Alert 03- 025
Homeland
Security Advisory System Increase to National Level
ORANGE
May 20, 2003
The following information is meant to advise state and local officials and
those who own and operate critical facilities about possible indicators of
terrorist attack planning.
In
the wake of the terrorist bombings in Saudi Arabia
and Morocco, intelligence reports indicate that terrorists
may attempt attacks against targets in the United States.
Al-Qa’ida, and those sympathetic to their cause,
remains the principal threat. Threats may also emanate
from other anti-US terrorist groups and ad hoc groups
or disgruntled individuals not connected to existing
terrorist organizations or state sponsors of terrorism.
International
terrorist groups, such as Al-Qa’ida, have demonstrated
the ability to plan and conduct complex attacks, simultaneously,
against multiple targets. Recent terrorist attacks
overseas have demonstrated the use of small arm equipped
assault teams, large vehicle borne explosive devices,
and suicide bombers. The bombings in Riyadh, Morocco,
and Israel underscore terrorists’ desires to attack
soft targets. At the same time, intelligence reports
in recent months point to a wide range of possible
infrastructure targets that Al-Qa’ida may have
plans to attack. These include:
*
Key assets such as nuclear power plants, dams and
government facilities,
* Energy sector to include power generating facilities, fuel farms, and gas
stations,
* Transportation sector to include passenger rail; freight trains carrying
toxic industrial chemicals; civil aviation; rail and vehicle bridges; tunnels;
subways,
* Direct attacks on financial institutions.
Terrorists
are opportunistic. They exploit vulnerabilities left
exposed, choosing the time, place and method of attack
according to the weaknesses they observe or perceive.
Increasing the security of a particular type of target
makes it more difficult for terrorists to successfully
strike. In order to protect ourselves from those that
desire to harm our friends, families, businesses, and
the nation, it is important to maintain awareness and
look for suspicious activity or “things out of
place.”
Surveillance
Activities
Few
terrorist attacks are executed without pre-operational
surveillance of the desired target. Surveillance is
done to determine target suitability, security and
noticeable patterns in the targets movements, physical
security, and the surrounding environment.
Key
activities suggesting possible terrorist surveillance
is in progress may include:
*
Foot surveillance involving 2-3 individuals working
together.
* Mobile surveillance using bicycles, scooters, motorcycles, sport-utility
vehicles, cars, trucks, boats or small aircraft.
* Persons or vehicles being seen in the same location on multiple occasions;
persons sitting in a parked car for an extended period of time.
* Persons not fitting into the surrounding environment, such as wearing improper
attire for the location, or persons drawing pictures or taking notes in an
area not normally of interest to a tourist.
* Persons using possible ruses to cover their activities, such as taking
on a disguise as a beggar, demonstrator, shoe shiner, fruit or food vendor,
street sweeper, or a newspaper or flower vendor not previously recognized
in the area.
* Persons videotaping or photographing security cameras or guard locations.
Unusual or prolonged interest in security measures or personnel, entry points
and access controls, or perimeter barriers such as fences or walls.
* An increase in anonymous threats followed by individuals noticeably observing
security reaction drills or procedures. Questioning of security or facility
personnel by an individual(s) that appears benign.
Suicide
Bombers
While
not a guarantee, some of the visible markers associated
with suicide bombers known to have attacked soft targets
such as restaurants or night spots have included:
· Irregular
dress – loose fitting clothes, large sweatshirt,
vest, jacket in hot weather.
· Repeated
patting of the self (checking the location of the
switch, etc).
· Irregular
or inappropriate baggage being carried such as a
large briefcase into a club or restaurant.
· Luggage
or kit/gym bag obviously weighed down more than normal.
· Hands
in pockets of trousers or outer clothing; and, individual
refuses to show hands/palms when told to do so.
· Do
not discount the prospect for male or female suicide
bombers or even male/female suicide team.
BUSINESS
AND SMALL GOVERNMENT PROTECTIVE ACTIONS
*
Maintain situational awareness of world events and
ongoing threats.
* Ensure all levels of personnel are notified via briefings, email, voice
mail and signage of any changes in threat conditions and protective measures.
* Encourage personnel to be alert and immediately report any situation that
appear to constitute a threat or suspicious activity.
* Encourage personnel to take notice and report suspicious packages, devices,
unattended briefcases, or other unusual materials immediately; inform them
not to handle or attempt to move any such object.
* Encourage personnel to keep their family members and supervisors apprised
of their whereabouts.
* Encourage personnel to know the location of emergency exits and stairwells
and rally points to ensure the safe egress of all employees.
* Increase the number of visible security personnel.
* Rearrange exterior vehicle barriers, traffic cones, and road blocks to
alter traffic patterns near facilities and patrols by alert security forces.
* Institute/increase vehicle, foot and roving security patrols varying in
size, timing and routes.
* Implement random security guard shift changes.
* Arrange for law enforcement vehicles to be parked randomly near entrances
and exits.
* Review current contingency plans and, if not already in place, develop
and implement procedures for receiving and acting on threat information,
alert notification procedures, terrorist incident response procedures, evacuation
procedures, bomb threat procedures, hostage and barricade procedures, chemical,
biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) procedures, consequence and crisis
management procedures, accountability procedures, and media procedures.
* When the aforementioned plans and procedures have been implemented, conduct
internal training exercises and invite local emergency responders (police,
fire, rescue, medical and bomb squads) to participate in joint exercises.
* Coordinate and establish partnerships with local authorities to develop
intelligence and information sharing relationships.
* Place personnel on standby for contingency planning.
* Limit the number of access points and strictly enforce access control procedures.
* Approach all illegally parked vehicles in and around facilities, question
drivers and direct them to move immediately, if owner can not be identified,
have vehicle towed by law enforcement.
* Consider installing telephone caller I.D., record phone calls, if necessary.
* Increase perimeter lighting.
* Deploy visible security cameras and motion sensors.
* Remove vegetation in and around perimeters, maintain regularly.
* Institute a robust vehicle inspection program to include checking under
the undercarriage of vehicles, under the hood, and in the trunk. Provide
vehicle inspection training to security personnel.
* Deploy explosive detection devices and explosive detection canine teams.
* Conduct vulnerability studies focusing on physical security, structural
engineering, infrastructure engineering, power, water, and air infiltration,
if feasible.
* Initiate a system to enhance mail and package screening procedures (both
announced and unannounced).
* Install special locking devices on manhole covers in and around facilities.
PERSONAL
PROTECTIVE MEASURES
*
Make a Plan for what you will do in an emergency
* Make a kit of emergency supplies
* Be informed about what might happen
* Visit http://ready.gov for more detailed information
DHS
encourages individuals to report information concerning
suspicious or criminal activity to law enforcement
or a Homeland Security watch office. Individuals may
report incidents online at http://www.nipc.gov/incident/cirr.htm,
and Federal agencies/departments may report incidents
online at http://www.fedcirc.gov/reportform.html. Contact
numbers for the IAIP watch centers are:
For private citizens and companies, (202) 323-3205, 1-888-585-9078, or nipc.watch@fbi.gov;
for the telecom industry, (703) 607-4950 or ncs@ncs.gov;
and for Federal agencies/departments,
(888) 282-0870 or fedcirc@fedcirc.gov.
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