Terrorism Awareness

What is Terrorism?
As a U.S. resident, it’s important for you to understand what terrorism is…and what it isn’t.  For an act to be considered terrorism, it must be a crime!

It’s not a crime to:

  •   Say something radical or inflammatory against our country
  •   Have a strong set of beliefs that are outside mainstream ideology.  Americans are guaranteed
      the right of free speech.

The goals of terrorism are usually political, social, or religious in nature. Terrorists truly believe they are working toward a better world. They may want:

  •   To influence policy decisions
  •   Their own homeland or some type of independence
  •   Special privileges
  •   Exemptions from rules
  •  To overthrow an existing government, believing It to be corrupt, nonauthoritarian,  nonrepresentative or immoral     

Crimes Include

  •    Homicides
  •     Threats
  •     Harassment
  •     Vandalism
  •     Arson

Terrorist activities could include:

  •     Vandalism
  •     Graffiti
  •     Threats against organizations or groups of people
  •     Harassment of particular groups of people

High profile crimes include:

  •     Assault, Murder, Assassination, Kidnapping, Hostage Taking, Skyjacking, Bombings, Arson

 

Identifying Terrorists
Overcoming stereotypes! You can NOT identify a terrorist by:

  •     How a person looks
  •     What a person eats
  •     Where a person is from
  •     What a person says

You CAN identify a terrorist threat by observing a suspicious activity that may lead to a criminal act

Unusual requests for information can be a warning sign of terrorist activity:

  •     A telephone request at work asking about the security system
  •     A mail survey asking the respond time and habits of emergency personnel
  •     Fraudulent Identification:

Many 9/11 terrorists were in the country illegally using fraudulent IDs. Altering or using false government identification in any way and for any purpose is against the law. This includes:

  •     Drivers license
  •     Social security card
  •     Passport
  •     Birth identification
  •     INS identification

If you believe someone is using or has altered government identification, The Weymouth Police Department.


Protecting Our Community
We all should continue to be vigilant, take notice of their surroundings, and report suspicious items or activities to local authorities immediately.

We all play a role in protecting our community. Why?

  •     Security, police, and the military can’t be everywhere
  •     Terrorism personally effects every individual
  •     Heightened awareness communicates that we are not easy targets

Staying Alert
How do we recognize the difference between normal and abnormal behavior? By staying alert in our travels and daily routines and getting to know:

  •     Who our neighbors are
  •     What cars are normally in our neighborhood
  •     Who regularly makes deliveries at work
  •     Who the regular maintenance and cleaning people are at work
  •     What is appropriate in our work area so we can identify what isn’t

Pay attention to.

  •     Issues that have been in the media
  •     Local/national/interventional news that may increase the risk for certain groups or facilities
  •     Government released “threat notices” indicating a threat against a type of facility
  •     Massachusetts and U.S. threat advisory systems, which help you determine how alert you should be.

 

Reporting Threats
Please report suspicious activity to the Weymouth Police Department by calling 781-335-1212.
Reports can also be made to the Massachusetts State Police Fusion Center by calling 978-451-3700.

For more information please visit The US Department of Homeloand Security website