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Olympic Terrorism Threat Looms
N
ever before have law
enforcement officials
been so alarmed about the
potential for terrorist attacks
within U.S. borders.
As !he 1984 Summer
Olympics approach, !he
American people and
visitors stand al risk from
terrorist groups. The XXIII
Olympiad is seen as a
prime opportunity for
terrorists lo "avenge"
themselves on the United
States and on "enemíes"
partícipating in !he
Games.
Why
this modern-day
scourge of terrorism?
Why
must authorities concern
lhemselves with !he threat
of terrorism at an event
designed to celebrate
athletic excellence?
This magazine, for 50
years, has provided
understanding of our
turbulent age !ha! is found
in no other publication.
The
Plain Truth
speaks
authoritatively on !he
causes and the ultimate
solutions- including when
and how terrorísm
wi/1
be
eradicated!
The scourge of terrorism
was predicted centuries
ago in the pages of the
Bible. The apostle Paul
foretold that "in the last
days
perilous times
shall
come" (11 Tím. 3: 1). The
meaning of this prophecy
goes far beyond mere
incidental crime. Bible
prophecies picture an
end-time world
fil/ed
with lawlessness,
suppression and hale, an
era of planned
indiscriminate violence-a
strife-filled, self-centered,
self-justifying age-an
Age
of Terror.!
We are living in !hose
very days!
More and more
people are going lo be
touched by the terrible
effects of terrorísm in
July
1
August 1984
these final two decades of
thís century. (See
"Terrorism: The Worst ls
Yet to Come," May 1984
Plain Truth.)
But Bible prophecy also
foretells that terrorism will
be stopped. How il will be
ended is revealed in our
free publications
Are These
the Last Days?
and
The
Wonderful World
Tomorrow-What lt Wi/1 Be
Like.
Now see what terrorism
experts are predicting
could happen thís summer!
Shift to U.S. Soil
Authoríties fear that
of terrorism that has swept
over the Middle East,
Western Europe and Latín
America. Terrorism against
the United States has lo
date focused largely on U.S.
citizens and property
abroad.
Now experts are
predicting the focus might
begin shifting lo U.S. soil,
possibly beginning with a
major assault against the
Olympics. Further,
authoritíes fear that terroríst
groups wtll feel compelled to
commít acts of even greater
violence in order to stay in
the headlines in 1984. What
better way, they suggest,
Hooded terrorist peers OYer balcony in Munich, 1972.
terrorísts míght try this
summer lo duplicate the
Olympíc massacre of 1972,
when Palestínian gunmen
ínvaded the Olympíc víllage
in Munich, West Germany,
and kílled 11 Israelí
athletes.
"Sínce the Muních
inciden! in 1972," observes
terrorism expert Brian
Jenkins of the Rand ·
Corporation, "there has
been a
fourfold
increase in
international terrorist
activity."
In 1983, terrorist attacks
worldwide reached a record
high.
1t
was the bloodiest
year on record. Yet
terrorism within U.S. borders
has remained relatively
low- "only" 31 terrorist
incidents in 1983-
compared to the tidal wave
than to steal the
headlines from the Olympic
athletes as the eyes of the
world focus on Los
Angeles?
Security Nightmare
The coming Summer
Olympics present a security
nightmare. The scope and
complexity of the threat
facing Los Angeles is
formidable.
The Games will center on
the L.A. Coliseum, where
events will attract tens of
thousands of visitors each
day.
1t
will be relatively easy
for terrorists to blend in with
the thousands of foreign
visitors who will be
attending. Seven million
spectators are expected lo
stream into Los Angeles for
the Games.
Compounding this
problem is that many events
will be scattered over a
variety of sites throughout
Southern California-each
one a potential target for
terrorist activity.
And most worrisome of
all lo security planners:
Presiden! Ronald Reagan
plans lo attend the
Games.
Federal, state and local
authorities are gearing up lo
comba! the threat. al a cost
of tens of millions of dollars.
The Games will be
protected by the largest
police presence in the
history of the city-an army
of nearly 20,000 officers
and prívate security guards!
The FBI will have more than
700 agents stationed in Los
Angeles during the Games.
And its new 50-member
Hostage Rescue Team will
be waiting in the wings,
ready to go into action in
the event of a terrorist
situation.
A variety of additional
precautionary measures will
be introduced to counter
terrorist elements. Among
them, the University of
California at Los Angeles
(UCLA) will shut down its
research nuclear reactor
during the Games.
But the truth, of course,
is that there are no proven
and infall ible human
measures lo absolutely
protect against a
terrorist situation. Terrorists,
knowing when and where
they will strike, always have
the advantage. Barring
advance knowledge, it is
virtually impossible lo guard
against a determined
terrorist .
A lime is soon coming
when violence-and its
ultimate instigator (Rev.
20:2-3)-wi//
be
restrained .
Until then, terrorism will
pose a continuing problem
lo the internatlonal
community.
- Keith
W.
Stump
7