Intelligence Fusion Centers, New York

New York State Law Enforcement Terrorism Indicators Reference Card

New York State Intelligence Center

  • 2 pages
  • Law Enforcement Sensitive
  • September 3, 2008

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Specific Indicators

Passport history

  • Recent travel overseas
  • Countries of Interest — Pakistan / Afghanistan / Yemen
  • Multiple passports / ID documents
  • Altered/falsified ID documents

Other Identification

  • No current/fixed address
  • False ID papers (SSN)
  • Multiple ID w/different name spellings / DOBs

Hotel/motel visits

  • Refusal of maid service
  • Asking for specific view (i.e. bridges, airports, etc.)
  • Electronic surveillance equipment in room
  • Suspicious or unusual items left behind
  • Use of lobby or public phone instead of room phone
  • Pays in cash

Thefts, purchases, or discovery of

  • Weapons/explosive materials
  • Camera/surveillance equipment
  • Purchase or rent vehicle under false name
  • Radios, scanners
  • ID documents
  • Unauthorized uniforms (airport, postal, police, military)

Surveillance Indicators

  • Video or camera usage at non-tourist sites
  • Taking notes or calling on mobile phone
  • Pacing off distances
  • Vehicles parked without passengers
  • Unusual encampments
  • Ruses
  • Deliberate penetration attempts
  • Observing or climbing perimeter fencing

Vehicle Bourne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED) indicators

  • Vehicle riding low in the rear
  • Time and Power Unit (TPU) – detonator
  • Large boxes, satchels, bags or containers in plain view
  • Wires coming from front of vehicle to rear or trunk area
  • Acrid smoke – indicates possible lit fuse
  • Armed personnel in vehicle – may be breaching team
  • Vehicle may emit a fuel-like odor
  • Unattended and parked near possible target
  • May have flashers on

Unusual items in vehicle/residence

  • Training manuals (flight, scuba, military or extremist)
  • Blueprints to high-profile buildings
  • Photos/diagrams of potential targets
  • Photos/pictures or articles of known terrorists or groups
  • Numerous prepaid calling cards and/or cell phones
  • Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) unit
  • Multiple hotel receipts
  • Financial records indicating overseas wire transfers
  • Rental vehicles (cash transactions on receipts, living locally but renting)

…

If a file check through NCIC results in a Violent Gang Terrorist Organization File (VGTOF) hit, instructions for the police officer to contact the Terrorist Screening Center (TSC) via a toll-free telephone number will be provided in the response. The TSC will make every effort to act on this request within 20 minutes. Due to the sensitivity of certain responses a more secure form of communication may be required.

It should be noted that terrorists frequently use multiple names and aliases. Insufficient identifying data may result in the receipt of an incomplete response or a response that may require additional time and investigation to provide a complete response.

The TSC will determine which level of response is necessary and will advise the requesting law enforcement agency of such. The four possible responses and the protocols for each are as follows: Note-Each of the following three handling codes contains a statement from the TSC stating, “LAW ENFORCEMENT SENSITIVE INFORMATION, WARNING -APPROACH WITH CAUTION.” This warning is very general in nature and is provided to law enforcement by the FBI to alert the law enforcement agency, or officer, that the individual who is the subject of the VGTOF hit is, or may be associated with terrorism and caution should be taken in their interactions with this individual.

1. HANDLING CODE 1 – The police officer will receive the following response from the TSC: “LAW ENFORCEMENT SENSITIVE INFORMATION, WARNING-APPROACH WITH CAUTION. THIS INDIVIDUAL IS ASSOCIATED WITH TERRORISM AND IS THE SUBJECT OF AN ARREST WARRANT, ALTHOUGH THE WARRANT MAY NOT BE RETRIEVABLE VIA THE SEARCHED IDENTIFIERS. IF AN ARREST WARRANT FOR THE INDIVIDUAL IS RETURNED IN YOUR SEARCH OF NCIC, DETAIN THE INDIVIDUAL PURSUANT TO YOUR DEPARTMENT’S PROCEDURES FOR HANDLING AN OUTSTANDING WARRANT, AND IMMEDIATELY CONTACT THE TERRORIST SCREENING CENTER AT (866) 872-9001 FOR ADDITIONAL DIRECTION. IF AN ARREST WARRANT FOR THE INDIVIDUAL IS NOT RETURNED, USE CAUTION AND IMMEDIATELY CONTACT THE TSC AT (866) 872-9001 FOR ADDITIONAL DIRECTION. WITHOUT OTHERWISE EXTENDING THE SCOPE OR DURATION OF THE ENCOUNTER. IF YOU ARE A BORDER PATROL OFFICER IMMEDIATELY CALL THE NTC. UNAUTHORIZED DISCLOSURE OF TERRORIST WATCHLIST INFORMATION IS PROHIBITED. DO NOT ADVISE THIS INDIVIDUAL THAT THEY MAY BE ON A TERRORIST WATCHLIST. INFORMATION THAT THIS INDIVIDUAL MAY BE ON A TERRORIST WATCHLIST IS PROPERTY OF THE TSC AND IS A FEDERAL RECORD PROVIDED TO YOUR AGENCY THAT MAY NOT BE DISSEMINATED OR USED IN ANY PROCEEDING WITHOUT THE ADVANCE AUTHORIZATION OF THE TSC. ”

a. Contact the Counter Terrorism Center (CTC) at the NYSIC 1-866-SAFE-NYS (1-866-723-3697) to ensure that all available information from NYSIC databases is checked for any possible associations to state and local level intelligence and reported activity.

