Hey, Cain, what do you make of this?

[Cain]

Yeah, terrorism experts have warned about that for ages, but no-one listens to those guys because the script-writers come up with bigger budget scenarios.

OK.  Looking at it, Domodedovo is the largest airport in Russia, in terms of passengers and cargo.  So, aside from the loss of life and symbolic aspects of the bombing ("so many people use Domodedovo, anyone can be hurt") there is almost certainly an economic angle to this as well.  The post-bombing security measures, such as diversion of flights and increased security will no doubt have an hefty price tag associated with them.

At a guess, I would say this is due to violence emanating out of Ingueshetia-Chechnya-Dagestan, most likely the Shariat Jamaat.  They attacked the Moscow Metro last year, and seem to be the designated successors to the previous Chechen rebel groups that the FSB wiped out between 1999-2006.  It is early days though.  The FSB themselves were heavily implicated in terrorist attacks in Moscow before, the infamous 1999 apartment bombings, and they may be angling for more funding and a heavier presence in the North Caucasus region.  At the moment, there is no evidence to suggest this, I merely mention it as a possibility given the history of Russian involvement in false-flag terrorism.

What I'm wondering is...where and how does this change the landscape of airport logistics and air travel, in general and internationally?  This scenario--though ignored--has been "on the radar" for travel security departments for decades now.  But what could possibly be done about it? As far as I can tell, the best airport security, who might see the most action, seems to be the UK going through both major international London airports and Israel.

I dislike Israel's methodology--profiling--though it seems to work, simply by virtue of the fact that it further segregates a population that's already under profiling seige, which seems to incite the same resentful behaviors.  Creating more possible new terrorist recruits, etc.  Speak Arabic or with an accent that sounds like you do?  You must be watched more closely than your Israelie companion.

OTOH, the deplorably *lax* security of the airports of the likes of Italy are easy targets for this kind of sabotage.  I just don't know what the answer is, other than the politics that drive this sort of thing to happen.

Russia's airport security is generally lax, it must be said.  In a lot of places, you can pretty much bribe your way through customs.  I would have assumed Domodedovo would have been better, given its economic importance to the country but, of course, it has to be remembered the wealth of the Russian ruling class is basically built on contraband and theft, and while it would undoubtedly be better for them to build a system whereby their goods can pass through unchecked and everyone elses is scrutinized, it is harder to implement.  In the short run, it is easier to rely on bribing security officials or just sneaking stuff past than setting up a thorough system and trying to put in work-arounds.

While the Israeli system is not perfect, it is much less intrusive than the current model being pursued by western European and North American governments.  With adequate safeguards and an emphasis on behavioural profiling, it would likely be more effective than any other approach.

[Cain]

Also, just to put this entire conflict in some kind of context, I'd just like to point out Russia has been battling Islamic extremism for about a decade longer than the USA.  Not just in Chechnya either, its troops had quite a presence in the fighting in the Central Asian Republics in the 1990s (especially Tajikistan) and they, along with Iran, were the primary backers of Afghan groups opposed to the Taliban.

Any realistic assessment on the behalf of Central/South Asian and Caucasian Islamists would have no choice but to conclude Russia, as opposed to the USA, is their most implacable enemy.  Especially since the Russians don't seem to make the kind of mistakes the US and NATO do (allying with people who hate us, getting into strategically unwinnable situations, alienating potential allies etc).

[Jenne]

I just dislike a whole category of "security" based on how you LOOK and how you SOUND.  It also tends to DE-select a whole manner of OTHERs who mix in with the same population. 

[Adios]

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev fired top airport security officials Wednesday, two days after a blast killed 35 people at Moscow's busiest airport.

He accused transport police of "taking an absolutely passive position. At best, they are examining migrants, to check their registration and display their authority," in comments carried on Russian state TV.

Among the people he dismissed was Andrei Alexeyev, the head of the Interior Ministry's transport administration for the Central Federal District, he announced in his televised remarks.

"If people don't understand how to work, we'll find other people," Medvedev said, according the RIA-Novosti news agency.
http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/europe/01/26/russia.airport.explosions/index.html?hpt=T2

Not surprising. Expect drastically tighter security in the future.

[Jenne]

I'm telling you, their security couldn't have been any worse than that dinky little airport we went through in southern Italy a couple of years ago.  Je-sus.  It was the type of airport where little old people in their carts piled high with luggage you KNOW wouldn't get through any other security line would sneak into line about half-way up.  And no one said A WORD.  The guys standing around near the metal detectors with their rifles or AK's were just bored to tears and showed it.  It was like something out of a 3rd world country (I've seen tighter security in the spitoon they call an airport in Cabo San Lucas, actually, come to think of it), but then so is a LOT of Italy these days...

[Thurnez Isa]

While the Israeli system is not perfect, it is much less intrusive than the current model being pursued by western European and North American governments.  With adequate safeguards and an emphasis on behavioural profiling, it would likely be more effective than any other approach.

In the West we seem to have this fascination in the "more showing and intrusive the security the more effective it must be" approach rather then "the best security is the security you don't even know is there" approach.

[Cain]

I'm telling you, their security couldn't have been any worse than that dinky little airport we went through in southern Italy a couple of years ago.  Je-sus.  It was the type of airport where little old people in their carts piled high with luggage you KNOW wouldn't get through any other security line would sneak into line about half-way up.  And no one said A WORD.  The guys standing around near the metal detectors with their rifles or AK's were just bored to tears and showed it.  It was like something out of a 3rd world country (I've seen tighter security in the spitoon they call an airport in Cabo San Lucas, actually, come to think of it), but then so is a LOT of Italy these days...

Southern Italy is so corrupt it makes Russia look just a little dirty, even nowadays.  Airports, roads, apartment blocks...nothing gets built without the mafia taking a cut and without a friend of the family being on the board for the project. 

And Thurenz, that is correct.  Ironically, back in the day, the old British and American system of fighting terrorism (intelligence led police operations) were found to be by far the most effective measures one could use.  Italy, for example, tried the "show of force" way, and it failed.  Miserably.  They had other obstacles as well, of course, but there was a noticeable pickup in successful prosecutions and thwarted attacks once they adopted Anglo-American measures.