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As you may have heard, the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Counter-Terrorism division directed its field offices to pass on general threat information to state and local law enforcement agencies to facilitate their coordination with appropriate public housing authorities, property management companies, and apartment management personnel.

The general, non-specific threat communicated by the FBI essentially is that:

There are indications that Al-Qaeda leaders discussed the possibility of renting apartment units in various areas of the United States and rigging them with explosives. The FBI has no information indicating that this proposed plot advanced beyond the discussion stage. The FBI is working with other intelligence agencies to determine the credibility of this information.

Obviously, units in community associations are frequently rented. Therefore, we thought it would be prudent to inform you of the general alert so that you keep an eye out for suspicious activities in your community association.

In the event you become aware of any suspicious activities, please immediately report them to your local FBI Field Office. A listing of the field offices and contact information can be found at: http://www.fbi.gov/contact/fo/fo.htm. If you believe the activity is an emergency, call 911 immediately.

Suspicious activity might include, but is not limited to, suspicious vehicles or visitors, unusual traffic, noise, solicitors, abandoned packages, residents unusually changing their own locks, etc.

In keeping an eye out for suspicious activity, please remember that the Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of national origin, race, or ethnicity. Further, be careful not to violate federal or state laws by sharing non-public resident or applicant information. If you have any questions about complying with the Fair Housing Act or privacy laws, please contact your attorney.