funding sources. The Homeland Security Act of 2002 was passed one year later, establishing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) within the executive branch of the federal government. DHS was charged with preventing terrorism against the United States, making America less vulnerable to terrorist attacks, and assisting in the recovery from such events.
……. In the weeks following the attacks, U.S. authorities identified the hijackers and connected them to al Qaeda and Bin Ladin. Al Qaeda had been operating out of Afghanistan since the mid-1990s with the blessing of the ruling political party there, the Taliban. President Bush issued an ultimatum to the Taliban requiring, among other things, that it shut down al Qaeda camps and extradite the terrorist organization's leaders On October 7, 2001, when these requests were not met, U.S. and international military forces launched attacks on al Qaeda and Taliban strongholds, beginning what has become known as the Global War on Terrorism. While these operations have resulted in the death or detainment of a number of key al Qaeda operatives, including Khalid Sheik Mohammed, Bin Ladin has yet to be found, despite offers of $27 million in potential rewards for information leading to his capture. A new front of the Global War on Terrorism was launched in March 2003, when a military coalition led by U.S. troops invaded Iraq, based in part on alleged connections between the Iraqi government and international terrorists, including al Qaeda.
……. Since September 2001, there have been numerous attempts by terrorists to carry out large-scale attacks against the United States, all of which have been disrupted by U.S. and allied efforts. These failed plots include at least two plans in which commercial airliners would be flown into large buildings within the United States and another plot to bomb three planes in flight between the United States and the United Kingdom. There is also evidence that al Qaeda, in particular, has sought to acquire weapons of mass destruction, including chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear weaponry. Terrorism experts suggest that incidents such as the September 11 attacks demonstrate that al Qaeda would not hesitate to unleash such horrific instruments on western cities.