by Donald Wood
Last updated: 2:40 PM ET, Thu March 23, 2017
In a memo obtained by NBCNews.com, federal law enforcement agencies have sent a warning to airports and airlines in the United States that they remain top targets for terrorist groups.
The nine-page memo was sent Tuesday to passenger airlines and many of America's nearly 20,000 airports by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Homeland Security and the National Counterterrorism Center.
The report reminds airports and airlines that the presence of large crowds in unsecured areas makes them a vulnerable target. The memo states the industry needs to be aware that, "terrorists outside the U.S. remain intent on attacking airports."
While the memo doesn't directly address the recent ban on electronics on some international flights, it does cite recent terror attacks on foreign airports and airliners. The report also went on to list several threats, including concealed weapons and explosives, insider threats posed by airport employees and drones.
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In addition, the federal law enforcement agencies have also shared several additional security measures for airports and airlines to follow, including providing the proper training for employees, adding technology to monitor sensitive areas and utilizing guard towers for an elevated view of each facility's perimeter.
The memo also examines the tools that airports and airlines are using to communicate with the public about terror threats in order to ensure the information is getting to the passengers in and around the airport.
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