Maryland Water Watch
Outreach Program
“See Something,
Say Something”
Maryland Natural Resource Police
This Program is supported by funding from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Maryland Water Watch Outreach Program
• The US Department of Homeland Security has
developed a grant program to help states train
civilians to assist in maritime security.
• In Maryland this program is a partnership
between the Maryland Natural Resources Police
(NRP) and the numerous port partners all
working together to increase Maritime Domain
Awareness (MDA).
What is Maritime Domain Awareness
Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) is
the effective understanding of anything
associated with the global maritime
environment that could impact the
security, safety, economy or
environment of the United States.
Maritime Domain is all areas and
things of, on, under, relating to, adjacent
to, or bordering on a sea, ocean, or
other navigable waterway, including all
maritime related activities,
infrastructure, people, cargo, and
vessels and other conveyances.
Why is Maritime Domain Awareness
Important
• MDA is a key component of an active, layered
maritime defense in depth. It will be achieved by
improving our ability to collect, fuse, analyze,
display, and disseminate actionable information
and intelligence to law enforcement authorities.
• The “See Something, Say Something” campaign
encourages the public and private sector to
become aware and REPORT suspicious activity.
Partnerships
• Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) is about
generating actionable intelligence, which
comes from Partnerships that have been
developed, enhanced and informed.
• Maritime security partnerships include:
 Federal Agencies
 State Agencies
 Private Sector
 Recreational Boating Public  The General Public
 Commercial & Recreational Fishing Community
 Local Government
 Others
What Can You Do?
• It is everyone’s responsibility to keep the
community safe. The more aware people are,
using their eyes and ears, the safer we will all
be.
What Can You Do?
• As a coastal state, Maryland has direct access
to international waters. There are over 7,000
miles of coastline.
Waterfront Critical Infrastructures
• The Potomac River is navigable within blocks of
the Capitol Building and other high profile
(Iconic) locations in Washington, DC.
Waterfront Critical Infrastructures include the
Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant and the
LNG Off Shore Marine Terminal
Waterfront Critical Infrastructures
Chesapeake Bay Bridge
Why you can make a difference
The “Fort Dix Six” May of 2007
•
On 31 January 2006, a member of the "Fort Dix Six" group brought a video to
a Circuit City in Mount Laurel, NJ in order for the store to convert the video to
a DVD.
•
A Circuit City employee alerted the police after he saw the content of the
video, which included footage of the six men shooting weapons, shouting
"Allah-hu Akbar" (God is Great), and calling for holy war.
•
The video also contained footage of friends and relatives vacationing in the
Poconos in Pennsylvania, and footage of the six men skiing, hiking, and joking
around.
•
Authorities claim that the men chose to attack Fort Dix
partly because Tatar delivered pizzas to the base from
his family's nearby pizzeria, and knew the area like
the palm of his hand."
Lessons Learned from the Arrest of
the “Fort Dix Six”
• A local private sector and citizen
awareness program could assist police in
recognizing similar activities.
• The men utilized remote areas like the
Poconos for arms training.
• Furthermore, one of the six terrorists who
delivered pizza to Fort Dix from his family
business was given maps and allowed to
drive around the base freely.
• Secure areas should consider plans to
prevent individuals from taking advantage
of a similar situation in the future. Instead,
security protocol could include having the
soldiers come pick up the food at the
base's security checkpoint.
Why you can make a difference
2010 Time Square Bombing Attempt
Faisal Shahzad‘s
1993 Nissan
Pathfinder SUV
Vehicle
2010 Time Square Bombing
• On Saturday evening, May 1, 2010, two street vendors,
T-shirt seller Lance Orton (56) and handbag seller
Duane Jackson (58), noticed smoke drifting from vents
near the back seat of the unoccupied vehicle, which was
parked with its engine running and its hazard lights on.
• They also heard firecrackers going off
inside. The street vendors, including
Aliou Niasse, who works as a
photograph vendor on Times Square,
were the first to see the abandoned
smoking vehicle and subsequently,
the smoking car was brought to the
attention of a mounted policeman.
Why you can make a difference
Bush’s Dallas home was on Saudi’s list of bomb targets
• FBI agents say the Preston Hollow home of former President George
Bush and first lady Laura Bush was among the potential bombing targets
listed by a Saudi Arabian citizen arrested Wednesday on charges of
attempting use a weapon of mass destruction.
Bush’s Dallas home was on Saudi’s list
of bomb targets
• Authorities say Khalid Ali-M Aldawsari came to the United States
with one goal: to kill Americans, including President George W.
Bush.
• Aldawsari used a student visa to enter the country and a Saudi
corporate scholarship to finance a year of English language classes
at Vanderbilt University, chemical engineering classes at Texas
Tech University and business classes at South Plains College.
