Comedy Security

‘IT is reassuring to know for us who live with the spectre of Islamist terrorism that even suicide bombers have to cope with the vagaries of the British transport system.

”Why Eddie, Canada has really changed you”

A gas attack on the London Underground, for instance, would be largely nullified by the fact that the station chosen was suddenly closed because of a defective escalator.

A bomb on a train would be a risky endeavour, most of the risk being whether the train would turn up in the first place.

And an al-Qaida operative sitting under the Heathrow flight path looking for a British Airways plane to shoot down would have a long wait as BA staff walked out in a dispute over swipe cards.

All of which is just as well in light of the report in this morning’s Times about how ”comedy terrorist” Aaron Barschak managed to gatecrash Prince William’s 21st birthday party dressed as Osama Bin Laden in drag.

According to the report, police ignored seven security alarms and five sightings on CCTV as Barshak climbed his way into Windsor Castle and into the room where the party was being held.

In that room were all the senior members of the Royal Family, except Prince Edward who was feeling his way round Canada at the time.

Had Barshak been carrying a bomb, we would all now be watching King Edward IX and Queen Sophie on the 24-hour Buckingham Palace webcam…

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Posted: 15th, August 2003 | In: Broadsheets Comment | TrackBack | Permalink