[R-G] Lone-wolf threat feared at Vancouver Olympics

[Anthony Fenton]

Lone-wolf threat feared at Vancouver Olympics

Authorities see single terrorist as a key threat

Stewart Bell,  National Post  Published: Thursday, November 27, 2008

Ward Perrin/Canwest News Service

http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=997993

A federal study of terrorist threats to Olympic facilities in  
Vancouver has raised the spectre of an attack by a "lone wolf," like  
the anti-abortionist who struck during the 1996 Atlanta games.

The lone-wolf scenario is one of four terrorist threats listed in the  
government intelligence assessment, a copy of which was obtained by  
the National Post under the Access to Information Act.

"Lone-wolf attackers are individuals inspired by a variety of  
ideological motivators or terrorist ideologies to conduct attacks  
independently," says the July, 2008, report marked Unclassified, For  
Official Use Only.

In 1996, Eric Rudolph detonated a large pipe bomb at Central Olympic  
Park in Atlanta, killing one and injuring more than 100.

He said later he was angry at the government of the United States for  
sanctioning "abortion on demand."

"Although this facility was outside the official Olympic secured  
perimeter, it was a facility associated with the Olympics and the  
attack was during an Olympic-related event," the report says.

"However, this attack was not aimed at the Olympics specifically, but  
rather at the concentrated group of people."

The other "lone-wolf " incidents listed in the report are the 2006  
shootings at Dawson College in Montreal, the 1995 Oklahoma City  
bombing and the 1985 assault on the Quebec National Assembly, but it  
does not explain how or why a lone wolf might attack the 2010 Olympics.

Also identified as threats to the Olympic venues are al-Qaeda, "al- 
Qaeda-inspired terrorists" and "domestic non-Islamist extremist groups."

The report does not name any domestic groups, although it specifically  
mentions anarchists.

Canada is spending $400-million to $1-billion on security for the 2010  
Winter Games in Vancouver and Whistler, fearing terrorists might  
target the event.

"There's something about the magnitude of the Olympic Games that seems  
to attract kooks and determined groups, or people that want to make  
public statements," said Peter St. John, who teaches intelligence,  
insurgency and terrorism at the University of Manitoba.

"If you can catch an Olympics off guard and ... do something  
spectacular, it's a way of getting your message across. And just  
Olympics after Olympics have attracted this."

The report was written by the Integrated Threat Assessment Centre, an  
Ottawabased agency made up of representatives from CSIS, the RCMP, the  
Armed Forces and others. It was set up after the 9/11 attacks to  
monitor threats to Canada's security.

Sections of the document were cut from the version made available to  
the Post on grounds they related to "efforts of Canada towards  
detecting, preventing or suppressing subversive or hostile activities."

It notes that "skirmishes" with Vancouver police took place at the  
unveiling of the Olympic clock and that on four occasions, rocks had  
smashed the windows of branches of the Royal Bank of Canada, a major  
sponsor of the games.

"Extremist elements have publicly stated their intent to continue acts  
of protest and possible violence against both the Olympics and  
commercial symbols they perceive to represent the 2010 Winter Games,"  
the report says.

Chris Shaw, spokesman for 2010 Watch, a self-described watchdog of the  
Games, said security agencies are hyping the threat of terrorism and  
that while anti-Olympic protesters might cause some embarrassment,  
violence is not on the agenda.

sbell at nationalpost.com