Daniel Wagner

After Sri Lanka bombings, security screenings could be coming to a shopping centre near you

As terrorists increasingly turn their attention to soft targets, governments and businesses must move quickly and collaborate to fund and put in place enhanced security measures, especially in locations that have been terrorist targets in the past

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Why you can trust SCMP

Daniel Wagner

Published: 3:00am, 27 Apr 2019Updated: 3:39am, 27 Apr 2019

In the 1990s, I travelled regularly to Sri Lanka, mostly for work. Back then, the insurgency of the Tamil Tigers was in full swing and the island was enduring terrible carnage. Bus and train stations, places of worship, commercial flights and even the central bank were attacked during this period.

I visited Colombo soon after the central bank bombing in 1996. I stayed at what was at the time considered the best hotel in town – the Hilton – and was surprised to see what lax security was in place there.

Even after the bank had been destroyed by a car bomb nearby, cars could freely drive up to the hotel’s front door. I distinctly recall having a conversation with the hotel’s security manager at the time and asking him why there were not more security precautions in place.

The terrible carnage in New Zealand and Sri Lanka raise uncomfortable questions about where to draw the line on security. Herein lies an enduring dilemma – what to attempt to secure because of perceived risk and what to be satisfied with, simply cross one’s fingers, and hope that nothing happens.

In countries such as India, Pakistan and the Philippines, the protocol is well established – government and large office buildings, luxury hotels, shopping centres, high-profile tourist attractions and public transport hubs have some security protocols in place, out of necessity.