Al-Qaeda to hit Athens?

I don't know how much stock you want to put into this.

www.novinite.com...

Al-Qaeda to Hit Athens, Bulgarian Cell Alert - Report

Politics: 12 August 2004, Thursday.

Islamic radical organizations are ready to attack Athens during the Olympic Games, according to reports.

They wait for activation order of the Al-Qaeda leadership in Iran to conduct the attacks, US newspaper "Defense & Foreign Affairs" said.

The paper added that the attacks would be led by the Kosovo's Albanians.

I don't know how credible this is. I never even heard of that site before, but I think it's pretty safe to say that terrorist would be planning or trying to plan to do something during the Olympics.

I think an attack in Athens during the Olympics or at least an attempt is pretty inevitable. I can't be sure if it would be successful with so much security surrounding the games, though. Representatives from all terrorist interest countries will be in one place at the same time which is a creepy thought, but I'm sure I'm just speaking the obvious.

I could imagine that a successful attack at the olympics will likely cause mass global hysteria for two reasons:

1) Many nations' citizens and athletes could be simultaneously killed or injured affecting a fresh round of 'coalition building'.

2) The Athens olympics will likely be the most highly protected international event in history. If an attack can be pulled off despite the massive security effort surrounding the olympics, it can be pulled off anywhere, anytime. (This is not to say that I believe that olympic security is foolproof, simply that it is the most elaborate cross-integration of effort attempted to date.)

an atack is possible but probaly and different orgaization or group would carry out the atack but al qaida atack is still possible and a worry

peace/

Is an attack possible? Probably. Will an attack happen? Probably not. al Qaeda has shown that they are extremely patient and do not necessarily attack high profile events or anniversaries. They like to attack targets that common, everyday people attend (ie WTC and the Madrid train bombings). That's not to say if they had an opening they wouldn't try something at the Olympics, I just think it's not likely. If it were, the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City would have been a prime target.

As has been cited by others, AQ is very patient. I doubt that they will do a major hit at the Olympics due to the high security level. However, it's possible they will try. What I think may also be a possibility is that they hit some other area while the Olympics are distracting the attention of the intel, surveillance, and security teams.
joey