[17856]
August 3, 2004
TO: PRIMARY CONTACTS - MEMBER COMPLEX No. 74-04
BOARD OF GOVERNORS No. 50-04
CEOS
TECHNOLOGY ADVISORY COMMITTEE No. 20-04
BCP SUBCOMMITTEE
SMALL FUNDS COMMITTEE No. 43-04
OPERATIONS COMMITTEE No. 15-04
SEC RULES COMMITTEE No. 67-04
RE: THREAT LEVEL INCREASED TO ORANGE FOR FINANCIAL SERVICES IN SPECIFIC
AREAS
As you are aware from recent and continuing news accounts, on Sunday the Department
of Homeland Security (DHS) raised the threat alert level from yellow (elevated) to orange (high)
for the financial services sector in New York City, Northern New Jersey, and Washington, D.C.
Attached is a joint DHS and FBI Advisory which provides steps to consider to protect your
organization.
The Institute participated in a conference call late yesterday afternoon of the Financial
Services Sector Coordinating Council (FSSCC) for Critical Infrastructure Protection and
Homeland Security to discuss the current situation and additional protective measures
organizations may wish to consider. The FSSCC, organized in 2002 with sponsorship and
support from the U.S. Department of the Treasury, consists of 28 financial services associations,
utilities, exchanges and clearinghouses. Its purpose is to facilitate voluntary activities to
improve critical infrastructure protection and homeland security within the financial services
sector. The FSSCC is in frequent and regular contact with DHS. The Institute is an FSSCC
member.
During the call, it was noted that DHS has indicated that this particular terrorist threat
most likely involves a vehicle as the delivery mechanism for an explosive device. Additionally,
DHS indicated that there is no apparent evidence to suggest that the explosive device is of a
chemical or biological nature. DHS further advised that financial organizations located in close
proximity to the named targets in the three geographical locations could become alternate
targets as primary targets are “hardened”. It was noted during the call that tenants in multi-
tenant buildings, above or adjacent to parking facilities they do not control, are encouraged to
take precautionary steps to secure those parking facilities. In addition, tenants may wish to
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determine whether blueprints of their building have been posted to web sites and, if so, to seek
to have them removed.
We will continue to participate in FSSCC calls and forward to you any
information that may be helpful with respect to terrorist threats against the financial services
sector. If you or members of your organization have questions please contact Don Boteler (202-
326-5845) or Peter Salmon (202-326-5869) at the Institute.
Lawrence R. Maffia
Executive Vice President & COO
Attachment (in .pdf format)
Note: Not all recipients receive the attachment. To obtain a copy of the attachment, please visit our members
website (http://members.ici.org) and search for memo 17856, or call the ICI Library at (202) 326-8304 and request the
attachment for memo 17856.