'Lone Wolf' Threat Feared at 2010 Olympics
Lone-wolf threat feared at Vancouver Olympics
Authorities see single terrorist as a key threat
Stewart Bell, National Post
Published: Thursday, November 27, 2008
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 Ottawa based 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.