mr.x
March 6th, 2008, 09:53 AM
The SeaBus is a ferry service, part of Vancouver's rapid transit system. With two ferries, it links Downtown Vancouver with North Vancouver in 12 minutes and it runs a frequency of 15-minutes for most of the day. A third additional new ferry will be running next year to increase frequency to 10-minutes. It's a popular service, and the ferries carry 400 passengers each. If it was bombed, there would no doubt be a significant lost in life....the vessels are only 40-metres long and about 10-metres wide.
Scary...
http://www.bclocalnews.com/news/SeaBus_a_target_for_terrorists_memo.html
SeaBus a target for terrorists: memo
By Sam Cooper - North Shore Outlook - March 05, 2008
Terrorists on Canadian soil have “scoped out” the SeaBus as a possible “soft target” in advance of the 2010 Olympics and TransLink may not be prepared for the potential threat, according to internal City of North Vancouver memos.
“The police and national security folks know that the bad guys have scoped out both the SeaBus and BC Ferries as possible targets,” Fearnley wrote to then TransLink board member Mayor Richard Walton last March. “Can you imagine a fully loaded SeaBus during rush hour as a target? Very scary. My information is that (TransLink) don’t really have a workable plan for dealing with this sort of situation.”
In a previous note to stakeholders, including TransLink, North Vancouver RCMP, the Vancouver Port Authority and the Vancouver Police Department, Fearnley wrote: “A week ago a chap who has been involved in maritime security issues for a number of years ... told me that the Port of Vancouver and in particular the SeaBus operated by TransLink is not properly prepared for a number of different emergency scenarios and in particular potential terrorist threats ... leading up to the Olympics these would seem to be soft targets ... a well planned bombing of a SeaBus ... would be a huge potential loss of life, equivalent to the downing of an airliner.”
In the note Fearnley asked if the stakeholders could assure him operational plans, personnel and inter-agency communications are in place to deal with the perceived threats.
In an e-mail reply, TransLink CEO Pat Jacobsen assured Fearnley that TransLink and subsidiary Coast Mountain Bus Company are working with federal agencies to enhance recognition of threats related to terrorism, in addition to regular “all-hazards” training for fire, collision and bomb threats.
In an interview last week Fearnley was tightlipped about the information that led to his inquiries and whether he was satisfied with the responses he received from TransLink and in personal meetings with police and VPA officials.
On his source’s identity, Fearnley would only say that the man had sought him out and he had verified with another “official” that the source’s information was reliable.
To back up his concerns about terrorism, Fearnley noted that with the last two major terrorist attacks on the West after 9-11 being on transit systems in the U.K. and Spain, he believes it makes sense terrorists would be interested in the SeaBus as a high-profile target during the worldwide attention of the 2010 Games.
Asked whether he’s been reassured that TransLink was or is now ready to protect the SeaBus from terrorists, Fearnley said: “I don’t want to comment on that for the record.”
However, in an interview, spokesman Ken Hardie denied the allegations made to Fearnley last year that TransLink is not prepared, adding “with an unnamed source I can’t speak specifically to the allegations this person is making.”
He acknowledged that Fearnley’s statement that terrorists have “scoped” the SeaBus is likely accurate.
“That is probably quite probable,” Hardie said. “We are aware (of terrorist risk) but having said that, we’ve never specifically heard of or targeted a specific threat (to the SeaBus).”
Hardie said TransLink currently has intelligence-based counter-terrorism operations, but not specifically in relation to 2010 Games security risks.
He added that with $7 million earmarked by the federal government last spring for marine security upgrades in B.C., to be implemented completely by March 2009, “(The SeaBus is) becoming a harder and harder target.”
Hardie did not refute a report of a major two-week counter-terrorism exercise involving a SeaBus last June.
According to the Lookout, a Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt newspaper, in Exercise Western Sentry a coalition force including six navy boats, regulars from the Marine Security Operations Centre and Tactical Transportable Communications Centre, a number of navy reservists and members from the RCMP, Vancouver Police and the Canada Border Services Agency, enacted a scenario involving a SeaBus and several smaller boats, to practise bomb threat response, vessel tracking and use of force.
According to Joseph Spears, a maritime security consultant with the Horseshoe Bay Marine Group who has years of experience working with the Coast Guard and various government agencies, the terror threat to the Vancouver Port is real — but in the past year up to 22 agencies have increased their communications and vigilance in response.
“I think since that time (of Fearnley’s security inquiries) you’ve seen a lot of efforts to bring together different groups,” Spears said. “Whether the SeaBus is a target I’m not sure ... we’re seeing more and more focus on (targeting marine terror threats in Vancouver Port).”
While opinion is split within the security community whether to hush up terror threats or inform the public, Spears says he believes an engaged public spotting for threats is the most effective resource in counter-terrorism.
“It’s key for the public to be vigilant.”
According to the Canadian Security Intelligence Service there are about 50 terrorist groups operating in Canada. Chances of an attack jumped after Canada was placed on a target list by al-Qaida in November 2002, along with the U.K., France, Italy, Germany and Australia. Expert security consultants such as Scott Newark, of National Security Group, say mass transit is the favoured target by terrorists, especially as airport security has been increased post 9-11.
“Transit infrastructure within a big urban centre ranks at the top historically ... of the (terrorist target) priority list,” Newark said in an interview.
North Vancouver RCMP spokesman Const. Michael McLaughlin said the detachment is prepared for threats now and will ramp up security in the coming years.
“We do have local plans in place and they will be modified as needed, particularly as 2010 approaches.”
