Special Olympics Security

Sparks

Anyone know who's in charge of the SO's security?
Just occurred to me watching the US and Israeli teams walking around that they're pretty much the ultimate in soft targets, and with our support of the US during the war....

Nevyn

The gardas are doing security and each team has a number or garda asigned to them for the duration.

Everyone that is working on the speacial olympics has had extensive back ground checks and that goes from the order of malta vounenterrs to the lighting and sound guys.

Sparks

The Gardai? That's it?
(And as to background checks, did not every member of the 9/11 attack have a valid set of ID papers obtained through normal channels with background checks?)

Victor

Originally posted by Sparks
(And as to background checks, did not every member of the 9/11 attack have a valid set of ID papers obtained through normal channels with background checks?)

Sure, but it is actually likely that even the Garda is better that the crowd that were running Boston O'Hare.

I suspect teams that might have specific security concerns will have additional security. And given that the SOWG is more cultural than political, woe betide anyone making an attack.

Sparks

Victor, that could have been said about Sydney and Munich as well. Consider that:
We gave the US logistical support during the invasion,
There are US and Israelis there,
It's pretty much a US institution (this is the first SO outside the US),
The Israelis are preventing some Palestinian athletes from attending.

Basicly, it's a soft target.

PhilipMarlowe

With all respect and with the risk of appearing crass, I don't think anyone would be 'retarded' enough to target these special Olympians.

Looking at it right now on TV, it's a stunning spectacle that is all about integration and unity…

Sparks

Licksy,
As I said, prior to Munich, the olympics was supposed to represent cultural integration and the best that humanity had to offer, and noone really thought that anyone would be so vile as to attack it.
And that was the Olympics, an event whose traditions date back to ancient hellenic culture. This is the Special Olympics, which is basicly a modern american invention. If I were responsible for security, I'd be rather worried myself.

Talliesin

Originally posted by Sparks
The Gardai? That's it?

As opposed to who or what?

Orion

Originally posted by Licksy
Looking at it right now on TV, it's a stunning spectacle that is all about integration and unity…

Not quite - Look at the Saudi and albanian teams refusing to play against Israel. Politics should be no part of this event.

As for attacks - I can't see anyone even trying it. The Gardai are all that are needed afaics.

Sparks

As opposed to who or what?

Well, I had assumed that the rangers would have been at least involved somewhere along the line.

Not quite - Look at the Saudi and albanian teams refusing to play against Israel. Politics should be no part of this event.

Hold up a moment. I thought that the purpose of the SO was to "show the world" that a disability didn't mean you couldn't take part in the "adult world". So frankly, a political statement made peacefully and publically seems to me to be a vindication of the reason for the SO in the first place! (After all, the Israeli government is the one that triggered the protest by refusing to let a Palestinian athlete compete...)

As for attacks - I can't see anyone even trying it.

As I said before, noone ever saw the Olympics being attacked until Munich, and even after that, Sydney was attacked.

BuffyBot

Yes, but "The" Olympics gets a lot more coverage in the media than the special Olympics could ever hope for - hence why Munich was targetted.

I can't see the Special Olympics in lil ol' Ireland being a focal point for anyone to draw attention to a cause..

Sparks

[sarcasm]Yes, what could possibly go wrong?[/sarcasm]

Saruman

It would be very hard for someone to target athletes at the events... The only ones that can be near are volunteers and we went through Garda background checks and even still only some Volunteers are able to gain access to Athlete area's.

So if there was an attack it would be on spectators or on Athletes when they are not at the venue such as if they are visiting somewhere

BuffyBot

Originally posted by Sparks
[sarcasm]Yes, what could possibly go wrong?[/sarcasm]

Well, why don't you tell us who exactly would target the Special Olympics in Ireland, and why. What security precautions would you take, and why?

I await a convincing argument (other than "someone did it at the normal Olympics in Munich once")

Sparks

I await a convincing argument (other than "someone did it at the normal Olympics in Munich once")

I think you just answered your own query, to be honest.

Originally posted by Sparks
Anyone know who's in charge of the SO's security?
Just occurred to me watching the US and Israeli teams walking around that they're pretty much the ultimate in soft targets, and with our support of the US during the war....

So you think Osama bin Laden or a supporter of Sadam hussein or some other similarally motivated organisation is going to attack disabled U.S/Israeli kids at the special Olympics and in so doing also risk the lives of the disabled athletes of other countries while they are at it??

And in so doing they would of course wipe out support for their cause among ordinary muslims...:rolleyes:
So you think they are so un clever enough to perform such an own goal...
Not to mention the fact that such an own goal would gift GWB with fuel for life in his crusade against these people, whilst doing the quickest and best repair job ever to the damage caused to U.S and U.K relations with some countries.

I'm surprised Sparks that this hadn't occurred to you.

mm

Sparks

I'm surprised Sparks that this hadn't occurred to you.

It did, and then I considered world opinion following the september 11th attacks, and the opinion of the majority of the muslim world in particular, and it struck me that the people that resort to terrorism simply strike at the softest target available.

Originally posted by Sparks
It did, and then I considered world opinion following the september 11th attacks, and the opinion of the majority of the muslim world in particular, and it struck me that the people that resort to terrorism simply strike at the softest target available.

There is a very marked difference between deliberately attacking handicapped kids and a commercial target such as the trade towers.
Al Qu'eda aren't eejits and I'm sure some of them or their supporters have handicapped relations.
I thought that together with the own goal that such an attack would bring, would have occurred to you before you posed such a question.
mm

Saruman

Hang on Sydney Olympics? The ones recently? I did not know there was a terrorist attack there... I heard there was maybe one planned but i did not think anything actually happened.. i could be wrong of course

There was a bomb Blast in Atlanta... i know as i saw it happen live on TV but still i dont know if that was international.. just as likely to be local terrorism from an American group.

Sparks

Man,
As I said, it did occour to me and then I thought about 9/11 and came to the conclusion that they simply strike at the softest target available. Recall that the SO is an American invention so it wouldn't have any huge worth in the eyes of al-quaeda.

Saruman,
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/761789.stm

Originally posted by Sparks
Man,
As I said, it did occour to me

It has now though;)
mm

Silent Bob

Sparks: your posts read like you are a paranoid.

The world did not change after the WTC was attacked on the 11th of September 2001. People (mainly Americans) just became more aware that there IS a world out there.

Would you even have considered that a terrorist attack could happen at the Special Olympics before then?

IMO people are buying in to the propaganda constantly broadcast by the government of the USA, all this "You are with us or against us" crap.

You are in no more danger from terrorism than you were 5 years ago. You're just more aware of it now is all.

Sparks

There's an old saying bob, that you have to work to kill a pessimist - an optimist will take care of it for you.

Prior to now, there's never been a special olympics outside the US.

And frankly, telling me that I'm not at risk from terrorism is rather silly. Everyone in Ireland has been from the day they were born, as those who lost loved ones in the Dublin bombing will happily tell you, or those who have friends or family in Northern Ireland.

The Muppet

I can not see how targeting innocent intellectuallly disabled athletes would further any political cause. Surely the fear of the inevitable backlash after such an event is deterrent enough.

Silent Bob

Originally posted by Sparks
And frankly, telling me that I'm not at risk from terrorism is rather silly. Everyone in Ireland has been from the day they were born, as those who lost loved ones in the Dublin bombing will happily tell you, or those who have friends or family in Northern Ireland.

Where did I tell you that you aren't at risk from terrorism?