The 2014 Winter Olympics are not just about athletics, they are also being watched closely
because of heightened concerns over the security threats facing the athletes, officials, and
other visitors in Sochi, Russia.
Here are three things to know about the security situation in Sochi.
First, the area surrounding Sochi is one of the most volatile regions in not only Russia,
but in the world.
The main threat within the region is the Caucasus Emirate, a loose alliance of various rebel
groups who seek to establish a new Muslim state within Russia.
Anecdotal evidence suggests that the Caucasus Emirate is linked to al-Qaeda.
The recent suicide bombings in Volgograd that resulted in thirty-two deaths were claimed
by this group.
The leader of the group, Doku Umarov, who has been referred to as Russia’s Osama bin
Laden, declared that members of the insurgency will target the Olympics.
Approximately 500 miles to the east of Sochi lies the states of Dagestan and Chechnya,
both of which have largely Muslim populations and have fought against Moscow’s rule for
years.
Also nearby are South Osettia, which was the home of the Russia-Georgia War in 2008, and
Abkazia, a disputed state of Georgia, that lies within the Olympic security ring.
Second, the setup and scale of these Olympics also present security problems.
Any large-scale public event—say the Super Bowl in New York—is already subject to increased
attention as a target of terrorism.
But given the specific issues in Russia, many leading security experts have remarked that
a security incident happening is not a question of if, but when.
Russia has spent over $51 billion on the Olympics, more than all of the previous winter Olympics
combined.
Nearly a fifth of that was spent on building transportation between the two Olympic clusters,
which are approximately 30 miles away from one another.
A terror alert has already been reported for the high-speed train that will be shuttling
athletes and fans between the two clusters.
This great distance puts more pressure on security forces, as they have to cover a much
larger area.
Third, even though Russia has ramped up security efforts in anticipation of the Olympics, many
still do not feel safe and are worried about a possible attack.
On top of the estimated 100,000 security personnel on the ground, Russia announced that they
will be monitoring all communications, including phone and email, there will be a ban on vehicles,
and all spectators must have identification cards.
Drones will also be used to provide aerial coverage.
Despite this, many athletes, from countries all over the world, have voiced their concerns
about traveling to Russia given the increased threats.
The U.S. Olympic Committee has also warned all athletes and fans to refrain from wearing
Team USA gear to avoid being targeted, and the U.S. State Department issued a new travel
alert last week to all those traveling to Russia, noting the possible presence of future
attacks from “black widows,” or the wives of deceased terrorists.
The United States will have two ships in the Black Sea and a C-17 plane will be on alert
in Germany.
Still, a recent poll from Quinnipiac University reveals that half of the respondents believe
that an attack is very or somewhat likely.
While it is generally held that security at the Olympics is the job of the host country
and the IOC, it is believed that, should anything happen, the United States, Russia, the United
Kingdom, and a few other countries will be leading a coordinated response.