W/All The Terrorist Alerts, Do You Think...

[Tigger]

.....Worlds in Washington will go ahead? Now don't all of you jump on me for thinking this or asking....It's something I've really been thinking about lately. Washington *is* the capital of the US. All of your Govt is there, plus other important organizations important to the US. It's a target, as was shown on September 11th. W/the increasing alerts and bits of information coming out the last few days, I can't help but wonder if the ISU might *consider* moving Worlds to another major US city for the safety of those involved. Remember....This is just a *thought*, but one that has had me wondering the last couple of weeks. Okay...Now you can all light into me. ;)

[Cerulean]

I'm not sure, I think that it would be pretty hard to back down at this point. I am still disgusted at how the U.S. treated it's Jr. international Team.... If you think about it's not greatly likely that Bin Laden ever even heard of figure skating!

[Dustin]

I don't think this would happen. I doubt that the top target for terrorists would be the World Figure Skating Championships. Unless something terrible happens near or around D.C. between now and then or there are specific threats against it, I can't see it not going on.

[Lee]

I think the warnings/threats would have be far more specific before anything like that would happen. As long as the intelligence agencies are doing their jobs and keeping on top of things, I really don't see there being much reason to fear attending Worlds in DC. JMO, of course...

[hippiechick]

Definitely not! Bush encourages everyone to stand their ground and go on about their lives as usual. Worlds will be in DC to prove a point that the US won't be intimidated by terrorists. Of course everyone should be watchful at all times while going about business as usual!

[Suzanne]

I doubt Bin Laden would actually target the skating. However, he could very well target Washington itself and the World Championships could get hit as a result... just by being in the targetted city. Definitely within the realm of possibility!!

[adrianchew]

I think nothing will happen except maybe a repeat of extra-ordinary security precautions (umm - like checking old ladies bags on the way in, and going over them with metal wands!). :roll:

[newsdad]

I think Manhattan and the District are two of the safer cities to be in in this country right now. There's so much added security that the average citizen does not even know about. Plus the US is getting a lot of of good HUMINT out of Cuba from the detainees...bottom line being that I don't think Worlds will be moved, BUT as the Israelis can attest anybody who wants to turn themselves into a human bomb for their cause anywhere in this country can do so anytime they want to.

If DC authorities have any reason to believe that the World Championships are a target then they'll be checking everything including old ladies bags (which they weren't doing at the Hallmark Skater's Championships).

newsdad

[ToddFan]

Naw, I think most things will go on in NYC and Washington unless there are further developments.

Adrian, you never know about those old ladies LOL :wink: Besides, it's prolly better for them to check "everyone" than to be profiling by "race" / ethnicity :)

[Shae & Vic Forever]

Personally I think that is a ridiculous question. They're not going to target the World Figure Skating Championships. They didn't target the Olympics did they? It has nothing in their interest.

[Artistic Skaters]

Yes, Worlds will remain in DC.

[VGL]

Well, didn't I hear Spinner say something about the Indy 500 having extra security this weekend due to the possibility of an attack - now we are talking about a much larger group of people on Memorial day weekend.

But then again if Bin Laden wanted to hit a sporting event - he could have hit NYC a few days earlier during the US Open.

[IgglesII]

I don't think the original poster's point was the number of people in attendance, or even that Worlds would be targeted. The point is that Worlds is in DC, the center of everything Mr. bin Laden apparently despises. And the MCI Center (or is it WorldCom center now?) was built in downtown DC, near everything that would be targeted.

Of course, if you want to think like a terrorist for a moment - DC is probably the last place they'd go after right now. Everyone would expect it. It'll probably be someplace they aren't paying attention to - Miami, New Orleans, something like that.