Posted on 10/07/2004 10:14:24 AM PDT by crushelits
WASHINGTON - The Education Department has advised school leaders nationwide to watch for people spying on their buildings or buses to help detect any possibility of terrorism like the deadly school siege in Russia.
The warning follows an analysis by the FBI (news - web sites) and the Homeland Security Department of the siege that killed nearly 340 people, many of them students, in the city of Beslan last month.
"The horror of this attack may have created significant anxiety in our own country among parents, students, faculty staff and other community members," Deputy Education Secretary Eugene Hickok said in a letter to schools and education groups.
The safety advice is based on lessons learned from the Russia incident. But there is "no specific information indicating that there is a terrorist threat to any schools or universities in the United States," Hickok said.
Federal law enforcement officials also have encouraged local police to stay in contact with school officials and have encouraged reporting of suspicious activities, the letter says.
In particular, schools were told to watch for activities that may be legitimate on their own — but may suggest a heightened terrorist threat if many of them occur.
Among those activities:
_ Interest in obtaining site plans for schools, bus routes and attendance lists;
_ Prolonged "static surveillance" by people disguised as panhandlers, shoe shiners, newspaper or flower vendors or street sweepers not previously seen in the area;
_ Observations of security drills;
_ People staring at or quickly looking away from employees or vehicles as they enter or leave parking areas;
_ Foot surveillance of campuses involving individuals working together.
The effort is the latest by the Education Department and other federal agencies to encourage school officials to maintain and practice a plan for responding to emergencies.
After the terrorist takeover of the Russian school, President Bush (news - web sites) asked his top advisers to review their strategies for dealing with hostage situations, Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge has said.
The federal government is advising schools to take many steps to improve the security of their buildings. Those include installing locks for all doors and windows, having a single entry point into buildings and ensuring they can reach school bus drivers in an emergency.
The Education Department sent its letter by e-mail Wednesday to school police, state school officers, school boards, groups representing principals and many other organizations.
The Homeland Security Department also sent a bulletin Wednesday to federal, state and local emergency officials to provide fresh guidance based on the review of the school siege in Russia.
>>>The warning follows an analysis by the FBI (news - web sites) and the Homeland Security Department of the siege that killed nearly 340 people, many of them students, in the city of Beslan last month.
To Beslan, to her son's grave
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1224334/posts
A Dead City
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1232826/posts
Latest Follow Up on Beslan Children
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1236066/posts
Yes, disguised as or working as construction workers.
The activities of the terrorists may not appear to be suspicious to a casual observer. And ordinary activities may appear to be suspicious when observed with great scrutiny. Recall the Hitchcock film, "Rear Window."
This alert should serve only as a reminder to those who have been charged with the responsibility of protecting school children. Communication, physical barriers, and observation are each only part of any thoughtful school security plan.
>>>>_ Prolonged "static surveillance" by people disguised as panhandlers, shoe shiners, newspaper or flower vendors or street sweepers not previously seen in the area
How about a Fruit Vendor?
I wanted to make a pun about "being more sensitive", but this is too real.
THANK YOU for the ping AD.
Suppose there were any illegal aliens working on that school construction project?
This alert is definitely giving us something to go on. What did you think about that strange car explosion that happened not too far from the Lincoln Tunnel? I've been checking for updates for a name ID.
Great - I hope there are lots of other soccer moms out there just like her!
FWIW,
There was a construction project going on at the WTC before the 9/11 incident also.
In the thread I just posted on Weehawken, Old Sarge said the guy had no ID.
Reminded of a number of aliens either were working at or wanted to work the Texas firm that was produced MRE food packs for our Armed Forces.
Bump!
Government schools kill the mind, spirit and soon the bodies of American children.
Glad to be homeschooling. I pity parents who don't have the means to get their children out.
:-(
bttt
What explosion by the Lincoln Tunnel? Which side? I will be using the tunnel later today.
Hello,
Thanks, I had forgotten that, and I do believe that it is an aspect to the terrorists' MO that we need to keep an eye on. How to protect against this threat is a question that is "above my pay grade", as it is a difficult problem.
Glad to be here, MOgirl
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