Olympic Security Concerns; Credit Security Threatened
BANFIELD: This video, that just surfaced over the weekend, showing two extremists. They are leveling a threat against the Olympic games in Sochi. These are the two that claimed responsibility for two suicide bombings in the Russian city of Volgograd, effectively bombing themselves, taking themselves out, but leaving behind the video with an advance warning, moving ahead to the Olympics. They warned that they have a present for the Olympic tourists as a payback for Muslim blood that has been spilled. And all that is raising huge security concerns just under three weeks before the games. The torch got a warm welcome in Volgograd today despite all of this. Have a look. Despite the cheers there, people around the world are on edge about what has happened in that city just about 600 miles from Sochi where the Olympics will be. Russia's president says the country has a perfect understanding of the threat, and how to stop the threat, but that doesn't seem to do much for U.S. lawmakers because several of them are saying they are extremely concerned. Phil Black has more from Volgograd.</s>PHIL BLACK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Ashleigh, it was three weeks ago that a man walked into this train station behind me, approached the security screening area and blew himself up, killing 18 people. The next day, someone else performed a suicide attack on a bus nearby killing another 16. Now, a jihadi video has emerged with two men claiming responsibility for those attacks. They also warned that they are but a taste of what people should expect during the winter Olympics in Sochi.</s>BLACK (voice-over): Mounting concerns in Russia this morning as the Olympic torch relay makes its way for the bomb stricken city of Volgograd. Two extremists in this video claiming responsibility for two back to back suicide bombings last month that claimed 34 lives, and warning that more attacks could come during the Sochi Olympic Games. In the hour-long video, the purported suicide bombers are seen constructing explosives and explaining their motives all before heading to their targets triggers in hand. The two men apparently part of an Islamist militant group vowing to prepare a present for the Olympics and all the tourists who'll come over. Members of Congress are very concerned.</s>REPRESENTATIVE MICHAEL MCCAIN (R), TEXAS: If something does happen, what is the evacuation plan and emergency response plan that would take place?</s>BLACK: Others worried about Americans heading to Sochi.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I would not go and I don't think I would send my family.</s>REPRESENTATIVE MIKE ROGERS (R), MICHIGAN, INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE CHAIR: I am very concerned about the security status of the Olympics. I do believe that the Russian government needs to be more cooperative with the United States when it comes to the security of the games.</s>BLACK: Russian President Vladimir Putin deploying a security force at 40,000 police officers and soldiers to the region. In an interview with ABC News, Putin says that he will do whatever it takes to keep athletes and visitors safe, and pledging that Russia has adequate means of security. Security around the Olympic venue on high alert. Metal detectors and bomb sniffing dogs are visible as the games get underway in just over two weeks.</s>BLACK: Russian officials say they are not revising their security plans for the Sochi games because they believe they already have everything in place. When the Olympic flame arrived here this morning, there were more police officers and members of the security forces to meet it than members of the public. It seems the lesson from the Volgograd attacks is that even if Sochi is locked down successfully, there are still many other potentially vulnerable targets in other parts of the country. Back to you, Ashleigh.</s>BANFIELD: Phil, thank you for that. It is minus 25 where Phil is. We really appreciate his reporting today. Do you remember the holiday hack attack, the Target thing that affected so many millions of Americans? There was Target, but then there was also Neiman Marcus, and it turns out that may just be the beginning, folks. This thing is far from over, and there are some details that you need to hear if you buy stuff like anywhere.