Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism
The Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism (MIPT) is a think-tank conceived in the aftermath of the 1995 Oklahoma Bombing. It is funded through the Office for Domestic Preparedness (ODP) in the Department of Homeland Security and has links to the Rand Corporation and numerous other corporate security companies. The institute was closed down in August 2014 having 'lost its federal funding from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security' in September 2013.[1] As a result, 'it was forced in late 2013 to relocate to Rose State College from its original offices in the same building as the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum.'[1]
Contents
History
In the aftermath of the Oklahoma Bombing of 19 April 1995 the Oklahoma City National Memorial Foundation was formed to develop an appropriate memorial to the victims and survivors.[2] The Foundation proposed a memorial consisting of three components.[3] The first two components were the preservation of the ruins of the Murrah Federal Building, and the development of a Memorial Centre providing visitors with information on the bombing. The third component was the Oklahoma City Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism and Violence, which would become the National Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism. The Oklahoma City Memorial Foundation stated in a 1996 press release that the Memorial Institute:
[W]ill be firmly rooted in the Oklahoma experience and will act as a common
meeting ground for discussion among the public and world leaders in the prevention of terrorism and the development of strategies and assistance
programs for those afflicted by other tragedies.[4]
The Memorial Centre was scheduled to be completed on 19 April 2000; the fifth anniversary of the bombing.
In 1999 State Governor Frank Keating appointed a board of directors for the Institute[5] consisting of a mix of military and corporate personnel. It comprised of Don Ferrell as Chairman, a former newspaper publisher whose daughter died in the bombing;[6] Cheryl Vaught of the Oklahoma law firm Vaught & Conner; Linda Edmondson, wife of Oklahoma’s Attorney General; Debby Goodmam, a Professor at the University of Oklahoma, Edward Keller, a former Chairman of J.P. Morgan; Edwin Coor, a retired US diplomat; David Cid, a security consultant and former FBI agent; Al Goodbary, Oklahoma State University’s director of military relations; and Mike Carolina, a telecommunications executive and adjunct professor at Oklahoma State University.
The new Institute was granted tax-exempt status in June 2000. That year it received $15,148,963 in funds, $15,143,007 of which was from government grants.[7]
In 2001 the MIPT appointed former army chief of staff Dennis Reimer, as executive director. Reimer was paid over $150,000 a year for the role and directed MIPT until May 2005, when he was replaced by MIPT's Deputy Director, the former diplomat and government counter-terrorism expert Donald Hamilton. In July 2003 Hamilton took a one-year leave of absence from MIPT to serve as a senior counsellor to CPA administrator Paul Bremer.[8]
Activities
Judging by MIPT’s website and its tax returns, the activities of the Institute combine those typical of a think-tank, a Foundation, and a business consultancy. The Institute houses experts who conduct research on and promote particular issues; it has substantial funds which are allocated to private and public research institutes; and it offers corporate development and training programmes such as ‘Crisis Management’, or ‘Organizational Development’. On the last area it even advises businesses on mangerial changes. One publication states that “MIPT can help you implement sustainable change in your organization” and summarises what it calls the six stage ‘change cycle’.[9]
Terrorism Knowledge Base
Until 31 March 2008 MIPT housed the Terrorism Knowledge Base which was developed in conjunction with the Rand Corporation. A message on MIPT’s website states that the Terrorism Knowledge Base has now been discontinued and that, “elements of the system will be merged with the Global Terrorism Database (GTD), managed by the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism at the University of Maryland.”[10]
Board of Directors
- Edwin Corr (Chairman), Associate Director, International Programs Center, University of Oklahoma
- C. Michael Carolina, Executive Director, Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST)
- David N. Edger, Chief Executive Officer, 3CI Consulting LLC
- Al Goodbary, Director, Strategic Business Acquisition, Oklahoma State University, Multispectral Laboratories
- Martha Griffin, Chief Executive Officer, MGW Enterprises
- Michael Heidingsfield, President & CEO, Memphis Shelby Crime Commission
- Edward F. Keller, Retired Chairman, J.P. Morgan
- Gregory Lagana, Vice-President for Communications, DynCorp International
- Rick Lawson, Consultant
- C. Suzanne Mencer, Senior Policy Advisor, Government Relations Group, Brownstein Hyatt & Farber
- Joe P. Morgan, Retired Major General
- Gene Rainbolt, Chairman, BancFirst Corporation
- W. Roger Webb, JD, President, University of Central Oklahoma
- Susan Winchester, Oklahoma House of Representatives
MIPT Listed Experts
MIPT Senior Fellows
- Martha Crenshaw - Professor of Government at Wesleyan University.
- Boaz Ganor - Associate Dean, Louder School of Government, Founder, Institute for Counter-Terrorism (ICT).
- Gustavo Gorritti - Author, former Nieman Fellow, Harvard University, Executive News Editor for Caretas in Lima, Peru.
- Rohan Gunaratna - Head, International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies, Singapore.
- Brian Jenkins - Senior Advisor, RAND Corporation.
- Alex Schmid - Director, Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence, University of St. Andrews.
