National Coordinator for Security and Counterterrorism

National Coordinator for Security and Counterterrorism
Nationaal coördinator terrorismebestrijding en veiligheid
Counterterrorism coordinator overview
Jurisdiction	Government of the Netherlands
Headquarters	Turfmarkt 147, The Hague
Motto	De NCTV dient de nationale veligheid. Wij beschermen belangen, signaleren dreigingen en versterken weerbaarheid (The NCTV serves the Netherlands’ national security. We protect national interests, identify threats and strengthen resilience.)
Counterterrorism coordinator executives	Pieter-Jaap Aalbersberg, National Coordinator for Counterterrorism and Security; Hester Somsen, Deputy National Coordinator for Counterterrorism and Security;
Parent Counterterrorism coordinator	Ministry of Justice and Security (Netherlands)
Website	nctv.nl

The National Coordinator for Security and Counterterrorism (Dutch Nationaal Coördinator Terrorismebestrijding en Veiligheid), abbreviated as NCTV, is the principal Dutch counterterrorism unit. It was established in January 2005 as the Nationaal Coördinator Terrorismebestrijding (NCTb). The unit was enlarged and renamed in October 2012.^[1]

The NCTV is under the responsibility of the Minister of Justice and Security, Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius, who succeeded Ferdinand Grapperhaus in 2022.^[2] In charge of civil aviation and cybersecurity safety, it also analyses terrorism threats to determine the threat level (minimal, limited, substantial, or critical) in the Netherlands. The unit works closely with the General Intelligence and Security Service (AIVD) and Military Intelligence and Security Service (MIVD).^[3]^[4]

History

There has been an involvement of the unit in the investigation of Northwest Airlines Flight 253, which was an attempted in-flight bomb attack that occurred on 25 December 2009 and originated at Lagos Airport.^[5]^[6]

Heads

The head of the NCTV unit is appointed by the Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations after the approval of the Council of Ministers, as every senior civil servant is in the Netherlands. The following people have served as head of the Nationaal Coördinator Terrorismebestrijding en Veiligheid unit:

Tjibbe Joustra (27 April 2004 – 1 January 2009);
Erik Akerboom [nl]| (1 April 2009 – 1 December 2012);
Dick Schoof (1 March 2013 – 19 November 2018);
Pieter-Jaap Aalbersberg [nl] (since 1 February 2019).

References

^ Justitie, Ministerie van Veiligheid en. "National Coordinator for Security and Counterterrorism" (PDF). english.nctb.nl. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 December 2012. Retrieved 7 May 2017.
^ Haberfeld, M.R; King, Joseph F.; Lieberman, Charles A. (3 September 2009). Counter-Terrorism in Comparative ... - Google Books. ISBN 9780387888613. Retrieved 18 March 2010.
^ Wilkinson, Paul (2007). Homeland security in the UK: future ... - Google Books. ISBN 9780415383745. Retrieved 18 March 2010.
^ "Xinhua - English". News.xinhuanet.com. 17 September 2005. Archived from the original on 4 November 2012. Retrieved 18 March 2010.
^ Berkowitz, Ben (26 December 2009). "Airline suspect started out in Lagos - Dutch NCTb". Reuters. Retrieved 18 March 2010.
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