The last thing we want on our mind as we gear up for the largest American sporting event of the year are goddamn terrorist fucks. But this is the world we live in.
FBI and Homeland Security officials indicate that there is potential cause for concern after vandalism to cyber optic cables in California could be part of a complex plot against Super Bowl 50 in Santa Clara, California on February 7th.
While an internal memo obtained by NBC Washington claims that there is no evidence to suggest that there is a specific or credible threat against Super Bowl 50, authorities are being extra diligent after the recent Paris and San Bernadino attacks.
NBC indicates that within 40 miles of the stadium, more than 10 cables were deliberately cut between July 2014 and June last year, and an official from he FBI’s San Francisco office claims that there have been at least 15 targeted in the area since 2014. The most recent were within 10 miles of the stadium.
The severed optic cables by themselves are of no threat but authorities say that they “raise the concern individuals may be using these incidents to test and prod network durability in conjunction with a more complex plot.”
On top of potential attacks against the fiber optics systems, the memo details the threat of malicious drones at the event and in crowded spaces just outside Levi’s Stadium and acknowledges that lone wolf attackers “are of particular concern” to the game due to their ability to remain undetected before attacking.
In response to the finding, NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy said in a statement:
“We have been working for more than a year with our law enforcement partners at the federal, state and local level in preparation for Super Bowl 50,” McCarthy said. “We have confidence in our law enforcement and public safety partners and have an effective and comprehensive plan in place to make Super Bowl 50 a safe and exciting event for our fans.”
[h/t NBC Washington]