Crime Wars: Gangs, Cartels and U.S. National Security

Crime Wars: Gangs, Cartels and U.S. National Security

For those interested in some of the intelligence and background related to the growing issue of organized crime and transnational threats.

www.cnas.org/node/5022

Last month, the Mexican government announced that the drug wars have claimed 28,000 lives since 2006. These drug trafficking groups have evolved to pose significant challenges not only to Mexico and the United States, but to governments and societies across the Western Hemisphere.

http://www.cnas.org/node/5022

First Responder Awareness Cards

First Responder Awareness Cards

No cost PDF cards are designed to be user friendly, two-sided documents that can be laminated and placed in go-bags, response vehicles, and command vehicles. They were developed to help any first responder with minimum training in the first 10-15 minutes of an incident. Cards should be used only as a guide and their contents should not supersede local guidelines and procedures.

http://www.wiiaai.org/august-vernon-pdfs

Each card is only one or two pages in length and focuses on different topics such as mass shootings, bomb threats, threat awareness, suspicious powders, suspicious letters or packages, suicide bombers, operations security, indoor marijuana grow labs, IED, VBIED, post-blast response, etc.

http://www.wiiaai.org/august-vernon-pdfs

Multi-Attack Terror Plots

Multi-Attack Terror Plots

We continue to get numerous warnings from officials on this current and emerging threat with the recent increased reporting today on the credible threats of possible Multi-Attack Terror Plots. These attacks are very similar to the Mumbia, India and Beslan attacks that can also be referred to as a combination/complex attacks.

These atatcks involve well-armed, commando-style teams of jihadists planning to seize Western hostages and murder them, in a manner similar to the siege of two Indian hotels in Mumbai two years ago in which 10 gunmen killed 166 people and injured more than 300.

One excellent resource on these type of threats in the book "Terror at Beslan" by John Gidduck. The book is available at http://www.terroratbeslan.com/ and is a great source of information on the incident and is only book on the Beslan School attack that provides insights into the Russian government in their planning and ultimate rescue operation. "Terror at Beslan" is applicable to law enforcement, intelligence officials, emergency management and even school system planners.

Keep the communications channels open between law enforcement and emergency management! Thanks again and be safe!

University of Texas Shooting/Incident

University of Texas Shooting/Incident

As the situation is still developing and unfolding I am hesitant to make any informed comments on the specific response.

As of 1400 today (Tuesday) officials with the University of Texas say an unidentified man fired several shots inside the Perry Castaneda Library on the UT campus Tuesday morning. That is on the corner of 21st and Speedway. Reports indicate the man shot himself on the sixth floor of that building. No other injuries have been reported which is a blessing as they are reporting that the primary weapon may have been an AK-47.

Today's incident should be a reminder to all responders and emergency management that active shooters/workplace violence/targeted attacks continues to be a current and emerging threat. Again I have attached some links for NO-COST resources to help planners, responders and crisis management teams prepare for these incidents.

Preparation for and Response to Mass Shooting (Video and PPT)
www.fireengineering.com/index/training/ffsupport.html

International Tactical Rescue and Medicine Society (ITRAMS)
http://www.itrams1.com/

Workplace Violence/Active Shooter Brochure From Safeguard Iowa Partnership for private industry/business.
www.safeguardiowa.com/resources/reports/spotlight

Active Shooter: Tri-fold Brochure for Response
http://www.military-writers.com/active_shooter_aetc_response.html

Targeted Violence Affecting Institutions of Higher Education
http://www.secretservice.gov/ntac.shtml

Thanks again and be safe!

Terror Threat "Most Significant Since 9/11"

Terror Threat "Most Significant Since 9/11"

Interesting to see that we continue to get numerous warnings from federal and intelligence officials on this current and emerging threat. Several assessments continue show that the threat may be a primarily "limited scale" attacks where the terrorists can utilize limited resources and funding such as mass shootings (Fort Hood), bombings (IED/HME/VBIED), complex attacks (Belsan and Mumbia), etc. Planning and response issue that emergency management agencies need to keep as a focus with multi-agency planning and exercises.

Two new and comprehensive news reports reference this topic:

"Significant Developments in Terror Threats Since 9/11, Officials Say"
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/homegrown-terror-threat-significant-officails/story?id=11699198

"Risk of small-scale attacks by al-Qaeda and its allies is rising, officials say"
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/22/AR2010092203807_pf.html


Thanks again and be safe!


August Vernon
www.redhatpub.com/page1/page3/page3.html

Assessing the Terrorist Threat

Assessing the Terrorist Threat

This is an excellent report just released that addresses the current and growing threat of the "homegrown" terrorists/Jihadis. Discusses recent incidents such as the "Christmas Day" bomber and the "Times Square" bomber. Also discusses the on going situations in Pakistan, Somalia and other high risk locations.

http://bipartisanpolicy.org/library/report/assessing-terrorist-threat

This report by members of the BPC's National Security Preparedness Group details how the terrorist threat has evolved since the attacks in 2001, including the development of homegrown networks and the increasingly diverse and decentralized nature of terrorism.

http://bipartisanpolicy.org/library/report/assessing-terrorist-threat

Lone Wolfs/Extremists/Hate Groups

Lone Wolfs/Extremists/Hate Groups

After continuing discussion in the media about the recent "lone wolf" attacks I wanted to put some additional comments on paper. It is important to remember that crisis situations such as terrorist threats, criminal attacks and other critical situations appear to be occurring with alarming frequency. No two mass violence incidents are the same. It appears that the “bad guys” (criminal elements and terrorists) are more determined, violent and heavily armed than ever before. First response agencies may also find themselves increasingly being exposed to these types of situations.

It must also be recognized that there are serious domestic and international threat groups; criminal elements, cells and single “Lone Wolf” individuals that are willing and able use mass violence against the public and first responders. One important note to remember is that there are active hate groups and extremist groups located in all 50 states. These types of hate and extremist groups can provide a magnet to individuals planning some type of mass violence attack or a foundation for their extremist ideology whether that is personal, religious or political. In most cases the “bad guys” (terrorist and criminals) will select a target or targets that will offer minimal risk of capture or disruption (meaning the security measures can be easily overcome).

These mass violence incidents can be quite sophisticated in the degree of planning and execution that goes into them. Many of these mass violence suspects have trained, prepared, armed themselves and have a detailed plan in place. However, generally speaking, they can be carried out by an individual or individuals with minimal planning, few resources and limited training. They will most often utilize readily-available weapons such as pistols, shotguns, rifles, knives or homemade explosives (HME).

The attackers in mass violence incidents may act out of a sense of anger or revenge because of some perceived persecutions or slights, or they may have some other individualized motivation such as a desire for notoriety, political belief system or religious based concepts. Unfortunately, the likelihood that emergency responders will someday again be called upon to respond to a mass violence criminal or terrorist incident is higher than ever before.