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Fusion Center Success Stories

February 2010

Fusion Center Support in Terrorism Investigation

In the Najibullah Zazi case, the Colorado Information Analysis Center (CIAC) provided analytical support to the Denver FBI and DHS regarding the suspicious activity reported to the CIAC through the public website and 1-800 number. In this effort, the CIAC provided personnel to assist the Denver FBI in the investigation and support of the field operations. CIAC analysts also assisted in the review of the evidence obtained during the execution of the search and arrest warrants. CIAC leadership addressed media inquiries regarding the investigation and the threat to national security and threat to Colorado residents.

Fusion Center Support Prevents an International Kidnapping

In May 2008, the Central California Intelligence Center (CCIC) in Sacramento played a key role in disrupting the attempted kidnapping of a three-year-old child. The DHS Intelligence Officer (IO) in Sacramento coordinated with the CCIC Director and a Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) task force commander on an Amber Alert for the child, noting the suspect was wanted for rape and murder, and had intentions to leave the country. Coordinating with DHS National Operations Center, local law enforcement, and Interpol, the DHS IO was able to track the suspect and the kidnapped child to a flight bound for the Netherlands. With only hours to spare, the DHS IO coordinated with authorities to ensure law enforcement authorities in Amsterdam detained the subject. As a result of this effort, the child was found unharmed.

Fusion Center Support in Bomb Threat Case

The same Central California Intelligence Center (CCIC) coordinated with its collocated Joint Terrorism Task Force in a case that resulted in the May 2008 federal grand jury indictment of two men charged with making bomb threats to, respectively, Delta Airlines and the U.S. Embassy in Italy. Intelligence analysts at the CCIC prepared the groundwork that allowed agents on the JTTF to interview the subjects. Both men were charged with one count of making a hoax threat under Section 1038(a) of Title 18. One defendant was also charged with threatening to destroy an aircraft, and the other with making a threat to destroy a building with explosives. . The former pleaded guilty in May 2009 and was sentenced to 36 months probation; the prosecution of the latter defendant was deferred in March 2009 for 18 months while he participates in a program of medical or psychiatric treatment.

Fusion Center Aids in Preventing ‘Virginia Tech Style’ Attack

In January 2008, the Illinois Statewide Terrorism and Intelligence Center (STIC) received information that a Virginia man had claimed to be traveling to the University of Illinois to kill a female subject and her boyfriend and to carry out a “Virginia Tech style” shooting on the University campus. The STIC, in cooperation with the Virginia Fusion Center, produced and disseminated an Intelligence Alert to hundreds of state and local law enforcement officers nationwide within two hours of the initial notification. The Virginia State Police located and detained the suspect the next day. The Federal Bureau of Investigation subsequently adopted the case and the subject pleaded guilty to five counts of transmitting in interstate commerce and communications threatening to injure the person of another. The subject was sentenced to 48 months in prison and will be on three years supervised parole.

Fusion Center Support to the G-20

DHS worked with local, state, federal and private sector partners, including the five surrounding fusion centers, in support of the G-20 Summit held in Pittsburgh Sept. 24-25, 2009. The Department also deployed six analysts from headquarters to provide intelligence support for the three G-20 Pittsburgh Summit Command Centers. The event allowed DHS to leverage open source materials and information received from fusion centers to support federal, state, and local partners in making informed decisions. Participation by partners at all level of government allowed leadership to maintain situational awareness of the event and receive timely, relevant information.

Fusion Center Support to Tribal Partners

The partnership between the Arizona Counter Terrorism Information Center (ACTIC) and the Tohono O'odham Nation marks the first formalized relationship between a Tribal government and a fusion center. DHS sponsored a personnel exchange that allowed a representative of the Tohono O’odham Nation to visit the ACTIC for a week in November 2009 to work side by side with fusion center colleagues, understand ACTIC lessons learned, and share best practices. DHS plans to deploy a Technical Assistance team of subject matter experts to support the Tohono O’odham Nation to develop a Concept of Operations related to tribal participation with fusion centers in coming months. Given the Tohono O’odham Nation’s location along 65 miles of the Southwest border, this is a key information-sharing relationship for both the ACTIC and the Department.

Fusion Center Support to Crime Fighting in Dallas

The Dallas Police Department Fusion Center plays a critical role in crime-fighting in the Dallas area. The Chief of Police refers to the Fusion Center as the “brains” of a department that reported a 10 percent drop in crime in 2007 and nearly a 19 percent decline in the first quarter of 2008. The Fusion Center’s quick analysis and dissemination of information to officers in the field has led to success in stopping a number of criminals including:

· In 2008, the Fusion Center helped coordinate the investigation into a string of more than two dozen vehicle arsons in southern Dallas. With the center’s assistance, investigators identified suspects, tracked their movements and watched them set another fire before arresting them.

· Later in 2008, homicide detectives determined that a Dallas murder suspect might be headed for the Mexican border. The center quickly produced a bulletin with the suspect’s mug shot and dispatched officers to post it at numerous city bus stations. A clerk at one station recognized the photo and told police that the suspect was headed to Laredo. He was arrested in the Austin area.

· Also in 2008, Dallas was combating a rash of ATM thefts where organized and sometimes violent groups were tearing out the machines from convenience stores throughout the region. The Fusion Center coordinated an operation that led to the identification and arrest of the suspects. The center also worked with store owners and ATM and insurance companies to put into place security measures that would make the machines harder to remove.

The Dallas Fusion Center was formed in January 2007 and is now a 24/7 operation with a staff of 35.

Fusion Centers Coordinate Security for 2008 Republican and Democratic National Conventions

Two fusion centers, the Minnesota Joint Analysis Center (MNJAC) and the Colorado Information Analysis Center (CIAC), supported information sharing with state and local entities for the 2008 political conventions. For the Republican National Convention, the MNJAC provided 24/7 support to facilitate information and intelligence sharing to the Principal Federal Official's support cell. For the Democratic National Convention (DNC), the CIAC coordinated state and local input to the Special Events Working Group joint DNC Threat Assessment. It also served as the primary conduit through which to share DNC information with state and local entities.