Summer in the City: Unconventional Insurance and Olympian Security in Age of Terrorism Risk

Summer in the City: Unconventional Insurance and Olympian Security in Age of Terrorism Risk:

By Andrew G. Simpson, Jr.

A little more than a year ago, Britain's Prince William celebrated his 21st birthday with a costume party at Windsor Castle. While William was addressing the partying crowd, a stranger wearing a black beard, white turban and pink dress and looking a lot like Osama bin Laden bounded onto the stage, grabbed the microphone, spoke to the crowd and then planted a kiss on Prince William's cheek.

Despite the fact that the Osama look-alike was a comedian, few thought it a laughing matter. If the intruder had been a suicide bomber he could have killed all the senior members of the royal family who were onstage with William. British security forces were promptly taken to task for allowing the stranger to get so close. Immediate steps were taken to beef up security surrounding the royal family.

Summer Security
This summer, while the world is watching the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Boston, the Republican National Convention (RNC) in New York City and the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, security forces will be on full alert to prevent breaches like the one that concerned British security a year ago. In Boston, New York and Athens, officials maintain that every precaution is being taken to protect the participants and properties at these events from a close encounter with terrorism."