March 19, 2015

Tourists Targeted in Simple Terror Attack at Tunisia Museum

A pair of Islamic
extremist gunmen dressed in military-style garb and wielding assault rifles opened fire on tourist debarking buses for
Tunisias National Bardo Museum, not far from the countrys parliament on Wednesday. Following the initial attack,
the militants entered the museum and took hostages until Tunisian commandos executed an assault which killed the
terror duo. Most of the 21 killed and 44 injured were foreign tourists from Western nations on excursion from cruise
ships making port nearby. Islamic State claimed credit for the attack, but officials initial belief is that the two attackers
were not directly a part of the group, but inspired by it. Among the many jihadist social media posts regarding the
attack, there was bragging at its simplicity. Tunisia has been considered the most stable of Arab Spring nations.
Assessment: The simple, do-it-yourself attack has been called on by Islamic State and other terror groups in the
many calls to arms via websites, social media and glitzy online magazines. Terrorism experts have also predicted
such an avenue for ongoing and future attacks, such as Peter Bergen and Bruce Hoffman of the Bipartisan Policy
Center whos 2010 Assessing the Terrorist Threat specified inexpensive and smaller-scale attacks under the
heading of potential future jihadist attacks: strategic, calculations, operations, and tactics. The attack is already
having economic impact on Tunisia, with the cruise industry pulling out.

Tunisian rescuers transport victim

Boko Bomb Factory Uncovered in Counter-offensive

A coalition of troops from Chad, Niger, Cameroon, and Nigeria have

reclaimed more than 30 towns around Maiduguri in northeast Nigeria in fighting this month, killing hundreds of Boko Haram Islamist insurgents in the process.
Among the razed structures, starved and scared remaining residents, and rotting roadside corpses, troops discovered a bomb-making factory housed in a
fertilizer plant in Buni Gari village, complete with assorted materials for making large explosives, such as those used to blow up bridges and components used
in suicide-vest operations. The retaking of Buni Gariunder Boko Haram control since August 2014, was slowed by IEDs seeded around and planted along
the roads leading to the town. News of the discovery of the factory came soon after the Islamic State group purportedly accepted Boko Harams proposal at
alliance (Watchline 03.12.15).
Assessment: The conversion of a fertilizer factory to a bomb-making operation may seem almost too predictable, but in the context of a widespread and
insurgency having some success over time, it worked for Boko Haram. Emergency responders can take a lesson from the situation, however, that IED
assembly for use in terror operations typically takes place remote from intended target, and therefore may pose a deadly threat at such a clandestine site, as
well as in transit. Such as with the planting of hidden explosive devices surrounding the Nigerian town, on-site booby traps are also always a possibility at a
bomb lab.

Fire, Medical Call Victims Assault Responders

A Sidney, Maine firefighter was struck by a man refusing to leave a burning home as
he tried to coax him out. A woman and girl had evacuated the structure through a bedroom window, but authorities believe the man remained out of a desire to
protect the house himself. The fire apparently started as he was siphoning gasoline in the attached garage in the vicinity of an operating kerosene heater. The
firefighter eventually had success at getting the man out who sustained third degree burns in the incident. Another firefighter was assaulted in Allen Park, Mich.,
on an EMS call for a man lying on the ground with a possible heart attack. Soon after the patient was moved to the back of the ambulance, he became
belligerent, removed his clothes and then exited back to the street where he swung fists at both responders, striking one of them. The combativeness
continued even after police arrived and the man was cuffed. He reportedly told police that he had cancer and hated firefighters.
Assessment: Emergency responders continue to operate in performance of duties under the threat of assault, by irrational, angry, drug- or alcoholinfluenced civilians, and by virtue of declining respect and boundaries. Situational awareness must accompany responders on every call, and force protection
measures should be readily enacted.

Lahore Church Bombings Set off Riots

Protests erupted following church attacks

At least 17 people were killed and 80 injured when twin church

bombings in the Christian neighborhood of Youhana Abad were executed in close succession by suicide bombers during
Sunday services on March 15th. Two days of rioting ensued, including the beating, burning, and lynching of two men by angry
mobs. A Pakistani Taliban splinter group, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar claimed responsibility in the latest of a string of attacks on the
countrys Christian minority. Authorities say the casualty toll would have been much higher had the bombers not been
stopped short of entering the churches by tight security on the exterior, where they each then detonated their vests.
Assessment: The violent response by the mobs feeds into the terrorists script and sectarian division and retaliation is one
goal of these such acts. Houses of worship of all faiths represent soft targets, with the threat intensifying during holy seasons,
such as the upcoming Passover and Easter holidays.

Final Report on Sandy Hook Shooting Suggests Solutions

The recent release of the Final Report of the Sandy Hook Advisory
Commission, provides a complete analysis of the horrific events of that day, capturing recommendations across the full spectrum of policy, planning and
preparedness. The report represents a truly collaborative effort with contributions from specifically tasked working groups, such as the Safe School Design and
Operations Writing Group, the Law Enforcement Writing Group and the Mental Health Writing Group. These entities offer guidance on a range of topics such as
an all hazards based approach to school design, multi-discipline unified command and concept of operations, and managing the risk of violence.
Assessment: Capturing observations and lessons learned for after action reports, and articulating concepts for improvement planning, is conceptually an art
as well as a science, both of equal value. The process must be structured to support comprehensive and accurate documentation of observations, while
allowing for collaborative analysis by all relevant stakeholders. Leadership and management of the process will help to minimize institutional bias, looking for
solutions only through your home agencys lenses, to broadening the scope of the improvement planning team, capturing both short term as well as long term
solutions, deepening the analysis and in many cases finding solutions beyond the traditional first responder community.

Shall we play a game?

Speaking at TED, (Technology, Entertainment, and Design) conference this week in

Vancouver, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates stated that in order to be prepared for the next major health crisis, now that the Ebola
crisis seems to be under control, nations need to conduct germ games, similar to war games. Some of Mr. Gates additional
suggestions included the use of a reserve medical corps made up of civilian volunteers, improvements in protective equipment, and
technology use to track the spread of a virus.
Assessment: In most instances the first responder community is better prepared than what is perceived by the general public.
Education and training based on table - top and full - scale exercises are an essential component of emergency response. During
the Ebola crisis the FDNY CTDP Exercise Design Team, Bureau of EMS, Hazardous Materials Division, Bureau of Health Services,
and New York City hospitals held full-scale exercises in preparation to transfer and have hospitals receive suspected and actual
Ebola infected patients. These exercises represented a collaborative effort and used techniques that Mr. Gates just suggested.

TED participant in Ebola PPE

Watchline@fdny.nyc.gov - (718) 281-8399

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