http://www.state.ny.us/security/

                          Office of Public Security                                               JAMES MCMAHON

OPERATION SAFEGUARD

MARINAS, BOAT RENTALS SALES, STORAGE,

and WATERCRAFT MAINTENANCE

As described in the accompanying letter, Operation SAFEGUARD is based on the idea that certain legitimate businesses and industries may be unknowingly exploited by terrorists who portray themselves as honest customers seeking to purchase, lease or somehow appropriate certain material, licenses and/or services to covertly further a terrorist plot.

The following examples of activity relating to your specific business, though not fully inclusive, may be of possible concern to law enforcement:

•    Moored boats for which the owner or lessee cannot be contacted during an extended period of time.

•    Boats appearing unusually weighted down.

•    Full payment by cash for the purchase of an expensive boat or several small boats, personal watercraft, outboard engines, gasoline tanks.

•    Purchase of a boat for a purported reason not typically compatible with the manufacturer’s boat design (i.e., using a speedboat for fishing expeditions).

•    Purchasing inquiries related to small commercial or fishing vessels by individuals who seem to lack industry knowledge, credentials or trade experience.

•    Dockside activity at unusual times (i.e., possible loading of suspicious materials under the cover of darkness or scuba trips conducted at night).

•    Requests for private charter tours by individuals who display an unusual interest in non-tourist attractions (i.e., coastal oil refineries, the under girding and buttresses of bridges, etc.).

•    Individuals who opt to lease dock space under a short-term or per diem rate and payment by cash, foregoing the considerably less expensive long-term lease selected by most customers, despite leaving a vessel moored for a prolonged period of time.

•    Interest in the precise timing of ferry routes (i.e., observing someone using a stopwatch while studying a passing ferry).

•    Possible surveillance (i.e., use of binoculars) of maritime activity such as the movement of barges.

•    Individual purchases of paint or decals similar to those found on local security or port services vessels by those without authority to do so, or the theft of same.

•    Discovery of painting patterns fashioned to resemble those of local security or port services vessels.

•    Theft or purchasing attempts of harbor security or port services uniforms, access badges, or related equipment.

•    Maintenance requests that involve unusual structural modifications (i.e., removal of seating, important fishing-related equipment, etc.) especially those that seem to reduce the ability of the vessel to perform its normally expected role.

•    Demands to create additional voids or storage areas below decks, to dramatically increase fuel capacity or vessel speed, or to place vertical metal plates (or other possible shrapnel producing materials) below decks or near the bow.

Your impressions and assessment based upon your professional business experience are extremely valuable and should help guide you in determining if a customer request, a fact pattern or set of circumstances is unusual. Please remember that the conduct itself does not have to be criminal per se for you to report it to the NY State Toll-Free Tips line. It may be contacted 24-hours a day, seven days a week by calling:

1-866-SAFE-NYS.