"Cargo is the biggest vulnerability most likely to be leveraged to create a big bang," said Col. North, who served in the Reagan Administration as the first U.S. Counter Terrorism Coordinator, and who also is a best-selling author and television commentator. Col. North thanked the approximately 600 cargo security professionals in attendance for dedicating their expertise to what he called the No. 1 national security concern today -- ensuring that weapons of mass destruction are not placed into cargo containers or other transportation conveyances that carry products into the United States from locations around the world.
He emphasized that last March's deadly terrorist bombing of a train station in Madrid that delayed and influenced the outcome of elections there provided added incentive for future attacks to occur near elections in targeted countries.
On the opening day of NCSC's annual conference, a number of high-level government officials and industry authorities addressed how public-private partnerships, technology and best practices can combine to help thwart potential terrorist activities in the supply chain, and also reduce cargo theft as well as the movement of illegal substances and counterfeit products across borders into the United States.
"The need for educational resources and insights that stimulate programs to protect commerce without impeding it has never been greater," said David Jones, who is NCSC's chairman, and Vice President of Security for Tommy Hilfiger. "This year's program helps to clarify the key issues in the national dialogue between government and industry to protect lives and livelihoods dependent on the supply chain," added Jones.
Speakers emphasized that more than 9 million cargo containers enter the U.S. every year through several hundred "official" points of entry, whether by land, air or ocean. Speakers from government represented the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Transportation Security Administration, the FBI, and programs such as Operation Safe Commerce and port authorities, while industry participants represented companies such as Hewlett-Packard, Target, Lockheed Martin, Savi Technology, Yellow-Roadway, CSX, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Pinkerton, and NYK Logistics.
The conference featured Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Admiral James Loy and Maj. Gen. Dennis Jackson, who recently retired as Chief of Logistics for Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan) and Operation Iraqi Freedom, and U.S. Chamber of Commerce Vice-President for Homeland Security, Andrew Howell.
More than 60 world-renowned experts and 65 exhibits on cargo theft, anti-terrorism and border security highlighted NCSC's Annual Conference, June 12-15 in Las Vegas, Nev. NCSC is the world's largest professional organization of cargo transportation security experts, representing all participants in the global supply chain.
