Highlights
– NYC transit systems will receive a significant increase in funding in 2008
– Portion of the funding will be used to launch a new initiative dubbed “Operation Torch” that will increase security on the NYC subway
– Extremists will likely continue to target this type of infrastructure in the future
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently announced that public transit systems in New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey are set to receive a significant increase in federal funding in 2008. Specifically, grants to transit systems in those areas are approximately US$151.2 million, up from US$98 million in 2007. The increase is considered the largest-ever for subway and rail security since the September 11th attacks.
Heightened Security Measures Planned for NYC Transit Systems
According to local officials in the New York City area, the funding will be split between numerous agencies, such as the Long Island Rail Road, NJ Transit, Port Authority, Amtrak, and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
Specifically, some of the funding will be used to launch a new initiative, dubbed “Operation Torch,” that will deploy teams of police officers armed with automatic rifles and bomb-sniffing dogs for daily patrols on subway platforms and trains, primarily in the busiest sections of the underground system- i.e. Grand Central Terminal, Penn Station, and Herald Square. These patrols are scheduled to begin in late February/early March.
Similar police units have been patrolling main landmarks and key areas in NYC, such as Wall Street and the Empire State Building, as part of the increased security measures implemented following the September 11th attacks.
NYC Subway a Long-Time Target for Extremists
The NYC subway system has long been considered a potential target for extremists, and heightened security measures are already in place for this infrastructure. Police conduct random checks of passengers’ bags, use hidden cameras, and inspect the tunnels and ventilation systems for explosives.
According to new statistics released in February 2008 by NYC Transit, over five million passengers travel on the NYC subway on an average weekday, and more than 1.5 billion individuals traveled on the system in 2007, or the highest level since the early 1950s. This large number of passengers makes the system an attractive target for any extremist(s) looking to carry out a mass casualty attack.
Additionally, the NYC subway system has been targeted in several terrorist plots, including:
• During the investigation into the 2004 Madrid train bombings, officials located a crude diagram of Grand Central Terminal on a computer disk in the home of one of the suspects.
• In 2004, a Pakistani immigrant and another individual were arrested on charges that they were planning to bomb the Herald Square station.
• In 2005, an unverified threat from the Middle East revealed a plan to attack the NYC subway system using a cell of 20 operatives, who intended to smuggle bombs concealed in briefcases, packages, and baby strollers to detonate during the morning rush hour.
Extremists Will Continue to Target Mass Transit Systems
Al-Qaeda and al-Qaeda inspired cells have shown a propensity for attacking mass transit systems, as seen in the March 2004 Madrid train bombings , the July 2005 attack on transit systems in London , and the July 2006 bombings on Mumbai’s commuter train system .
It is likely that extremists will continue to plot strikes against such infrastructure, particularly as this type of attack reflects al-Qaeda targeting priorities- inflicting mass casualties while simultaneously damaging the US economy.
Due to ongoing fears that mass transit systems, like the subway system in NYC, will be targeted by terrorists, and concerns that this infrastructure remains vulnerable to attack, heightened security measures will likely remain a priority for US officials.