Super Bowl anti-terrorism documents found on plane
National security documents related to simulated attacks at the Super Bowl were left inside the seat-back pocket of an airplane and discovered by a CNN employee.
The sensitive materials, marked “For Official Use Only” and “important for national security,” consisted of reports analyzing the response to a simulated Anthrax attack, CNN reports.
In December 2017, a CNN employee discovered the documents on a commercial plane, along with other sensitive Department of Homeland Security materials.
Those who possessed the documents were instructed to keep them locked up, never share the contents with anyone not on a “need-to-know” basis and shred them prior to discarding them.
The employee also found travel documents for a government scientist in charge of BioWatch, a DHS program that conducted the simulated attacks in preparation for the big game in Minneapolis on Feb. 4, according to CNN.
The BioWatch program operates an aerosol detection system that is designed to provide early warnings in the event of a biological attack, CNN reports.
The exercises, conducted in July and November, were designed to test the system’s response to an intentional release of Anthrax at the Super Bowl.
The simulations were also created to gauge the coordinated response from public health, law enforcement and emergency management in this scenario. According to the reports obtained by CNN, there were several areas that needed improvement and that “some local law enforcement and emergency management agencies possess only a cursory knowledge of the BioWatch program and its mission.”
CNN reports the findings showed there were “differences of opinion” over how many people had been exposed in the exercise and confusion among health agencies about what the alerts issued during the simulation meant and who they could share that information with during the emergency.
This made it more difficult to determine if their city was “at risk,” and created a situation where people are making decisions based on a limited point of view, according to the documents obtained by the outlet.
In consultation with DHS, the outlet elected to hold the story until after the Super Bowl after officials raised concerns about national security prior to the game should this be made public.