unicate, and move. They conduct surveillance of their targets and rehearse their operations. They are trained to blend into our society and to use the freedoms we cherish and champion for all people to their advantage and our detriment. The attacks of 9/11 are a perfect and tragic example of abuse of democracy. Second, report and share information. It is the job of government leadership such as law enforcement, intelligence, and other government agencies responsible for training and educating the public to share information with us (tell us what to look for) and to sort through the numerous incoming reports and then to respond effectively. Our collective task as Americans is to be aware of unusual behavior and report it to these authorities. The press will play a critical role in this effort.

The United States can take this opportunity to learn from its allies and exploit their good practices that are proven to save lives. The United Kingdom and Israel have, through sheer necessity, acquired a wealth of experience in how to educate their populations on what to look for with regard to potential terrorist activities and to exercise a degree of judgment in their reporting without overreacting. Calling the authorities because someone heard an accent obviously associated with a particular ethnic group was clearly not advocated, but pulling together pieces of information that collectively were suspicious was encouraged. An example of such an empowered and informed citizenry can be found in the United Kingdom. During the height of the Northern Ireland troubles, British citizens were told to be on the alert for young Irish men who wanted to rent an apartment and pay with cash. Information received from the public using this as a benchmark for calling in suspicions led to the successful breakup of terrorist cells operating on the mainland.

The arrests in London in January 2003 in connection with the discovery of the highly toxic material ricin were made possible through sources including an intelligence tipoff and calls to the Metropolitan Police about the men’s suspicious activities. The British public was already in a heightened state of awareness, ready to report suspicious activities. In Israel, in February 2002, on two occasions alert bus drivers prevented suicide bombers from carrying out their objective because of a campaign by Israeli authorities to make sure that ordinary citizens knew what suspicious activities to look for. In one incident, the bus driver asked the individual where he wanted to go in three languages and received no answer—simply a look of fear, prompting the driver to force the man off the bus and to call out to a nearby Israeli Army patrol.

We Americans need not abandon our civil liberties to achieve security and awareness. There may be times when we are asked to yield some conveniences when a citizen call results in a police response. However, these are inconveniences that most are willing to accept. Informed and alert citizens need to be the United States’ first line of defense once terrorists make it through our vast and porous borders. Recall that it was an alert citizen who spotted the car driven by the snipers who terrorized our nation’s capital for two weeks.

If you notice anything unusual, such as a group of men seeking to rent an apartment with cash and without past references or multiple government-issued identification, know your responsibilities and call. If you work for the U.S. government in public health, as a cyber-security specialist, or in another critical infrastructure position and you deal with sensitive information and quite suddenly a stranger takes an active interest in your job, know your responsibilities as a trusted agent of crucial information and call. If someone rents a storage shed but acts strangely when you ask the person to sign a routine agreement not to store hazardous materials, call. If you see a van driving slowly past a nuclear power plant (or a major bridge or a national icon) with someone inside taking video pictures, do your part and call. Help give the law enforcement community the information they need to react effectively.

Americans can help play an active role in the nation’s defense, but only if they feel they have the responsibility to do so, the awareness education of what to look for, and an approachable point of contact to call. The first two points will need more emphasis from our government’s leadership and our free press. The American public should be provided with suggestions on what to look for as indicators of terrorist activities. For now, as Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge stated to the American public upon raising the threat level from yellow (elevated) to orange (high) this past February: “The call that we give today, which Americans have certainly heard before, is based on our knowledge and our conviction that heightened awareness and readiness deters terrorism and saves lives. Each of us in our own ways can contribute to the security of our nation, our families and our communities. Today we call on Americans to continue to persevere in the face of this evil, in the face of this terror. Because we understand that by working together not only will we persevere, but we will prevail.” Americans need to call their local police first. If they do not respond, then call your local FBI field office. If the FBI does not respond, then call Secretary Tom Ridge at the Department of Homeland Security. If all else fails, try your Congressman. Know these numbers, have them readily available, and call!

There are many things that citizens can do to prevent an attack. Many of these are the responsibilities of public and corporate leaders. Let us hope that both heed the call to build a fence on the top of the terror cliff in addition to buying ambulances.

© 2003 ANSER Institute for Homeland Security