Athens, Oct 17: Athens Olympics organisers give details of an increased security operation for the 2004 Games. Olympics organizers and government officials displayed a flurry of charts and moving graphics for the security plan designed for the games at a briefing for reporters on Thursday (October 16). Police cheif Fotis Nasiakos said a new doctrine had been adopted within the security forces based on identifying and analyzing possible threats, and preventing them or confronting them. Defined as a non-static plan designed to incorporate the changing security situation in the international community, it outlined command and control centres, access control, fencing and foot, vehicle and helicopter patrols at venues, in urban centres and around the country and along its borders. It also outlined new technological systems and training exercises being carried out for scenarios including terrorist attacks, hijackings, bomb attacks and chemical or biological attacks.


Athens Organizing Committee President Gianna Angelopoulos stressed however that although security was Greeces number one priority, organizers did not want to turn the country into a militarized zone that would overshadow the festive atmosphere of the event.


Greece has come under recent criticism in media reports for shortcomings in its security plan, but officials said Greece was one of the safest countries in Europe and stood by the plan, being carried out with the help of an international advisory group of foreign countries such as Britain, Israel and the United States. But countries such as the United States and Australia have said they will bring their own security teams to guard their athletes.


Public Order Minister George Floridis said however there had been no official request from any country to bring its own security force, adding such an event could be tragic if confusion was created by unknown security personnel, and that the security planning was the exclusive job of the Greek Forces.


On Thursday US Ambassador Thomas Miller, who said the security of the games was the US mission's top priority, admitted that no one could ensure one hundred percent security, but added that Greece should attempt to ensure that all the proper systems, tests, training and checks were provided to avoid a possible threat.


The security plan has been defined as the largest security plan in the history of the games, with a hefty budget and some 58 thousand Security forces. Floridis said on Thursday the budget had now been increased from $600 million to $754 million U.S. dollars, stressing that the amount was much higher but worth the cost.


Bureau Report