2. HANDLING CODE 2 – The police officer will receive the following response from the TSC: “LAW ENFORCEMENT SENSITIVE INFORMATION, WARNING-APPROACH WITH CAUTION. THIS INDIVIDUAL IS OF INVESTIGATIVE INTEREST TO LAW ENFORCEMENT REGARDING ASSOCIATION WITH TERRORISM AND THERE MAY BE A DETAINER AVAILABLE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY FOR THIS INDIVIDUAL. IMMEDIATELY CONTACT THE TERRORIST SCREENING CENTER AT (866)872-9001 OR, IF YOU ARE A BORDER PATROL OFFICER IMMEDIATELY CALL THE NTC TO ASCERTAIN IF A DETAINER IS AVAILABLE FOR THE INDIVIDUAL AND TO OBTAIN ADDITIONAL DIRECTION. PLEASE QUESTION THIS INDIVIDUAL TO ASSIST THE TSC IN DETERMINING WHETHER THE INDIVIDUAL ENCOUNTERED IS THE SUBJECT OF A DETAINER WITHOUT EXTENDING THE SCOPE OR DURATION OF THE ENCOUNTER. UNAUTHORIZED DISCLOSURE OF TERRORIST WATCHLIST INFORMATION IS PROHIBITED. DO NOT ADVISE THIS INDIVIDUAL THAT THEY MAY BE ON A TERRORIST WATCHLIST. INFORMATION THAT THIS INDIVIDUAL MAY BE ON A TERRORIST WATCHLIST IS PROPERTY OF THE TSC AND IS A FEDERAL RECORD PROVIDED TO YOUR AGENCY THAT MAY NOT BE DISSEMINATED OR USED IN ANY PROCEEDING WITHOUT THE ADVANCE AUTHORIZATION OF THE TSC. ”

a. Contact the Counter Terrorism Center (CTC) at the NYSIC 1-866-SAFE-NYS (1-866-723-3697) to ensure that all available information from NYSIC databases is checked for any possible associations to state and local level intelligence and reported activity.

3. HANDLING CODE 3 – The police officer will receive the following response from the TSC: “LAW ENFORCEMENT SENSITIVE INFORMATION -DO NOT ADVISE THIS INDIVIDUAL THAT THEY MAY BE ON A TERRORIST WATCHLIST. CONTACT THE TERRORIST SCREENING CENTER AT (866) 872-9001 DURING THIS ENCOUNTER. IF THIS WOULD EXTEND THE SCOPE OR DURATION OF THE ENCOUNRT, CONTACT THE TSC IMMEDIATELY THEREAFTER. IF YOU ARE A BORDER PATROL OFFICER IMMEDIATELY CALL THE NTC. ATTEMPT TO OBTAIN SUFFICIENT IDENTIFYING INFORMATION DURING THE ENCOUNTER. WITHOUT OTHERWISE EXTENDING THE SCOPE OR DURATION OF THE ENCOUNTER TO ASSIST THE TSC IN DETERMINING WHETHER OR NOT THE NAME OR IDENTIFIERS YOU QUERIED BELONGS TO AN INDIVIDUAL IDENTIFIED AS HAVING POSSIBLE TIES WITH TERRORISM. DO NOT DETAIN OR ARREST THIS INDIVIDUAL UNLESS THERE IS EVIDENCE OF A VIOLATION OF FEDERAL, STATE OR LOCAL STATUTES. UNAUTHORIZED DISCLOSURE IS PROHIBITED. INFORMATION THAT THIS INDIVIDUAL MAY BE ON A TERRORIST WATCHLIST IS PROPERTY OF THE TSC AND IS A FEDERAL RECORD PROVIDED TO YOUR AGENCY THAT MAY NOT BE DISSEMINATED OR USED IN ANY PROCEEDING WITHOUT THE ADVANCE AUTHORIZATION OF THE TSC. ”

a. Contact the Counter Terrorism Center (CTC) at the NYSIC 1-866-SAFE-NYS (1-866-723-3697) to ensure that all available information from NYSIC databases is checked for any possible associations to state and local level intelligence and reported activity.

4. NO HIT – If NCIC file checks come back NEGATIVE and the Police Officer still believes that this incident or investigation is terrorism related, the Police Officer should contact the Counter Terrorism Center (CTC) at the NYSIC 1-866-SAFE-NYS (1-866-723-3697) for further checks and access to the FBI Counter Terrorism Watch through existing protocols.

In the case of calls made to the TSC by New York State law enforcement without the basis of an NCIC-VGTOF hit, these calls will be referred to the Counter Terrorism Center at the NYSIC for appropriate vetting and documentation. Questions regarding these protocols can be made to the Counter Terrorism Center at :

1-866-SAFE-NYS (1-866-723-3697)

ALL INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THIS CARD IS LAW ENFORCEMENT SENSITIVE

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