Review - DHS Updates NTAS Bulletin – 6-7-22

Yesterday DHS updated their National Terrorism Advisory System (NTAS) web page replacing the Bulletin that had been in effect since February 7^th, 2022. The new bulletin continues to provide a broad stroke overview of the potential terrorist threats facing the United States. There are no actionable bits of information about suspected or known plans for terrorist attacks, such information would have triggered an Advisory instead of a Bulletin.

The Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) program includes a requirement {6 CFR 27.235(13)} for facilities to be able to escalate “the level of protective measures for periods of elevated threat”. Generally speaking, NTAS Bulletins do not constitute a warning of ‘elevated threat’, that would typically require an NTAS advisory. Facility owners should, however, read the new Bulletin and see if there is anything that might indicate a reason for increased concern at their facility. Additionally, facility owners might want to contact their Chemical Security Inspector to see if there is any additional information available from DHS that could affect their security posture.

The relatively new CISA ChemLock voluntary chemical facility program does not have anything in the way of requirements to address increased threats; it is after all a voluntary program, but the recommendation above for CFATS facilities would also apply to chemical facilities participating in the voluntary program.

If facility management sees anything in the Bulletin that may raise cause for concern at their particular facility, it is probably time to go into the enhanced security planning mode. I did a fairly detailed posting on what that should entail back in 2011 and the advice still stands today.

 

For more details about the Bulletin and some of its supporting documents, see my article at CFSN Detailed Analysis - https://patrickcoyle.substack.com/p/dhs-updates-ntas-bulletin - subscription required.

New NTAS Bulletin Published – 5-14-21

Today DHS published a new National Terrorism Advisory System (NTAS) Bulletin on the NTAS web site. While very similar to the previous Bulletin that was due to expire tomorrow, the focus of this new Bulletin has subtly changed. Still, this is a bulletin not an alert, so it does not provide and action indicators beyond ‘be aware’ and ‘if you see something, say something’. This new Bulletin expires on August 13^th, 2021.

Gone from the New Bulleting

The new Bulletin does not contain the references found in the previous Bulletin to:

• Domestic Violent Extremists (DVEs) targeting individuals with opposing views engaged in First Amendment-protected, non-violent protest activity,

• Long-standing racial and ethnic tension—including opposition to immigration,

• The January 6^th attack on the Capital,

• Threats of violence against critical infrastructure,

New Potential Threats

The new Bulletin adds references to:

• Continued sharing of information online with the intent to incite violence,

• The use of encrypted messaging by lone offenders and small violent extremist cells,

• Messaging from foreign terrorist organizations, and

• Nation-state adversaries increasing efforts to sow discord.

DHS Publishes First NTAS Bulletin

Today DHS published their first terrorism bulletin under the National Terrorism Advisory System. In addition to providing information about the current “new phase in the global threat environment” this bulletin marks the addition of ‘Bulletins’ to the two levels of alerts (Elevated and Imminent) in the NTAS that replaced the old 9-11 based color coded alert system.

Today’s bulletin (that expires on June 16^th, 2016) addresses “the rise in use by terrorist groups of  the Internet to inspire and recruit, we are concerned about the ‘self-radicalized’ actor(s) who could strike with little or no notice”. The bulletin is based in large part on data that has emerged from the investigations of recent terrorist attacks in Paris and San Bernardino.

The bulletin outlines four ‘details’ about the current threat:

• Though we know of no intelligence that is both specific and credible at this time of a plot by terrorist organizations to attack the homeland, the reality is terrorist-inspired individuals have conducted, or attempted to conduct, attacks in the United States this year.

• DHS is especially concerned that terrorist-inspired individuals and homegrown violent extremists may be encouraged or inspired to target public events or places.

• As we saw in the recent attacks in San Bernardino and Paris, terrorists will consider a diverse and wide selection of targets for attacks.

• In the current environment, DHS is also concerned about threats and violence directed at particular communities and individuals across the country, based on perceived religion, ethnicity, or nationality.

The bulletin also outlines actions that DHS and the law enforcement community are taking to address the threat outlined in the bulletin. There are also specific recommendations to individuals about the part that they play in reducing the risk from the current threat. These recommendations are broken down into three categories:

• How you can help;

• Be prepared; and

• Stay informed.

The addition of bulletins to the previous alerts in the NTAS is part of the modernization effort that DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson promised earlier this month. Those earlier reports sounded like there would be a new system to replace the never used NTAS. Instead, it looks like the Department has decided to upgrade NTAS instead of effecting a wholesale replacement.

NOTE: Long time readers of my blog will note a difference today in the DHS provided NTAS widget on my blog. It now lists ‘Bulletin’ and provides a link to today’s newly released bulletin. It will be interesting to see if that listing on the widget will remain there through June 16^th. If so, it will do little good if a new bulletin is released in the meantime. I hope that DHS has thought that through. Perhaps they may want to revise that widget to also show the date of the most current bulletin or alert.