UNCLASSIFIED - OPEN SOURCE INFORMATION

WASHINGTON REGIONAL THREAT AND ANALYSIS CENTER wrtac@dc.gov

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May 28, 2010 2010-198

The WRTAC Open Source Brief is archived in the Homeland Security Digital Library and on the InfraGard member website.

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� Scope: Provide the private sector, our partner agencies, and local jurisdictions with current open source information relating to terrorism, homeland security, critical incident response and public safety. Re-distribution is encouraged.

Terror Attacks Against U.S. At All-Time High The pace and number of attempted terror attacks against the U.S. over the past nine months has surpassed the number of attempts during any previous one-year period, according to a DHS report. The report notes that "operatives are in the country and could advance plotting with little or no warning." The report notes that al’Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and the Pakistani Taliban have "expanded their focus" to include the U.S.. "Recent attempted attacks and plots in the U.S. progressed to an advanced stage largely because of these groups' ability to use operatives that have access and familiarity with the U.S. and their employment of new and varied attack plans. Public statements highlighting group leaders' intent to strike … and probable terrorist perception of success in challenging the U.S. even

through failed attacks, suggests al Qaeda and associated groups will try to conduct operations in the U.S. with increased frequency. http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/terror-attacks-us-time-high/story?id=10748953 WRATAC ANALYST NOTE: WRTAC is asking all private and government sector SAR partners to increase their vigilance and report all suspicious activities and behaviors, no matter how insignificant it may seem at the time. In the District, SARs that pose an immediate threat to life or property should be immediately reported to police via 9-1-1. SARs that do not pose an immediate threat should be reported using the attached SAR email form to SAR@dc.gov or by calling 1-877-YOU-WATCH (1-877-968-9282). Metropolitan Police Department Harbor Branch’s “Just Chill and Wear It” Campaign In an effort to encourage boating safety, the DC Harbor Patrol will conduct the “Just Chill and Wear It” Campaign on the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers beginning Saturday, May 29, 2010, and running through Monday, May 31, 2010. All children aboard vessels that are stopped for a boating safety inspection where they are observed wearing their life jackets will be given an Operation Chill coupon for a free 7-11 Slurpee, as well as other free boating safety materials such as T-shirts, buttons, pens and whistles. This effort is part of a summer safe boating campaign to raise awareness and encourage safe boating practices. For more information Contact Lieutenant Paul Niepling or Sergeant Jeffrey Blevins from Metropolitan police department Special Operations Division-Harbor Patrol Phone: 202-727-4582. http://www.wusa9.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=101814&catid=187

Washington Regional Threat and Analysis Center

Submit a Tip

WRTAC OPEN SOURCE BRIEF

1-877-YOU-WATCH

1-888-919-CRIME

Text Tip: 50411

wrtac@dc.gov or SAR@dc.gov

In an Emergency Call 9-1-1

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NTSB Develops Helicopter-Accident Course (Resource) The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will host a five-day course in August focusing on rotorcraft accident investigation. The class — set for Aug. 16 to 20 at the NTSB Training Center in Ashburn, Va. — is designed to give investigators from regulatory agencies, private industry and other organizations the tools, methods and skills to conduct helicopter-related accident inquiries. The course will also examine case studies, including in-flight fires and break-ups, midair collisions and weather-related incidents. http://www.aviationtoday.com/rw/topstories/NTSB-Develops-Helicopter-Accident-Course_68532.html

District Memorial Day Events Rolling Thunder Several roads will be closed on Sunday May 30, 2010 to accommodate the “Rolling Thunder” event. At about 11:30 am, the following roads will be closed. They are expected to be reopened at about 3:30 pm. • Memorial Bridge and Memorial Avenue from Route 110 to Arlington Memorial Circle • Ohio Drive from Independence Avenue to Virginia Avenue • Ohio Drive, riverside, from Inlet Bridge to Independence Avenue  • Independence Avenue from 1st Street SW to 23rd Street SW • Constitution Avenue from Pennsylvania Avenue NW to 23rd Street NW • 3rd, 4th, 7th, 12th, 14th, 15th 17th, and 23rd Streets between Independence Avenue and Constitution

Avenue and one block north of Constitution Avenue and one block south of Independence Avenue at those streets

• Henry Bacon Drive and Daniel French Drive There will be United States Park Police Officers in all of these areas to assist motorists and pedestrians. Visitors to areas affected by these closures, such as the National Mall and the Monuments and Memorials will find public transportation to be the best method to arrive. These visitors should allow some extra time for their trip.

