After it had become clear that no shots were actually fired in JFKs Terminal 8, a collective sigh of relief descended on New York and America. With all of the tense civil disturbances over the summer and increased terror attacks in Europe, an attack on JFK would essentially thrown a chaotic world over the cliff.
No attack means life can go on, yet one should not sit down so comfortably yet. Here’s why the false report is just as dangerous or perhaps more dangerous than the real thing.
What the false report of shooting did was essentially expose how vulnerable one of busiest airports in the world is. Afterall the report of shots being fired not only emptied the terminal, but it grounded flights. This cost airlines billions. One false report paralyzed part of an entire airport. Know that ISIS is watching the security reaction and learning.
The question officials must ask themselves is how prepared are they for the real thing? Eventually there will be an attack. That is how things go. So when it happens what will law enforcement to do? Right now New Yorkers and air travellers have returned to the complacent lifestyle most Americans are used to, yet if they don’t take these threats more seriously the good old days will be long gone. Terror is a state of mind not just physical harm. The reaction by the security services and panicked travellers exhibit a state of terror, with or without shots being fired.