By Cindi Andrews
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Turgal

When the first bombs dropped on Iraq, the Cincinnati field office of the FBI transformed five empty cubicles into the hub of a round-the-clock command post for Operation Liberty Shield.

The area, with its conference table in the center, looked like an ordinary office Thursday afternoon - except that one agent was wearing a gun holster and the six wall clocks included one labeled "Baghdad time." And the erasable-marker boards were covered with brown paper to accommodate a media visit.

Eight to 10 agents will staff the command post at all times, collecting homeland security intelligence from the southern half of Ohio and sharing information with FBI agents nationwide, said spokesman James Turgal, the Cincinnati office's chief division counsel.

"I want the public to realize we're actively engaged," he said. "I want them to know we're here in case something happens."

To increase its focus on counterterrorism, the FBI field office has scaled back its efforts on bank robberies and drug trafficking.

The Liberty Shield post probably will remain in place for two to four weeks. That could change depending on how long the war lasts and whether terrorists launch attacks.

All FBI field offices set up command posts when the United States went to war late Wednesday, just as they all activated posts on Sept. 11, 2001, and on the one-year anniversary of the attacks.

The Cincinnati office also has a Joint Terrorism Task Force that works mainly in the field doing interviews, he said. Task force agents will conduct voluntary interviews with "dozens" of local people of Iraqi heritage, Turgal said Thursday.

Like airports and other government buildings, the Federal Building in downtown Cincinnati shows signs of stepped-up security. In addition to the FBI, the building houses offices of the Internal Revenue Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

Those entering already had to pass through metal detectors, but now they must show photo identification, too. As of Wednesday, searches began on vehicles that park in the employees-only garage. Also, cars that stop outside the building will be searched and those that park there will be towed, Turgal said.

E-mail candrews@enquirer.com