State: State analyzes its readiness to fight terror

TALLAHASSEE -- Florida will consider dozens of proposals to tighten security against possible terrorism, including improved training and equipment for rescue workers, expanded wiretapping, new restrictions on public records and a fraudproof way of issuing driver's licenses.

"The world has changed and we're going to respond to that change," Gov. Jeb Bush said Monday as he accepted a report assessing the state's readiness to prevent terrorism.

The report, approved by dozens of law enforcement experts, suggests creating seven regional antiterrorism task forces, including one in Tampa, and a statewide terrorism intelligence database. Police also want to be able to detain terrorism suspects and expand wiretapping and other forms of surveillance that "conform to federal law."

The report leaves out references to vulnerabilities in Florida's network of bridges, ports and other public facilities. The public version is online at http://www.fdle.state.fl.us.

The report suggests a mechanism to keep public records secret if they could "adversely affect an ongoing investigation," and it recommends changes to the state's driver's license system to reduce fraud and "to ensure reliability and validation of identity."

As many as eight suspected hijackers got Florida licenses or state-issued IDs since May of this year as they logged time at flight schools in a perverse apprenticeship for the attacks three weeks ago today. The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles has said the hijackers' license applications "met the letter of the law," but the agency has refused to release records showing the visas, passports or other identification hijackers used to obtain their Florida licenses.

In response to the report, agency spokesman Bob Sanchez said: "We're always looking for ways of improving our procedures."

Bush and lawmakers will consider turning some of the recommendations into law in a few weeks. A special session will be held as early as Oct. 22, mainly to slash state spending to deal with the state's economic slowdown. Cuts could exceed $1-billion.

Bush said the security improvements will cost in the tens of millions of dollars but that the price of restoring a sense of well-being to Floridians is worth it.

"I think we need to act," Bush said. "I think there's broad support among Democrats and Republicans in the Legislature to include this in some fashion, as a reprioritization of the state's budget. ... The fact that it's tough doesn't mean that we shouldn't do it."

First Amendment and civil liberties advocates warned that in the frenzied atmosphere of the moment, lawmakers may take steps they will regret.

Larry Spalding, legislative counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union in Florida, said many of the report's recommendations were proposed by members of Congress during what has been called the war on drugs. He said many of the proposals were rejected because of constitutional concerns or the unwillingness of Americans to surrender civil liberties.

"What you see now are these same measures being wrapped in the flag and being put forward as necessary elements of the war on terrorism," Spalding said. "If we get into this debate, and it's wrapped in the flag, it's going to be very difficult to stop."

"I understand this is an event unlike any other in our history," said Barbara Petersen of the First Amendment Foundation. "What separates us from them is our dedication to supporting constitutional rights and liberties. We have got to avoid trampling on those rights and liberties at all costs."

Petersen met Monday with the board of the Florida Society of Newspaper Editors. She said the group was considering hiring a lobbyist for the first time in several years because of possible public records exemptions.

FDLE Commissioner Tim Moore said law enforcement experts do not want to weaken Florida's broad open records laws, and he said he hoped to have a dialogue with newspaper editorial boards on the subject. He described a delicate balance between security and openness.

"In times of emergency and disasters, law enforcement shouldn't have to compete with the press or the public to conduct criminal investigations or follow up on leads," Moore said. "But we need to do a careful examination of Florida's public records law to be sure that we're not having unintended consequences in these critical times."

In pushing for tougher antiterrorism laws, state leaders face a seemingly contradictory task: They want to calm Floridians' fears while making the case for tighter security in a time of potential threats.

Bush called for "a return to normalcy," even as he congratulated the authors of a report that contains chilling language. It discusses Florida's response to "weapons of mass destruction incidents," and the need for mobile units to protect citizens from bioterrorism.

"The more we're paralyzed by this fear, the more people don't go out to eat in restaurants," Bush said. "It seems to me our economic livelihood is directly tied to this now."

Fighting terrorism in Florida

Among the proposals outlined by the state Monday:

Establish seven regional anti-terrorism task forces around Florida.

Improve training and equipping of all emergency response personnel.

Expand state wiretapping and surveillance authority to conform with new federal law.

Create new state public records exemptions for anti-terrorism prevention efforts, disaster recovery plans, and cell phone and pager numbers of all law enforcement officers.

Enhance system of issuing driver's licenses "to ensure reliability and validation of identity," and use face technology, fingerprints and iris scanning to make it harder to duplicate a driver's license.

Consider a permanent database of photos and fingerprints of all foreign nationals living in the United States.

Consider allowing the state to detain people suspected of terrorist activities or involvement for a "reasonable" period of time.

Consider placing armed "sea marshals" on cruise ships and vessels transporting critical or sensitive materials.

Begin acquiring "personal protection equipment" such as gas masks, gloves and respirators to use in the event of an incident.

Regulate flight training schools and hazardous materials transportation firms.

- Source: Florida Department of Law Enforcement

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