FBI, Coast Guard Clashed During Terrorism Drill

[rainbow4321]

This makes me feel safer...NOT.
So basically as we are being attacked, they will be off squabbling and throwing tantrums? Glad they got the pre- 9/11 departmental communication/rivalry straightened out. :sarcasm:

http://www.courant.com/news/local/hc-topoff0404.artapr04,0,6656011.story?coll=hc-headlines-local

During the largest terrorism drill in U.S. history last year, the FBI and U.S. Coast Guard got into a tussle off the shores of Connecticut, fighting over how each agency's tactical assault team would be involved in the boarding of a hijacked ferry.

The U.S. Department of Justice's Office of the Inspector General released a report Monday that detailed the disagreement between agencies during the massive TOPOFF exercise, much of which was run in and around New London. That portion of the report concluded, "In our judgment, unless such differences over roles and authorities are resolved, the response to a maritime incident could be confused and potentially disastrous."

The FBI's position: The Coast Guard couldn't take part in the boarding because it is "very limited" when its boarding teams face an armed enemy. Also, the Coast Guard doesn't train its people to board moving vessels.

The Coast Guard's take: The FBI was guarding its counter-terrorism turf. Though the Coast Guard was hoping to test its new tactical unit, "the FBI repeatedly blocked the Coast Guard's efforts." In the end, the report said, "The Coast Guard ultimately changed the scenario to circumvent the FBI's lead federal agency role." The report does not specify how the Coast Guard altered the exercise.

[XemaSab]

1. "the Coast Guard doesn't train its people to board moving vessels."

:wtf:

Like, seriously, :wtf:

They're guarding our coastline, and the FBI says they don't know shit about boarding moving vessels? Then what are they doing out there in the ocean when they're going one way, the CG vessel is going one way, the boat they're boarding is going one way, and the ocean is going one way, and the two boats are ostensibly "stationary?"

And how are the good folks at the FBI better at this than the coast guard?????????

:shrug:

[rainbow4321]

5. Still no "coordination" between agencies

Sounds like the FBI wants to be the bully..even if it's at the expense of our safety. But if the shit hits the fan, they will be the first to do the finger pointing at the CG, right? Then we will get a multi year, million dollar investigation AFTER the disaster to see who dropped the ball.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/04/03/terror/main1467671.shtml?source=RSS&attr=HOME_1467671

The FBI wanted to limit the assault to its elite Hostage Rescue Team. The Coast Guard ultimately changed the scenario to circumvent the FBI's role as the lead agency, Fine said. A plan released in October that was intended to address the problem does not sufficiently clarify the agencies' roles, Fine said.

However, Fine said, the FBI has not assessed the terrorism scenarios that are most likely to occur in ports or at sea, or the time required to respond to them.

Several FBI field offices that have ports in their territory have not designated agents to coordinate port security with other agencies and share information with port operators, the report said.

The FBI office in Jackson, Miss., has no port liaison officer, even though it covers ports in Greenville, Pascagoula, and Vicksburg that the Homeland Security Department has deemed eligible for security grants. The Pascagoula port ranks 17th in the nation in terms of tonnage shipped, the report said.

[babylonsister]

2. Total bullshit. Let the Coast Guard do what they've been

trained to do for years. Stay out of it, FBI, DHS, FEMA, et al. You guys will bring the CG down!

[NYC]

3. I think the Coast Guard should guard the coast.

Is that a novel concept? Coast Guard should guard coast?

You can read that backwards and forwards. :)

[Elwood P Dowd]

4. A republican shipwreck full of fools and sex perverts

trying to tell the Coast Guard how to do their job.

:banghead: