911 Dispatcher Arrested for Accessing Websites With Terrorist Information

[Norseman]

May 7, 2008

A 911 dispatcher, Nadire Zelenaj, has been arrested for using computers at work to access secure government websites containing information about suspected terrorists.

Now the FBI wants to know what she did with that sensitive information.

The employee was hired in 2002 after the September 11 terrorist attack. 911 computers allow employees to access a secured police data site with criminal information.

However, Zelenaj was using that access for personal reasons.

Police say she accessed information from a terrorist watch list.

They tracked her movements in a two-year period between January ‘06 and December ‘07 and say she visited that site at least 232 times.

Richard Vega of the Office of Public Integrity said that at the present, they can only suspect what she’s been up to.

What we do know is — now the FBI is involved. Agents would not comment other than to say it’s part of a larger investigation.

Zelenaj has been charged with 232 felony counts of computer trespass and one count of official misconduct. She was fired in December.

A co-worker saw her on the site and became suspicious. From there, it was easy to track her computer movements.

http://www.nationalterroralert.com/u...t-information/

[bpdblue]

"The enemy within," would be a good title for this incident.

I hope they are also checking other computer access this dispatcher made, such as driver's license info, registered veh's to person's info, and so on, as she could provide that info to others so they could have home addresses, and other sensitive info on important persons.

[SpecialAgentKC]

"The enemy within," would be a good title for this incident.

I hope they are also checking other computer access this dispatcher made, such as driver's license info, registered veh's to person's info, and so on, as she could provide that info to others so they could have home addresses, and other sensitive info on important persons.

Hear, hear. Insider threat will also be a serious concern. And, unfortunately, civilians' background checks are quite as deep as sworn personnel. Depending on the level of government involved, they wouldn't be vetted for national security threats as deeply. --K.

[timorourkecps]

Map is simple but gets the point acrossed. I've seen a more detailed map of both North and South America but this one gets the point across.


http://www.globalsecurity.org/intell...109-615-16.jpg

[Mr. Security]

I'm surprised an audit didn't catch her earlier. When I worked as a 911 dispatcher, I was warned never to access information unless it was requested by a police officer or other supervisor because it is a felony. Auditors came in from time to time to compare police call records with NCIC and COLLECT information requests by dispatch.