November 29, 2004

US: Mall security growing more vigilant against terrorism

From AP, with thanks to Kemaste:

MANCHESTER, Conn. -- In a suburban mall outside Hartford, past the Abercrombie & Fitch and the cell phone kiosks, tucked away by the Barnes & Noble, a conference room full of shopping mall security guards are learning to spot suicide bombers.

They're being taught blast patterns and behavior profiles, how a bomb is packaged and how a bomber is recruited.

This suburban security force, known more for dispersing loitering teens than for fighting terrorism, is receiving the type of training that just a few years ago was reserved for the Israeli police and the U.S. military.