FOUR DAYS AWAY – AT 8:49 A.M. ET:  The London Olympics begin on Friday.  We wish the attention could be entirely on the games, but it is not.  There is widespread apprehension about security, especially since the security plan in place for the Olympics collapsed several weeks ago.  British military forces are filling in, and will undoubtedly do a better job than the private firm that botched the whole thing (and deserves some punishment).

We know that England is crawling with jihadists.  We know that there is fear that some potential terrorists could get through the security screens at the airports.  We know that the Israelis, who know about this stuff, are worried about hit teams organized in Europe.

Attention is focused on last week's attack against an Israeli tour bus in Bulgaria, and its implications for the Olympics, or, indeed, other targets in the region.  From Bulgarian media:

Bulgarian police are to be alerted to the possibility of a third suspect in a bomb attack that killed five Israeli tourists in Burgas, a local daily reported.

Investigators have determined that the bomb was detonated by a man caught on airport security videos about an hour before Wednesday's attack at Burgas International Airport. But sources told Standard daily that he had help by two other men, who were also at the airport during the terror attack.

The first accomplice is believed to have served as a back-up for the suicide bomber and was ready to replace him if the plot went wrong.

The second accomplice was assigned to shoot dead the other two if they got arrested by the police or got scared and gave up, according to the report.

Five Israeli tourists and the Bulgarian bus driver died in the blast, as well as the bomber. More than 30 other Israelis were injured, some seriously.

Israel has said it suspects Iran or an Islamist militant group such as Hezbollah is behind the attack, a claim that has added to tension between Israel and Tehran. Iran, which has condemned the attack, has rejected Israel's claims.

The man who carried out the suicide bombing was carrying what the Interior Ministry has said was a fake Michigan driver's license.

COMMENT:  If the story is accurate, and we have no way of confirming it, that means two additional terrorists are still on the loose.  Britain has raised the threat level for Israel's team at the Olympics, which is a coded way of saying that the entire Olympics face elevated danger. 

I would be shocked, but not surprised, if there were some attempt – a failed one, I hope – on the Olympics.  This year marks the 40th anniversary of the attack, at the Munich games, on the Israeli team.  As a number of commentators have pointed out, the jihadists like anniversaries.

I am even more concerned about our American team.  Presumably, they have additional security.  Yesterday marked the most violent day in Iraq since the departure of American troops, a show by the terrorist element that they're still a force to be reckoned with.  Indeed, terror groups make periodic displays of their presence in order to...terrorize. 

One doubts that Iran would want to be publicly identified with an attack, which could provide an excuse for American military action.  But its client, Hezbollah, has been particularly active recently.  And elements loyal to the Assad government in Syria might be up for a last stand against the hated Americans.

Stand by, and hope that good eyes are operating on our side.

July 23, 2012