Department of Homeland Security

(U//FOUO) DHS, NCTC, FBI Homegrown Extremist Threat Reporting Brochure

The attempted bombing in Times Square on 1 May 2010 highlights the need to identify Homegrown Violent Extremists before they carry out a terrorist act. The ability of the bomber to operate under the radar demonstrates the difficulties associated with identifying terrorist activity and reinforces the need for law enforcement, at all levels, to be vigilant and identify individuals who are planning violence or other illegal activities in support of terrorism.

(U//FOUO//LES) Johns Hopkins Hospital Shooting Update

Initial News sources had reported that the Baltimore Police Department had responded to a call for service for a single male shooter at the Johns Hopkins hospital located in Baltimore, MD. Initial reports indicated that a doctor was shot by the unknown suspect and was in critical condition. The suspect suspect was believed to be barricaded on the eighth floor of the Nelson Building on the Johns Hopkins Hospital Campus. There are reports that the shooter could be barricaded in the room with a relative. Baltimore Police Department reports that only certain areas of the hospital campus are cordoned off. Baltimore Police Department officers are on the scene, the suspect is not in custody, and the Baltimore Police is reporting that the situation is contained. The areas of the Hospital not cordoned off are operating normally.

(U//FOUO) New York CrossFIRE Radio Theft Report

Fire Departments in Warren and Washington County have recently reported thefts of communications equipment
• Thefts include portable and mobile radios, along with software capable of programming this equipment.
• Only newer model, VHF radios have been stolen. Low‐band and older model radios (which aren’t capable of narrowband) have been left untouched.
• Of particular concern: programming software has been stolen. This software could potentially be used to reprogram radios with frequencies of law enforcement agencies, Fire and EMS services, and other public and private sector organizations/businesses.

(SSI) TSA Prototype RFID Baggage Tracking Report

This report describes the qualification test conducted at Newark International Airport on a prototype RF identification system for use in passenger baggage identification and tracking applications. The system tested was one made by Avante, which operates at 13.56 MHz. It consisted of a freestanding conveyor belt, an HF antenna array, a long-range reader and baggage tags that incorporate an antenna and an integrated circuit.

Janet Napolitano Speech to the Council on Foreign Relations on “Refocusing” Homeland Security

So if 9/11 happened in a Web 1.0 world, terrorists are certainly in a Web 2.0 world now. And many of the technological tools that expedite communication today were in their infancy or didn’t even exist in 2001. So therefore, more than just hardware, we need new thinking. When we add a prominent former computer hacker to our Homeland Security Advisory Council, as I just did, it helps us understand our own weaknesses that could be exploited by our adversaries. And the threats we face are by their very nature asymmetrical. Terrorism more often has become privatized violence—does not rely on links, links to an army or to a sovereign state. We often hear that this is what our globalized era looks like, but what is most salient about today’s environment is that it is also networked. And in a networked world, information true and false moves everywhere all the time. And in that networked world, everyone who is part of the network, meaning all of us, can enjoy the tremendous benefits, but also must be ready and willing to learn about and help address the vulnerabilities that come with these benefits. So the team we put on the field needs to be bigger, better networked and better trained. What are the implications for this network world for the Department of Homeland Security? It means that we must continue to take an all-hazards approach to preparedness, meaning we prepare for natural disasters as well as terrorist attacks. We need to comprehend and anticipate an expanding range of threats.

Janet Napolitano Speech to New York First Responders on “Rebuilding” Homeland Security

At the heart of this are fusion centers. Starting with just one in 2006, there are now 72 fusion centers nationwide, serving as focal points for information-sharing among federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial partners. By the end of this year, all 72 fusion centers should be able to analyze information and spot trends in order to effectively share timely intelligence – with local law enforcement, and with DHS, so the information can also be used by others within the Intelligence Community. To support this vision: we’re prioritizing fusion centers in our FY2011 grants, and looking for ways to support them through additional technology and personnel, including the deployment of highly-trained experts in critical infrastructure; we’re deploying experienced DHS analysts to every one of these centers – 64 at last count – and we won’t stop until we have them in every one; and we’re linking them together, and with DHS headquarters, through the classified Homeland Security Data Network.

(U//LES) Virginia Fusion Center Mara Salvatrucha 13 Report

Mara Salvatrucha 13, or MS-13, is a transnational, mainly Hispanic, street gang notorious for its adherence to a methodology of extreme violence to enforce fear and establish street credibility. MS-13 diverges from the traditional American street gang model in that it maintains cross border organizational ties, and currently poses a serious threat throughout Central America, Mexico, and Canada, as well as domestically in the United States. In Virginia, the influx of Salvadoran immigrants to the Washington. DC metro area has created the second domestic center for the gang’s American presence. Membership has been documented across the National Capitol Region and in central Virginia, making it the major gang threat to Northern Virginia and a major concern for the Commonwealth as a whole. Demographic change in the Commonwealth, combined with the potential expansion of MS-13 membership to non-Hispanic individuals, constitutes a serious potential threat to public safety.

