FORT MITCHELL — The resurgence of supremacist groups. Weapons of mass destruction. Hackers waging cyber terrorism.

        An FBI terrorism expert brought these topics close to home for Kentucky cops, who gathered Friday for a crime prevention conference at the Drawbridge Inn.

        As the nation approaches the first anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, local law enforcement officials have found themselves thrust into new roles as defenders of homeland security. FBI Agent Amy Hess told a group of about 50 Kentucky law enforcement officials how they will fit in.

        “I mainly wanted to make sure I addressed any questions concerning new legislation passed to help us fight terrorism,” said Agent Hess.

        “Many times local law enforcement officials want to know how they fit into the bigger picture of fighting terrorism. I don't get many "Where is Osama bin Laden' questions unless I'm speaking to a school.”

        Agent Hess, who testified at Timothy McVeigh's trial, was the closing speaker at the Kentucky Crime Prevention Coalition's annual conference. Since then, investigations of weapons of mass destruction have accelerated.

        In 1997, the FBI investigated 74 cases involving possible weapons of mass destruction. That number increased in 2001 to 665 cases, she said. Cases such as the McVeigh bombing and Sept. 11 also show terrorist acts have increased their destructive power.

        “We are having few terrorist acts, but many more people are dying or getting injured,” she said.

        Agent Hess briefed the group on the history of foreign terrorist acts against the United States such as the Iran hostage crisis in the late 1970s, the hijackings of the 1980s and the bombings of American targets in the 1990s and early 2000s.

        She said Abdul Rahman Yasin is still wanted for his involvement in the first World Trade Center attack in 1993. The government released him after he cooperated with authorities only to have him flee to Iraq, where an American television journalist recently interviewed him, she said.

        Currently, seven countries (Cuba, Libya, Sudan, Iraq, Iran, North Korea and Syria) are accused of sponsoring terrorism, she said.

        To date, she said, $100 million in assets of 34 foreign terrorist organizations have been seized.

        Terrorist groups often use fraud schemes to fund their activities, she said, including stealing credit card numbers and siphoning proceeds immigrants send

        to their native countries.

        One new method for exposing would-be terrorists is the FBI's multi-phase data-mining project. This would help spot potential terrorists through Social Security number analysis.

        Local law enforcement officials said they appreciated the update.

        “I think this is all part of the FBI's attempt to be more open,” said Bob Douglas, executive director of the Kentucky Crime Prevention Coalition.

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