Page 167 - Encyclopedia Of Terrorism

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142———FPCON Levels

agents earlier that year. The plan was aborted after a may be to an attack, and the ability to recover and
traffic accident. Both Ellison and Noble testified that respond.
the white supremacist leaders planned to use the CSA The first two of five terrorist threat conditions are
compound in Arkansas for paramilitary training. Noble general. The first level, FPCON Normal, means that a
added that the murders would be used to incite “total general threat exists but that security should be rou-
insurrection across the United States.” tine. FPCON Alpha—a slightly stronger, but unpre-
After seven weeks of testimony and four days of dictable, terrorist threat—means that officials have
jury deliberations, on April 7, 1988, the jury found all not gathered enough intelligence to justify imple-
the defendants not guilty, much to the disappointment menting the next level of security measures. Military
of groups such as the Anti-Defamation League of personnel should be suspicious of strangers and alert
B’nai B’rith, which had lauded the initial indictments. for unidentified vehicles and abandoned packages or
(Many of those charged, however, were already serv- luggage. The military should secure all storage rooms
ing prison sentences.) and other areas not in regular use and increase spot
The Fort Smith sedition trial followed three suc- checks on vehicles entering the area. This level may
cessful federal cases against white supremacists in be maintained indefinitely.
the 1980s, and many had hopes that it would further An increased and more predictable threat leads to
hobble the movement. Critics of the government’s the third level—FPCON Bravo. All of the Alpha mea-
case point to the weakness of Ellison’s and Noble’s sures apply. Cars must be kept at least 25 meters from
testimony. buildings, and all mail must be examined. Personnel
must inspect buildings and visitors and have random
See also ARYAN NATIONS; COVENANT, THE SWORD, AND THE
patrols check vehicles, people, and buildings. Anti-
ARM OF THE LORD; JAMES ELLISON; KU KLUX KLAN; THE
terrorist personnel must be on call.
ORDER; RICHARD WAYNE SNELL
The fourth level, FPCON Charlie, is assigned when
Further Reading an incident occurs or when officials gain intelligence
about an imminent terrorist attack. All antiterrorist
Extremism on the Right. Rev. ed. New York: Anti- personnel are called in to duty, access points are
Defamation League of B’nai B’rith, 1988. severely restricted, and vehicles are searched. Guards
Hamm, Mark. In Bad Company: America’s Terrorist are issued weapons.
Underground. Boston: Northeastern University Press,
2001. The fifth and highest level, FPCON Delta, is
Smith, Brent. Terrorism in America: Pipe Bombs and Pipe applied to the immediate area where a terrorist attack
Dreams. New York: State University of New York Press, has occurred, or where officials learn that an attack on
1994. that location is likely. More guards are called to duty.
All people and vehicles in a military installation must
be positively identified. The military will consult with
FPCON LEVELS local authorities about closing roads and facilities that
could be vulnerable. The fifth level does not always
apply to a single location. During the September 11,
FPCON (formerly THREATCON, or “terrorist 2001, attacks on the United States, the Pentagon
threat condition”) is an abbreviation for “force pro- applied Delta to U.S. forces worldwide, not just in
tection condition.” The U.S. Department of Defense New York and Washington, D.C.
uses FPCON levels to determine which security mea-
See also COUNTERTERRORISM
sures to use when threatened by a terrorist attack. The
Pentagon declared FPCON Delta, the strongest possi- Further Reading
ble level, for U.S. forces around the world during
“Airman’s Manual Explains THREATCON Levels.”
the September 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade
Hilltop Times, November 2, 2000.
Center in New York City and the Pentagon just out-
“Appendix K.” General Dennis J. Reimer Training and
side Washington, D.C. Different locations usually Doctrine Digital Library. http://www.adtdl.army.mil/
have different levels, which are assigned taking into atdls.htm.
consideration the assets and infrastructures that may Suellentrop, Chris. “What Is THREATCON Delta?” Slate
appeal to a terrorist group, how vulnerable the place Magazine, September 12, 2001.