At a mosque in the center of the Syrian capital, crowds of Iranian pilgrims gather to visit a historic Shiite shrine, the women in long, black cloaks and the men chanting Shiite prayers with deep, public emotion.

NPR: Iran and Syria: An Alliance Shaped by Mutual Foes

At the center of this industry are a relatively small number of professional con artists who actually gather the information.

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Federal Emergency Management Director Michael Brown told CNN that federal officials were unaware of the crowds at the convention center until Thursday, despite the fact that city officials had been telling people for days to gather there.

CNN: Military due to move in to New Orleans