A gunman with an automatic weapon walks in Sarajevo, after he fired shots at the US embassy, October 28, 2011.
Contained in a House Committee Report (113-226) dealing with the Department of State Operations and Embassy Security Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 2014 is language that indicates the government is seeking to harden certain “soft targets” at educational facilities overseas.
The language was very specific, in one particular subsection of the report dealing with Embassy Security and Personnel Protection.
It reads as follows:
“Section 424, House Report 113-226. Physical security of certain soft targets. Improves physical security at educational facilities for children of U.S. citizens stationed outside the U.S. who are engaged in carrying out government activities.”
The report assumes that the need for improving physical security at such facilities, where children are present.
How many of these educational facilities overseas are at risk, or perceived risk (as “soft targets”) remain a mystery, the costs involved in improving security at these facilities also remain a mystery at this point.
We tried on numerous occasions to contact the U.S. State Department “Diplomatic Security” to inquire about this issue and received no response back from them.