The fear that a radical Islamist terrorist group will use the world stage of the Olympics as a way to bring attention to their anti-Western philosophies is getting more attention than the competition itself. The head of a Chechen separatist organization pledged violence to disrupt the upcoming 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. There are various concerns that this vow may be related to a suspected suicide bombing that battered the Russian city of Volgograd, earlier last month killing 14 civilians. There have also been online posts made by these terrorists all threatening chemical attacks.  Some authorities speculate that by giving these radicals attention, it will only give them more power.

     In the past 10 years, Russia’s terrorist attacks have increased dramatically. Russian officials claim that security will be tight, with 37,000 security officers patrolling and working to safely guard the Olympic Park. The fear is that the nearby Islamic militants have stepped up with recent bold attacks on the general population and the concern is that they are going to use the international platform of the Olympics to call attention to themselves. Sochi’s Olympic Park is expected to hold around 75,000 people, including the 6,000 athletes from 85 different countries.

     The primary challenge to security is the close proximity of the Olympic Village to the North Caucasus region, which is home to these radicals. As a way of dealing with the security issues in Sochi, authorities are enforcing restrictions on the actions of the dangerous inhabitants. Russian officials are also separating the North Caucasus from the rest of Russia. “Police has gone around the neighborhoods where immigrants live – especially those from the Caucasus – and made it clear they cannot stay in the city during the Olympics,” according to Boris Pituhov, manager of a Sochi security company. “Entire streets have emptied.” Police are taking preventative measures by taking the local inhabitants and having them relocate for the event. Reports also suggest that civilians from Ingushetia are not allowed to travel to not only Sochi, but the entire Krasnodar region, without official acceptance from the government. House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul advocated that if the threats of security get any worse, the Olympic Games could be cancelled. “I would say that the security threat to this particular Olympics is the greatest I think I’ve ever seen because of the proximity of the terrorists to the Olympic Village.” McCaul stated on CBS’s “Face the Nation.”

     “Most of the militants responsible for terrorist attacks in Russia over the last decade – including female suicide bombers who have taken part in 20 attacks claiming at least 780 lives since June 2000 – have come from Dagestan,” RIA Novosti expressed. Russian authorities have been on a manhunt for four women they fear may be planning suicide attacks targeting the games. They call themselves the “Black Widows.” Sochi police have already dispersed “Wanted” posters cautioning locals of one of the terrorists. The young woman supposedly left her Dagestan home, located in the Caucasus area. Russian authorities have recently received information that she has been assigned to implement an attack on the Winter Olympics by a terrorist organization.

     Clearly there is reason to be concerned for all attendees, regardless if they are participating in the Olympic events or as spectators. Russian Federal Security Services have issued warnings that they anticipate more attacks as we near the start of the Games and that the public needs to be prepared.