Security Briefs - Aug. 7 - Aug. 13
The Latest Headlines:
- Report Criticizes Terror Alert System
- FBI Arrests Man in Missile Sale Plot
- Checks on Hazmat Drivers Could Lead to Higher Prices
- Landstar Receives C-TPAT Approval
- FBI Arrests Man in Missile Sale Plot
Report Criticizes Terror Alert System
A report by the Congressional Research Service said that the Homeland Security Advisory System should include issuing specific warnings to targeted regions or facilities and recommending certain protective measures for states and cities, the Washington Post reported Wednesday.The five-color terrorism index, which debuted in March 2002, is so vague about the nature of the threats that the public may begin to question its value, the report said.
In addition, the message takes so long to get out, local officials often first learn of changes from television, hours before an official notice is released.
FBI Arrests Man in Missile Sale Plot
The FBI arrested a British national in New Jersey and two others on Tuesday in what officials described as an international sting operation involving a plot to smuggle and sell a Russian-made shoulder-fired missile to terrorists, the Associated Press reported.The man, a British national of Indian descent, sold the missile to a FBI agent posing as an al-Qaida terrorist, the authorities said. The deal called for the seller to provide a weapon capable of bringing down a commercial airliner, the officials said.
The weapon was identified by the Associated Press as a sophisticated SA-18 Igla missile.
Little information was available about the two others arrested, AP said.
The Homeland Security Department has asked high-tech companies to look into developing anti-missile technology for commercial planes. Transport Topics
Checks on Hazmat Drivers Could Lead to Higher Prices
New federal regulations could cut down on the number of truckers allowed to haul hazardous materials, the Associated Press reported Monday.Rules coming out of the USA Patriot Act, a response to the 2001 terrorist attacks, likely would require federal background checks and fingerprinting for all truck drivers who want hazardous materials licenses.
Many people in the trucking industry believe that the hazardous materials driver workforce would shrink and the cost of services could go up significantly, AP said.
The Transportation Safety Administration has a Nov. 3 effective date, but has not issued final rules, AP said. Transport Topics
Landstar Receives C-TPAT Approval
Transportation firm Landstar System Inc. said Monday that its operating companies had been approved for the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism.By joining C-TPAT, the company said it would face fewer inspections at the U.S.-Canada border and less risk of theft.
Landstar said it was approved after it developed security procedures and submitted a security profile to U.S. Customs.
The company is ranked No. 15 on the 2003 Transport Topics 100 list of the largest U.S. and Canadian trucking companies. Transport Topics
