InfoGram

July 7, 2005

NOTE: This InfoGram will be distributed weekly to provide members of the Emergency Services Sector with information concerning the protection of their critical infrastructures. For further information, contact the Emergency Management and Response - Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) at (301) 447-1325 or by email at emr-isac@fema.dhs.gov.

Central London Explosions

A series of explosions occurred in central London during rush hour on the morning of Thursday, 7 July. Initial indications are that the three subway blasts and one bus bombing were premeditated, coordinated attacks by terrorists. A previously unknown group calling itself the "Secret Organization Group of al Qaeda of Jihad in Europe" claimed responsibility on a website connected to Islamic radicals, but the authenticity of the statement could not be immediately confirmed.

Commenting about the attacks on London's transportation system, President Bush stated that he was in contact with Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. Subsequently, Secretary Chertoff issued a statement that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is in direct communication with officials at the state and local level and with public and private sector transportation directors. "We have asked them for increased vigilance and additional security measures for major transit systems." He additionally said that DHS "has no specific intelligence indicating this type of attack is planned in the United States," however, "we have activated the Interagency Incident Management Group to ensure full situational awareness around this incident and in the United States."

The Emergency Management and Response - Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) maintains constant contact with the DHS Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection Directorate (IAIP), including conference calls during the morning of 7 July. As is the case during and after any incident, when DHS publishes an analysis or information about the London tragedy, the EMR-ISAC will expeditious forward the (For Official Use Only) documents to the registered/subscribed leadership of the nation's Emergency Services Sector (ESS) for planning and operational purposes.

At the time of this writing, the EMR-ISAC has not received DHS information about the London event that is particularly pertinent to the protection of ESS critical infrastructures. The Homeland Security Advisory System Threat Level has been increased to Orange (High), but only for the mass transit portion of the nation's Transportation Sector (excluding aviation and ferries). Consequently, several major American cities heightened security for transportation systems. The Threat Level for the remainder of the nation and its critical infrastructure sectors remains at Yellow (Elevated).

Information Sharing: Key to Security

Disaster-Resource.com reported that two of the nation's top antiterrorism officials discussed how information sharing among all levels of government as well as the public and private critical infrastructure sectors "will actually help protect us against terrorism." The directors of the FBI Terrorist Screening Center and the Homeland Security Advisory Council made their remarks last week during a government symposium on information sharing and homeland security. These two speakers told participants that better information sharing is the key to preventing future terrorist attacks. "Either stop it before it happens, or you're cleaning it up afterwards." They urged, "Focus on stopping it before it happens."

The first responders of the Emergency Services Sector (ESS) are continuously moving around their jurisdictions. This endless service to communities provides frequent opportunities to observe suspicious activities, unexplainable behaviors, strange objects, and unusual circumstances. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials assert that reporting these observations will provide DHS analysts with information necessary to "connect the dots," save time, track potential threats, and possibly prevent a future attack. Therefore, the EMR-ISAC must again appeal to ESS departments and agencies to report suspicious activities, etc., directly to the National Infrastructure Coordinating Center (NICC) by voice at 202-282-9201, email at nicc@dhs.gov, or by facsimile at 703-607-4998. Too often knowledge of small, seemingly insignificant details can make a real difference in preventing a surprise attack like just happened in London. Notification of local authorities is still appropriate.

Adversary Surveillance Tactic

Counterterrorism specialists believe that al Qaeda's proven ability to collect vulnerabilities, plan attacks, and execute terrorism makes it likely another terrorist attack will eventually occur in the United States. As an example of al Qaeda's vulnerability collection tactics, the experts point to how terrorists in Europe and the Middle East have effectively disguised their operatives as beggars, homeless, and "street people." The use of these disguises enabled adversary surveillance personnel to blend into their surroundings without arousing suspicion.

The beggar, homeless, and "street people" disguise has many advantages that other ruses do not. Beggars, homeless, and "street people" are universal, and their behavior, no matter how odd, does not normally draw attention or raise a red flag to others. Too often people ignore them as more of a nuisance than a threat. According to the specialists, existing perceptions make these people "invisible" in broad daylight, which allows the operative to case a target without scrutiny. Therefore, security personnel fear that terrorists will capitalize on this surveillance technique in America because it is timeless, low-tech, low cost, and highly effective.

The EMR-ISAC encourages Emergency Services Sector organizations to raise awareness of this adversarial surveillance tactic, and to prevent its use to collect sensitive information about their communities and internal critical infrastructures.

Tall Building Safety Guidelines

Following its investigation into the fires and collapse of the World Trade Center towers in New York City on 9/11, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) called for specific changes to building and fire safety codes for tall buildings. NIST prepared 30 recommendations based on the findings of the most detailed examination of a building failure ever conducted. The recommendations generally cover:

• Specific improvements to building standards, codes, and practices.
• Changes to, or the establishment of, evacuation and emergency response procedures.
• Research and other appropriate actions needed to help prevent future building failures.

The recommendations are divided into eight groups: increased structural integrity, enhanced fire resistance, new methods for fire resistance design, active fire protection, improved building evacuation, improved emergency response, improved procedures and practices, and improved education and training. To review these recommendations in detail, see the NIST website at the following link: http://wtc.nist.gov/.