FROM THE FBI:
For your information, the Internet Tip Line (ITL)
was created on 9/11/01, in response to the
terrorist attacks upon America. We quickly
established a mechanism for the public to submit
information to the FBI via the Internet, and we
received our first tip at 10:31 AM that first day.
Director Mueller has since made the ITL a
permanent part of FBI operations, and we have thus
far received over 900,000 tips from around the
globe, from which thousands of leads have been
sent to FBI Field and Legal Attaché Offices for
action.
Initially, almost 100% of the tips received were
related to the terrorist attacks; now,
approximately 45% of all tips received are related
to almost every other FBI criminal program, e.g.,
drug trafficking, organized crime, money
laundering, pyramid schemes, child pornography,
fugitives, bank robbery.
Our operation is completely automated and
paperless. Submitted tips are received
immediately, reviewed within minutes and
prioritized by trained Professional Support
personnel, and Agents set action leads within the
hour, as appropriate.
We encourage you to share this information with
your family, friends, and co-workers, and
encourage them to not hesitate to submit
information they may deem of interest to the FBI.
IMPORTANT - NOTE THE FOLLOWING:
The FBI does not maintain an email address to
submit information or attachments to directly;
therefore, please do not reply directly to this
message via your email client. The FBI maintains
an automated system that is designed to track all
information received, to ensure that all tips are
addressed in a timely and efficient manner.
Therefore, please visit the FBI.GOV Web site again
should you have occasion to submit additional
information. We WILL NOT open or respond to
"reply" email.
Terror alerts and you
5 Tips: Dealing with terror alerts
What does it mean for investors and the nation's financial markets? Here are today's five tips.
1. Don't panic.
While the explosion of a car or truck bomb at one of the nation's financial institutions would be a tragedy, it would not stop the nation's financial markets.
After 9/11, these institutions developed backup systems that would take over in the event of a terrorist attack allowing customers to cash checks and take out money from ATMs. The New York Stock Exchange has said that it can continue to oversee stock trading even if its famous trading floor was out of commission because of a contingency trading floor and backup computer systems.
Communications systems between banks and federal regulators were also upgraded. And practice drills testing the backup systems in the event of a terrorist attack have been conducted.
In addition, the financial industry is less concentrated today than it was three years ago. After the World Trade Center disaster, many of the nation's leading brokerages and banks moved offices from Manhattan's southern tip to other parts of the city and even other states.
The result is that a single attack in the city's traditional financial district would impact fewer institutions and customers.
2. Resist the urge to sell.
When the markets finally opened after the September 11th attacks, the Dow, Nasdaq and S&P 500 fell sharply. The Dow plunged 685 points, the Nasdaq dropped 116 points, and the S&P 500 sank 54 points. Anxiety about a similar situation might lead some investors to consider unloading their investments.
It's natural to worry about the effect an attack could have on an individual's retirement or education savings. But any strategy you make out of fear -- whether putting all your money in gold coins or stashing it in your mattress -- is a fool's game.
Many analysts predicted a sell-off in today's trading. Instead, the markets have shown remarkable resilience. Let's face it, no one knows whether an attack will occur. You could easily do more damage to your portfolio unloading your stocks and bonds without thought to what price you're being forced to sell at.
Likewise, it doesn't make much sense to try to play today's fear by buying the stocks of defense or security companies. You're better off making investments you're comfortable with for the long haul, rather than trying to score a quick gain playing market fears.
3. Hold steady.
Instead of panicking, your best bet is to make sure all your financial ducks are in a row. Make sure that you have bank and 401(k) statements available and handy.
If you bank or trade stocks online, print out an update of your account holdings. Not only does this provide you a record of your holdings, but it also refreshes your memory about what accounts you have and exactly what they hold.
4. Maintain good habits.
Remember, that the 9/11 disaster resulted in the suspension of trading for four days. For that reason, don't make a major change to your portfolio now, unless it's essential.
You're better off scheduling periodic checks on your asset allocation to make sure that you're investing wisely.
5. Control what you can.
While it's true there's little you can do about the terrorist threats, do what you can to secure the safety of you and your family.
If you live in one of the cities where the terror threat is now at the highest level, make sure to have a disaster plan at hand. Decide ahead of time where you and your family would meet if a problem occurred. Make sure you have food and water handy at your office, and at home. Having land line phone numbers is essential. The 9/11 disaster interrupted cell phone service.
If you don't live in one of the cities targeted, control the risks you can. Check your home and life insurance to make sure you have adequate coverage. Create your own backup communication systems with friends and family.
OK. Found the thread.
I'm responding to this post because of the FBI's Internet Tip Line.
I won't stay long as in a few minutes I'll be going food shopping at my local A&P. What this has got to do with the ITL, you ask? Well, a lot or maybe nothing. It's a long story that begun the summer of 2001 - a mere 2 months prior to 9-11. I'll try to be as brief as I possibly can. Here it goes...
In the summer of 2001 I met at the local A&P a Moroccan, whom I spoke to on many occassions. Basically all this guy spoke of was of Islam taking over America, the burning of American churchs, Islamic Chechen/Russian heros (terrorists?), the Palestinian/Israeli issue, etc. It was very clear to me at that time that this guy was/is an anti-American anti-Christian. I have no doubt in my mind that this guy is anti-American, none. What I'm not sure of is whether he's involved with Islamists. I have no proof of that. Remember this happened 2-3 months before 9-11.
A month or two after 9-11 this guy no longer worked at the A&P.
A couple of months ago he returned to work at the same job, I asked him where he had been. He told me he had been on disability. Now when I try to engage him to talk about the same issues we talked about 2 1/2 years ago, including 9-11, the Iraq war and terrorism in general he goes mum and gets upsets.
I'm making this whole encounter as brief as possible for lack of time. Two other pieces of info: 1)told me he's sending his son to Bari (Italy) as, in his words, "It's dangerous for him to be here in America." This man is in his late 40's. I've never asked him about his son's age. 2)He now wears a wrist camera. He showed it to me and saw myself in the tiny screen. Why is he wearing a wrist camera?
Lately (last 2-3 day trips to the store) I haven't seen him. I'll log off now and go to the store, but at this time he won't be there as he has a day shift.
If I meet him again, I'll try to engage him to talk and will report here.
In the meantime, I'm not sure whether to report him or not. I did call the police already in late 2001 for an abandoned knapsack with a note attached to it in the lobby of my building. The police came and thanked me. They said I did the right thing. The building super told me the knapsack contained baby's clothing. The note was addressed to a person not living in the building. The super did not know the person on the note, neither did I. It was only after asking the super about the knapsack and whether she knew the name of the person on it that prompted me to call the police.
My dilemma now whether I should inform the FBI, or wait, speak to the guy a few more times - if I ever see him again- and decide wether the info I gather, if any, is worthy of a call.
See you all later tonight and thanks for all the info.