Nevada State Homeland Security Strategy 2010

The purpose of the Nevada State Homeland Security Strategy (SHSS) is to identify and address statewide priorities to achieve and sustain a strengthened ability to prevent, detect, deter, mitigate against, prepare for, respond to and recover from any natural, manmade and/or technological emergency or disaster up to and including any act of terrorism. The State, through implementation of this strategy, is seeking outcomes that will ensure a safe and secure Nevada through enhanced capabilities in intelligence, surveillance, rapid first response and recovery, the protection of critical infrastructure, and to promote public education and awareness.

(U//FOUO) TSA Transportation Suspicious Incident Report (TSIR) August 2010

(U//FOUO) The vast majority of suspicious incidents are not terrorism related. Incident reporting continues to reveal most involve members of the traveling public who do not have intent to cause harm. Intoxicated passengers, people traveling without proper identification or with propaganda materials, and persons with mental health needs are generally not considered suspicious and are generally not included in the weekly summary. However, some incidents are more serious and are reported for situational awareness. Incidents involving notable drug or weapons concealment, possible surveillance, laser targeting of aircraft, possible insider collusion, exploitable gaps in security, and some unusual behaviors at transportation venues are discussed as they may involve technologies or tactics which may lend insight to future terrorist tradecraft.

(U//FOUO) DHS “Red Cell” Report: Thinking Beyond Mass Transit For Next Homeland Attack

A Homeland strike soon after the London attacks is conceivable but unlikely, and if and when it comes, it could just as well be on other “soft targets” as on mass transit. These were the conclusions of 18 leading academic terrorism experts, former senior National Security Council and DHS officials, mass transit security specialists, and other nongovernmental experts and creative thinkers polled by the DHS Analytic Red Cell immediately after the July 7 attacks.

Florida Multi-Year Training & Exercise Plan 2011-2013

The purpose of the Multi-Year Training and Exercise Plan (MYTEP) is to provide a follow-on companion document to Florida‟s Domestic Security Strategic Plan. It is a living document that will be updated and refined annually. The MYTEP provides a roadmap for Florida to follow in accomplishing the priorities and goals described in the Florida‟s Domestic Security Strategic Plan. Each State Priority is linked to a corresponding National Priority, and, if applicable, an Improvement Plan (IP) action. The priority is further linked to the associated target capabilities that would facilitate accomplishment of the priority and the training and exercises that will help the jurisdiction obtain those capabilities and achieve that priority.

(U//FOUO) DHS “Inspire” Al-Qaeda Magazine Warning

(U//FOUO) This product is intended to provide perspective and understanding of the nature and scope of potentially emergent threats and to assess the initial public responseto the posting of Inspire Magazine. It is also intended to assist federal, state, local, and tribal government agencies and authorities, the private sector, and other entities to develop priorities for protective and support measures relating to an existing or emerging threat to homeland security.

Terrorism Liaison Officer (TLO) Program

The Terrorism Liaison Officer (TLO) is designed to be a nationally interconnected program of designated law enforcement officers, firefighters, military, and other first responders that attend an approved and accredited course of instruction. This shared learning experience prepares the TLOs to fill a specific role within their organization as a link or “liaison.” The TLO program was initiated in California via the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) around 2005-2006 by a Anthony Lukin. According to several proposals for the program, Fusion Centers in California “utilize the Terrorism Liaison Officer (TLO) Program to foster communication and collaboration amongst the fire service; law enforcement; the federal homeland security and intelligence communities and public safety stakeholders. The TLOs serve as the conduit through which homeland security and crime-related information flows from the field to the Fusion Center for assessment and analysis. The network also serves as the vehicle to carry actionable intelligence from the Fusion Center to field personnel. This information flow provides for increased safety and security for fire department personnel as well as the communities served.”

DHS Computer-Aided Dispatch Interoperability Project

The Department of Homeland Security’s Office for Interoperability and Compatibility (OIC) launched the Computer‐Aided Dispatch (CAD) Interoperability Project (CADIP) in May 2007. CAD systems, which dispatch emergency services and assist 9‐1‐1 operators and dispatchers in handling and prioritizing requests for resources, serve as a major component in responding to critical incidents. CADIP addresses an issue that today’s emergency response agencies may face: CAD systems that are not linked across jurisdictions and, as a result, have difficultly responding to multi‐jurisdictional emergencies.

(U//FOUO) DHS-FBI Obama Inauguration Threats Warning

(U//FOUO) DHS and the FBI are concerned about the threat individuals affiliated with al-Shabaab—a radical Islamic extremist group active in Somalia—may pose to the Homeland, including locations and events of political significance, such as the upcoming Presidential Inauguration. DHS and FBI continue to monitor all reporting to establish the credibility of this threat; however, information concerning the threat is limited.

(U//LES) New Jersey ROIC: Soda Bottle Bombs Warning

The NJ ROIC has been monitoring two incidents involving reactionary devices on this date, 06/27/10, one that occurred at 0100 Hours in Lakewood Twp., Ocean Co., and another that occurred at 1145 Hours in Neptune Twp., Monmouth Co. Both incidents involved reactionary devices that are being described as soda bottles (12 oz. to 2 liters) containing a strong acid or base, aluminum foil inside the container, and tape securing the bottle cap. The substances inside these bottles create a chemical reaction, which results in pressure building in the bottle. Eventually, these containers explode creating a risk to law enforcement officers and first responders. First responders should keep a distance of at least 100 feet from any of these devices as a precautionary measure.