British athletes are to have 24-hour armed guards to protect them against terrorist attacks during the Olympics in Athens this summer. The Greek guards have been ordered as part of the world’s biggest anti-terrorism operation, which is intended to safeguard competitors from the threat of violence by al-Qa’eda or other groups. A spokesman for the Greek ministry of public order told The Telegraph: "We are talking about armed guards for every official and non-official activity, including shopping and sightseeing." The protection will cover all "off-duty" trips outside the heavily fortified Olympic village, with athletes given the kind of security usually reserved for visiting heads of state. Their buses will have armed guards and be accompanied by armoured vehicles and police helicopters.
Greek officials denied that the measure was in response to British and American requests to use their own armed guards. This, they said, would have been "a recipe for anarchy". Instead, security planners have divided the competing nations into three levels of risk. All countries that fall into the high or medium-risk categories will be afforded the same 24-hour armed protection. Britain, which will send more than 300 athletes to the Games, the United States and Israel have been given top-priority status. Other nations in the Iraq coalition are expected to receive similar protection.
A seven-nation advisory group on security, which is chaired by Assistant Commissioner David Veness, Scotland Yard’s head of special operations, has approved the plans for "high-risk nations". The precautions underline how seriously Greece takes the terrorist threat, although there are concerns that the huge security presence could overshadow the sporting celebration. The measures are part of a general tightening of security following the Madrid bombings and have taken the budget for protecting the Games from £430 million to £680 million. Although there has been no specific intelligence that al-Qa’eda is plotting an attack on the Games, which take place from August 13-29, there are fears that the Madrid bombings and the deepening crisis in Iraq could lead to Britain and the US withdrawing their teams. Mark Spitz, the American who won seven swimming gold medals at the terrorist-hit Munich Games in 1972, said last week that he had doubts about whether the US would risk competing in Athens. America’s Olympic committee distanced itself from his remarks. |