United House of Prayer Memorial Parade Saturday, May 29, 2010 from 1000 hours (assembly time), 1200 hours (starting time), to 1500 hours: The parade will form at 6th Street and M Street and will proceed over the following route: North on 6th Street to S Street, West on S Street to 13th Street, South on 13th Street to Logan Circle, Southeast around Logan Circle to P Street, East on P Street to 7th Street, South on 7th Street to M Street, East on M Street to 6th Street where they will disband. Russia on Alert after Bomb Blast Kills Seven (Terrorism TTP) A bomb blast killed seven people and wounded dozens in the southern city of Stavropol minutes before a Chechen dance concert. A bomb packed with steel pellets hidden in a juice carton went off near a cultural centre on Wednesday evening as locals were gathering for the performance of a renowned Chechen folk group. So far no group has claimed responsibility. Investigators are considering several theories, including terrorism and attempts to stir up ethnic hatred in the predominantly Russian city. In March, Russia was shaken to the core when two female suicide bombers, both from the North Caucasus region of Dagestan, killed 40 people in a pair of coordinated attacks on the Moscow metro. http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100527/wl_afp/russiaunrestblast_20100527121625

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Feds Issue Terror Watch for the Texas/Mexico Border (Homeland Security) DHS is alerting Texas authorities to be on the lookout for a suspected member of the Somalia-based al-Shabaab terrorist group who might be attempting to travel to the U.S. through Mexico. Warning follows an indictment unsealed this month in Texas federal court that accuses a Somali man in Texas of running a “large-scale smuggling enterprise” responsible for bringing hundreds of Somalis from Brazil through South America and eventually across the Mexican border. Many of the illegal immigrants, who court records say were given fake IDs, are alleged to have ties to other now-defunct Somalian terror organizations that have merged with active organizations like al-Shabaab, al-Barakat and al-Ittihad al-Islami. In 2008, the U.S. government designated al-Shabaab a terrorist organization. Al-Shabaab has said its priority is to impose Sharia, or Islamic law, on Somalia; the group has aligned itself with al-Qaeda and has made statements about its intent to harm the United States. The recruiters coming through the Mexican border are the ones who could be the most dangerous. The DHS alert was issued to police and sheriff’s deputies in Houston, asking them to keep their eyes open for a Somali man named Mohamed Ali who is believed to be in Mexico preparing to make the illegal crossing into Texas. Officials believe Ali has ties to al-Shabaab, a Somali terrorist organization aligned with al-Qaeda. http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/05/26/terror-alert-mexican-border/ Restaurants: Defense Kits to Combat Food-Related Bioterrorism (Public Health Initiative) Multnomah County in Oregon proposed the project, got the grant and wrote the guidelines. Now it is passing out binders in hopes of preventing a food-related bioterrorism attack. The county’s Food Defense Toolkit is being distributed to restaurants in hopes of protecting them from food poisoning sprees like the one in The Dalles in 1984. The county — and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) — hopes its new guidelines will prevent similar attacks. The FDA has guidelines to prevent a bioterrorism attack in food processing facilities, but nothing was being done in restaurants. So in 2008, the county applied for a grant. The agency liked the idea, forked over $40,000, and the county got to work. Food safety experts, restaurant managers and county inspectors worked on the project for more than a year. Ideas they came up with, include: a risk-assessment checklist, a list of steps restaurants can take to establish controls, suggested rules aimed at preventing an attack, an employee-training guide and videos, and posters. The kit is being rolled out to the county’s nearly 3,000 restaurants during biannual inspections. So far, about 1,500 have been distributed, the county health educator said. Compliance is voluntary. The kit is also available to other restaurants across the country on the county’s website, http://mchealthinspect.org, or by calling 503-988-3400. http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2010/05/county_restaurants_getting_def.html

WASHINGTON REGIONAL THREAT AND ANALYSIS CENTER wrtac@dc.gov

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UNCLASSIFIED - OPEN SOURCE INFORMATION

