Homeland Security after September 11, 2001 Attacks

Homeland Security after September 11, 2001 Attacks

Introduction

The September 11, 2001's attacks on the Pentagon and the World Trade Center vividly verified the vulnerability of the intelligence threats faced by the United States in the new century. As a result of the security threats to the country, the American Congress has approved heavy budgets for intelligence. Alongside that in December of 2004, the US government undertook the most extensive and costly reorganization of their Intelligence Community under the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004. Consequently, a Director of National Intelligence was appointed who now leads the American Intelligence Community.

Since, 2000 the United States is encountering the various terrorism related threats across the globe in terms of bomb blasts over the American Embassies, Killing og American journalists and attempts of another terrorists acts in the United States.

On May 1, 2010 in New York City a car bomb was discovered in Times Square, New York City after smoke is seen coming from a vehicle. The fire, which occurred about 8 pm, alerted the police, who decided to evacuate the surrounding streets to determine the existence of a package in the back seat. Security forces also blocked access between streets 44 and 46 (Gunaratna 2002, pp. 2). A black car, apparently a failed car bomb, set off any alarms in New York on the night of Saturday. The car was parked in the central Times Square, one of the biggest tourist attractions in New York, when it began releasing smoke and emits small flashes on the back.

Threat Identification

In the evening the first of May, 2010 in New York City's Times Square was an attempt to attack with a car bomb. Improvised explosive device, assembled from easily available, does not work, and the victims managed to escape. At the disposal of the police SUV was Nissan Pathfinder, bomb components and recording suspicious person leaving the scene of the accident. On suspicion of terrorist attack, a person have been arrested on May 3which was a 30-year-old American of Pakistani origin, he made a confession. In addition, Pakistan has arrested several suspected accomplices of terrorists.

One of the biggest nightmares of Americans, the explosion of a car bomb in Times Square, probably the world's busiest, was about to become reality. The car contained an "explosive device" manufacturing "amateur", which, however, could have caused an incident "very deadly", confirmed by the city's mayor. The police defused a car bomb containing three propane tanks, two cans of gasoline, son and two electric timers. The attempted attack was claimed by Pakistani Taliban, but the NYPD questioned. Teams of fireworks have been successful in defusing explosive devices. Three propane tanks, two cans of gasoline, son and two electric timers were discovered inside the car. According to authorities, the engine of the car bomb was still moving and its hazard lights flashing (Walsh 2010, p.134).

A few minutes after the wake-up call, robotic security forces enter the vehicle and found, as confirmed by the ...