Scubaism

The FBI have issued an advisory to the American diving industry to be on the lookout for suspicious behaviour. (As early as 2003, The Department of Homeland was already warning of scuba attacks.) The most recent advisory includes:

1. Requests for odd specialty training that are inconsistent with recreational diving, including requests to dive in murky water or sewer pipes and inquiries about specific procedures such as diver towing.
2. Requests to learn advanced skills associated with combat swimming, including use of re-breathers and diver propulsion vehicles (DPVs), deep diving, conducting kick counts and extra navigation training.
3. Requests for advanced diver training by applicants from countries where diving is not a common recreational activity.
4. Training sponsorship by groups or agencies such as religious organizations, cults, associations, or charitable agencies not normally associated with diving (Scubaherald: So, let’s be suspicious of any Swizz diver and YMCA divers…. .)
5. Volume purchasing inquires related to Swimmer Delivery Vehicles (SDVs) and Diver Propulsion Vehicles (DPVs).
6. Paying cash for diving instruction (huh?!) and refusal or reluctance to provide personal information.

To this list, I would also add:

1. Reluctance to learn how to ascend.
2. Reluctance to learn how to remove, clean and store gear.
3. Reluctance to learn how to deploy signaling gear.
4. Bulk purchases of scimitar-shaped diving knives.