WASHINGTON REGIONAL THREAT AND ANALYSIS CENTER wrtac@dc.gov

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MD Sewage Spill Poses Threat to Area Waterways (Public Health) Hundreds of thousands of gallons of sewage are contaminating a popular area waterway. It is so bad boaters, swimmers and, fishermen are being warned to stay away. A power outage is what caused the sewage spill. About 100,000 gallons of sewage spilled into Cypress Creek in Severna Park. The incident started around 10 p.m. Monday, after a power failure at the pumping station on McKenzie Road. The waste flowed until 2 a.m. Tuesday, a total of four hours. The county has posted signs to make sure residents are warned. Cypress Creek is closed to swimming, and Cape McKinney, Cape Arthur, and Manhattan Beaches are all closed as well. Cypress Creek feeds into the Magothy River and the Magothy flows into the Chesapeake Bay. It may be early to try and determine what type of environmental impact the sewage spill will have, but those who advocate for protecting the waterways said they are certain there will be some kind of impact. It is unclear why a backup generator did not kick in at the pumping station. It is not clear when Cypress Creek will be safe for swimming again. http://wjz.com/local/sewage.spill.Cypress.2.1715202.html Russian Mafia Funds Recovered in eBay Scam (Criminal TTP) Montgomery County (Texas) Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) detectives and the district attorney’s office recovered $11,200 in an eBay scam from a bank account suspected of belonging to the Russian Mafia, officials said. The complainant in the case had ordered a tractor on eBay in February, with March 5 as the expected delivery date, according to a MCSO press release. When the equipment never arrived, the complainant contacted eBay, who informed the complainant that the transaction was fraudulent. A MCSO detective learned the transaction was part of a much larger multimillion dollar scam, with the proceeds of the transaction linked to an account that had recently been seized in a criminal investigation involving the Russian Mafia, the release stated. All documentation regarding the account was linked to stolen passports, the release stated, making it next to impossible to locate the thieves. http://www.hcnonline.com/articles/2010/05/25/conroe_courier/news/ebay052610.txt Hackers Target Small Businesses (Cyber Security/TTP) The Better Business Bureau of Minnesota and North Dakota, and the Minnesota Cyber Crime Task Force are urging all small businesses with outdated or lacking online security software to be aware of foreign hackers stealing credit card information and then selling it on the Web. Businesses targeted by these cyber intrusions could be liable for any losses involving stolen credit card data, which could potentially bankrupt smaller enterprises. All small businesses that process, store or transmit credit card information are advised to bring up to date their security software and become PCI compliant immediately. The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard is a set of requirements designed to ensure that all companies that deal with credit card information maintain a secure environment. Although the PCI is not law, it was created by major credit card brands that can, at their discretion, fine merchants that do not comply with the standards in case of a data breach. http://www.thenewnewinternet.com/2010/05/26/hackers-target-small-businesses/ WRTAC Analyst Note: The threat is not limited to particular small businesses. For insurance and safety, any outdated security software should be updated to the most current versions.

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Gas Stations Protect Customers from ‘Skimming’ (Criminal TTP) Criminals have found an easy way to make money — breaking into gas pumps and installing tiny card-skimming machines that can read credit cards. It has become such a worldwide problem, that as of this summer, credit card companies are requiring all gas station owners to purchase and install new technology to curtail the crime. “The penalties are stiff,” said a West Palm Beach, Florida Exxon owner. “If we do not upgrade, we will not get to take credit cards and that’s 90 percent of our business.” The cost is roughly $4,000 per pump. Add that to requirements for station generators and hurricane-proof pumps, and the Exxon owner fears the few little guys in the gas station business may be driven out of business. All stations are required to have the new technology by June 30. There is one exception, because of an equipment shortage, Exxon and Mobil stores have been given an extension until December. http://www.wptv.com/content/news/centralpbc/westpalmbeach/story/Gas-stations-protect-customers-from-skimming/4pMYf6EWvEuMkPrXD_F0nw.cspx

Resources

WASHINGTON REGIONAL THREAT AND ANALYSIS CENTER wrtac@dc.gov

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About WRTAC: The Washington Regional Threat & Analysis Center is the District of Columbia’s fusion center. The WRTAC was for formed in 2007 in order to facilitate prevention, response, and mitigation to criminal and terrorist activities, as well as man-made and/or natural disasters by collecting, analyzing, and disseminating diverse intelligence information and intelligence products.

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WRTAC supports multidisciplinary, proactive, risk-based, and community-focused problem solving. WRTAC provides a continuous flow of information and intelligence to officials to assist in developing a depiction of evolving threats and mitigation strategies.

The WRTAC Open Source Brief is produced by the Washington Regional Threat and Analysis Center. For a free email subscription, email Kelly.wilson@dc.gov To contact the WRTAC, email wrtac@dc.gov Telephone: 202-481-3007, Fax: 202-563-2768.