Vol. 72/No. 31      August 4, 2008

California, Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Tennessee, Wisconsin, and Washington, D.C., are also participating in the program, which is promoted and partially financed by the Department of Homeland Security.

Among the “suspicious activities” these officers report: taking photos “with no apparent aesthetic value”; drawing diagrams or taking notes on building plans; abandoning a vehicle in front of a government building, airport, or sports venue; purchasing a large amount of certain materials, such as pool chemicals or cell phones; and engaging in “pre-operational surveillance” such as using binoculars.

The information the snoops gather is turned over to 58 “fusion centers” across the country. The command centers have been promoted by the Department of Homeland Security in close collaboration with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to put local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies under one roof to share “antiterrorism” intelligence.

On January 22, Las Vegas inaugurated its Southern Nevada Counter-Terrorism Center, as part of the program. The 24,000-square-foot office complex near McCarran International Airport already hosts 60 cops from nearly a dozen agencies.

A key component of the spy plan is to involve fire departments and emergency medial services agencies in the operation.

Jack Tomarchio, deputy undersecretary for intelligence and analysis, told Congress April 17 that the Department of Homeland Security is working to “develop relationships” with fusion centers in Australia and Japan to “share best practices.”
 
 
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