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We’re in Las Vegas this week attending the Blog World Expo, so the timing of this story could not have been better.

Targeting and tracking terrorists or possible terrorists in any large metropolitan city is a formidable task. Doing it in Las Vegas and doing it well takes an extraordinary effort. John L. Smith, a reporter for the Las Vegas Review-Journal provides a brief glimpse of the Las Vegas Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) and their work in “the city that never sleeps”.

Investigating possible terrorist subjects without interrupting the celebration is one of the challenges faced by the people assigned to the Joint Terrorism Task Force, a cooperative effort combining agents and investigators from the FBI, Metro and several other law enforcement agencies. A recent surveillance of two suspicious men from London gives insight into the JTTFs efforts, which rarely surface publicly due to the nature of its business.

Heres some of what Ive been able to confirm: Two adult males of Middle Eastern heritage arrived in Las Vegas recently from London during the Islamic observance of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Muslim lunar calendar during which daylight fasting and other religious devotions are observed. During their visit, the mens behavior attracted the attention of JTTF, and around-the-clock surveillance ensued. During that time, the visitors were watched as they visited the Bellagio and Hard Rock Hotel. The visitors also snapped photographs of several Strip properties.

They were followed throughout their stay and out to McCarran International Airport, where they were stopped and consented to be interviewed by investigators. Following the interview, they boarded their flight and returned to London.

Their actions “increased our level of concern,” Metro Assistant Sheriff Mike McClary says.

“It is challenging,” he adds. “Probably a large percentage of people who come to visit every weekend take pictures.”

But independent sources confirm it wasn’t just the photography that increased the law enforcement scrutiny. Whether they were simply quirky tourists or genuine persons of interest to anti-terrorist investigators is unclear, and McClary declined to elaborate. Whats certain is their actions generated a substantial surveillance effort to ensure their presence here wasn’t threatening.

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