LAEDC HOMELAND SECURITY EXPERT ELSA LEE SAYS DOMESTIC TERRORISTS LIKE TO REPEAT HISTORY ON ANNIVERSA
Added: (Thu Aug 28 2003)
Pressbox (Press Release) -
LAEDC HOMELAND SECURITY EXPERT ELSA LEE SAYS DOMESTIC TERRORISTS LIKE TO REPEAT HISTORY ON ANNIVERSARIES
Added : (Wed Aug 27 2003)
News Release www.MayoCommunications.com
CONTACT: George McQuade PR@MayoCommunications.com
818.340.5300 or 818.618.9229
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE AUGUST 25, 2003
LAEDC HOMELAND SECURITY EXPERT ELSA LEE SAYS DOMESTIC TERRORISTS LIKE TO REPEAT HISTORY ON ANNIVERSARY DATES
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Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation Homeland Security Spokesman Elsa Lee
has teamed up with Terrorism Experts and LAEDC on Homeland Security Study to be release soon.
Los Angeles, CA — Top Counterterrorism Expert and Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC) Homeland Security spokesperson Elsa Lee warns that anniversary dates can be a predicting factor for possible terrorist attacks, because history has shown that terrorist use them as symbolic dates for attacks.
Lee is one of the few Americans who comprise the United States true-to-form counterterrorism experts. Lee is CEO, President, and founder of Advantage SCI, LLC based in Redondo Beach, CA – serving government and private industry clients globally. She has 22 years of public and private sector experience in anti-terrorism operations, counterespionage investigations, threat and vulnerability assessments, and information systems security in the United States, Asia, Central America, and Europe.
Lee said terrorists domestic and otherwise often work in patterns, and Friday’s (8-22-03) three separate attacks, which left the initials ELF may correspond to the Earth Liberation Front, a loose-knit group that describes itself as "an international underground organization that uses direct action in the form of economic sabotage to stop the destruction of the natural environment."
“Businesses are not prepared to mitigate these types of attacks,” said Lee. “They need to assess their threats and vulnerabilities in order to develop plans that can help mitigate the risk and deter, detect, or respond to threats in the event of an attack. Business that don’t have effective security, a form of early warning, and a disaster recovery plan, are risking not only potential million dollar losses, customer confidence in a business’s ability to protect customers and maintain a safe environment, as well as a susceptible risk to further terrorist attacks or threats,” Lee explained.
Lee also noted that anniversary dates of terrorist attacks are significant. “They could be days that mark an important event for terrorists and days in which terrorist would strike again. In the past, dates have been symbolic of a group’s formation, the day a terrorist leader was captured, or the date a terrorist died. Anniversary days can be days terrorists select to convey their message to authorities, such as the Oklahoma bombing on April 19, 1995 commemorating the fire of the Branch Davidian Compound in 1993. Authorities should expect that the ELF will strike again, because their pattern has shown their willingness to strike at targets in which their efforts were not successful the first time. August can be a significant month. On August 2, 1998 eco-terrorists bombed two sour gas wells in Beverlodge, Alberta. On Aug 24, 1998, another well was blown up. The attacks of August 22, 2003 may have been significant to the attacks of 1998.”
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LAEDC HOMELAND SECURITY EXPERT ELSA LEE
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Additionally, Lee said “Direct Action” is a common military term and implies physical action. “We must take them seriously. The ELF is the number one domestic terrorist group with international ties. They are a splinter group of the European group, EarthFirst. Businesses are not prepared to mitigate these types of attacks,” Lee said.
Whether it’s vacation or business travel that takes you outside of US borders, Lee said one of your priorities should be security planning. It’s so easy to overlook if it’s not something people are in the habit of doing. Lee warns to keep alert, even while you’re on vacation.
“For those who are making last minute travel plans, security is even more critical, because their mind more than likely is focused on just making it to the destination” said Lee. “As for vacation planning it should include security. For example: families traveling overseas should have a three phase action plan. One-for pre travel, a second plan while traveling and a post travel action plan.”
Lee offers tourists and travelers these international safety and security tips.
• During pre-travel, a family member or companion should conduct a quick scan of news for that region, identify where hospitals are located, address and phone number to the nearest US Embassy, and if possible an idea of where the police stations are located.
• Plan to take only bare essentials. Leave your valuables and non prescribed medications at home.
• Take clothing that allows you to blend with the local environment and which does not immediately identify you as an American. You don’t know where the terrorist sympathizers are these days so you don’t want to become a target or victim of terrorist or criminal activity by showing your patriotism on uncharted territory.
• Give a copy of your itinerary to a friend or family member and make arrangements to check back in with them when your return from your trip. Let them know when to worry and what point they should consider taking some form of action.
• Visit the Department of State website for travel advisory about the region you’re visiting.
Lee is co-authoring a 2003 Orange North-American Transportation Access Corridor (OnTrac) Authority Homeland Security study with terrorism experts and LAEDC, which will show what America has learned since 9-11, what we are doing today and what Homeland Security should address in the near future. The results are expect to be announced in mid-September, and could become a model for California and the rest of the nation.
In addition to her military experience Lee has consulted for the Pentagon and several Latin American Governments on Security and several corporations including SKECHERS USA, Inc. footwear. Lee speaks Spanish and German fluently. While in the military, she served in the Defense Intelligence Agency, the U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command (INSCOM), U.S. Army Europe, the Pentagon, U.S. Army Intelligence Center & School, and the Defense Nuclear Agency and is a member of the FBI Los Angeles Infraguard.