Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
ASSESSMENT
January 24, 2011
NYPD Counterterrorism Bureau
Terrorism Threat Analysis Group
Michael Schwirtz and J. David Goodman, Deadly Blast Strikes in Moscows Main Airport, New York Times, January 24, 2011; Lynn
Berry, Russia: Terror Attack Kills 35 at Moscow Airport, Associated Press, January 24, 2011; Douglas Stanglin, At Least 31 Killed in
Moscow Airport Explosion, USA Today, January 24, 2011.
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Will Englund, Bomb Kills Passengers at Moscow Airport, Washington Post, January 24, 2011.
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Douglas Stanglin, At Least 31 Killed in Moscow Airport Explosion, USA Today, January 24, 2011;Three Men Wanted Over
Moscow Airport Blast Source, Interfax, January 24, 2011.
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Will Englund, Bomb Kills Passengers at Moscow Airport, Washington Post, January 24, 2011; Michael Schwirtz and J. David
Goodman, Deadly Blast Strikes in Moscows Main Airport, New York Times, January 24, 2011; Amie Ferris-Rotman, Suicide
Bomber Kills 31 at Russian Airport: Reports, Reuters, January 24, 2011.
Police Department
City of New York
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Will Englund, Bomb Kills Passengers at Moscow Airport, Washington Post, January 24, 2011.
Douglas Stanglin, At Least 31 Killed in Moscow Airport Explosion, USA Today, January 24, 2011.
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Security Tightened at Domodedovo to Prevent New Blast Source, Interfax, January 24, 2011.
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Will Englund, Bomb Kills Passengers at Moscow Airport, Washington Post, January 24, 2011; Security Tightened in Moscow
Source, Interfax, January 24, 2011.
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Will Englund, Bomb Kills Passengers at Moscow Airport, Washington Post, January 24, 2011.
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Three Men Wanted Over Moscow Airport Blast Source, Interfax, January 24, 2011.
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Russia Plane Crashes Caused by Explosives, Associated Press, August 30, 2004.
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Alistair Bell, Glasgow Airport Attack Linked To London Car Bombs, Reuters, June 30, 2007; Robert Barr, Airport Crash Doctor
Admitted Being A Terrorist, Associated Press, November 18, 2008.
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Police Department
City of New York
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December 27, 1985: gunmen opened fire and threw grenades at crowds gathered near the ticket counters for El
Al Airlines and TWA at airports in Rome, Italy and Vienna, Austria. The attacks killed 16 civilians and wounded
138 others.13
December 17, 1973: terrorists armed with grenades and assault rifles opened fire on civilians and security
guards in the terminal of Leonardo Da Vinci International Airport in Rome, Italy and then attacked passengers
aboard Pan Am Flight 110 before taking off with hostages on another plane. The attacks resulted in 32 deaths.14
Implications for New York City
Although they have some connections to transnational terrorist organizations such as al Qaeda, insurgent
groups in the Caucasus are not known to operate outside Russia. It should be noted, however, that in late 2007
Umarov declared that the U.S., U.K. and Israel were all legitimate targets.15
o This statement, however, was likely nothing more than propaganda meant to draw international
attention to militant activities in the Caucasus.
The greatest threat that militant groups in the Caucasus pose to the U.S. would be providing Westerners with
training and combat experience, which they could use in future attacks against U.S. targets.
o In the 1990s and early 2000s, the Chechen conflict attracted Western fighters.
o If militant activities return to previous levels on a sustained basis, the Caucasus could once again
become a preferred destination for foreign fighters, including those from the West.
Asymmetric tactics employed abroad can be replicated elsewhere, including those against the aviation industry.
o As previously noted, the focus of this attack was not on aircraft, but on less secure locations inside the
airport.
o Similar tactics could be used against domestic airports, which also feature high-crowd locations that are
outside of the robust security perimeter leading to the gates.
For more information, please contact Intelligence Research Specialist Anthony Fratta of the NYPD
Counterterrorism Bureau at Anthony.Fratta@nypd.org or 646-805-6635.
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Italy Indicts 3 For Airport Attack, Associated Press, March 12, 1987.
TERRORISM: Death in Rome Aboard Flight 110, Time, December 31, 1973.
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Dokka Umarov Declares The Islamic Emirate Of The Caucasus, Expands Jihad, Europe News, November 4, 2007
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Police Department
City of New York
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