• In early February, authorities say, he tried to buy the third critical
ingredient for a chemical bomb. He already had the other two.
• After the company and the shipper from which he tried to
purchase the chemical alerted authorities, Aldawsari, a 20-yearold Saudi Arabia native, was arrested by the FBI in Lubbock on
Wednesday. He is charged with attempted use of a weapon of mass
destruction, including on the Dallas home of the man he called
“tyrant” — Bush.
What To Do If You Spot Suspicious Terrorist
Activity
• If you see suspicious behavior, do not confront
the individuals involved.
• Take note of the details:
What To Do If You Spot Suspicious Terrorist
Activity
Take notes of the following details:
•
S – Size (Jot down the number of people, gender, ages, and physical descriptions)
•
A - Activity (Describe exactly what they are doing)
•
L - Location (Provide exact location)
•
U – Uniform (Describe what they are wearing, including shoes)
•
T – Time (Provide date, time, and duration of activity)
•
E - Equipment (Describe vehicle, make, color etc., license plate, camera, guns, etc)
Suspicious activity is often recalled after an event. We must train ourselves to be on
the lookout for things that are out of the ordinary and arouse suspicions.
What To Do If You Spot Suspicious Terrorist
Activity
What To Do If You Spot Suspicious Terrorist
Activity
• Stick with the facts: Hunches or gut feelings
that someone is suspicious do not provide the
facts.
• Write down the information: This will help you
remember the details.
• DO NOT approach any boat, car or truck
behaving in a suspicious manner, or if they are
about to / committing a crime or illegal act.
What To Do If You Spot Suspicious Terrorist
Activity
• DO NOT make your observations known to the
suspicious boat.
• DO NOT attempt to make contact with a
suspicious boat or person.
• DO NOT attempt to take control of the situation
Keep in mind, those who commit terrorist
acts:
• Usually live among us without appearing suspicious
while planning and preparing for their attack. They may
be your neighbor, student or friend.
• Often they will need training or equipment that will
arouse suspicion.
• Need to conduct surveillance on possible targets and
gather information on the planned attack location.
• All of these things make terrorists vulnerable to
detection, by those watching for certain characteristics.
Stay alert in your daily travels and routines
and get to know:
• Who your neighbors are;
• What cars are normally in your neighborhood;
• Who regularly makes deliveries at work and in
your neighborhood.
It is impossible to identify a terrorist by:
• Appearance
• Nationality
• Language
• You CAN only identify a terrorist threat
by observing or hearing about
suspicious activity that may lead to a
criminal act.
Staying alert is NOT about becoming
paranoid. Staying alert is being aware of
one’s surroundings.
• Which one is more suspicious?
Identifying suspicious activity is not a
difficult science.
• Rely on your judgment.
• Your suspicion of a threat could be confirmed
with only one incident or it could take a series of
incidents.
Your suspicions will need to be based on:
• Experience
• Judgment
• Common Sense
Review Some Possible Suspicious Activity
• Maybe you are at a high profile location or a
National Monument and you notice a person
nearby taking several photos. That’s not
unusual. But then you notice that the person is
only taking photos of the location’s surveillance
cameras, entrance crash barriers and access
control procedures.
The Following Should Cause a Heightened
Sense of Suspicion:
• Suspicious or unusual interest
• Surveillance (suspicious in nature)
• Inappropriate photographs or videos
• Note-taking
• Probing questions concerning security
procedures
The following should cause a heightened
sense of suspicion:
• Drawing of diagrams
• Annotating maps
• Using binoculars or night vision devices,
especially when focused on maritime critical
infrastructure during times that appear unusual.
Unusual or suspicious activity does not
necessarily mean that terrorist activity is present;
be aware of the following suspicious behaviors:
• Individuals avoiding eye contact
• Individuals departing quickly when seen or
approached
Unusual or suspicious activity does not
necessarily mean that terrorist activity is
present; be aware of the following
suspicious behaviors:
• Boats operating at night without running lights.
• Person(s) returning repeatedly to nontraditional locations such as a spot near a
bridge, or landmark.
• Diving activity occurring at unusual times of the
day and season.
Unusual or suspicious activity does not
necessarily mean that terrorist activity is present;
be aware of the following suspicious behaviors:
• Person(s) engaging in unusual activity at odd
hours such as wearing sunglasses at night,
having snorkeling or diving equipment at night or
flashlights during the day
• Unusual or suspicious driving activities around
marinas, vessels, wharfs, bridges, ports, dams,
tunnels, etc.
Unusual or suspicious activity does not
necessarily mean that terrorist activity is present;
be aware of the following suspicious behaviors:
• Filming/camera activity near critical marine infrastructure
or bridges.
