Nationwide Suspicious Activity Reporting Initiative

The imperative for the exchange of terrorism-related intelligence information among law enforcement and security officials at all levels of government is founded on three propositions. The first is that any terrorist attack in the homeland will necessarily occur in a community within a state or tribal area, and the initial response to it will be state, local, and tribal emergency responders and law enforcement officials. Second, the plotting and preparation for a terrorist attack within the United States (such as surveillance of a target, acquisition and transport of weapons or explosives, and even the recruitment of participants) will also occur within local communities. Third, "information acquired for one purpose, or under one set of authorities, might provide unique insights when combined, in accordance with applicable laws, with seemingly unrelated information for other sources." Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) contain information about criminal activity that may also reveal terrorist pre-operational planning. Many believe that the sharing of SARs among all levels of government and the fusing of these reports with other intelligence information will help uncover terrorist plots within the United States. This book describes the Nationwide SAR Initiative (NSI), the rationale for the sharing of terrorism-related SARs, and how the NIS seeks to achieve this objective. It also examines civil liberties concerns raised by the initiative and identifies other oversight issues for Congress.