FBI searching for two suspicious ferry passengers
1:00 PM PDT on Monday, January 14, 2008
All leads exhausted, suspects remain at-large.
10:29 PM PDT on Monday, August 20, 2007
By CHRIS INGALLS / KING 5 News
The FBI says the two men have been seen on several different runs in recent weeks.
SEATTLE – The FBI is asking for the public's help to identify two men who have been seen acting suspiciously aboard Washington State ferries recently.
The FBI released a bulletin late Monday, including photographs of the two men. One of the photos shows the men side-by-side and the other is a solo shot of one of them. They were snapped by a ferry employee who thought the pair acted suspiciously.
"They had more than the average interest in the working parts of the ferry, the layout of the ferry, the size of it -- more than you would see in normal passenger," said FBI spokesperson Robbie Burroughs.
The FBI says the men were seen on more then one ferry and more than one run over the past several weeks. They were also taking photos of parts of the boat, which the agents won't reveal, but that apparently aroused the suspicions of passengers and crew alike.
FBI
The FBI says the men had an unusual interest in the layout and workings of the
ferries.
"We got several different reports of this, these same gentlemen," said Burroughs. "We've attempted through law enforcement means to identify and locate them and we've been unsuccessful."
So now, the FBI wants to hear from anyone who knows or has seen these men, and it wants passengers to keep an eye peeled.
"It makes me want to look out for these guys," said passenger Anne Marie Leon.
"If I see them, I'll talk to one of the guys on the ferry," said Donna Eldridge.
"That is something to be concerned about because they could be anybody," said William Wise.
Security has been high since a 2004 risk assessment in which the FBI logged scores of suspicious incidents on state ferries and labeled them a top potential maritime target. The FBI says these men are wanted for questioning only, not because they are linked to some plot.
"We have no information about any threat to the ferries or imminent threat. We believe it's safe to ride the ferries," said Burroughs.
The FBI says outside of the pictures, they have no description of the men and they're not guessing as to their nationality.
Anyone who knows the men or their whereabouts are asked to call the FBI at (206) 622-0460
To watch KING 5 video go to:
http://www.king5.com/topstories/stories/NW_082007WAB_suspicious_ferry_passengers_TP.53aaa2a3.html
Passenger Security Training Videos Receive National Awards
In April, the Alliance for Community Media (ACM) selected our program as the Best Instructional / Educational 
Video in
the Northwest Region (six states, and western Canada). Last week we got official notification that one of the videos was
selected as the national winner. The videos will be shown and the award presented at ACM's national conference in Minneapolis,
July 25-28th.
Today, we received a letter from the National Association of Telecommunications Officers (NATOA), informing us that the "Lifejackets" training video has been selected as a US finalist for the Instruction/Training category, and that our "Emergency Evacuation Plan" video is a finalist for the Public Safety category.
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Please join me in saluting Rainier Media and the Washington State Ferries for their wonderful effort. We have received a tremendous positive response from the media, public and officials who have seen the programming. Now our efforts are being spotlighted on the national stage.
The availability of this fine work - as well as the supporting brochures, posters, cable-television programming, and website information - could not come at a better time. Secretary Chertoff announced yesterday that, as a result of the bomb discoveries and attacks in Britain, that DHS is raising the alert level for mass transit. Chertoff said he is particularly concerned with raising threat awareness for travelers. As we are about to go in to the busy 4th of July travel period, we can be proud that we anticipated this crucial need and that the program and supporting media are available for organizations which choose to use them.
Of note, the Department of Homeland Security has informed us that the National Terrorism Preparedness Institute (NTPI) has selected the Emergency Responder Interface with Ferry Systems (ERIFS) course to be the focus of Live Response (a nationwide 60-minute interactive satellite television broadcast) this fall. The Rapid Response Institute, the Washington State Patrol, and the COE for Homeland Security (Pierce College) are working extremely hard to deliver ERIFS.]
Emergency Responder Interface with Ferry Systems
Ferry systems are vulnerable to terrorist attack. An Al Qaeda operative was captured at a Washington State ferry terminal with a trunk of explosives. The organization carried out a successful attack against a Philippine ferry in 2004. Domestic ferries serve more than 134 million American passengers a year. An attack on one of the larger commuter boats could result in a higher number of deaths than an attack on commercial aircraft or trains. Ferries are also at risk of an accident or a natural disaster.
Emergency 
Responder Interface with Ferry Systems (ERIFS) is a half-day course which helps answer the question “What do all first responders need to know to allow them to react quickly andeffectively to a disaster or attack on a ferry system?” It consists of four modules:
- Maritime Terrorism Awareness;
- Ferry Vessels and the Maritime Environment;
- Response and Recovery Considerations;
- Command and Policy Considerations
Ferry operations differ considerably, depending on conditions faced, types of boats, services provided, and other local considerations. ERIFS will be of greatest use if it is combined (perhaps in the afternoon, following presentation of the course) with a discussion and/or table top exercise which helps tailor the information presented and makes it more applicable to the challenges faced in responding to incidents involving your ferry system.
Washington State’s Homeland Security Institute (HSI) has constructed the ERIFS Course using a Department of Homeland Security competitive training grant. The course is currently undergoing federal review and a series of pilots. Train-the-trainer opportunities will be available to interested ferry operators and their surrounding jurisdictions beginning in spring 2007. Instructor and participant guides will be available from the government printing office at that time. HSI is also completing an online version of the course which should be available in the fall of 2007. All of these training opportunities are free, flexible, and approved by the Department of Homeland Security.
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