India siege raises security concerns at US hotels

Their mission: To quickly shore up security with a show of force outside the Waldorf Astoria, New York Palace and other marquee hotels.

The response, though strictly precautionary, demonstrated that the deadly attack in India had far-reaching implications for police and private security officials in New York and other U.S. cities.

"I think that this could be a wake-up call," said Robert Grenier, a former CIA official with the Kroll Security Group.

Some suspect the Mumbai attackers had inside help, which points to the need for aggressive screening and monitoring of hotel workers, Grenier said. The assault in India likely involved extensive reconnaissance - another lesson in the need for constant vigilance in spotting and confronting suspicious visitors, he said.

But hotels face a delicate balancing act.

"We have some guests who pay an exorbitant amount to stay in our hotels, and security is a level of inconvenience," said Jimmy Chin, who heads security at the New York Palace and chairs the security committee for the Hotel Association of New York. At the same time, after Mumbai made headlines, "There's an expectation to see security," he added.

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Source - Herald Tribune


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