The Middle East Forum at Brandeis and the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies co-sponsored a discussion with Carlo Boccia, the director of homeland security for the City of Boston last Thursday in Usdan. The discussion focused on how the Sept. 11 attacks affected the way in which terrorist threats are dealt with in the Boston region and throughout the world. Boccia said he gathers and studies information provided by citizens to makes it easier for them to report any actions or people that may seem suspicious.

Boccia is a distinguished expert in the field of homeland security. He is a graduate of The Citadel in Charleston, S.C., and has worked for the federal government for 33 years in a number of capacities.

"We are training the public," Boccia said. "They need to know what to remember, and a friendly place to deposit that information. . .we want to convert information into action."

Boccia said that everybody conducting business must pay attention to who their customers are and to take note of anything unusual. He said he was happy about the progress being made in Boston toward this front, but he also acknowledged the long battle ahead.

"We are pleading with everyone to participate to make this a safer environment," Boccia said, stressing that the fight against terror is an ever-changing work in progress.

According to Boccia, after the Sept. 11 attacks, Americans united and produced a robust response. But six months later, he said he heard complaints about long lines at airport terminals due to tightened security measures. He said it is these small inconveniences that make people reluctant to take appropriate measures to prevent terrorist attacks.

Boccia said four main areas of security need to be addressed-inter-agency cooperation, specialized equipment, more hands-on training and communication.

"The collaborative environment constantly needs reinforcement," said Boccia. In the event of a catastrophic attack like 9/11, communication between the police, hospitals and private organizations needs to be as open as possible."

Boccia also addressed the political effects of terror. He said neither United States presidential candidate addresses the appropriate issues regarding terror because they are more concerned with a "quick fix."

The Foundation for the Defense of Democracies is a non-partisan think tank dedicated to educating people on the threat of terrorism. Two Brandeis students, Marc Narotsky '06 and Jessica Goldings '06 were undergraduate fellows for the foundation this summer. Goldings is a news editor of the Justice