Germany's History Of Appeasing Palestinian Terrorists

One of the terrorists appears on the balcony of the Israeli quarters in the Olympic Village in this Sept. 5, 1972 photo. DPA

1972 Olympics Massacre: Germany's Secret Contacts to Palestinian Terrorists -- Spiegel Online

Eleven Israelis and one German police officer died in the Munich massacre of 1972, when Palestinian terrorists took Israeli athletes hostage at the Olympics. Now, government documents suggest that Germany maintained secret contacts with the organizers of the attack for years afterward and appeased the Palestinians to prevent further bloodshed on German soil.

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My Comment: And we are learning about this only now?

Worries Of Terrorism At The 2014 Sochi Olympics Are Being Raised Now

Is Sochi Safe Enough for the Olympics? -- Time Magazine

In 2007, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin gave a "national pledge" that Sochi, a Black Sea resort town near the border with Georgia, would be a safe venue for the 2014 Winter Games. The International Olympic Committee believed him, and Russia won the bid. But Sochi, it turns out, is no Vancouver, and on May 26 the credibility of Putin's promise took a drastic hit. Just before 7:00 p.m., a bomb stuffed with shrapnel was detonated in the nearby city of Stavropol, wounding more than 40 people and killing seven others, including two young girls. No group claimed responsibility for the attack, and in the aftermath investigators fumbled around for a possible motive. But the blast, and the uncoordinated official response to it, has prompted some experts to pose unpleasant questions: Had the security situation around Sochi been properly assessed before Russia took on its Olympic challenge? And if the risk of violence is real, might countries consider pulling their athletes out of the Games?

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More News On Terror Fears For The 2014 Sochi Winter Games

Russia says rebels planning 2014 Olympic attacks -- Yahoo News/Reuters
Terrorists will attempt to foil Sochi Olympics – FSB -- RT
Russian security chief expecting terrorist threats to Sochi 2014 -- More Than The Games
Militants 'plot' against Russia Olympics -- Sydney Morning Herald
Russia says rebels planning 2014 Olympic attacks -- Reuters

China Detains 35 Pakistani Citizens For Planning An Attack On The Olympics

China Detains 35 Pak Olympic Spectators
As Terror Suspects -- Thaindian

Karachi , Aug 20 (ANI): The Chinese government has reportedly detained 35 Pakistanis visiting China to watch Olympics after they were suspected of planning to attack proceedings of the Games.

China has asked the Pakistani government for details of the arrested in a letter that alleged 35 suspected Pakistani militants had arrived in China to attack proceedings at the Games, reported the Daily Times.

According to the paper, Col Anjum Sheikh Saeed of the Foreign Security Department wrote to the Interior Ministry on August 18 ordering the authorities concerned to collect details of those detained.

The Chinese government has not released the names of those being held, but has given the names and passport numbers of 13, including Anwar Afridi, Dildar Khan, Darwaish, Sultan, Akbar Shah, Muhammad Amin, Qadir, Asad Masood, Afzal, Saadat and Dolat Yousaf. (ANI)

More Updates: China detains 35 Pak nationals for planning attack on Games -- Times of India
Pakistanis held in China -- The Hindu

My Comment: China is keeping this story under wraps. I can only assume that they do not want to publicize the news that one of their main allies in the world has just had a number of its citizens detained for terrorism planning. The India news services do not have any reservations about pursuing stories that embarrass Pakistan, and are covering this extensively. I am now waiting for the Western media to begin asking their Chinese contacts on what is happening.

China Says Breaks Up International Terrorist Cell

Paramilitary police attend an oath-taking rally to ensure the safety of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games outside the National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest, in Beijing, July 23, 2008.

From Reuters:

BEIJING (Reuters) - Shanghai police have broken up an international terrorist group that had planned to attack an Olympic football preliminary match in the city, state news agency Xinhua said on Thursday.

"We have staged raids and cracked a group of terrorists," Xinhua quoted Cheng Jiulong, Shanghai Public Security Bureau deputy director and head of the Shanghai security office for the Olympics, as saying.

