Preface.

The movement from idea to actuality often involves the cooperation of many individuals. This action becomes more complicated when it occurs within a bureaucracy. It was during a meeting of members of the FBI's Behavioral Science Unit (BSU) and members of the American Psychological Association, two large and complex bureaucracies, when the idea of an invitational conference on countering terrorism was born. The excitement of bringing together highly qualified law enforcement officers with various terrorism experts and academics was palpable.

As exciting as the idea was, so was it daunting. The practical decisions of whom to invite, what to discuss, where and when to convene were difficult to make. The decision to hold the conference at the FBI Training Academy in Quantico, VA, during the week of February 24 was easy. Time and place were decided upon for the practical reason of availability of space. However, restricting the list of invitees to only sixty individuals from among the numerous experts in law enforcement and civilian populations was most formidable. We recognize there are other individuals with excellent credentials, experience and expertise, whose presence would have added much to the results of the conference. Time, space and availability restricted the number of invitations. We are most grateful to the invitees who accepted our request to participate.

From conference conception to convocation, only ten weeks remained to orchestrate the various components of a successful conference: initiate and complete the reams of paperwork to hold a conference at the FBI Academy, obtain necessary clearances and permissions, create scenarios for discussions, invite participants, arrange transportation, prepare special menus, and design graphics. This could not have been completed without the assistance of many individuals and groups. We are most grateful to all who shared in this endeavor. They include supervisors and support staff of the American Psychological Association, the Decade of Behavior initiative, the University of Pennsylvania, School of Arts and Sciences, the Solomon Asch Center for the Study of Ethnopolitical Conflict, and the FBI's Training Division and Behavioral Science Unit.

A special note of thanks is extended to the FBI's Training Division, specifically, the BSU's training technicians and ...