Report: Fake bomb exposes London Olympic security

Paul Hackett / Reuters

Spectators find their seats at the official opening of the London Olympics stadium, inside the Olympic park, London, Saturday.

Britain has begun an inquiry into security at the London Olympics after a worker reportedly smuggled a fake bomb onto the site to expose flaws in its anti-terror defenses.

The worker carried the artificial bomb through two checkpoints without being searched by security staff, according to a British tabloid newspaper report.


Once inside, he was able to drive the package through the site, taking it past the velodrome before posing for a photograph with it outside the Olympic Stadium, The Sun reported.

The stunt, 24 hours before 40,000 people attended the official opening of the stadium on Saturday, was designed to show how vulnerable the site, which also includes the athletes' village, could be to a terrorist attack.

Fears that the international spectacle could be targeted by extremists have led organisers to spend $1.6 billion (£1 billion) on security for the games including 23,700 guards, 14,000 troops at key times and an 11-mile electric fence.

A spokesman for Britain’s Home Office told The Telegraph it had asked games organizers to "look into this incident and report back to the Home Secretary urgently".

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I'm sure he is no longer employed at the site. The people who let him through probably still are, though.

  • 9 votes
Reply#1 - Sun May 6, 2012 8:31 AM EDT

Agreed. The people who let him through just failed in their job ... not cause for dismissal. He, on the other hand, exposed politicians and bureaucrats for the lying cork soakers they are ... an unpardonable sin.

  • 6 votes
#1.1 - Sun May 6, 2012 10:33 AM EDT

Everyone going to the Olympics now will have a long wait to get in. Full body scans for everyone.

  • 2 votes
#1.2 - Sun May 6, 2012 11:47 AM EDT

Arrest that man for not following the "Securty Theatre Script"!

We all know the terrorists follow written instructions, guidelines, and avidly read security committee meeting minutes to make sure they're following through on their expected and predetermined plan of action as decided by our security detail.

    #1.4 - Sun May 6, 2012 2:24 PM EDT

    How do we know it wasn't a deliberate test set up by the people in charge of security? A lot of assumptions being made here.

    • 2 votes
    #1.5 - Sun May 6, 2012 6:39 PM EDT
    Reply

    Lots of red on someone's face, thats for sure...

    • 1 vote
    Reply#2 - Sun May 6, 2012 8:43 AM EDT

    Let's face it. There is no possible way to guarantee security 100%.

    • 12 votes
    Reply#3 - Sun May 6, 2012 8:52 AM EDT

    Totally true! And that applies to our TSA also.

      #3.1 - Sun May 6, 2012 8:57 AM EDT

      True but you can dehumanize a bunch of innocent people in the process of chasing the impossible so what's not to love about it?

      • 2 votes
      #3.2 - Sun May 6, 2012 8:58 AM EDT

      You most certainly can guarentee 100% security. You just have to know what you're doing.

      You simply deny entry to everyone.

      • 5 votes
      #3.3 - Sun May 6, 2012 9:01 AM EDT

      Don

      That's for sure.

        #3.4 - Sun May 6, 2012 9:01 AM EDT

        Stay away from the Olympics.

          #3.5 - Sun May 6, 2012 11:37 AM EDT
          Reply

          It's not about security, it's about money.

            Reply#4 - Sun May 6, 2012 9:04 AM EDT

            "has began"?

            • 1 vote
            Reply#5 - Sun May 6, 2012 9:10 AM EDT

            So glad I'm not planning to attend the olympics...and gosh, golly, aren't we glad for all the rooftop rockets they have planted around London now?

              Reply#6 - Sun May 6, 2012 10:43 AM EDT

              It is sad, when money become a factor in safety for our own lives.

                Reply#7 - Sun May 6, 2012 10:51 AM EDT

                Another illustration that the abuse we tolerate at airports and athletic events is pure theater. It stokes the egos of the Gestapo wannabes and costs us a fortune, but doesn't make us a bit safer.

                • 6 votes
                Reply#8 - Sun May 6, 2012 11:01 AM EDT

                BOB-1540533

                damn!!! well put !!!

                • 2 votes
                #8.1 - Sun May 6, 2012 11:32 AM EDT

                But the minute a bomb is detonated, or mass shootings occur, the TSA and the Olympic Security will get blamed. Can't have it both ways.

                • 1 vote
                #8.2 - Sun May 6, 2012 11:53 AM EDT

                some politician's company will be making a bundle off of this

                  #8.3 - Sun May 6, 2012 1:35 PM EDT
                  Reply

                  this is what you get when you rape other countries of THEIR resources! fear of terrorists

                  • 1 vote
                  Reply#9 - Sun May 6, 2012 11:03 AM EDT

                  Look at our treasury and all that has gone to "resources" and tell me about rape!!

