Recognizing and Reporting Suspicious Activity

Today is the 25-year anniversary of the hijacking of TWA Flight 847 which planned to fly from Athens to Rome.  This flight contained 161 people and resulted in the murder of United States Navy Diver, Robert Stethem. 

While we hear daily of bombings in the Middle East, sometimes we forget that acts of terrorism could just as easily occur here.  According to the Global Terrorism Database, there have already been 247 recorded acts of terrorism which have occurred on just this date in history. 

With this in mind, it is important that we ensure that our community is constantly attentive to suspicious activity.  The following video, from the Department of Homeland Security, nicely illustrates the types of behaviors that are important to watch out for. 

If you encounter suspicious activities, you can report them online to the Washington State Fusion Center at  http://nwwarn.org/alertSignup-Fusion.aspx 

The types of behaviors that we should all be on the lookout for include:

• Eliciting Information
• Intrusion or Attempted Intrusion
• False Identification
• Photography of sensitive locations
• Observation
• Theft
• Sabotage / Vandalism
• Cyber Attack
• Expressed Threat
• Flyovers of close proximity
• Weapons Discovery
• Other Behaviors that pose a security risk

Remember, if you see something suspicious, you can report directly to the Washington State Fusion Center in the following ways:

1. Call 1-877-843-9522
2. Email intake@wsfc.wa.gov
3. Fill out the online form at  http://nwwarn.org/alertSignup-Fusion.aspx

Remember, ordinary people can stop extraordinary events like terrorism.