Mass Transit: A Terror Target?
August 18, 2009
While America’s mass-transit systems have not yet come under attack, security experts say that trains and buses are atop terrorists’ target lists. Americans take more than 10 billion public-transit rides per year—many times the number of flights—but federal efforts to secure ground transportation from terrorist attacks have been underfunded and inefficient. Still, Congress plans this year to cut funding for mass-transit security from last year’s level of just $400 million—less than 2% of the $30 billion spent on airline security since 9/11.
William Millar, president of the American Public Transportation Association, insists that mass transit remains a safe way to travel. However, he says: ‘One-third of terror attacks around the world have been aimed at public-transit systems. There are no guarantees when it comes to security.’ In 2007, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) reported 171 mass-transit incidents, such as those involving suspicious packages and behavior.
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Millar blames the grant process for the delays but says he expects improvement now that money is being given directly to transit systems rather than funneled through state governments.
Rep. David Price (D., N.C.), who chairs a subcommittee that funds the Department of Homeland Security, wants the money spent soon: ‘It is unacceptable to leave our rail and transit system vulnerabilities unaddressed because of unnecessary red tape.’
Source: http://www.parade.com/news/intelligence-report/archive/090809- mass-transit-a-terror-target.html
LOL - sorry, but couldn’t resist as it reminded me of when I took one of the Credit Union Directors (a definite red-neck type) to a meeting in Washington, We boarded the Metro going in and it was off rush hours - he kept running back and forth to check the map so we didn’t miss our stop.
On the way home, it was rush hour, and they were jam packed. In the crowd he had been moved about 15 feet away, and in his loud country voice, yelled to me - Hey Cal, do you know what this reminds me of? I said What’s that - He hollered back that It sure reminded him of that Crocodile Dundee movie - you know when he said that these had to be the friendliest people in the world to be packed this close and get along.
EVERYONE was either snickering or laughing out loud - and as we got off, several patted him on the back - still laughing.