DEARBORN ? Since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the focus of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, particularly the FBI in Michigan, has switched from criminal investigation to terrorist prevention, Daniel Roberts, Special Agent in Charge of Michigan?s 250 agents, told several hundred people attending the Detroit SecureWorld Expo.
What?s more, the FBI No. 3 priority is to protect the United States from cyber crime. And Roberts does it in Michigan with three full-time Joint Terrorism Task Forces, including one based in Grand Rapids. The Grand Rapids JTTF is focused on domestic terrorism, such as dealing with white supremist groups.
While the focus in Southeast Michigan, particularly in metro Detroit, is on monitoring monetary support cases, particularly among the Arab community where Arab charities and foundations may contribute funds to Arab terrorist groups.
The FBI in Michigan also keeps an eye on critical infrastructure, which if damaged or destroyed could harm the health of Michigan residents or the Michigan economy. One of the top potential targets is the Ambassador Bridge connecting Detroit to Windsor. Some 43 percent of U.S.-Canadian trade ? roughly $1.3 billion a day ? moves through Michigan and the largest share of figure over the Ambassador Bridge, Roberts said.
Auto executives have told the FBI that if the bridge were not usable, the auto industry in Southeast Michigan would quickly grind to a halt.
Other high priority potential terrorist targets are the tunnel under the Detroit River, the Bluewater Bridge in Port Huron and the locks at St. Saint Marie. Nuclear power plants, such as Fermi, Cook, Palisades, and Big Rock also are closely monitored. So are Ford Field, Comerica Park, and the Detroit Casinos.
Protecting critical infrastructure can?t be done by the FBI alone, Roberts said, since some 90 percent of this infrastructure is privately owned. That?s why Roberts urged security professionals to join Michigan InfraGard, an FBI-backed group The Michigan InfraGard Members Alliance Chapter is a regional organization that serves the public interest within the State of Michigan. Its principal purposes are to:
Enhance awareness, promote education, and provide for the exchange of ideas and information about security practices and critical infrastructure protection among industry, government, and academia in this region.
Provide members with access to threat advisories, alerts, warnings, and recommended practices, so that the owners, operators and users of infrastructure assets can better protect themselves.
Develop relationships between government and the private sector that will permit the robust exchange of information by the government and the private sector members.
For more information on Michigan InfraGard, click on MichiganInfraGard.Org
