Blog 1: Terrorism in Sochi, Cody Cook 2/7/2014 14:25

Summary

The article discussed the security forces for the Olympics, which numbered over 100,000 men in a perimeter 1500 miles square around the city (60mi x 25mi) that is known as the “ring of steel.” The inherit risk of an attack inside this perimeter is low, but even just outside it is very likely. The most vulnerable points of attack would be busses travelling inside the cordoned area according to analists. The group the security forces are most concered about to perpetuate attacks is named the Caucasus Emirate established in 2007 with ties to Al-Qaeda. The group was formed in order to secure Chechen suscession from the Russian Federation after the first and second Chechen wars but quickly chaged motives to a more jihadist component. This group has reportedly committed approximately two attacks per year since its formation resulting in the deaths of hundreds. In two attacks in late 2013, the group targeted a city 600 miles away from Sochi killing 24. Just three months before the first of those attacks, the group released a video cursing the games that would take place this year and saying they would give the city a “present” during the games. The U.S. has stationed two ships nearby in the Black Sea with helocopters ready to deploy to rescue American citizens visiting the games in the case of an attack. The view athletes the article questioned stated they felt safer from threats of terrorism than they did being injured during their event.

Analysis

With the kick-off of the 2014 Winter Olympic games in Sochi, Russia, I found it appropriate to research threats of terrorism surrounding the event. I was surprised at the amount of information I was able to find in the one article. The group specialists are most concerned about had made statements that specifically targeted the games this year and also said they were "satanic dances on the bones of our ancestors." A terrorism specialist at the University of Albany adviced to simply not go to the games because of the perceived threat of terrorism surrounding them. I also found it very interesting that numerous times the president of Chechnya had said that the leader of the group Caucasus Emirate had been killed, but specialists are still unconvinced this is true. The groups formation was also interesting. Coming together due to the mistreatment of Chechen during wars with Russia later to change entirely to a terrorist organization. It makes you think what other groups that have cause harm to the innocent started out with a more noble cause.

Source:

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/02/explained-are-terrorist-about-attack-sochi-olympics