Politics & Government

Questions Arise on How Bin Laden's Death Will Affect Security

UMBC expert said threat to the United States could be more long term.

Questions about retaliatory attacks arose in the aftermath of the death of Osama bin Laden as government officials plan for heightened security for U.S. citizens both at home and abroad.

The U.S. State Department issued a travel warning for citizens abroad that is in effect until August 1.

"Given the uncertainty and volatility of the current situation, U.S. citizens in areas where recent events could cause anti-American violence are strongly urged to limit their travel outside of their homes and hotels and avoid mass gatherings and demonstrations. U.S. citizens should stay current with media coverage of local events and be aware of their surroundings at all times," according to a release from the state department.

Find out what's happening in Catonsvillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

But while there is potential for an immediate attack, a Pakistan expert said there may be even greater potential for an attack months from now.

"If there were going to be something happening today, this week or this month it would be a more crude attack," said Devin T. Hagerty, a political science professor at UMBC who has studied security issues in India and Pakistan for years.

Find out what's happening in Catonsvillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Al-Qaida has enough of a structure that more sophisticated cells would patiently plan a response, he said.

"They've been known to observe targets for years and years," said Hagerty, who recently co-authored Fearful Symmetry: Indo-Pakistani Crises in the Shadow of Nuclear Weapons. Hagerty also edits the academic journal Asian Security, which addresses security issues in the region.

Hagerty said he also sees Pakistan becoming more unstable as a result of bin Laden's death. He grew up both in India and Pakistan and has been studying the region ever since he graduated high school in Islamabad.

"It's a very volatile place, no question about it," he said. Polls conducted have shown that bin Laden is popular in Pakistan. The country itself has also been a target for terrorists, with bombings on citizens that occur regularly.

"It's a very divided country these days," he said.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here