A sitting duck for terrorists
Following the exclamations of solidarity on the international stage that came after the September 2001 terrorist attacks on the USA and last year’s Madrid railway bombing, it is now time for us to proclaim: «We are all Britons,» following last week’s slaughter of dozens of commuters on the London underground. In this particular case, the bad news is that we are all Europeans. Indeed, the attack showed that Europe remains a vulnerable target to terrorists and sowed panic throughout the cities of the European Union. But London, and the United Kingdom in general, had been a sitting duck for a terrorist attack due to Prime Minister Tony Blair’s support of the US-led invasion of Iraq. This is the reason for the strict anti-terrorism measures Blair had introduced in the country. However, this security was only implemented at the highest level, as there were fears that the G8 summit in Scotland could have been a terrorist target. As it turned out, the summit was conducted as foreseen, while London’s underground system and network remained exposed despite the capital’s sophisticated security. Last Thursday’s tragic events confirm that strict counter-terrorism measures may discourage prospective terrorists, who are able to select their targets and timing unimpeded…
