Tragic Olympic expectations?

[Buccaneer]

I see that Brillig started a thread on Olympic results and such. This is something different. Here's the question:

Should we be expecting a (tragic) disaster at the Athens Games?

This has been the discussion between my wife and I. She had lived in Athens (in the early 80s) for two years and as soon as they announced that they won the blackmail...oops...competition for the games, my wife had predicted disaster. Her reasons, which I cannot dispute, were centered around immense corruptness, incompetence and non-security of Athens and Greece. So far, she had been right on the money in predicting all of the problems they have had in construction delays, building codes and imcompleteness. Not only that but she known Athens to being the crossroads for every single terrorist group in the world, due lack of security and corruptness of officials in allowing that. Additionally, we unsurprisingly hear of significant lack of ticket sales due to apathy (which said was the Greek way) and security. The threats of pulling the games came as no surprise to us and had thought it would be a 50/50 chance of them pulling it off.

Now we read that somehow (with tremendous outside help and influence) that the Games will go on, albeit with spending $1.5 billion in security alone. Should then expect something of a tragic disaster to happen like a building collapse, or bombings or something else?

[Bearcat729]

My mother expects something bad to happen there.


I'm not so sure. I wouldn't be surprised, but the US put troops in Athens to help with security didn't they?

[Maple Leafs]

I have a good friend who's over there. Despite the poor tase jokes ("Um, OK Matt, have a nice trip, nice knowing you") I doubt anything will happen. The security will be quite tight, and as much as terrorists love to him high-profile targets, they tend not to do it during high-profile times. The buildings might be poor, but they won't be unsafe.

So unless you consider someone losing a ton of money to be a disaster, then no, I doubt anything will happen.

[Brillig]

Perhaps I'm just a cock-eyed optimist, but I don't anticipate any major incidents at the Olympics.

Bomb threats? Definitely.

Isolated incident, like a pipe bomb or such? Possibly.

Major terrorist outrage? I don't think so.

The news is reporting that Greek security alone out numbers all athletes 7:1, or about 70,000 Greek police, army, etc...

The U.S. is reportedly sending more security for our athletes than athletes.

Now the building collapse or similar scenario - that seems a bit more possible. But even though people laughed at the Greeks and their problems in preparing for the games, the Olympics are a huge moment for a country on the international stage. In the name of simple patriotism, I'd think that they're actually very well prepared.

[Draft Dodger]

if I'm a terrorist (and I'm not), why would I hit the Olympics?

I'd be up against a lot of security, but, most of all, the thing I crave the most (media coverage) isn't going to be any bigger if I attack the games than a successful attack somewhere else. If it's me, I'm looking for targets that have little security, but still can cause lots of damage/casualties - I get the same "reward", but at much less of a cost.

[Eaglesfan27]

From what I recall reading somewhere today, there are going to be several thousand Nato troops boosting security as well. Seems like it would be too difficult of a target for a mass terrorist attack. Least I hope I'm correct.

[kcchief19]

Terrorist like to strike where security is weak and they like to strike everyday things we take for granted, like going to the work or going to the market. The Olympics is an expected target by us, which is exactly why it wouldn't be a great target for terrorist. Unless Greece has a lot of extremists anti-abortion nut jobs like Eric Rudolph.

As for the facilities, Athens had plenty of help. As part of security, I'm certain neutral inspectors have examined buildings for any faults. I'd bet no on that as well.

All in all, the odds of something horrific happening are much worse than nothing happening, so I'll put my chips on nothing.

[Anthony]

nothing is going to happen. with all eyes on Athens for the next week, it's the safest (relatively) place in the world to be. billions were spend on the best of security. advisors from the US and Israel have lent their expertise. the terrorists know their best chance of doing whatever it is they want to do are greater when no one is expecting it and in less secured areas.

[cthomer5000]

I would be surprised if anything large happens. I can see a minor bomb or something, but I'd be very surprised if anything large-scale gets pulled off.

[Yossarian]

Well so far some greeks have been in a motorcycle acccident...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics_2004/athletics/3560680.stm

[SunDancer]

They got 24-hour secruity sky cameras (street), air patrol 24 hours a day, multinational troops, submarines, ect...The USA Hoops team is actually staying abroad Queen Mary II ship.

