Final Word from Wednesday, July 27, 2005
The decision to conduct a terrorism-response exercise this fall isn't a bad one. The recent flood-response drill in Prague showed that this type of maneuver can be handled well and can be reassuring to the public. But why wait until the fall? The summer is a perfect time to take a practice run against undesirables who might not be as dangerous as terrorists but who also threaten the CR. There are the gangs of pickpockets, for example, who are easily identifiable but who go merrily about their business. The same can be said of the Arab black-marketeers, who could be financing allah knows what with their ill-gotten gains. There's also the mafia at the non-EU foreigners' police, where Osama bin Laden himself could get a visa if he greased the right palms. Progress in these areas would go a long way in showing the public that the police are indeed equipped to confront international terrorists.[Czech Republic terrorism immigration corruption moneychangers]