Please see attached file

Activity 6:

Affidavit and Search Warrant Writing

You are a forensic examiner working for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). DHS has been investigating the possible threat of an attack within the U.S. by members of the Chechen mujahedin.

Your team has been conducting surveillance of suspected terrorist Anwar Tsarni, a Chechen native, currently working as a graduate teaching assistant at George Mason University. Anwar Tsarni is a known associate of accused Boston Marathon bombers Dzhokhar Tsarnaev and Tamerlan Tsarnaev and has traveled to a region with a known Chechen terrorist training camp in the past year.

After a six-month investigation including surveillance and wiretaps of your suspect, you have probable cause to believe that a terrorist cell lead by Anwar Tsarni is planning an attack on the U.S. and is operating out of an office located at:

4400 University Drive

Fairfax, Virginia 22030

  • Write your search warrant and supporting affidavit

  • See the “Handouts” folder on Blackboard for help

    • Warrants must specify the type of evidence that may be gathered and the locations that may be searched. Your affidavit must be DETAILED and explain your probable cause.

    • Your warrant should include:

      • Court Authority

      • Nature of crimes being investigated

      • Locations to be searched

      • Property to be searched and seized

      • Affidavit/Statement of Probable Cause

        • Fill in the details “how” you got to this point in your investigation. You can come up with the back-story to explain how you got to this point in the investigation, but follow the basic case scenario I provided.

      • Chronology of Events

      • Exhibits

      • Your “return” page should be BLANK since you have not conducted a search yet.

  • Search Warrant Template: http://www.uscourts.gov/uscourts/FormsAndFees/Forms/AO093.pdf

  • Turn in your assignment on Blackboard. It must be submitted as ONE word of PDF file (NOT A ZIP FILE) that includes both the search warrant and affidavit.

By submitting this assignment, I certify I have abided by all requirements of the GMU honor code. I certify that this is entirely my own work, no unauthorized sources have been used, and all sources used have been properly cited.