[CHEMICAL SOLDIER]

What surprises me is that terrorists dont attack motor racing events here and overseas. I can see how easy it is to attack a Grand Pix or Nascar raceand think how devestating attacks on race weekends will be.

[NoMyths]

Be afraid, dammit!

[Shkspr]

The fact that we haven't had more terrorist attacks in the last three years, all over the world, is kind of stunning to me. As many cells as there seem to be, as many connections as we seem to find, I am shocked that the Beltway Sniper case is the only kind of sustained national panic I can recall post 9/11.

For instance, I remember that the first Harry Potter movie was released in November 2001. Twelve truck bombs, twelve cities, twelve movie theaters, could have easily doubled the eventual casualty total of 9/11 and sent the most chilling message I can imagine: "You cannot protect your children from us. Anywhere." If I wanted to attack America, a followup attack there or at Walt Disney World would have been set up before the first plane took off that Tuesday.

And yet, a quick look at the targets we've seen mentioned in the news suggest a very different motive for al-Queda. The Space Needle, the Golden Gate Bridge, Wall Street - there's much more of an emphasis on monument than on event. It appears as though al-Queda believes that the image of an imposing stucture burning is more horrific to contemplate than the image of bodies on-air. Even when choosing to destroy landmarks, bin Laden's group chose the fairly sterile Twin Towers rather than the smaller but more symbolic destruction of the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty.

On the other hand, I don't know how the Bali blast ties into the message Al-Queda is trying to send the world. All I can think of is that an attack on the Olympics would send a similar message as the disruption of any of a thousand events could have done over the past three years and it does not appear as though the forces responsible for 9-11 are attempting to send that particular message.

(While on the subject, though, I would expect some explosive disruption by non-Al-Queda-aligned forces at some point during the next two weeks. I suspect something bigger than Eric Rudolph, involving 6-12 conspirators and multiple locales, aimed at someone other than the American contingent.)

[JonInMiddleGA]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/3566410.stm

A British tabloid newspaper claims to have exposed serious security lapses in Athens during the build-up to the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games.

The Sunday Mirror claims an undercover reporter was able to get a job at the main stadium without proper vetting.

The paper claims the reporter worked at the venue until the opening ceremony.

It says he planted three suspicious packages within the stadium which were not detected by security sweeps.

The paper says the parcels contained material for three mock bombs, including plasticine, batteries and wire.

A "security lockdown" on 5 August failed to detect the packages, the paper says.

It also says their reporter was able to stand within 20 metres of Prime Minister Tony Blair and other dignitaries at the opening ceremony of the Games on Friday.

"The lockdown was shambolic," the reporter, identified as Bob Graham, said.

"The seals on our packages were left unbroken after the security checks were completed."

Mr Graham said he was able to get a job on the main Olympic site as a fork-lift driver working for a British contractor without proper security checks.

No references were asked for, the paper claims, and there was no formal interview.

Mr Graham said security was so lax he was even able to gain access to the site with names such as Michael Mouse and Robert bin Laden handwritten on his identification pass.

Fact? Fiction? I have no idea. But I thought it was interesting nonetheless.

[stevew]

What surprises me is that terrorists dont attack motor racing events here and overseas. I can see how easy it is to attack a Grand Pix or Nascar raceand think how devestating attacks on race weekends will be.

They place 100k people in bristol in a relatively small location. If terrorists were to attack such a location, they could kill perhaps 30K people.

[Dutch]

Terrorists of this sophistication are going to go after targets that impose the west on the (middle) east.

Attacking a bunch of sports fans is not the message they want to send. They could care less what we do in our own country. It's those institutions that deal with the middle east in any way shape or form that they want to send terror messages too.

The more westerners that are in the middle east, the worse off fundamental extremism is. It's hard to convince people how evil Americans, or British, of French people are if we are actually over there doing business with them and socializing with them and showing them how "normal" we actually are.

For Fundamental Islam to survive, the "final solution" is the destruction of western influence in the middle east. So attacking WTO, Financial Institutions, Military Institutions, and Government Institutions are their biggest prizes. IMO.