Law enforcement agencies in the U.S. have begun using drones to prevent a terrorist attack on rail lines, after several terrorist groups threatened to target them. The police chief for Philadelphia’s mass-transit system noted that he had been considering the use of drones to monitor the 140,000 miles of tracks ever since Al-Qaeda issued a publication in English on how to make s “homemade derail tool.” The publication also said American rail lines were some of the “easiest targets” in the country.
“It is time that we instill fear and make them impose strict security measures to trains as they did with their air transportation,” the article said.
Immediately afterwards, the Transportation Security Administration sent a security notice to law enforcement agencies, ABC News reports. Tomas Nestel, police chief for the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority, pointed out that drones enable them to control tracks without putting officer’s lives at risk, adding that “using the drone can cover a whole lot of area in a much faster span of time.”
The drones deployed by the agency are equipped with high-resolution cameras, which quickly detect anomalies and informs authorities about them, making it possible to prevent trains from reaching a problem area.
However, former DHS counter-terrorism coordinator John Cohen said “securing the rail infrastructure is an incredible challenge,” because track stretch for thousands of miles. He also pointed out that TSA’s warning was a sign they were deeply concerned about the threat. Such threats of rail attacks are not new. In 2009, an Afghani citizen living in Colorado, was arrested after he was discovered to be part of a plot to bomb the subway system in Manhattan.
Similarly, in 2012 a conspiracy was uncovered to derail a passenger train headed toward New York.
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