Countries review security at events
TOKYO/PARIS: Countries across the world will tighten security ahead of major cultural and sports events after a suicide bombing in Britain that killed at least 22 people, but experts say reinforced measures will do little to prevent determined individuals.
Given the target being a Manchester pop concert, the latest attack to hit Europe had echoes of the coordinated attacks in November 2015 by militants on the Bataclan concert hall and France’s national soccer stadium that killed 130 people.
Since those attacks, France has been in a state of emergency and seen thousands of soldiers patrolling its streets alongside police to protect tourist sites, government buildings and events.
That has not stopped a raft of attacks in the country, such as the truck attack in Nice on Bastille Day last July, by “lone-wolf ” assailants who did not use a network of fellow militants — all lessening the risk of alerting security agencies.
“Whatever is done — and in this case it’s British intelligence which is considered among the best in the world — it won’t prevent such incidents happening,” said Jean-Charles Brisard, President of the Centre for the Analysis of Terrorism.
“You can bring back the perimeter, add security gates and as many controls as you want, but that will not change the fact that a determined individual will carry out his act if he is not caught before.”
London’s mayor said there would be more police on the streets of the capital. Officials in several other countries on Tuesday also sought to reassure their citizens following Monday’s attack.