EVERETT – The man renting the apartment down the hall doesn’t have a job but has plenty of money.
He’s gone often, and seems to enjoy videotaping odd things, such as security at Naval Station Everett.
Time to call the police?
Perhaps, say naval criminal investigators, who spoke to a group of apartment managers and owners on Wednesday.
“It’s important not to get focused on the stereotype that a terrorist is a young, Middle Eastern male,” said Michael DeFamio, a special agent with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. “Suspicious behavior is what you should watch for.”
Most terrorists conduct surveillance of their potential targets before an attack, DeFamio told 30 members of the Everett Area Apartment Manager’s Association Council.
“That’s the best chance to catch them,” he said.
Police get many calls about the bluff overlooking the navy station, but folks shooting photos of the sunset aren’t usually a concern. The time to call authorities is when someone visits often and seems to take pictures of “things you wouldn’t expect, such as focusing on the traffic or the guards,” DeFamio said.
Even though that’s not illegal, that information coupled with other tips from the public can lead to an investigation, he said.
Apartment managers can help by watching for suspicious activity, such as tenants who may possess explosives or chemicals.
“This made us more aware,” said Marci Olsen, president of the apartment manager’s association. “Homeland security is important to all of us.”
The group meets monthly to discuss crime-prevention tips.
Reporter Katherine Schiffner: 425-339-3436 or schiffner@heraldnet.com.
When to call the police
Police say these are some things you should immediately report:
* You hear someone discussing a future terrorist attack.
* You hear someone discussing plans to set off explosives or actually see someone setting off small explosives in a remote area.
* You hear someone planning or threatening to release a poisonous substance into the air, water or food supply.
* You hear someone claiming membership in a terrorist organization.
* You hear someone discussing plans or see someone attempting to mail a dangerous package or letter.
* You witness a pattern of suspicious activity (possible surveillance) around a potential terrorist target.
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