Terrorist attack warning by US embassy is credible, say experts

The terrorist attack warning by the US embassy is a credible threat, say experts, and it exposes South Africa’s vulnerability to terrorism due to a lack of effective intelligence.

People are waiting to see if the many events planned for this Halloween weekend in Sandton will go ahead after the embassy warned its staff to avoid big crowds because of what it said was a possible terror attack in Sandton on Saturday.

Joburg pride will continue as planned

While little information was available about the potential attack, organisers announced the Joburg Pride march would still go ahead.

“Remember our pride began as a defiant campaign and we will not be subjected to any threats based on sexual orientation and gender identity,” said Pride spokesperson Kaye Ally.

“This is exactly why we take to the streets and march. We must assert our rights to exist once more. We must maintain our freedom of movement and freedom of expression.”

Lack of knowledge creating hysteria

Speculation also circulated that Nik Rabinowitz’s comedy show was a target. Independent terrorism expert Jasmine Opperman said the lack of information was creating hysteria.

“The alert is vague and general and only specific about location and date. I understand why the US embassy released the warning because it’s protocol and procedure,” she said.

SA’s vulnerability to terrorism is increasing

Opperman said South Africa’s vulnerability to terrorism was increasing. “The problem with releasing a statement saying the [SA] government will protect its citizens simply does not have credibility, taking into account how our country is being exploited by organised crime.”

Opperman said it was worrying because the country’s border security was not in place, considering what was happening in Mozambique. “We are sitting with an international terror group active in the region in its most brutal form.

“There are vast amounts of money paid from South Africa with a high probability of exploitation and terrorism.” Opperman said South Africans had also fought in the war in Iraq, while others supported the Islamic State (IS) and cases in the past made it evident there were IS activities on South African soil.

“Although we have not seen an attack yet, the vulnerability must be taken seriously,” she said.

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Government’s secrecy

Political analyst at the University of Limpopo Prof Kgothatso Shai said the absence of open government communication on possible terror attacks is a result of the veil of secrecy around national security issues.

“The complex web of South Africa’s political and socioeconomic challenges is prone to all sorts of insecurities, including, but not limited to, terrorism,” he said.

“The latter’s unprecedented nature implies that its possibility cannot be easily dismissed. “The report is of a serious nature and requires serious attention in a country such as ours, wherein illegal migrants continuously roam the streets.”

Government’s response ‘discomforting’

Criminologist Professor Jaco Barkhuizen said the government’s response to the terror warning from the US embassy was extremely discomforting. “We saw in the July riots [last year] how the [State Security Agency], state security and police were caught with their pants around the ankles.

“The fact government couldn’t foresee what everyone else could, [that] something was going to happen in July, means our government and security agents failed us,” he said.

Barkhuizen said it was alarming for South Africans when a terror threat was identified by a foreign intelligence agency in a foreign country.

NOW READ: Sandton terrorist threat confirmed by SA crime intelligence sources

“There is an Islamic insurgency in Mozambique and our country is fighting and helping battle the insurgency,” he said.

“The government also cut off the flow of foreign income out of the country.” Barkhuizen said cutting off money to criminal and terror groups could lead to the groups targeting South Africa.

“The fact the government’s response is so blasé is worrying. “We all recognise there is a massive issue in police intelligence and intelligence community in South Africa,” he said.

– marizkac@citizen.co.za