Australian transportation system vulnerable to terrorist attack
A RAND study finds the Australian transportation system is exceedingly vulnerable to terrorist attacks, and that states do not do enough to increase security; an interesting point: RAND argues that reducing the lethal effect of explosions in trains would be a better investment than some of the high-tech security measures being pursued by states such as the CCTV systems
Santa Clara, California-based think tank and research firm RAND Corporation studies the safety of Australian train systems and came to the gloomy conclusions that Australia’s transport networks remain open to a terrorist attack, and that state governments ignore all available measures to reduce the risk to travelers. This dire warning about the rail and bus systems by Peter Chalk, an Australian analyst working with RAND in the United States, comes after coordinated attacks on Mumbai’s commuter network killed more than 200 people. Chalk said the design of many Australian trains could “amplify the destructive effects of explosive devices” and that “station security remains questionable.” He adds: “The general integrity of Australia’s mass surface transportation network is far from assured.”
Last week Chalk said that reducing the lethal effect of explosions in trains would be a better investment than some of the high-tech security measures being pursued by states such as the CCTV systems.
