Whether it's at work, home or at a busy event; there are suspicious actions that homeland security wants people to watch for to help catch a terrorist. New videos portray eight signs of terrorism that could be playing out right under your nose.
"These videos answer ‘what are the behaviors of terrorists and those staking out a place?’" says Brian Quinn, Chief of Operations at Homeland Security. He says the public can sometimes see things happening, but don't make the call to authorities.
"If you look at media from past events, the media is always looking for that witness. We want to talk to that witness earlier in the process before something happens."
That witness might be you, seeing something that just seems out of the norm.
"Well, for example, the mom in Dublin is at the store and someone buys large quantities of combustible materials; maybe that person has a cleaning company -- or maybe they don't," Quinn says.
Another sign could be someone taking pictures of unusual things or asking uncommon questions. "People will ask questions such as, ‘how many security guards are working? Where is the access to the roofs?’ Those are odd questions," Quinn adds.
Spotting suspicious activity can happen at any sporting event. For example, if you see a fan that's not really paying attention to the game and looking at security or security cameras instead, you can take a picture of that person and submit it anonymously on the Safer Ohio App.
Quinn also knows after 30 years in law enforcement, one tip could be the tipping point in a larger investigation. Terrorists could be living and working anywhere, which is why these videos show just how terrorists infiltrate our lives, how to spot them and make the call.
He says by watching the videos, the public can learn and get the confidence they need to report suspicious activity.
- Eliciting information
- Testing security
- Recruiting and financing
- Photography
- Surveillance
- Materials acquisition
- Acquis ion of expertise
- Weapons collection