Working Together For A Safe Holiday

Washington, DC - Summer is here, vacationers are on the move, and the nation is once again preparing to celebrate its most visible patriotic holiday - the Fourth of July. Civic parades, concerts, fireworks displays, and picnics, as expected, will dominate the observance of America's Independence Day. Unlike Memorial Day's somber reflection on past sacrifices, the Fourth of July is a time when Americans traditionally express their joy at living in freedom.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) sincerely hopes this year will be no different. ATF wishes to remind the American public, however, that traditional celebrations typically draw large crowds, which could present a tempting target for terrorist bombers. This day is highly symbolic to Americans, and could be a symbolic target day for our enemies. Those who hate our way of life would savor nothing more than turning a day of laughter and celebration into one of fear and mourning.

ATF wishes to assure the nation that while the public enjoys a holiday, we will be working to make the holiday safe for Americans. We at ATF have undertaken an accelerated inspection schedule of Federally-licensed explosives dealers and users since 9/11: a total of nearly 7,500 inspections in the 3 months immediately after the World Trade Center and Pentagon bombings, and thousands more since January of this year. ATF inspectors found and corrected over 1,700 recordkeeping and storage violations during that same period, including an unsafe storage situation in Missouri that resulted in the seizure and controlled destruction of some 4 million pounds of explosives. We have met with explosives industry leaders, and have notified all those in the industry to be exceptionally vigilant as we enter the summer holiday season. We asked their cooperation in noting and reporting to ATF any attempts by unknown individuals to buy explosives materials under unusual circumstances or in a suspicious manner. We have reason to believe this partnership with industry will greatly assist in the nation's security.

Partnerships should not be limited to industry and government, though. ATF asks all citizens to understand the unprecedented time in which we are living, and urges them to exercise caution during the holiday period. Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies are on alert throughout the nation, but they are only as effective as the intelligence they receive. This is where you can help. In a battle against terror, every bit of information is important, and an alert public is always a key factor in crime prevention. If you truly appreciate the freedoms you enjoy, and understand the threats posed by terrorism, you can and should be prepared to shoulder a part of the load in maintaining everyone's security.

If you see suspicious activity involving firearms or explosives, please notify ATF at: 1-800-ATF-BOMB. Your observations could be critical. ATF is justly proud of the work its expert bomb investigators have done in solving bombing crimes. ATF has been a primary investigator of the World Trade Center bombing in 1993, the Murrah Federal Building bombing in Oklahoma City, the Atlanta Olympics Centennial Park bombing, and many others nationally and internationally. Our special agents and forensic investigative teams have had far more experience in sifting through post-blast crime scenes than they prefer, however: memories of scarred, gutted buildings and shattered lives cannot easily be erased. Crime solving is always necessary; crime prevention is just as vital, though, and is not limited to select law enforcement groups.

Please, enjoy your holiday, but be alert for yourselves and for your neighbors. A "safe and sane" Fourth of July holiday has never sounded better.