Community elements.  To accomplish this, the Oversight Section identifies individual and systemic incidents of non-compliance, and then works with the responsible agencies to correct existing problems, as well as to limit the occurrence of future incidents.

In addition to its broad intelligence collection oversight responsibilities, the Oversight Section also fulfills various reporting obligations of the Department.  For example, the Oversight Section ensures that instances of non-compliance with Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) orders are tracked, timely reported to the FISC and resolved.  In addition, the Oversight Section is responsible for meeting numerous Congressional reporting requirements, including several FISA semi-annual reports, submission of certain FISC orders to Congress, and submission of FBI statistical information.

The Oversight Section also works closely with the Operations Section on special projects involving information sharing and modifications to authorities governing intelligence collection, retention and dissemination, as well as on interpretation and application of such governing authorities.  Moreover, the Oversight Section works closely with members of the Intelligence Community, often in collaboration with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, to give guidance on interpretation and application of governing authorities.

The National Security Cyber Section (“NatSec Cyber”) plays a leading role in the Department’s investigation, prosecution, disruption, and deterrence of malicious cyber or cyber-enabled activities affecting national security, including those conducted by nation-state actors and their proxies. The Section authorizes, supervises, and participates in such efforts in partnership with U.S. Attorney’s Offices, the FBI, and other Department components. NatSec Cyber also collaborates with other law enforcement agencies, the intelligence community, other U.S. government departments and agencies, and foreign and private sector partners to leverage and support all available tools in furtherance of its critical cybersecurity- and national security-enhancing mission.

The Department of Justice has played a critical role in the nation's effort to prevent acts of terrorism and to thwart hostile foreign intelligence activities. Since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the National Security Division's (NSD) Office of Intelligence (successor to the Office of Intelligence Policy and Review (OIPR)) has grown dramatically in an effort to ensure: that Intelligence Community agencies have the legal authorities necessary to conduct intelligence operations, particularly operations involving the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA); that the office exercises meaningful oversight over various national security activities of Intelligence Community agencies; and that it can play an effective role in FISA-related litigation.

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With the lowering of the “wall” between intelligence and law enforcement investigations, and the enhanced coordination between intelligence and law enforcement personnel, NSD has seen a steady increase in the number of requests to use information from FISA-authorized activities as evidence in criminal prosecutions of terrorists and spies.  As a result, the NSD has created a separate Litigation Section to ensure sufficient resources are devoted to FISA-related litigation and to help prosecutors handle evidentiary and discovery issues in such matters.

The Litigation Section reviews and prepares requests for Attorney General authorization to use FISA information in criminal and non-criminal proceedings. The section also drafts motions and briefs and responds to defense motions to disclose FISA applications and to suppress the fruits of FISA collection.  Finally, the section works to ensure the consistent application of FISA in trial and appellate courts nationwide.  To support this effort, the NSD in January 2008 developed a new policy, approved by the Attorney General, for investigators and prosecutors on the use of information obtained or derived from FISA collections. 

Office of Justice for Victims of Overseas Terrorism's (DOJ/OVT) mission is to support U.S. victims of terrorism overseas by helping them navigate foreign criminal justice systems and by advocating for their voices to be heard around the world. They advocate for U.S. victims and their families to obtain information, be present during foreign terrorism prosecutions, and have a voice during the proceedings, as permitted by foreign law. DOJ/OVT further provides policy advocacy on overseas terrorism victims’ issues both within the U.S. Government and throughout the world.

The office consists of attorneys and staff with expertise in crime victims’ rights, victim advocacy, prosecution and national security, who can assist victims in understanding foreign criminal justice systems and participating in those systems to the extent permitted by foreign law. The office also has an active internship program where law students are offered an opportunity to gain experience working on crime victim issues and receive academic credit.

DOJ/OVT works with other U.S. government agencies, including the Department of State and other DOJ components like the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) and U.S. Attorney’s Offices (USAO) to support the rights of victims of overseas terrorism in foreign prosecutions.  Please know that while they are a critical partner with the U.S. investigatory and prosecution teams, DOJ/OVT can neither represent victims nor provide legal advice.

Learn more about the Office of Justice for Victims of Overseas Terrorism.