Coming just two weeks before many of the world's leading counter-terrorism experts and professionals gather in London for Counter Terror Expo 2010, this latest attack serves to illustrate the importance of such events as a forum in which to share both hard won experience and best practice techniques to deal with the threat of national and international terrorism.
Russia is no stranger to deadly attacks on its transportation infrastructure and President Medvedev's comment is being seen as a sign that patience is wearing thin at the highest government levels, over the apparent inability of the security services to neuter both the capability and reach of the Islamist rebels fighting for Chechnya's independence from Russia.
More than 100,000 people have been killed in 15 years of conflict in Chechnya, and low-level insurgencies continue there and in the neighbouring republics of Ingushetia and Dagestan.
Kremlin claims to have brought peace to the troubled region were shattered late last year with a bomb attack on the luxury St Petersburg to Moscow high speed train the “Nevsky Express” which killed and injured a similar number of people. Coupled with the recent promise by one Chechen rebel leader to bring the war to Russia's cities, this latest attack will do nothing to allay suggestions that the Kremlin's claims may have been premature.
Black Widows have perpetrated many of the attacks against Russia's transport systems since they first appeared, including the downing of two passengers planes in a near simultaneous suicide attack in 2004.
Metro operators across the globe heightened their alert status as officials ordered greater law enforcement presence following the Moscow attacks.
Counter Terror Expo is the only event of its kind in the world today, to bring the key people and significant others directly involved in addressing such threats together, to debate the potency of the threat from terrorism and the counter measures necessary to address it.
This globally significant event features three distinct conference streams, in excess of ninety internationally renowned and sector specific speakers, multiple and free to attend specialist workshops and is supported by more than a three hundred strong solutions exhibition.
Counter Terror Expo is expected to be visited by over six thousands attendees during the two days of the event. The event will be held in the National Hall at the prestigious London Olympia Conference & Exhibitions Centre from 14-15 April 2010.
Counter Terror Expo |
