When the FBI was probing the activities of Najibullah Zazi, an Aurora airport-shuttle driver who was plotting a terrorist attack, agents turned to Colorado’s fusion center for help.
The fusion center — called the Colorado Information Analysis Center — is made up of local, state, tribal and federal law enforcement officers who share information about suspicious activities with the goal of thwarting a terrorist attack.
This week, 1,000 law enforcement officers from across the country will be at the Colorado Convention Center for the National Fusion Center Conference for training and to talk about how to integrate information among 72 fusion centers across the United States.
The fusion centers were created in response to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks so law enforcement could analyze information, collect tips from the public and educate the corporate sector about suspicious activity.
On Tuesday, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano is scheduled to speak to conference attendees.
Speakers at the event will discuss changes in the threats the nation is facing and how to better share information.
“Every good system has to have policy and procedures to make sure we are all growing in the same direction,” said Bart R. Johnson, Homeland Security’s principal deputy undersecretary for intelligence and analysis.
While building a case against Zazi in 2009, the FBI turned to the fusion center to help with the investigation because every agent and employee in the FBI’s Denver office was working to find out how serious the threat was.
“The FBI uses us as a force multiplier,” said Colorado State Patrol Capt. Steve Garcia, director of Colorado’s fusion center. “They use our center to push information and request assistance on cases.”
Federal agencies often alert fusion centers to clues and trends that might help stop an attack before it begins.
For example, the fusion centers might get information about how an improvised explosive device is constructed and what it looks like so that if a state trooper pulls someone over on the highway and sees something similar sitting in the vehicle, the trooper will know what it is.
“They can see certain materials in the car that triggers something inside of them, and this could be an indicator and warning of plotting a terrorist attack,” Johnson said.
Felisa Cardona: 303-954-1219 or fcardona@denverpost.com
![[prison 19] Caption: This is Cellhouse 1, Pod A, from ground level inside the Sterling Correctional Facility which is located outside of Sterling, Colorado Thursday afternoon. Photographer: LEW SHERMAN Title: FREELANCE Credit: SPECIAL TO THE POST City: Sterling State: CO Country: USA Date: 19990617 ObjectName: prison 19 Keyword: PUBDATE____1999_06_22](/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/20151207__denverpostp1.jpg?w=538 "20151207__denverpost~p1.jpg")
