Olympic’s Minister Cools London Security Fears

April 19, 2012

Hugh Robertson, Minister of London 2013, has dismissed claims of potential terrorism acts at this summer Olympics by claiming he no doubts that Britain will be a “safe and secure” region during peak times.

 

With fears over security rife as the Olympics closes in on London, Robertson remains calm over the situation, citing existing fears over terrorism is commonplace in Europe at this moment in time.

 

“Terrorism is a threat for any major western country,” “It is now and it always has been” Robertson said.

 

“At the end of last year we rearranged the security budget precisely to meet that threat. There’s now a much better mix of military, private security guards, volunteers backed by a very considerable military contingent who work very, very closely with the metropolitan police and the security services.

 

“I am absolutely as confident as I possibly can be 100 days out that we will deliver a safe and secure Games.”

 

Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport Secretary of State Jeremy Hunt said:

“We are being very careful to make sure who we’ll allow to come to these Games,” before adding: “But in the end there will be people who come to these Games whose political views we disagree with.

 

“We will be keeping a very, very close watch on who is coming in and will not allow people to come into the United Kingdom if we think there will be any kind of danger to national security.”

 

London organising committee chairman Sebastian Coe, who is also a vice-president of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), said conversations had taken place at the world governing body’s Monaco headquarters with the cash-strapped Greek federation (SEGAS). SEGAS suspended its operations this month in protest at cutbacks in state funding.

 

“The Greek issue is a serious issue,” Coe said. “We want the best teams in the world.”