Tennessee Becomes First State To Fight Terrorism Statewide
Posted: Oct 18, 2011 5:34 PM CDT
Updated: Oct 18, 2011 5:54 PM CDT



By Adam Ghassemi

PORTLAND, Tenn. – You're probably use to seeing TSA's signature blue uniforms at the airport, but now agents are hitting the interstates to fight terrorism with Visible Intermodal Prevention and Response (VIPR).

"Where is a terrorist more apt to be found? Not these days on an airplane more likely on the interstate," said Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security Commissioner Bill Gibbons.

Tuesday Tennessee was first to deploy VIPR simultaneously at five weigh stations and two bus stations across the state.

Agents are recruiting truck drivers, like Rudy Gonzales, into the First Observer Highway Security Program to say something if they see something.

"Not only truck drivers, but cars, everybody should be aware of what's going on, on the road," said Gonzales.

It's all meant to urge every driver to call authorities if they see something suspicious.

"Somebody sees something somewhere and we want them to be responsible citizens, report that and let us work it through our processes to abet the concern that they had when they saw something suspicious," said Paul Armes, TSA Federal Security Director for Nashville International Airport.

The Tennessee Highway Patrol checked trucks with drug and bomb sniffing dogs during random inspections.

"The bottom line is this: if you see something suspicious say something about it," Gibbons said Tuesday.

The random inspections really aren't any more thorough normal, according to Tennessee Highway Patrol Colonel Tracy Trott who says paying attention to details can make a difference. Trott pointed out it was an Oklahoma state trooper who stopped Timothy McVay for not having a license plate after the Oklahoma City bombing in the early 1990s.

Tuesday's statewide "VIPR" operation isn't in response to any particular threat, according to officials.

Armes said intelligence indicates law enforcement should focus on the highways as well as the airports.

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Visible Intermodal Protection and Response (VIPR) teams consist of a combination of STSIs, Federal Air Marshals, explosive-detection canine teams, Aviation Security Inspectors, and Transportation Security Officers. The teams provide a random, announced, high-visibility surge into a transit agency, in addition to enhancing agency resources during special events. More than 50 mass transit deployments have occurred since the program was initiated in December 2005. Regional planning and execution is increasing the frequency of deployments and enhancing local expertise, thereby increasing the terrorism deterrent effect. Recent examples include VIPR deployments at the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) system in Boston, at Amtrak facilities in Boston, upstate New York, Philadelphia and Washington DC, and at the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority and Amtrak facilities in Buffalo, New York. In March 2007, the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority and TSA announced a joint initiative under which VIPR teams will supplement security operations on the Metro North commuter rail system and the Long Island Railroad.

Frazzled wrote:
the thought of them randomly wandering a state, harassing people at truck stops, and buses is just not sane. I'm sure somewhere its legal but seriously? They should just start calling themselves NKVD LITE or something.

2002: Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade Suicide Bombers were stopped en route to a mission by the Israeli National Police.

2001: THREE of the 9/11 hijackers were stopped for speednig or various moving violations. Zaid Jarah, Mohammed Atta(who had a bench warrant for his arrest issued), and Hani Hanjour.

1999: Ahmed Ressam was stopped by U.S. Customs along a route which did not require him to go through Victoria, British Columbia. He was also known as the Millennium Bomber.

1994: Timothy McVeigh was stopped for no license plates, having a copy of The Turner Diaries, carrying a weapon, and wearing a shirt that quoted "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants".

1988: Yu Kikumura was stopped by the New Jersey State Police. He was a Japanese Red Army bomber, the vehicle was stopped for a routine violation...and they discovered bomb materials within his car.

It might sound silly, but there's a reason terrorists will use rental or stolen cars with unmatching registration.

dogma wrote:
I don't see how additional security cannot be considered to be helping in terms of threat mitigation.

Phanatik wrote:I forget...

Is the TSA at war with Oceania or Eurasia?

Melissia wrote:Which, given their secrecy, is going to happen... when?

Frazzled wrote:
Indeed. Of the thwarted terrorists attacks in the US, how many were actually thwarted by the TSA again?