A South African naval expert is ”not overly optimistic” about local law-enforcement agencies making the country’s maritime borders and ports safe from terror attacks during the 2010 Soccer World Cup.
The Southern African region is one ”ripe” for terrorist acts, the Institute for Maritime Technology’s Francois Hugo told delegates at the Maritime Security in Southern African Waters conference in Stellenbosch on Wednesday afternoon.
Quoting from a 2007 International Peace Academy publication, he noted that countries in the region suffered from:
- lengthy and permeable borders;
- small-arms trafficking;
- a lack of a strong, legal counter-terrorism framework;
- easily available travel documentation;
- poor bureaucratic capacity;
- corruption;
- mineral and drug smuggling;
- unique migration patterns;
- under-staffed and under-resourced law-enforcement agencies; and,
- poverty.
”All of which present challenges and create a permissive environment that may foster [and] facilitate terrorism.”
South Africa itself, a major transportation hub, ”offers numerous potential targets for terrorist attacks”.
Hugo warned there is a mindset in South Africa ”that terror is something that happens elsewhere, not here”.
Further, ”we should also not lose sight of the fact that the recent spate of xenophobic attacks by South Africans against foreign migrants could not have contributed to a reduction in underlying tensions that could potentially be exploited for purposes of terrorism, or… crime”.
Possible maritime terror scenarios described by Hugo include attacks on passenger liners, or oil and gas tankers, either in port or on the approaches to a port.
”Fact is, an innocuous fishing vessel, yacht or pleasure boat could in a few minutes transform from an innocent part of the scenic picture into to serious threat to a particular ship, or into a national or international maritime threat,” he said.
Another possible scenario is hostage-taking.
”A number of dollar millionaires … on board [a passenger boat] might just alter the entire status quo.”
South African Navy vessels themselves could become targets of terror attacks.
On measures available to counter any of these threats, Hugo said: ”In my opinion, the answer is intelligence, intelligence, intelligence.”
On how South Africa should respond, he said this has to be in a ”coordinated fashion” between the various agencies responsible for security.
”Is South Africa ready to police its maritime borders, ports and seaward points of access to a degree that could reasonably be expected to make us safe? For now, for 2010, and for the foreseeable future?
”From a naval point of view, the South African government has taken the reasonable measure of investing in capable surface ships and submarines. There remains any number of maritime-related issues that it must still gear up to deal with.
”I am not overly optimistic, but the good news is we still have 23 months,” he said. — Sapa