security planning for London Olympics includes evaluation of surface-to-air missile systems

 

It's apparent that British officials are considering everything when it comes to the potential for Muslim terrorist attacks on the London Olympics and that memory is still strong of what happened at the Munich Olympics 40 years ago.

from the BBC website:-

The Ministry of Defence says it is evaluating sites for surface-to-air missiles for the Olympic Games, and could place them at residential flats. Residents at an estate in east London have received a leaflet saying soldiers could be placed there during the Games.

It says part of an air defence system might be based at a water tower on the estate, where 700 people live.
A spokesman said the MoD had not yet decided whether to deploy ground based air defence systems during the Games.

The leaflet states that members of the Armed Forces will be at the location for a military exercise in early May for between five and seven days, between 2 and 7 May. It goes on to say that there will be a "major national exercise" from 2 to 10 May to test the Armed Forces' capabilities to help the police provide security during the Olympics.And if the government decides to use the missiles during the Games, then the soldiers could be "operationally deployed for a period of up to two months this summer".

The MoD also says in the leaflet that the missiles will be manned by "fully trained, professional soldiers", will not pose a hazard to residents and the missiles "will only be authorised for active use following specific orders from the highest levels of government in response to a confirmed and extreme security threat".

The document also states that "having a 24/7 Armed Forces and police presence will improve your local security and will not make you a target for terrorists".