WHY NO NATION-WIDE ALERT?

Friday, July 28, 2006

It's sobering that 5 years after 9/11, a terrorist attack can occur against a Jewish target in the US and no urgent nationwide warning is issued by authorities.

Why should there be a warning?

Al-Qaeda attacks occur in multiples. That is the group's demonstrated strategy. The shooter in Seattle is Pakistani. Al-Qaeda is centered in Pakistan and has many Pakistani members.

The instant word reached authorities that a possible al-Qaeda attack against Jewish targets was in progress, an alert to Jewish organizations nationwide should have gone out. Local police should have been urgently requested to guard local synagogues and Jewish centers, and to assign armed escorts to Jewish community leaders. This apparently was not done.

Had the Seattle terrorism been part of a co-ordinated attack, the US would have been caught completely unprepared. Again! Many lives which could have been saved by prompt action would have been lost.

There is no downside to a nationwide warning. A warning would not have been a hoax -- a terrorist act with fatal consequences did happen. There is no harm in guarding synagogues, Jewish centers and leaders. There is no harm is alerting Jews to stay home or at least to be very vigilant.

Today's incident should give American Jewish leaders sober pause to consider hiring private security and establishing a private, nationwide alert and watch system.

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