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Sheriff: Las Vegas Vulnerable to Terrorist Attack

NEVADA --Las Vegas's gaming industry is extremely vulnerable to possible terrorist attack, the county's sheriff-elect told a group of casino security officials Wednesday.

"If we have any terrorist attack in Las Vegas, we are done as the tourist mecca of America," Bill Young told attendees at a Gaming Education Conferences planning and training session at the Gold Coast.

"And being America's playground, we have to be a prime target for fundamentalists whose beliefs are radically different from ours," said Young, who is now deputy sheriff.

"We had a 5 percent downturn (in the local economy) after 9-11 and it's taken us 12 months to partially recover. If we have a terrorist attack here, we're done as a community," he said.

"We have only one industry - importing people to come here to have a good time. And it's entirely predicated on people feeling safe and secure to come here," Young said.

Six years ago, two German tourists were killed in random criminal acts in South Florida. It has cost that area more than $6 billion in lost tourism spending and it still has not recovered, Young said, illustrating his concern.

Two recent terrorist alerts also mentioned Las Vegas as a possible target and led to substantial reservation cancellations after making national headlines, he said.

"So if we actually prevent an act (or terrorist), we won't be able to talk about it because reports in the news media will have an impact themselves, as did the mention of the MGM Mirage in a federal indictment of an alleged terrorist," said Bill Conger, who is Metro's commander for homeland security.

Even if Las Vegas isn't a target for a terrorist attack, terrorists are aware of Las Vegas.

Five of the 19 Sept. 11 hijackers visited the city prior to terrorist attacks while the individual considered by the FBI to be the hijackers' ringleader, Mohamed Atta, was "here multiple times," Young noted.

"We found out where they stayed, what cars they rented, where they ate, with whom they talked. We don't know why they were here and we've uncovered no diabolical plots," but the facts uncovered reinforce Metro's concerns about local security, Young said.

The threat to Las Vegas has forced Metro to readjust its planning to address "a new type of crime we never had any idea we'd be investigating - terrorism," Young said.

Sheriff Jerry Keller, who leaves office Jan. 4, told the group prevention is the key to the local battle against terrorists

"We have to take steps to stop the unpredictable from occurring," Keller said. "That's how we're going to make a difference today and tomorrow."

"And success isn't a choice. It's necessary," he said.

Primary potential points for attack according to threat assessments by the Las Vegas Police Department include hospitals, streets, schools, the airport and tourists, "which is our biggest concern," said Young.

If someone goes into the Hard Rock Hotel gaming pit with two sticks of dynamite under a black trench coat and blows himself up, "we're done as a gaming destination," Young said.

The terrorist threat has led to a major redeployment of police resources in Las Vegas and nationwide, including greater coordination between police and private security forces, he said.

"I don't think anybody's an expert. ... (Law enforcement and private security forces) are learning every day and we have to hope we're doing it faster (than terrorists are moving)," said Monte Carlo security chief Tim Donovan.

"When you think of terrorists, you think of a bunch of idiots walking around blowing themselves up," said Donovan. "That mentality contributed to the complacency Sept. 11 when we saw ourselves blown up."

Before Sept. 11, the emergency management plans developed by casinos generally were silent on terrorist attacks. Today, all the necessary information relevant to any level of alert can be transmitted from Mesquite to Stateline in 20 minutes because of the information clearing system the gaming companies have established, he said.

Metro has developed a four-point plan for future preparedness, Keller said.

It involves prepositioning our critical thinkers before the next significant event, acting unilaterally, training and, most important, engaging the public.

It is for that reason that Metro and its counterparts across the country are emphasizing training and developing expertise in the new specialty of terrorism.

But prevention is going to be even harder than picking a needle out of a hay stack, said Michael Brave, former chief of intelligence for the U.S. Department of Justice.

"Stopping an incident is going to be like trying to pull a particular atom out of the universe."

Doug Florence, regional vice president of API Services Inc., said casinos' "own employees, as with theft, will be the sources of information terrorists need."

"Who do you think will sell them your data bases and your pass words? Homeland security is going to have to be addressed in the same ways, with the same tools and with the same commitment as theft (has been)."

Donnovan, also president of the Las Vegas Security Chiefs Association, said casinos have to expect efforts to infiltrate properties and recruit employees.

In addition, casino computer systems represent prime targets, he said.

"If we had a terrorist attack, our most vulnerable points are our MIS or IT systems," Donnovan said. "What will happen to your business if someone infiltrates your MIS system?"

"We're all going to have to second guess ourselves to death," Donnovan said.

"But if you're looking to protect your property 100 percent, it's not going to happen," he said.

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