However, Cheng did not say when the terrorists were first discovered, how many suspects were detained or where they came from, said Xinhua.

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More News On China's Olympics And Terrorism

China security forces vow to thwart Games threats -- Guardian
Chinese Authorities Vow to Thwart Threats to Olympics -- Washington Post
Official: China Bus Blasts 'Not Terrorism' -- New York Sun
China: No Link Between Bus Bombings, Olympics -- Voice Of America
Terror Groups Still Pose Threat To China Olympic Games -- National Terror Alert
Universal Detection Technology Receives Additional Contract to Provide Bioterrorism Training Equipment for the 2008 Beijing Olympics -- FOX Business
Some Unsolicited Advice to China’s “Anti-Terror” Squads -- Undiplomatic

My Comment: For the Chinese, a terror attack on the Games would be a tremendous lost of face for them.

I can see some Chinese security administrators .... in some undisclosed and space age control center .... not sleeping for the next two weeks.

China Issues Anti-Terrorism Manual For Olympic Games

Members of China's armed police take part in an anti-terrorism drill.
Photograph: Fan Changguo/AP

From The Guardian:

The Chinese government is briefing residents on how to handle everything from chemical attacks to hijacking, issuing a special new anti-terrorism manual weeks before the Olympics.

"The book is practical. If correctly following its instructions, citizens are very much likely to escape and even stop a terrorist attack," the Public Security Bureau said in a statement.

Beijing has stressed that security is the top priority for the games, which begin on August 8. It has promised that a 100,000-strong anti-terrorist force of police, commandos and other troops will be on alert.

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More News On China And Its Anti-Terrorism Precautions For The Olympics

China anti-terror manual to enlist Beijing residents -- Reuters
China unveils anti-terrorism manual for Olympics -- LA Times
Missiles, 100K police on China's Olympic team -- USA Today
Hong Kong Olympics security threat moderate: police -- Reuters
'Ever-present' threat of Olympic terrorist attack: HK police -- Macau Daily Times
The Beijing Olympics: Five-ring circus -- The Economist
China steps up Olympic security -- Radio Australia
China scales down its Olympic ambitions -- The Telegraph

My Comment: The Chinese authorities and civilians are petrified of a terrorist strike during the Olympics. For them, the loss of face would be incalculable. I can understand the heavy security, but unfortunately it will take some spirit out of the games.

China Stops More Terrorists Targeting Olympics

China's Olympic Stadium

From Voice Of America:

China says it has stopped five terrorist groups and arrested 82 suspected terrorists who were plotting to attack the Beijing Olympics. Daniel Schearf reports from Beijing the announcement was made one day after police in northwestern China said they shot and killed five people during a raid on a terrorist-training hideout.

China's official Xinhua news agency says police broke up the suspected terrorist groups in the first half of this year in northwest Xinjiang province.

Xinhua quoted Chen Zhuangwei, the head of public security in Xinjiang's capital, Urumqi, as saying the groups were separatists or extremists plotting to sabotage the Beijing Olympics.

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More News on The Olympics, And Terrorism In China

China warns of Muslim terrorist threat ahead of Olympics -- AFP
China says foils "terrorists" targeting Olympics -- Reuters
China arrests 'Olympic plotters' -- BBC News
China: 5 'Olympic terror groups' smashed -- CNN
China offers £50,000 for Olympics terror tip-offs -- Times Online
Four weeks to go and Beijing's unknown army is in retreat -- The Guardian
China tightens its security for Olympic Games -- Times Online
Terror threat to Games: China shuts mosques -- Times Of India

My Comment: These news reports of terrorism plans and terrorists being killed or arrested in China is very worrisome. China has always had a problem with many of its minorities. Tibet is not the only one with grievances in China.

A terrorist attack in Beijing will be a tremendous propaganda coup for enemies of the Chinese Central government. As for the Chinese, the lost of face will result in an outburst of anger and retribution. While many people will be enjoying the Olympic spectacle .... they will be many worried about security and terrorist attacks.