Red Dirt Overkill????

Dispite the fact that I have lived through the Oklahoma City Bombing and it effects, I still feel uneasy with Homeland Security's push to make everybody their eyes and ears. Is this crossing the line? Will this do more harm that good?

It kinda reminds me of the Cold War paranoia I lived through in the 50's and 60's.

Dig that sky in the background. Ominous! Dig those attitudes!

Neighborhood Terrorist Watch?

Here is the stuff you need to do straight off the Web site.

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 and Common Sense.
To assist in recognizing and reporting suspicious activity, consider the following guidelines to help make an informed decision.

1. 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

2. Staying alert is NOT about becoming paranoid. Staying alert is being aware of one’s surroundings. Be alert to indications of possible trouble. They may include:
A local activity that could indicate problems in your community. (One of the clues that led to the recent break-up of a terrorist plot was that several of the cell members were spotted celebrating in an apartment complex on the anniversary of 911.)
Previous activity or crimes.
Controversial issues being debated.
Suspicious thefts.

It is impossible to identify a terrorist by:
Appearance
Nationality
Language
Age
Sex

You can ONLY identify a terrorist threat by observing or hearing about suspicious activity that may lead to a criminal act.Information provided in part by NationalTerrorAlert.com.

1. If you see suspicious behavior, do not confront the individuals involved.

2. SALUTE: Take note of the 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.)

If you perceive an immediate threat to yourself or to public safety, please dial 911 immediately.
To report suspicious activity, please contact your local police department or FBI....

Here are a few examples to consider when trying to identify suspicious activity:

1. Unusual Interest in High Risk or Symbolic Targets
Maybe you are at a high profile location or perhaps 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 locations of the surveillance cameras, entrance crash barriers and access control procedures. Is that normal for a tourist? No.
The following should cause a heightened sense of suspicion:
Suspicious or unusual interest
Surveillance (suspicious in nature)
Inappropriate photographs or videos
Note-taking
Drawing of diagrams
Annotating maps
Using binoculars or night vision devices
Unusual or suspicious activity does not necessarily mean that terrorist activity is happening, but be aware of the following suspicious behaviors:
Individuals acting furtively and suspiciously
Individuals avoiding eye contact
Individuals departing quickly when seen or approached
Individuals in places they don’t belong
A strong odor coming from a building or vehicle
An overloaded vehicle
Fluid leaking from a vehicle, other than the engine or gas tank
Over dressed for the type of weather

2. Fraudulent Identification
Many of the 9/11 terrorists were in the country illegally and using fraudulent IDs. Altering or using false government identification in any way and for any purpose is against the law.
Fraudulent ID’s include:
Driver’s license
Social security card
Passport
Birth certificate
INS identification
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 to do the investigating.

3. Regular Gatherings
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
Try not to be noticed
Act in a suspicious manner
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.
Some signs that may raise your suspicions:
They only let you into the apartment or house with plenty of prior notice
They change the locks often
They keep certain rooms off limits
They cover tables and other pieces of furniture
They never allow maid service in a hotel room
They only take hotel room service outside the door
They only accept deliveries at the hotel’s front desk or outside a closed door
Deliveries are a common method for terrorists to carry out their attacks. Be aware of:
A vehicle with hazardous material parked or driving in an inappropriate area
Unusual deliveries of chemicals or fertilizer
Unattended bags or boxes in a public access place
Fire extinguishers that may have been moved or tampered with
Unusual or unexpected mail

4. Unusual Purchases or Thefts
Terrorists need supplies to carry out their attacks and accomplish their goals.
Pay attention to purchases, rentals or thefts of:
Police, security, public utility, mail carrier, or airline uniforms and equipment
Explosives
Weapons
Ammunition
Propane bottles
Toxic chemicals
Vehicles able to contain or haul hazardous materials

5. 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 school, or a shopping center.
Suspicious letter or package that arrives in your mailbox. (Stay away from the letter or package and don’t shake, bump or sniff it; wash hands thoroughly with soap and water.)
Someone suspiciously exiting a secured, non-public area near a train or bus depot, airport, tunnel, bridge, government building, or tourist attraction.
Any type of activity or circumstance that seems frightening, strange, unusual or out-of-place within the normal routines of your neighborhood, community, and workplace.
Someone unfamiliar loitering in a parking lot, government building, or around a school or playground.
Anyone asking a lot of questions—especially concerning routes or loads or drop-off times.
Recruiters should be alert for unusual employment applications. Don’t assume it couldn’t be an inside job.
A truck driver returning to his or her vehicle from a restaurant or truck stop should make sure no one is loitering around the truck. Watch out for walk-arounds.

Information provided in part by NationalTerrorAlert.com.
Office of Homeland Security Home Oklahoma.gov

Is this being duplicated in other States?

So what do think about this approach?