[Merika]

GOOD GOD Stoneheather!!! This is too important of an article NOT to be posted! So...here goes: (NOTE: This is a reputable news source....not some blog somewhere!!)

By GRANT BOXLEITNER
gboxleitner@news-press.com
Published by news-press.com on October 8, 2004

A man described as an Iraqi insurgent reportedly downloaded school floor plans and security information about elementary and high schools in six states including Fort Myers, according to a TV news report.

Documents from schools in Fort Myers were among those recovered from Iraqi insurgents that could be linked to the al-Qaida terrorism network.

Other than Fort Myers, documents were found from school districts in Salem, Ore., Gray, Ga., Birch Run, Mich., two towns in New Jersey and two towns in California.

Lee County Superintendent James Browder said he learned of the findings two weeks ago from FBI and Florida Department of Law Enforcement officials. Browder said he was told Lee County was "one of thousands" of U.S. school districts on a computer disc recovered from Iraqi insurgents. Browder met with FDLE, FBI, Lee County Sheriff Rod Shoap and Collier County Sheriff Don Hunter, who is part of a homeland security task force. He said government officials told him they weren't going to issue a news release on the findings because there was no immediate threat.

"I asked if we were in any danger. They said no," Browder said. "I have to trust the experts."

Florida Gov. Jeb Bush said the FBI told officials there that there was “no direct information” that schools in his state are “under any kind of threat.” He said that school building floor plans and other sensitive materials about schools are not available via the Internet in Florida.

“We have talked to the superintendents to make sure that what they have been doing they continue to do - to make safety first and foremost for the kids of our state,” Bush said.

The Lee County school information recovered on the disc was a code of conduct and lists of schools and transportation information, Browder said.

"That can all be found on the Web," he said.

On Wednesday, the federal government warned schools nationwide to look out for suspicious activity that might signal terrorist activity, and told school officials to be on the lookout for anyone spying on their buildings or buses.

In particular, schools were told to watch for activities that may be legitimate on their own — but may suggest a threat if many of them occur.

Among those activities:

• Interest in obtaining site plans for schools, bus routes and attendance lists.

• Prolonged "static surveillance" by people disguised as panhandlers, shoe shiners, newspaper or flower vendors or street sweepers not previously seen in the area.

• Observations of security drills.

• People staring at or quickly looking away from employees or vehicles as they enter or leave parking areas.

• Foot surveillance of campuses involving individuals working together.

Browder said he told school board members and principals and cautioned school officials to report anything suspicious, "like we always do."

Lee County sheriff's spokesman Ileana LiMarzi said the agency does not discuss security plans and issued no other comment.

School board member Robert Chilmonik said he contacted U.S. Rep. Porter Goss' local office when he learned of the threat. Goss was recently confirmed as the Director of Central Intelligence by the U.S. Senate. Chilmonik said FBI and FDLE officials told him the intelligence mentioning Fort Myers was a month old when they received it.

"We notified the school board and administrators," Chilmonik said. "Our first line of defense is the principals out in the field. We all have to be looking (for threats) all the time — administrators, parents and students."

Carl Burnside, principal at Dunbar High School in Fort Myers, said before the threat level was known, he was told to "make sure things were tight" at his school.

"We're always told to keep our schools safe," Burnside said. "We wanted to make sure we had everything in place. The threat wasn't substantiated."

Ron Davis, principal at Varsity Lakes Middle School in Lehigh Acres, said he wasn't aware of any sensitive documents recovered in Iraq, but said his new school building "was built with safety in mind."

"I do believe that we have — through our normal procedures and precautions — provided for security and safety of faculty and students," Davis said.