News Advisory & Story Suggestion
Story lead: Arson as a Terror Tactic – Implications and Response
Synopsis: Terrorism is universally associated with suicide bombings, kidnappings, assassinations and the potential of mass destruction attacks. Rarely is it mentioned in relation to terrorism – yet arson is the most primitive modus operandi. The cost worldwide: enormous losses in lives, property, business and the environment.
Interview: Dean C. Alexander, director, Homeland Security Research Program, Western Illinois University, Macomb, Ill.
Where: Alexander will speak in Room C124, Miami Beach Convention Center, 1901 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach, Fla. Simultaneous translation will be provided. Media are invited to attend the session. Alexander is available for interviews either before or after.
When: 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Thursday, July 31, 2008:
More on the story: Better recognition of arson as a terror tactic by U.S. government would result in greater allocation of funds, technologies, security awareness and response training to this treat, Alexander says. So too, he adds, industry would accelerate its efforts in creating technologies, product and service solutions to combat terror-linked arson. He cites the
following recent situations:
Last summer, Greece was plagued with a series of wildfires that government authorities believed was set by terrorists.
In Europe, terror-conducted arson took place at the office of a political party in Italy (2003), a train station in Spain (2007) and a university boathouse in the United Kingdom (2005).
In Latin America in 2005: headquarters of a media group in Brazil, gas pipelines at a water treatment plant and infrastructure sites at a telephone company in Colombia, and a Bank of Boston automated teller machine in Uruguay.
Terror-inspired arson incidents in Africa include a cement plant in Algeria (2006), a discotheque in Kenya (2002) and homes at a refugee camp in Uganda (2004).
The Middle East’s terror record with arson includes the burning of civilian cars in Turkey (2000), a bookstore in Saudi Arabia (2007) and a school in Yemen (2004).
In Asia, terrorists set ablaze a police post in India (2001), mosques in Indonesia (2001) and Bangladesh (2005), passenger buses in the Philippines (2006) and Bangladesh (2004) and schools in Thailand (2004).
In Canada: a school (2004), golf pro-shop (2005) and several construction projects (2006).
The United States isn’t immune:
In recent years., terror-conducted arson attacks have been responsible for the destruction of newly constructed and unoccupied homes in New York and Maryland, SUVs and luxury cars in California, timber companies in Oregon and Maine, a ski complex in Colorado, a meat shop in Illinois and a McDonald’s in Ohio, as well as a mink feed mill in Wisconsin and a poultry truck in Indiana.
About the conference: The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and ROC Expositions present the 15th Annual NFPA Americas’ Fire & Security Expo 2008, Tuesday through Thursday, July 29- 31. The expo is the most important fire, security and life safety event of the year for thousands of industry professionals from Latin America, the Caribbean and Southeastern United States. More than 4,000 professionals attended in 2007, an increase of 4.2 percent over 2006.
AFSE offers unparalleled networking opportunities and more than 50 cutting-edge seminars, workshops and certification programs organized by NFPA, International Fire Safety Training (IFST) and Latin American Security Association (ALAS), an event co-sponsor. Attendees are specialists in fire protection systems and equipment, chemical and hazardous material handling, life safety and security products, systems and services.
In addition to education sessions and networking opportunities, AFSE brings together a culturally-rich marketplace featuring more than 250 exhibitors demonstrating state-of-the-art fire, security and life safety products, systems and services. Into this arena come thousands of buyers, end-users, manufacturers, deals and distributors who define the industry in the Western hemisphere.
About the producers: NFPA has been a worldwide leader in providing fire, electrical, building and life safety to the public since 1896. The mission of the international nonprofit organization is to reduce the worldwide burden of fire and other hazards on the quality of life by providing and advocating consensus codes and standards, research, training and education.
ROC Exhibitions, Inc., Lisle, Ill., produces eight trade shows annually in the United States and Mexico, including as co-producer and partner with NFPA on Mexico Fire & Safety Expo, Nov. 12-14, 2008 in Mexico City, and NFPA World Safety Conference & Exposition, June 8-11, 2009 in Chicago.
Media contacts: Sue Markgraf, GreenMark Public Relations, 847-970-9160 or smarkgraf@greenmarkpr.com
Onsite media assistance, please visit the Press Room, C-33
For more information about AFSE, visit www.nfpa.org/afse
Media Contact:
Sue Markgraf
GreenMark Public Relations
847-970-9160, office
smarkgraf@greenmarkpr.com