Black widow–usually, the term refers to the infamous female spider that bites off the head of her male mate. However, with the Winter Olympics in Sochi fast approaching, the name is gaining new meaning and notoriety.
Ever since 2002, when secessionists seized Moscow’s Dubrovska theaters with the help of female militants, the name “black widow” has come to mean female suicide bomber and has hung over media portrayals of Islamic insurgencies of the area. It comes from the black hijabs traditionally worn by these women and the violent images the term brings to mind.
Recently “black widow” has gained new relevance to the world; Russian authorities have announced that they are hunting for a suspected black widow plotters. In response to that piece of news, the US Travel Department has issued a new travel policy for Americans going to attend the Sochi Winter Olympics.
The policy is not completely new though. It is mostly an edited version of a travel warning that already existed because Russia is notorious for insurgence and city bombings. In addition, the Olympics, a highly publicized sporting event, presents an attractive target to terrorists.
Large-scale public events such as the Olympics present an attractive target for terrorists, and the U.S. government continues to monitor reported threats of potential terrorist attacks in Sochi or in Russia in general. Acts of terrorism, including bombings and hostage takings, continue to occur in Russia, particularly in the North Caucasus region. Between October 15 and December 30, 2013, there were three suicide bombings targeting public transportation in the city of Volgograd (600 miles from Sochi), two of which occurred within the same 24-hour period. In early January 2014, media reports emerged about the possible presence of so-called “black widow” suicide bombers in Sochi. These reports have not been corroborated, and the U.S. government continues to seek further information. Other bombings over the past ten to fifteen years occurred at Russian government buildings, airports, hotels, tourist sites, markets, entertainment venues, schools, and residential complexes. There have also been large-scale attacks on public transportation including subways, buses, trains, and scheduled commercial flights, in the same time period.
Travelers to the 2014 Winter Olympics, beware.
