Why?

This article is dedicated to all the brave men and women who have and do wear the uniform. Stay safe.

Why? That is the question hundreds if not thousands of AT/CT professionals ask themselves constantly. Why? Why haven’t we been hit yet, why haven’t we been hit again? Where are the “Homicide Bombers”, where are the back pack laden IED’S? Why haven’t they struck here in the United States of America yet? Why? Why? Why? London, Madrid, Israel, Mumbai and many other countries have been victims of hundreds of attacks, to their subways, buses and other forms of mass transportation why not in America???
The answer, only “God Knows”, if you believe in god, which ever god you choose to believe in, is your choice and no one else’s. I believe in God, and I know he is not “short on cash”. I also believe the recent arrest’s in NY, Denver and several other states is very telling. I also believe that the attacks are coming and the perpetrators’ are still educating and training them in the art of “Homicide Bombing”.

They may be willing to die for their cause, but they are petrified of getting caught prior to it, and that much we know (maybe water boarding is paying collateral long term dividends). Take for example Afghan National Najibullah Zazi, a coffee cart vendor who once lived in New York, and worked near Ground Zero (those of you from New York and other large Metro areas have seen plenty of curbside vendors) they are almost A-typical, much like cab-drivers? Zazi is somewhat meek and innocent looking, David Von Drehle and Bobby Gosh wrote in their article for Time Magazine;” from the training camp in Pakistan to his bomb recipe and backpack delivery system, bears the marks not of some fluky local scheme of the kind that the feds have sniffed out in the past but of a plausible al-Qaeda operation.” not your typical (hack their head off) variety terrorist. He has been the mild mannered airport limo driver, coffee cart vendor, aspiring “Homicide Bomber” we frequently read about across the globe, but not here in America! “They walk among us” is a term used periodically, does anyone else think or feel like that? Recently there have been Intel reports of men being spotted with wires around there necks and going up under their sweaters or jackets, in major metropolitan cities.

Have those pent on death and destruction to the “Great Satan” started their pre-operational planning and put something in motion? Was Najibullah Zazi supposed to get caught??? Where are his accomplices? Were there a dozen backpacks and cell phones confiscated in one of the raids? Will the devices be placed on trains and buses in the outlying suburbs and taken into the major metropolis? How important is mass transportation on-time performance? Aren’t you upset when your bus or train is late? Where’s the mass transportation information made available to the public? Schedules etc….the internet! No “Hostile Surveillance” techniques needed there, he just logs on from the comfort of his terrorist’s living room or cave and surfs and plans their next attack?

I recently completed a yearlong security/counter terrorism training contract with one of the nation’s largest Public Mass Transportation providers, moving hundreds of millions of people above and below ground annually. I presently provide security/counter terrorism guidance to several large Maritime Mass Transportation providers with sole access to some of the nation’s HVT’S. When I ask myself the same question why? Deep down I know it is only a matter of time, but I also know that as long as we keep doing our jobs, like the men and women who wear a uniform, whether it be Police, Fire, EMS, Military or Security and keep changing our posture and techniques we will keep those hell bent on our destruction back peddling and re-formulating their plans, because we keep changing ours.

That is my answer and only one man’s opinion as to why, hasn’t it happened here, so keep your guard up, keep your people from becoming complacent, keep them motivated, keep them focused (and not sleeping while guarding the GW Bridge) and a byproduct of that, is your safety, our safety, your families safety and your friends safety.


“IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING”

Stay safe, and God Bless America
Andrew Clayton Hopkinson
Sergeant Andrew Hopkinson (Ret.)