• Any type of activities or circumstances that seem
suspicious or unusual within the normal routines of your
neighborhood, community, workplace- if on, or around
the water and recreational areas.
Unusual or suspicious activity does not
necessarily mean that terrorist activity is present;
be aware of the following suspicious behaviors:
• Asking unusual questions about marine
activities, security or major facilities.
• Boats riding excessively low in the water which
could be carrying unknown cargo (people,
ammunitions, etc.)
• Boats with no registration numbers or name
displayed.
• Things that just don’t belong.
Unusual or suspicious activity does not
necessarily mean that terrorist activity is present;
be aware of the following suspicious behaviors:
• Activity around large commercial boats such as
taking pictures, coming too close or inside safety
zones.
• Person(s) wearing unusual clothing for weather
conditions.
• Boats entering prohibited or restricted areas.
Unusual or suspicious activity does not
necessarily mean that terrorist activity is
present; be aware of the following suspicious
behaviors:
• Abandoned/unattended boats, cars, or trucks in
or near unusual locations, major facilities, or
public areas.
• Attempts to buy or charter boats using large
cash payments.
• Persons bragging or talking about plans to harm
citizens in violent attacks or claims membership
in a terrorist organization.
Unusual or suspicious activity does not
necessarily mean that terrorist activity is
present; be aware of the following suspicious
behaviors:
• LOOK FOR AND REPORT:
• Suspicious waterfront loitering
• Forcible access
• Persons photographing, taping or sketching
• Liquids being poured into reservoirs or lakes
Unusual or suspicious activity does not
necessarily mean that terrorist activity is present;
be aware of the following suspicious behaviors:
• LOOK FOR AND REPORT:
• Forcible access
Unusual or suspicious activity does not
necessarily mean that terrorist activity is present;
be aware of the following suspicious behaviors:
• Apparently dangerous loads and/or cargoes
• Items that appear to be weapons or explosives
Unusual or suspicious activity does not
necessarily mean that terrorist activity is present;
be aware of the following suspicious behaviors:
• Boats loitering under bridges or by locks or dams
• Diving operations near any critical infrastructure
• Vessels operating
without any running
lights, especially
around critical
infrastructure
Unusual or suspicious activity does not
necessarily mean that terrorist activity is present;
be aware of the following suspicious behaviors:
•
•
•
•
Boats or divers in naval protection zones
Note appearance, size, coloring of individuals
Note type of boat, car, registration, etc.
If diving is involved, note color of equipment
Fraudulent IDs include:
•
•
•
•
Driver’s license
Social security card
Passport
Birth certificate
• INS identification
Fraudulent IDs
• If you believe someone is using or has altered
government identification, please notify the law
enforcement authorities.
• Do NOT request to see another person’s ID when not
appropriate.
• Allow law enforcement officers to do the investigating.
• Use established security protocols for entry onto your
facility, and if you use private security, test them.
Terrorists, when not acting alone, need to
meet with their conspirators and often
times work within a cell.
Pay attention to visitors and guests that:
• Arrive and leave at unusual hours
• Park an unusual distance from the meeting
• Have an unusual number of unrelated people living
together
• Not all people who maintain privacy are terrorists. But
people intent on doing illegal acts want to be left alone.
Pay attention to purchases, rentals or
thefts of:
• Ammunition
• Propane bottles
• Toxic chemicals
• Vehicles or Vessels able to contain or haul
hazardous materials
Additional suspicious activity may include:
• Someone bragging or talking about plans to harm
citizens in violent attacks or who claims membership in a
terrorist organization that espouses killing innocent
people.
• Suspicious packages, luggage, or mail that have been
abandoned in a crowded place like an office building, an
airport, a cruise terminal, or an adjacent downtown
shopping area (Inner Harbor, Downtown City Dock,
National Harbor).
Additional suspicious activity may include:
• Any type of activity or circumstance that seems
frightening or unusual within the normal routines
of your neighborhood, community, and
workplace.
• Someone unfamiliar loitering in a parking lot,
public place adjacent to maritime critical
infrastructure.
• A vessel probing close to established security
zones, testing established facility security
protocols.
Additional Information Can Be Found
• Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) website
www.dnr.state.md.us/nrp/
• The United States Coast Guard’s “America’s
Waterway Watch Program” website
http://www.americaswaterwaywatch.org/
• The Maryland Coordination and Analysis Center’s
website http://www.mcac-md.gov/
• The Governor’s Office of Homeland Security at
http://www.gohs.maryland.gov/
TO REPORT A SUSPICIOUS
ACTIVITY in and around Maryland’s
Waterways:
Contact the
Maryland Natural Resources Police
“See Something, Say Something”
1-800-628-9944
**** The Police Communications' operator will ask for your
information in case additional questions or clarification is
required.