Experts Say Russian Attacks Are Olympic-Related

(ATR) Experts are saying the recent bombings in southern Russia are "absolutely" Olympic-related and that they expect more attacks before the Olympics.

Glen Howard, president of the Jamestown Foundation which specializes in security matters throughout Europe and Asia, tells Around the Rings that the bombings in Volgograd and Pyatigorsk are part of a plan from Russian militant Islamists.

"That’s their strategy to frighten people away from the Olympics," he said in an exclusive interview.

Three terror attacks took place this Friday, Sunday and Monday in Russia. The attacks have lead many to question Sochi’s safety ahead of the Winter Olympics in February.

On Friday a car bomb killed three people in the city of Pyatigorsk, 167 miles east of Sochi, while two attacks took place in the city of Volgograd Sunday and Monday killing 31 civilians. Volgograd is located about 500 miles northeast of Sochi.

"Volgograd [is an area] way outside the North Caucuses which are symbolic to whoever is behind this in an effort to show they can strikeanywhere inside of Russia with impunity."

According to Howard, Russia’s counter-terrorism organizations have a "nightmare" ahead of them preventing any attacks in Sochi.

"There’s probably going to be more attacks. I think more attempts will be made in and around Sochi but not in Sochi in an effort to keep the west from being unable to participate there."

On Monday, the IOC stood by Sochi’s security preparations.

However, Howard remains unconvinced of all the security guarantees due to the simplicities of the Volgogard attacks.

"The timings of these blasts back to back signal that whoever had this capability were able to do it pretty easily and that Russian counter terrorism is not going to be able to stop it."

"Besides strip searching everyone that tries to enter the games, it is going to be a nightmare to try and prevent and bombings"

Homepage Photo from RIA Novosti

Written by Aaron Bauer.