The level of terrorist threat

Just a few days ago, Muslim militants killed 16 policemen in China’s far west. An Islamic group has made new threats against the Olympic Games.

So this analysis of the real threat to the Games, from a Hong Kong risk analysis group, is particularly timely. Here is what Steve Vickers, a former chief investigator with the Hong Kong police, writes:

There has been much publicity and debate as to the Actual Security Threat at Olympic venues - some of this has been ill informed or sensational in nature.

International Risk's bottom line assessment is that, whilst there is a genuine threat of terrorism in parts of the PRC; particularly those areas in close proximity to Xinjiang  and to the border areas with Pakistan and Afghanistan - that the threat to the actual Olympic venues is assessed as Medium to Low. The separatist groups concerned are not assessed to have the capability to project significant resources to the Olympic venues.

The threat to Hong Kong and the other Olympic venues are similarly assessed to be Medium to Low.

Conversely, escalated levels of "publicity driven stunts" and demonstrations by various NGO's and other peaceful organisations can be anticipated, particularly in Hong Kong and other non-Beijing venues.

Comments

[A B]

Hey, does holding prisoners of war unlawfully under the Geneva Convention count as terrorism?

The problem is Beijing has defined incidents broadly not just to actual "shoot-em-blow-em -up" events, but to include protesters, disruptive people, and other public relations problems.

By trying to achieve perfection, they ended up a failure in their own terms.

All they needed to have done is to have gone with the flow with these things to have come out with a Gold Medal.

[Sparkle]

@A B
Did China ever "holding prisoners of war unlawfully under the Geneva Convention"? Or you are talking about US? I am confused here..

[Nuodi]

Yup, agree with A B. The Stakes are High & the Chinese Governmnet gets all too Tensed & Uptight. The Governmnet could have come out on top if only it had a sense of HUMOUR & some ability to ACCOMMODATE (aka "Boa Rong" - a Word used by BOCOG President- Liu Qi in his Opening Speech) the harmless Antics of people E.g. climbing up poles to unfurl protest flags.

[jeff]

There are many terrorist incidents during the 90s. Fewer in recent years.

[A B]

@Sparkle

I think the POWs are being held at Guantanamo Bay.

@Nuodi

Did the Poles complain about being climbed on? What about the Japanese using Turkish baths? That is enough to drive the President to pardon some Turkeys.... as long as they are not "unlawful enemy combatants".

Don't get me wrong --- I think it was a great show, even though I would have left out some elements...like soldiers holding flags. I would have added some elements (hint: not too late to change the closing ceremony), like having the parent(s) of one of the construction workers that died building the site pick up an orphan child from the earthquake to light (extinguish) the flame.... to symbolize how this is a collective sacrifice from many people in China that made it happen.... and the future for the child....

But... that is interjecting current events into a long planned show....

How terrible of me!

[bob]

u r gay

[bob]

hi u r a dick headed retard