Security fears for Olympic Park as BOMB is smuggled on site in covert security tests

By
Daily Mail Reporter

Last updated at 2:43 PM on 8th January 2012

Security staff carrying out dummy runs for London 2012 have managed to smuggle at least one bomb into the site at Stratford, where the Olympic stadium, velodrome and pool are based.

A number of covert operations have been taking place and so far staff have achieved a 90 per cent success rate.

But the revelation that one operation failed has raised security fears.

through unnoticed during a dummy run at the Olympic stadium

through unnoticed during a dummy run at the Olympic stadium

It is thought the level of threat is so severe that all of the Army’s explosive search dogs are likely to be involved in the operation.

OLYMPIC PARK LOSES VALUE

The Olympic Park which was due to be sold for up to £2bn after the games is worth less than £150m.

An official valuation revealed the 500-acre site which includes the stadium, aquatic centre, press centre and development land, is worth about £138m if sold to one developer.

The value increases slightly to £157 if sold in individual plots.

The taxpayer paid £750m to buy the land in east London.

One developer warned that hundreds of millions would be needed to ensure a successful regeneration scheme.

He told the Sunday Times: ‘People don’t seem to have yet realised that this park isn’t actually worth that much and is potentially a huge drain on the taxpayer.’

The dogs are believed to be so crucial to the operation they will be recalled from duty, possibly leaving none in Afghanistan.

Currently there around 30 on active duty but they can only work for 30 to 40 minutes before becoming distracted or bored.

Thousands of troops will also be called in to assist police and private security firms to carry out searches on members of the public.

According to the Sunday Telegraph 7,500 military personnel will work alongside 16,200 security guards inside the park, while 12,000 police officers and a further 6,000 service personnel will patrol the streets outside.

Security experts have said tighter security around Olympic venues mean there could be an increased risk at places like the London Underground, shopping centres and mainline railway stations.

Any terrorist attacks leading up to the event could mean tighter security at the stadium, resulting in fully body searches and leading to longer queues.

Cars would also be banned from entering the park.

There are also concerns there might be a risk from dissident Republicans or an unknown al-Qaeda cells based in the UK.

Lord Carlisle, the former terror legislation watchdog, warned: ‘My concern is that we don’t displace so many people to Olympic venues that it leaves a risk elsewhere. Proper policing levels need to be maintained in other areas.’

Army sniffer dogs, similar to this police one on patrol in central London, are thought to be crucial in the process of checking for bombs

Army sniffer dogs, similar to this police one on patrol in central London, are thought to be crucial in the process of checking for bombs

He added that it made perfect sense to use soldiers to carry out searches because they were used to being cautious and carrying out checks on civilians in places like Northern Ireland and Afghanistan.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: ‘The Metropolitan Police has provided support to the Olympic Delivery Authority’s assurance process that is being run at the Olympic Park.

‘The ODA also runs its own security resilience tests to ensure that preparations for the London 2012 Games are as robust as possible.’

It added that thousands of events took place across the capital each year and said the Met would deliver it’s key policing responsibilities during the games.

The Olympic Delivery Authority said test runs were standard practice and were key in ensuring it was prepared for any potential threat.

A London 2012 Organising committee spokesman said the role of the military was still being finalised and added that it would also be carrying out tests at the Olympic Park in the run-up to games to ensure health and safety standards.

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I can tell the Olympics are going to go off with a bang, in one way or another.

I would say a 90% success rate was pretty good for somewhere that is pretty much a secure building site.

What a farce

Just remember folks .. it only takes “ONE” bomb

90%? That means prospective terrorists need to plan only 10 plots for one to succeed.

90% success rate doesn’t sound so good when you turn it round to a 10% potential disaster rate !

Surprised I am not! For a fictional yet very accurate portrayal of Olympic Deliverance incompetence watch 2012 on BBC4.I am viewing it again and am amazed at the accuracy of the of sheer buffoonery

I would be very wary of attending any of these games. If a serious security incident occurs we already know who is getting the blame – Iran………..so I wouldn’t be surprised if something very bad happens, and if it does, I for one wont be blaming the Iranians. It worked for Bush on 9/11, even though the perpertrators were allegedly Saudis the plans for war and the blame had already been made before the event and the Iraq debacle began.

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