                    #9.1 - Sun May 6, 2012 5:30 PM EDT

                    By "rape" he meant that we take without permission.

                      #9.2 - Tue May 8, 2012 7:01 AM EDT
                      Reply

                      A few bombs would make the Olympics almost exciting enough to watch. *YAWN*

                      • 1 vote
                      Reply#10 - Sun May 6, 2012 11:21 AM EDT

                      Geez man. Not funny.

                      • 1 vote
                      #10.1 - Mon May 7, 2012 8:45 AM EDT
                      Reply

                      "WAY TO GO" there London. You've not only let terrorists know "YOUR" week spots, you've given them a game plan on how to proceed. Now they can put in place a workable scenario. Even a idiot could foil you bunch of morons..! You beat all I've ever seen.!!! P.S....Clocks ticking folks.

                      • 1 vote
                      Reply#11 - Sun May 6, 2012 11:48 AM EDT

                      Except for a false sense of security.

                      • 1 vote
                      Reply#12 - Sun May 6, 2012 12:01 PM EDT

                      More proof that security at the expense of our rights does NOT equal security.

                      • 2 votes
                      Reply#13 - Sun May 6, 2012 12:26 PM EDT

                      Just don't have these politicaly orientated games and everything will be fine. Too bad about the athletes though. oh well, train them to do some work instead of playing games.

                        Reply#14 - Sun May 6, 2012 12:36 PM EDT

                        FAKE SECURITY EXPOSED. This worker is truly a hero. He exposed flaws that could have many people killed. He made Security look like fools. The worker should not be charged with anything. I wouldn't want any of my family members near this location.

                        • 1 vote
                        Reply#15 - Sun May 6, 2012 1:21 PM EDT

                        The worker did nothing wrong. The story didn't say he build a fake, usable bomb, only that it was fake. For all we know it could have been cardboard tubes with kite string.

                        As far as security, it's an unwritten rule that security (both in computing and otherwise) will always lag behind the criminals. Criminals are creative and proactive, security professionals are generally reactive. If someone wants to commit a crime, they will, it's just an issue of how much trouble they're willing to go through to do it...

                        • 3 votes
                        Reply#16 - Sun May 6, 2012 1:43 PM EDT

                        If bastards hadn't sold us to the Saudis decades ago we wouldn't need all this security,Bastards made stacks and our reactive govt pissed off everyone east of greece

                        • 1 vote
                        Reply#17 - Sun May 6, 2012 7:34 PM EDT

                        good for you buddy! don't fire him. for all we know the lessons learned from this will stop the real deal

                        • 1 vote
                        Reply#18 - Sun May 6, 2012 7:46 PM EDT

                        There is no true security. Our govt's waste trillions of dollars, euros, whatever, to provide the Sheeple with the illusion of security so that the sheeple will all get up and go to work in the morning. The terrorists won years ago when the govt stole our freedoms and rights under the cover of "security" and WE the sheeple, allowed it.

                          Reply#19 - Sun May 6, 2012 11:39 PM EDT

                          Something's going to happen, and it probably won't be anywhere near the Olympic sites. That's what happens when you let the bad guys know where the security is.

                          • 1 vote
                          Reply#20 - Mon May 7, 2012 12:44 AM EDT

                          In order for the extremists to meet their long term agenda, they need some allies that will give them safe havens. Blowing up an international venue with all religious sects and countries represented would not be good strategy. Even if an attack somehow only targeted westerners there would still be an international outcry for any act against innocent athletes or sports fans. Sorry, just can't see the games as being a target.

                            #20.1 - Mon May 7, 2012 5:01 PM EDT
                            Reply

                            seems to me every one missed the real problem ....hundreds of pounds of explosives could have been hidden on the big machine...and every one is freaking over the 8 inch container... yep real good security you got there. all the security that waived him through should be fired.

                              Reply#21 - Mon May 7, 2012 9:46 AM EDT

                              What London "security" ?

                              ... the best security is to watch the London Olympics from the safety of your home...

                              • 1 vote
                              Reply#22 - Mon May 7, 2012 2:13 PM EDT

                              As I posted in another thread, in 2004 Bush and Kerry staged campaign visits in the same town on the same day. While all the local cops were busy kissing the @$$es of the SS, three banks were robbed.

                              • 1 vote
                              Reply#23 - Mon May 7, 2012 3:16 PM EDT

                              We have these same Fake Bomb problems in "Northeast,Ohio(USA)"..5 Idiots Tried to Blow Up a Bridge Here Last Week,They thought they were Buying Real Explosives..But they were Fake.

                                Reply#24 - Mon May 7, 2012 4:49 PM EDT

                                I still don't know why any city would want to host the Olympics.....

                                  Reply#25 - Mon May 7, 2012 10:10 PM EDT
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