The buzz for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Russia’s coastal city Sochi has turned from excitement to terror.
Reporting from Moscow, NPR’s Corey Flintoff talks of how the Russian security forces are on the hunt for 22-year-old Ruzanna Ibragimova. Ibragimova is said to be the “widow of an Islamist militant who was killed by security forces.”
Flintoff tells NPR, that according to Russian headlines:
“So-called black widows – women whose husbands or family members have been killed by police – have been blamed for several suicide bomb attacks in Russia. Islamist insurgents have vowed to attack the olympic games.”
“She was reportedly spotted in downtown Sochi, which is supposed to be under heavy security in the run-up to the Winter Games. It wasn’t clear how the woman was able to get through the security cordon around the city, or why police have been unable to locate her.”
According to NBC News, this single target may not be the only one after all. “Russian security services may be looking for as many as four ‘black widows’ dispatched to carry out terrorist attacks related to the Winter Olympics,” NBC says.
The Associated Press writes, “”With less than three weeks to go until the opening ceremony, hundreds of thousands of tickets remain unsold, raising the prospect of empty seats and a lack of atmosphere at Russia’s first Winter Olympics.” With as many people that attend the Olympic Games, any sort of violence could be detrimental.
Gerhard Heiberg of Norway, International Olympic Committee member, told The Associated Press, “Some people are scared it costs too much and other people are scared because of security”
If the bombing suspicions weren’t enough, five European countries and even the US have received threats over email regarding the Winter Olympics. According to Zsigmond Nagy, Olympic committee international relations director of Hungary, “Persons attending the Olympic Games might be blown up,” was one thing included in the threat sent to his country.
The International Olympic Committee’s head of media relations, Emmanuelle Moreau, says that the emails shouldn’t be seen as threats. “The email is one person’s opinion about security and terrorism. It is not a threat from a terrorist. We are sure you appreciate we take real threats very seriously but that also means — with this specific email from one individual — that we must not create a threat where one does not exist.”
The winter Olympics will run for 16 days, starting on February 7th. Any speculation or cancellations towards the olympics due to threats and suicide bombing cases have yet to be determined.
