Wary that the international sporting event is a potential
prime target for terrorists, however the security authorities of Rio 2016 admit
that the fears of terrorism during the event are more serious due to recent
series of attacks elsewhere. Their apprehensions get further boost with a Twitter post by
French jihadist Maxime Hauchard, after the coordinated terror attacks
on Paris last November pointing out Brazil as the "next target".
Besides, arrest of a group of 10 militants last week who were attempting to
contact a weapons supplier in neighbouring Paraguay to get AK 47 assault rifles
making the security concerns highly and dreadfully prone.
Brazil has
traditionally faced very few terrorist threats in comparison with many other
countries, partly for geographical reasons as well as for its longstanding
neutrality and multi-culturalism in international affairs. Therefore most of the
Rio 2016 security fears should consequently have been centred around lower-level assaults and
muggings than on wider terrorism. But the nation’s counter-terrorism director of
the Brazilian Intelligence Agency Luiz Alberto Sallaberry has warned that
recent incidents in other countries is heightening their fears.
This comes
after devastating terrorist attacks in cities including Paris, Brussels,
Istanbul, Jakarta, Tunis and many others, almost always carried out by IS or
associate groups. There have also been a rise in numbers of Brazilian nationals
suspected of sympathising with IS militants in recent months, An organisation naming "Ansar al-Khilafah Brazil"
has threatens to carry out attacks during the event and it was the first time
someone from South America explained a supposed alliance with ISIS.
Two
years ago Brazil successfully host the FIFA World Cup, which has much wider Television
audience and touring spectator-ship. The Brazilian government pledged to spend
US$900 million into security forces
making the tournament "one of the most protected sports events in history.
So they have experience and infrastructure to ensure security for the Rio 2016.
Brazil specially
trained 53,000 public safety professionals for the 2014 FIFA World Cup,
deployed by the state governments at each individual games venue. They were
trained in three categories: experts, multipliers (who will help to transfer
knowledge to other professionals) and operators.
One of the special security
measures that Brazilian government plans for the event’ security was to
implement a facial recognition software, in which Brazilian police will use
futuristic Robocop-style glasses fitted with facial recognition equipment to
identify and root out troublemakers at the World Cup 2014. That’s based on a
small camera fitted to the glasses that can capture 400 facial images per
second and send them to a central computer database storing up to 13 million
faces.
In 2016, for a safe and secured Olympics Brazil has taken
extraordinary measures to counter any terror threat during the Games including
intelligence-sharing with foreign security forces and greater training. The federal government said last week that it was
releasing an extra $24m specially to beef up security ahead of the Olympics. Around 80,000 officers will be deployed during the event,
plus separate security teams brought in by participating National Olympic
Committees. This compares with a force of around 42,000 officers deployed
during London 2012.
The Olympics will take place from August 5 2016, when the
opening ceremony takes place at the Maracana, up to 21 of the same month and
looking at the precedent and traditions in Brazil we can hope, the grand sports
gala would be held without any untoward incident.
By M. Wasim
mwasim.370@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment