Friday, February 1, 2008

Stamford At Risk for Terrorist Attack?

Now why in goodness' name would a terrorist attack Stamford? The Advocate reports that Stamford is on the list of places "considered at high risk." That strikes me as absurd. I'm far more worried about being sideswiped on the I-95 access road near the train station.

If Stamford is at risk for terrorism, well, I'm just giving up. If that is really true, then this country is in big trouble. I don't want to jinx us, but I just don't think we are at high-risk for terrorism. Toledo, Ohio is also on the list. What does our Homeland Security Department know about Stamford that we don't? Would someone want to attack UBS or RBS? I suppose it is true that they're sitting ducks for any truck bomb on 95. I feel terrible saying that... but do you really think Stamford is at risk? Let me know if you know something I don't about why we are in danger.

Here's part of the article:

Stamford, Norwalk added to terrorism high-risk fund list
By Eileen Sullivan and Devlin Barrett, Associated Press
Published February 1 2008

WASHINGTON - More cities, including Stamford and Norwalk, are considered at high risk of a terrorist attack, according to a new list of funding priorities from the Homeland Security Department.

Last year the department made 45 cities or regions eligible for a competitive counterterrorism grant program. This year, the list has been expanded to 60 areas that can apply for the nearly $782 million available, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press.

The urban area grants are one of the department's most popular - and most intensely debated - programs. The department divides the regions at highest risk of a terrorist attack into two tiers. The seven highest-risk areas - including Los Angeles, New York and Washington - will be competing for about $430 million this year. The remaining 53 will compete for about $352 million.

The department plans to release the list today.

The list has grown and shrunk in recent years, based on decisions the department says are not the result of specific threats or concerns but that reflect an overall analysis of threat data.

Some regions on the list in the past were dropped more recently. For instance, Albany, N.Y., was put back on the list this year after being dropped in 2003.

Other regions added to the list this year, in addition to Stamford, Norwalk, Bridgeport and the Hartford region, are: Rochester, N.Y.; Syracuse, N.Y.; Austin and Round Rock, Texas; Baton Rouge, La.; Louisville and Jefferson County in Kentucky and an area across the Ohio River in Indiana; Nashville, Davidson County and Murfreesboro, Tenn.; Richmond, Va.; Riverside, San Bernardino and Ontario, Calif.; Salt Lake City; San Juan, Caguas and Guaynabo, Puerto Rico; and Toledo, Ohio.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

We're in danger because we are a mid-size city on the populous eastern seaboard, on I-95, near NYC, with a diverse population and a growing international financial base.

I think you said it best in your Jan. 5 post regarding Stamford's first murder of '08...

Stamford residents, I don’t mean to scare you, but we need to keep our eyes open. There are no good and bad parts of this town. Weird stuff happens everywhere.

Anonymous said...

I think that this is a ploy by the local politicans to get funding / visibility. How else will the builders justify the prices at the luxury downtown condos?! $700/sqft, $500/sq ft! Cheaper than Manhattan! wow...however, they forget that places across the street or a few blocks away are $300-350/sqft.