- Stephen Sloan - Professor, University of Central Florida.
- Leonard Weinberg - Foundation Professor of Political Science, University of Nevada.
Five Highest Paid Employees (in 2006)
- James M Gass (Deputy Director)
- Brian Houghton (Director-Research)
- Kenneth G Thompson (Director-External Affairs)
- Jeffrey L Kennedy (Chief Information Officer)
- Charles B Robison (Library Director)
Former Board Members and Staff
Funding and Grants
The Institute has received substantial government funding and has also allocated significant amounts to universities and private research institutes and corporations. Below are two tables. The first shows the funding received by MIPT 2000-06, and the second shows the amounts granted to other institutions from 2001-06 (no such funds were awarded in 2000). An interesting feature of the former, is that in 2005 when public financial support was at its lowest, the government finance reached its peak – perhaps suggesting the propaganda value of the Institute. Both these tables are based on the information provided in MIPT’s tax returns, the original documentation of which is also below.
Funding
| Funding received 2000-2006 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Contributions, gifts, grants | Direct Public Support | Government grants | Total | |||||
| 2000 | $5,956 | $15,143,007 | $15,148,963 | ||||||
| 2001 | $49,185 | $49,185 | |||||||
| 2002 | $127,160 | $17,259,392 | $17,386,552 | ||||||
| 2003 | $53,782 | $17,775,960 | $17,829,742 | ||||||
| 2004 | $462,744 | $5,013,400 | $5,467,144 | ||||||
| 2005 | $21,270 | $22,671,167 | $22,692,437 | ||||||
| 2006 | $25,844 | $15,127,770 | $15,153,614 | ||||||
Grants
| 2001 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Recipient | Amount | ||||||||
| Terrorism Research Center | $432,696.00 | ||||||||
| University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center | $92,716.00 | ||||||||
| Ohio State University Education and Research Foundation | $343,235.00 | ||||||||
| University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center | $34,711.00 | ||||||||
| Ohio State University Department of Veterinary Medicine | $680,397.00 | ||||||||
| Chemical and Biological Arms Control Institute | $238,403.00 | ||||||||
| University of Alabama at Birmingham | $195,865.00 | ||||||||
| University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center | $198,166.00 | ||||||||
| Armed Forces Journal International | $5,956 | ||||||||
| Center for Strategic and International Studies | $114,814.00 | ||||||||
| Ace Communications | $24,950.00 | ||||||||
| Barry Kellman (DePaul University) | $98,314.00 | ||||||||
| RAND Corporation | $71,276.00 | ||||||||
| Science Applications International Corp | $60,621.00 | ||||||||
| University of California | $4,921.00 | ||||||||
| Other | $3,195.00 | ||||||||
| TOTAL: | $2,613,531.00 | ||||||||
| 2002 | |||||||||
| Recipient | Amount | ||||||||
| Terrorism Research Center | $3,032.95 | ||||||||
| Terrorism Research Center | $71,894.08 | ||||||||
| Hicks & Associates | $759,980.60 | ||||||||
| PlasmaSol Corporation | $455,000.00 | ||||||||
| University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center | $529,411.42 | ||||||||
| Ohio State University Education and Research Foundation | $1,133,125.00 | ||||||||
| University of Oklahoma Norman Campus | $475,776.08 | ||||||||
| Ohio State University Education and Research Foundation | $764,264.77 | ||||||||
| Chemical and Biological Arms Control Institute | $195,199.25 | ||||||||
| The University of Rhode Island | $24,385.75 | ||||||||
| University of Alabama at Birmingham | $306,780.22 | ||||||||
| The University of Tulsa | $142,272.34 | ||||||||
| RAND Corporation | $536,127.15 | ||||||||
| The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center | $660,700.82 | ||||||||
| The University of Rhode Island | $41,181.38 | ||||||||
| DESC Inc | $31,039.00 | ||||||||
| Barry Kellman (DePaul University) | $53,808.67 | ||||||||
| TOTAL: | $6,184,015.00 | ||||||||
| 2003 | |||||||||
| Recipient | Amount | ||||||||
| Hicks & Associates | $2,929,129.00 | ||||||||
| PlasmaSol Corporation | $301,013.00 | ||||||||
| Johns Hopkins University | $724,094.00 | ||||||||
| The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center | $502,704.00 | ||||||||
| Ohio State University Education and Research Foundation | $936,398.00 | ||||||||
| University of Oklahoma Norman Campus | $306,853.00 | ||||||||
| Ohio State University Education and Research Foundation | $1,382,583.00 | ||||||||
| Chemical and Biological Arms Control Institute | $9,779.00 | ||||||||
| The University of Rhode Island | $41,766.00 | ||||||||
| University of Alabama at Birmingham | $523,319.00 | ||||||||
| The University of Tulsa | $182,666.00 | ||||||||
