On March 22, Perry Center Professor Celina Realuyo briefed the National Coordination Council for Counterterrorism on the importance of interagency and international cooperation to combat the convergence of terrorism and crime. Her presentation, which included a case study of ISIL as a criminalized caliphate, was quite timely in light of the tragic terrorist attacks in Brussels that transpired earlier in the day.

This briefing was held as Panama prepares to assume the presidency of the Inter-American Committee against Terrorism (CICTE) of the Organization of American States for 2017-2018. With representatives from the Security Council, Ministry of Government, Public Ministry, Maritime Authority of Panama, Customs Authority, Financial Analysis Unit, Panama Canal Authority and Ministry of Security in attendance, the group proposed establishing working groups to address specific counterterrorism issues, such as critical infrastructure protection, port and maritime security, border security, UN Security Council Resolution 1540 (WMD and nuclear proliferation), bioterrorism and dual use materials.