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/13/17032617_ed2b945515.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/51/146981080_ec7562285d.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2183/1563330426_bc20408508.jpg
SeaBus terminal/platform
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/160/418620981_7131464613.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2144/2129667599_e863d3a6ed.jpg
Scary...
http://www.bclocalnews.com/news/SeaBus_a_target_for_terrorists_memo.html
SeaBus a target for terrorists: memo
By Sam Cooper - North Shore Outlook - March 05, 2008
Terrorists on Canadian soil have “scoped out” the SeaBus as a possible “soft target” in advance of the 2010 Olympics and TransLink may not be prepared for the potential threat, according to internal City of North Vancouver memos.
“The police and national security folks know that the bad guys have scoped out both the SeaBus and BC Ferries as possible targets,” Fearnley wrote to then TransLink board member Mayor Richard Walton last March. “Can you imagine a fully loaded SeaBus during rush hour as a target? Very scary. My information is that (TransLink) don’t really have a workable plan for dealing with this sort of situation.”
In a previous note to stakeholders, including TransLink, North Vancouver RCMP, the Vancouver Port Authority and the Vancouver Police Department, Fearnley wrote: “A week ago a chap who has been involved in maritime security issues for a number of years ... told me that the Port of Vancouver and in particular the SeaBus operated by TransLink is not properly prepared for a number of different emergency scenarios and in particular potential terrorist threats ... leading up to the Olympics these would seem to be soft targets ... a well planned bombing of a SeaBus ... would be a huge potential loss of life, equivalent to the downing of an airliner.”
In the note Fearnley asked if the stakeholders could assure him operational plans, personnel and inter-agency communications are in place to deal with the perceived threats.
In an e-mail reply, TransLink CEO Pat Jacobsen assured Fearnley that TransLink and subsidiary Coast Mountain Bus Company are working with federal agencies to enhance recognition of threats related to terrorism, in addition to regular “all-hazards” training for fire, collision and bomb threats.
In an interview last week Fearnley was tightlipped about the information that led to his inquiries and whether he was satisfied with the responses he received from TransLink and in personal meetings with police and VPA officials.
On his source’s identity, Fearnley would only say that the man had sought him out and he had verified with another “official” that the source’s information was reliable.
To back up his concerns about terrorism, Fearnley noted that with the last two major terrorist attacks on the West after 9-11 being on transit systems in the U.K. and Spain, he believes it makes sense terrorists would be interested in the SeaBus as a high-profile target during the worldwide attention of the 2010 Games.
Asked whether he’s been reassured that TransLink was or is now ready to protect the SeaBus from terrorists, Fearnley said: “I don’t want to comment on that for the record.”
However, in an interview, spokesman Ken Hardie denied the allegations made to Fearnley last year that TransLink is not prepared, adding “with an unnamed source I can’t speak specifically to the allegations this person is making.”
He acknowledged that Fearnley’s statement that terrorists have “scoped” the SeaBus is likely accurate.
“That is probably quite probable,” Hardie said. “We are aware (of terrorist risk) but having said that, we’ve never specifically heard of or targeted a specific threat (to the SeaBus).”
Hardie said TransLink currently has intelligence-based counter-terrorism operations, but not specifically in relation to 2010 Games security risks.
He added that with $7 million earmarked by the federal government last spring for marine security upgrades in B.C., to be implemented completely by March 2009, “(The SeaBus is) becoming a harder and harder target.”
Hardie did not refute a report of a major two-week counter-terrorism exercise involving a SeaBus last June.
According to the Lookout, a Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt newspaper, in Exercise Western Sentry a coalition force including six navy boats, regulars from the Marine Security Operations Centre and Tactical Transportable Communications Centre, a number of navy reservists and members from the RCMP, Vancouver Police and the Canada Border Services Agency, enacted a scenario involving a SeaBus and several smaller boats, to practise bomb threat response, vessel tracking and use of force.
According to Joseph Spears, a maritime security consultant with the Horseshoe Bay Marine Group who has years of experience working with the Coast Guard and various government agencies, the terror threat to the Vancouver Port is real — but in the past year up to 22 agencies have increased their communications and vigilance in response.
“I think since that time (of Fearnley’s security inquiries) you’ve seen a lot of efforts to bring together different groups,” Spears said. “Whether the SeaBus is a target I’m not sure ... we’re seeing more and more focus on (targeting marine terror threats in Vancouver Port).”
While opinion is split within the security community whether to hush up terror threats or inform the public, Spears says he believes an engaged public spotting for threats is the most effective resource in counter-terrorism.
“It’s key for the public to be vigilant.”
According to the Canadian Security Intelligence Service there are about 50 terrorist groups operating in Canada. Chances of an attack jumped after Canada was placed on a target list by al-Qaida in November 2002, along with the U.K., France, Italy, Germany and Australia. Expert security consultants such as Scott Newark, of National Security Group, say mass transit is the favoured target by terrorists, especially as airport security has been increased post 9-11.
“Transit infrastructure within a big urban centre ranks at the top historically ... of the (terrorist target) priority list,” Newark said in an interview.
North Vancouver RCMP spokesman Const. Michael McLaughlin said the detachment is prepared for threats now and will ramp up security in the coming years.
“We do have local plans in place and they will be modified as needed, particularly as 2010 approaches.”
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/13/17032617_ed2b945515.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/51/146981080_ec7562285d.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2183/1563330426_bc20408508.jpg
SeaBus terminal/platform
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/160/418620981_7131464613.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2144/2129667599_e863d3a6ed.jpg