A dramatic example of how supply chain transparency and the “known shipper” rule fights terrorism was on public display last week as Con-way Freight helped the FBI foil a jihadist plot.
The company’s involvement in the investigation which led to the arrest of Khalid Ali-M Aldawsari was made public recently as Con-way Freight explained that it had been working closely with local police and the FBI on this case from the beginning.
The case stemmed from a shipment they determined to be of a suspicious nature, received at its Lubbock, Texas service center on February 1, 2011.
Based on training and experience, Con-way’s local management immediately flagged the shipment as suspicious and notified Con-way’s corporate security department. The shipment matched profiles outlined in Con-way’s security protocols for identifying shipments of a suspicious nature, and which appeared for use not consistent with known commercial application of the product.
These concerns triggered the company’s Homeland Security escalation plan. Con-way’s corporate security department then notified law enforcement authorities, who then visited its facility and examined the shipment. The FBI subsequently reviewed the shipment information as part of its ongoing investigation which resulted in Aldawsari’s arrest.
“Con-way and other members of the transportation community have been working closely for several years with the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security and other authorities to develop escalation plans and communication practices to enhance homeland security,” the company told the media. “The success of this collaborative process is evident in the results of this case.”
Con-way continues to cooperate fully in partnership with law enforcement authorities in support of the investigation.
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