FBI Issues Scuba Industry Alert Over Requests For Specialized Training, 'Nefarious Activity'

underwatertimes news service ^ | 6/22/07 | FBI

[Rb ver. 2.0]

Washington, D.C. (Jun 22, 2007 16:51 EST) The purpose of this advisory is to provide situational awareness to the scuba industry regarding behavior that may indicate an individual(s) is involved in nefarious activity.

The following threat indicators, taken in isolation, generally reflect legitimate recreational and commercial activities. In combination with other information, they can indicate possible links to criminal behavior. Please note, the below indicators are not an all inclusive list, these indicators represent a baseline that could possibly indicate suspicious behavior.

Training Indicators

Requests for specialty training, including odd inquiries that are inconsistent with recreational diving. These may include:

Requests to dive in murky water or sewer pipes.
Inquires about procedures such as diver towing.

Requests to learn advanced skills associated with combat swimming, including:

Use of re-breathers and diver propulsion vehicles (DPVs).
Deep diving.
Conducting kick counts.
Receiving extra navigation training.

Requests for advanced diver training by applicants from countries where diving is not a common recreational activity. Similarly, training sponsored by groups or agencies such as religious organizations, cults, associations, or charitable agencies not normally associated with diving.

Potentially Suspicious Equipment Purchases or Rentals

Volume purchasing inquires related to Swimmer Delivery Vehicles (SDVs) and Diver Propulsion Vehicles (DPVs). SDVs are very expensive vehicles normally used for specialized military purposes, and usually are not available to recreational divers. Efforts to purchase DPVs, the more commonly available civilian counterpart to SDVs, could be associated with extending the range or payload capacity or a combat swimmer team.

Other Indicators:

Paying cash for diving instruction.
Refusal or reluctance to provide personal information.

Recipients are requested to report suspicious or criminal activity to their local FBI Office.

[Calpernia]

Scuba references:

http://209.157.64.201/focus/f-news/1694213/posts?page=1892#1892

NOTE to lurkers: Generally speaking, the death of a diver is usually not terrorism related (ie peple attacked by sharks, people with health problems); howver, here on the Threat Matrix, we have an interest in scuba divers. See prior threads. FYI.

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http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=scubadiver

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=scubadivers

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=diver

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=divers

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ON THE NET...

http://www.1010wins.com/pages/85658.php?contentType=4&contentId=208510

Posted: Wednesday, 20 September 2006 6:38AM

“Police ID Body Found Off Atlantic Beach”

ATLANTIC BEACH, Long Island —

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “The NYPD says it had a report about a missing diver on September 10.”

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THANKS to freeperfromnj for the ping to the following article news brief.

Note: The following news brief is a quote:

http://www.longislandpress.com/index.php?show=article&cp=216&a_id=9871

Body Found in Ocean

Homicide Squad detectives are investigating the death of a 40-year-old man who was found off the shore of Atlantic Beach on Sept. 18 at 8:10 a.m. Nassau police say that a private fishing boat discovered the body of Paul Labella of Brooklyn, floating in the water about 1.5 miles south of Long Beach in the Atlantic Ocean. Upon arrival, Marine Bureau recovered the body. Labella was wearing a black wet suit and diving gear. He was taken to the Nassau County Medical Examiner’s Office. New York City Police Department’s Missing Person Squad is investigating further.

[Calpernia]

Scuba references:

http://209.157.64.200/focus/f-news/1494800/posts?page=5003#5003

Sevaral of the mysterious scuba-diver incidents were in Hawaii. This
could be what they were searching for... <<<

All three scuba diver reports would fit in with these reports on the weapons dumped in the sea.

The NY area and the Gulf/florida areas are mentioned.

I got lost in survival foods and did not get to google for the WMD’s, wonder if there are other reports?

I tried the John Bull (author ) search, that was how I got
into the survival food.

[driftdiver]

Plenty of people poo poohd securing our borders. And your hints are just annoying.

[1rudeboy]

Plenty of people poo poohd securing our borders.

Didn't come across any on FR, although I'm sure some must exist somewhere. I do know of some that pooh-poohed securing our waterways, because they want to secure the borders first. That's your problem: you think one must necessarily come after another. Keep that in mind when someone detonates one of our LNG terminals. You'll be able to say your attention was focused on a more pressing problem.

[Travis McGee]

I been out of that game a LONG time bruddah.

[Squantos]

Me too........mines collecting lint on the shelf as well....:o)

[Covenantor]

My ex took all my gear long ago. Don’t know what she did with the Rocket fins for my 12 EEE feet though. Course, with the EEE’s didn’t really need the fins most of the time. ;>)

[driftdiver]

“do know of some that pooh-poohed securing our waterways, because they want to secure the borders first. That’s your problem: you think one must necessarily come after another. Keep that in mind when someone detonates one of our LNG terminals. You’ll be able to say your attention was focused on a more pressing problem.”

You obviously don’t read on FR much. This very thread suggested securing our borders equates to building a fence around our entire coast line.

And thank you for your analysis of my problems. When I want your help I’ll ask. If you bothered to read you’ll see I was saying worrying about scuba diver training is a lower priority than stopping terrorists from walking across our borders.

[Alex Murphy]

If they realize there are pig molecules in our feces, no Muzzie diver will go in the water.

I think we can all see where this one is going...

[Nachoman]

Meet our divers, jihadis.

[Tex Pete]

Absolutely. I will be happy to oblige.

[Velveeta]

Scuba again - curious.
Thank you for the ping!