Ahead of the 13th anniversary of 9/11, Montgomery County Emergency Management officials and Montgomery County Police say residents should review the “Seven Signs of Terrorism.”
The county made the announcement in a press release on Wednesday. The release states “there is no specific intelligence to suggest that a threat to the National Capital Region, and specifically Montgomery County, is imminent during this anniversary,” though those who live and work in the county should be on the lookout for suspicious activity.
September is also National Preparedness Month, which the county said is a good time to remind people of the “If you See Something, Say Something,” catchphrase.
The county also released the list of signs of terrorism:
- Surveillance: Someone recording or monitoring activities. This could include the use of cameras (cell phone, still or video), note taking, drawing diagrams, annotating on maps, or using binoculars or other vision-enhancing devices.
- Elicitation/Gathering information : People or organizations attempting to gain information about military operations, capabilities, or people. Elicitation attempts may be made by email, mail, fax, telephone, or in person.
- Tests of security: Any attempts to measure reaction times to security breaches or to penetrate physical security barriers or procedures in order to assess strengths and weaknesses.
- Acquiring supplies: Purchasing or stealing explosives, weapons, ammunition, etc. This also includes acquiring military uniforms, decals, flight manuals, passes or badges (or the equipment to manufacture such items) or any other controlled items. Activity could also include mapping out routes and determining the timing of traffic lights and flow.
- Suspicious people: This includes people who don’t seem to belong in the workplace, neighborhood, business establishment or anywhere else. Factors such as race, ethnicity, national origin, or religious affiliation alone are not suspicious.
- Trial run/Rehearsal: Putting people into position and moving them around according to their plan without actually committing the terrorist act. This is especially true when planning a kidnapping, but it can also pertain to bombings. An element of this activity could also include mapping out routes and determining the times of traffic lights and flow.
- Deploying assets: People and supplies getting into position to commit the act. This is a person’s last chance to alert authorities before a terrorist act occurs.
Police and county government officials reminded people to call 911 for suspicious activity happening at the moment and to share any ongoing situations that seem suspicious to the Maryland Coordination and Analysis Center at 1-800-492-8477.
