Today's bombings of three subway stations and a bus in London "shows that there was some degree of planning and there is probably the presence of some headquarters or planning cell of terrorists involved," said University of Colorado at Boulder political science instructor Michael Kanner.
Frank Beer, a political science professor of international relations and conflict, said the attack "will have a chilling effect on Western life and graphically shows the vulnerability of complex modern societies."
Kanner, a retired U.S. Army officer who was involved in counter terrorism operations in Latin America, said what he found revealing about today's attacks is that they do not appear to reflect the work of a major organization like al-Qaeda.
"Attacks against buses and subways do not require major expenditures of resources and is the level of the Intifada bombings in Palestine and Israel, not of a group that likes to portray itself as a major player such as al-Qaeda," explained Kanner.
Though unconfirmed, a group calling itself the Organization of al-Qaeda Jihad in Europe claimed responsibility for Thursday's attacks.
If al-Qaeda is behind the attacks, Kanner offered several more observations:
- The Thursday bombings may be an indicator that the focus of the war on terrorism is shifting. Germany, Spain and France have exposed al-Qaeda-linked terrorist cells in their countries, so the movement may be looking to base out of London.
- The Europeans, especially the British, will probably be far less affected in the long term than the United States. England and other European countries have had to live with terrorist threats for more than 30 years.
- The attack brings home the message that living in an open society like England and the United States means citizens have to live with the risk that those who want to end free societies will use them against the public.
- The selection of the time of the attack may have indicated problems. An attack at 11 a.m. London time will not achieve the maximum number of casualties that an earlier attack during rush hour would have had.
- While it shows that al-Qaeda is active, the attack doesn't necessarily mean al-Qaeda is going to be a major threat.
Beer adds that security will have to be tightened on all public transportation.
"The economic costs will be enormous," said Beer. "And civil liberties will come under new pressure."
Beer is traveling in Europe this summer after conducting research in Paris. He can be reached by calling 011-33-06-1066-1684 or by email at beer@colorado.edu.
Kanner can be reached by calling (303) 492-7138 or by email at michael.kanner@colorado.edu
For assistance, contact Dirk Martin at (303) 492-3140 in the CU-Boulder Office of News Services.