Scuba Warning Issued for Instructors
The Associated Press
Wednesday, June 27, 2007; 4:04 PM


WASHINGTON -- The FBI is asking the nation's scuba instructors to
watch for potential terrorist threats.

The agency's Joint Terrorism Task Force recently alerted dive shops
around the country to look out for divers seeking advanced training,
including diving in murky water and in sewer pipes.


FBI spokesman Richard Kolko described the advisory as routine and said
it was not prompted by any threat.

The advisory asked instructors to be aware of "odd inquiries that are
inconsistent with recreational diving." That includes advanced
navigation techniques, deep diving and the use of underwater vehicles.

"It would definitely stand out," said Ken Loyst, who sits on the board
of the National Association of Underwater Instructors. "Most
instructors would take it upon themselves to call somebody and say,
'There's a weird guy in my class.'"

The advisory also referred to requests for diver training "by
applicants from countries where diving is not a common recreational
activity" and training sponsored by religious organizations, cults,
charities and other groups not usually associated with diving.

Loyst, who is also a pilot, compared the FBI advisory to those
distributed to aviation instructors.

"I think the FBI is just kind of giving everyone a heads up," he said.

Loyst estimated there are about 1,800 dive shops around the country.