| RAND Corporation | $519,877.00 | ||||||||
| University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center | $873,756.00 | ||||||||
| The University of Rhode Island | $138,109.00 | ||||||||
| The University of California | $659,316.00 | ||||||||
| University of Findlay | $61,722.00 | ||||||||
| Terrorism Research Center | $160,470.00 | ||||||||
| Ohio State University Education and Research Foundation | $319,829.00 | ||||||||
| DESC Inc | $378,171.00 | ||||||||
| Program/Project Management | $14,889.00 | ||||||||
| Kellman Law Manual | $12,575.00 | ||||||||
| TOTAL: | $10,979,018.00 | ||||||||
| 2004 | |||||||||
| Recipient | Amount | ||||||||
| Hicks & Associates | $2,589,491.00 | ||||||||
| PlasmaSol Corporation | $118,507.00 | ||||||||
| Johns Hopkins University | $111,035.00 | ||||||||
| University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center | $827,381.00 | ||||||||
| Ohio State University Education and Research Foundation | $558,026.00 | ||||||||
| Ohio State University Education and Research Foundation | $172,539.00 | ||||||||
| The University of Rhode Island | $96,103.00 | ||||||||
| University of Arkansas | $447,402.00 | ||||||||
| The University of Tulsa | $123,120.00 | ||||||||
| RAND Corporation | $210,142.00 | ||||||||
| The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center | $597,018.00 | ||||||||
| The University of Rhode Island | $77,232.00 | ||||||||
| The University of California | $1,214,145.00 | ||||||||
| Terrorism Research Center | $632,257 | ||||||||
| Ohio State University Education and Research Foundation | $300,910.00 | ||||||||
| DESC Inc | $1,435.00 | ||||||||
| Program/Project Management | $30,360.00 | ||||||||
| TOTAL: | $8,107,102.00 | ||||||||
| 2005 | |||||||||
| Recipient | Amount | ||||||||
| Hicks & Associates | $421,984.00 | ||||||||
| University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center | -$1,226.00 | ||||||||
| Ohio State University Education and Research Foundation | -$273.00 | ||||||||
| The University of Rhode Island | $161,789.00 | ||||||||
| University of Alabama at Birmingham | $82,746.00 | ||||||||
| University of Arkansas | $194,386.00 | ||||||||
| The University of Tulsa | $184,899.00 | ||||||||
| RAND Corporation | $730,348.00 | ||||||||
| The University of Rhode Island | $75,225.00 | ||||||||
| The University of California | -$57,915.00 | ||||||||
| Terrorism Research Center | $527,054.00 | ||||||||
| Ohio State University Education and Research Foundation | $144,306.00 | ||||||||
| Program/Project Management | $13,832.00 | ||||||||
| DFI International | $10,478,377.00 | ||||||||
| L-3 Communications Titan Group | $986,517.00 | ||||||||
| T&J Group | $811,615.00 | ||||||||
| Hicks & Associates | $405,833.00 | ||||||||
| Terrorism Research Center | $2,610,976.00 | ||||||||
| TOTAL: | $17,844,084.00 | ||||||||
| 2006 | |||||||||
| Recipient | Amount | ||||||||
| Hicks & Associates | $2,438.37 | ||||||||
| Johns Hopkins University | $191,942.97 | ||||||||
| The University of Rhode Island | $44,482.24 | ||||||||
| University of Arkansas | $286,460.77 | ||||||||
| The University of Tulsa | $25,981.02 | ||||||||
| RAND Corporation | $568,617.77 | ||||||||
| The University of Rhode Island | $1,823.10 | ||||||||
| The University of California | $11.40 | ||||||||
| Terrorism Research Center | $211,605.09 | ||||||||
| TOTAL: | $1,333,352.73 | ||||||||
Tax Returns
- MIPT Tax Returns 2000 (PDF)
- MIPT Tax Returns 2001 (PDF)
- MIPT Tax Returns 2002 (PDF)
- MIPT Tax Returns 2003 (PDF)
- MIPT Tax Returns 2004 (PDF)
- MIPT Tax Returns 2005 (PDF)
- MIPT Tax Returns 2006 (PDF)
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Graham Lee Brewer [http://newsok.com/oklahoma-based-counterterrorism-institute-to-close-after-losing-funding/article/5137709 Oklahoma-based counterterrorism institute to close after losing funding The Oklahoma-based Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism will close its doors for good this month, after the loss of its federal funding caused the program to relocate]. The Oklahoman, August 7, 2014.
- ↑ Oklahoma City Memorial Foundation Mission Statement (accessed 9 May 2008)
- ↑ see PR Newswire, ‘Oklahoma City Memorial International Design Competition Announced’, 14 November 1996
- ↑ PR Newswire, ‘Oklahoma City Memorial International Design Competition Announced’, 14 November 1996
- ↑ The Associated Press, ‘Governor makes several appointments’, 10 August 2000
- ↑ Jim Yardely, Oklahoma City Journal; A City Changed Forever Pauses Today to Reflect, New York Times, 19 April 2000
- ↑ MIPT Tax Returns 2000 (PDF)
- ↑ The IT Summitt, About The Speaker: Donald R. Hamilton (accessed 9 May 2008)
- ↑ MIPT – Change – It’s Constant and Inevitable. Are you Ready? (PDF)
- ↑ Message posted on MIPT Homepage (accessed 9 May 2008)
