Mr. McMillen wrote a large capital "A" on the woman's customs card, to alert other agents that her luggage should be searched.

Coded messages, in the form of personal greetings, were broadcast during each evening's BBC news messages that alerted agents in the field, their true meaning opaque to all other listeners.

Behind them at the station, the men working the phone circuit alerted agents at every station on the line.

He again alerted federal agents, who began shutting down dealers who supplied the birds to Macy's and pet stores.

In addition to the videotape-playing prosecutor, there has been Antonio Freitas, the businessman who first alerted federal agents to corruption in City Hall, and then worked undercover to expose it.

"We will be able to search for Shar and Tannim from here-and we will be able to alert our allies and agents in unfriendly domains to watch for them."

The list Mr. Waldheim was put on today is an Immigration and Naturalization Service list called a watch list alerting agents at borders to watch for certain people.

Second, it alerted agents and military authorities to new concerns in the tangled web of conflict between the Navajos, Utes, Mexicans, and Anglo peoples.

Instead he believed that applying would alert agents to an earlier run-in with the law and end with his being thrown out of the country.

F.B.I. officials alerted agents in areas that have been hit before, New York City and Washington, to be on special guard and also warned about possible attacks on Jewish sites.