E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSS
Andrew Cowie/AFP - Getty Images, file
The Lexington Building in east London will be a site for the stationing of surface-to-air missiles during the London 2012 Olympic Games, June 30, 2012.
LONDON - Britain's government confirmed on Tuesday that air defense systems would be stationed at six London sites during the Olympics, including on the rooftops of two apartment blocks, despite fervent opposition from some residents.
"It's a disaster because understandably most people in the area believe it is a bad idea to put surface-to-air missiles on building blocks," said Chris Nineham, who lives near one of the sites.
The 49-year-old member of campaign group "Stop the Olympic Missiles", which gathered more than 1,000 signatures to oppose a local missile presence, added that any fired missiles could explode over some of the most densely populated areas of London.
Missiles on my apartment? London resident balks at Olympics security measures
Nineham, who lives near one of the buildings housing the weapons, said he will be "in the line of fire" during the games.
In an email to msnbc.com, Ministry of Defense spokeswoman Jenny Dickens wrote, "Nobody has ever suggested that the use of GBAD [Ground Based Air Defense] would not have implications on the ground but the point is that these systems are proposed as an absolute last resort option, as part of a much broader, layered air security plan aimed at protecting all of those involved in the Olympics, including local residents."
Defense Secretary Philip Hammond earlier touted the importance of air security.
"While there is no reported threat to the London Olympics, the public expects that we put in place a range of measures aimed at ensuring the safety and security of this once-in-a-generation event. Ground-based air defence systems will form just one part of a comprehensive, multi-layered air security plan which, I believe, will provide both reassurance and a powerful deterrent," he said in a statement.
Brits revel in gloom ahead of London Olympics, but don't believe the gripe
The issue of security is a particularly relevant one to Olympics organizers. The decision to award the Olympics to London was announced on July 6, 2005. Just a day later, London suffered its worst peacetime attack when four suicide bombers killed 52 commuters.
The games will see the country's largest peacetime security operation and involve tens of thousands of security officials, with 13,500 military personnel, 12,000 police and 10,000 private contractors.
Scotland Yard and the Royal Marines teamed up in a show of strength against terrorists who might target the Olympics, practicing high-speed drills using helicopters and boats on the River Thames.
Other defenses on hand for the games will include a Royal Navy helicopter carrier moored in the River Thames, Typhoon jets, and Puma helicopters, the Ministry of Defense said. The government was yet to decide whether to keep the defense systems in place throughout the Paralympics.
London beefs up security before Olympics
The Ministry of Defense said it was confident it would defeat "the small number of activists" who launched legal proceedings against the proposed missile placement and are seeking an injunction to prevent the missiles from being deployed.
Meanwhile, East London resident groups challenging the decision promised a protest in front of London's Royal Courts of Justice on Monday, July 9, when the hearing about the ground-based air defense system takes place.
Opposition to the missiles is part of a more general feeling of ambivalence towards the London games.
At London Olympics, dogs have sniffed out a key anti-terror role
Prominent conservative journalist Charles Moore recently criticized how the games were being handled in news weekly The Spectator:
"For anyone unOlympic living, working in or visiting London between now and September, there is nothing but boredom, inconvenience and officially sanctioned insolence on offer. Thanks to the loathsome ideology of the Olympics, which manages somehow to be fascist and internationalist at the same time, free expression has been banned, and anyone using the Games symbol or the word 'Olympic' in any way is threatened with arrest."
More world news from msnbc.com and NBC News:
- Protesters defy stun grenades to halt work on $1.6 billion factory in China
- Sneak peek inside Olympic Village: 'Not a five-star resort'
- Former Gitmo prisoner: How I see America
- Afghans are 'no different from any American'
- On the road with Syria's rebel motorcycle army
- Libya frees four ICC officials accused of spying
Follow World News on msnbc.com on Twitter and Facebook
Leave a Comment:
crap. its all going down. i can feel it in the air. the end of the world gate destroyed by the illuminati. supposed islamist terrorists donning brand new shiny weapons and posing. ha ha ha. people are such idiots believing this crap. anyway, youve got the olympics missile defense sites, hows denver international airport looking? almost finished for intake? PLUS, andy griffith died. thats it. its final. stuffs about to go down.
I was ok with everything up to the point where Andy Griffith died. Then I lost hope and got sad and stuff.
since rhonda is open to the truth, picture six missile sites, then find out if they make a perfect circle....
Six sites, I never realized that missile defense was such a popular Olympic event,
I wonder which country will take the gold?
while i think the concern is a bunch of baloney, CPO's comment made me chuckle. good one.
apparantly the people b*tching don't remember the IRA and bombs in the Docklands...
Spot on CPO ...... usual story, any Major Event brings out the doomsters, moan, moan, moan, sky is falling blah blah blah, memememe anti-hero look at meeee, end of the world so lets all give up and jump. Geeeeez.
Reality on the ground where circulation figures and personal ego are not a factor is wholely different. its gonna be a hell of a party :)
Come the day? Those in the appartment blocks with the missile sites that were moaning, will be passing out the Tea to the guys manning them, and getting happy snaps on the camera for the album ...... you watch :)
Again British!
I'd love to have an air defense system on my roof. That'ld be bad ass!
Just what are they expecting? Just what I needed, another reason to avoid the UK. Killing butterflies with cannonballs involves collateral damage.
'Butterflies with cannonballs' ? Are you stupid? An airborne threat is taken down with a missile. That's not 'butterflies to cannonballs'.
Do you have short term memory? Badguys flew airplanes into NYC 10 years ago - and started 2 wars.
Would you rather risk massive death and 2 more wars - or would you rather station the missiles in case of an attack.
Upside - security. Downside none. Except for losers like you complaining for no reason.
@jomamax
During 9/11, the bad guys were also in control of our military. Unless you believe blindly it was done by people in caves. And it didnt start two wars, it continued a war which has been going on for a long time. you can say it started when we invaded iran becuase they invaded kuwait (because we were stealing their oil by drilling through kuwait), or back to the crusades (when the vacitcan essentially found out that the islamic people found occult texts of the ancient world and wanted its knowledge hidden). Just do some research instead of blindly following everything. Unless you also suffer short term memory when it comes to logic, physics, history, and chemistry.
"Those who trade freedom for security, deserve neither, and will receive neither."
So we should station a half dozen missiles in case of attack in every USA city? The ensuing wars had little to do with 9/11, other than an excuse, as we were attacked by mostly Saudis so we naturally went to war with Iraq and Afghanistan. I find it amusing that you find no downside to treating London like a war zone. I am sure the firing of the missiles in self defense will prove you right about the grave threats.
So we should station a half dozen missiles in case of attack in every USA city? The ensuing wars had little to do with 9/11, other than an excuse, as we were attacked by mostly Saudis so we naturally went to war with Iraq and Afghanistan. I find it amusing that you find no downside to treating London like a war zone. I am sure the firing of the missiles in self defense will prove you right about the grave threats.
adding missiles to those apartment complexes makes them a military target also, ergo they loose the Geneva Convention protection status.
"it is a bad idea to put surface-to-air missiles on building blocks"
There will be too many security checks all around!
Are the British running Olympic games or testing their defense systems?
Coming soon to a neighborhood near you!
Say it with me, 30,000 predators patrolling our skys! Add NDAA and 250 million rounds of ammo bought by DHS and you have the hat trick! :<) Or should that be :<(
Good, then I can use those missiles to set up a no-fly zone for drones flying around my neighborhood. Any drone gets close and it gets shot down.
Now, on a more important note...could anyone please tell me how the missile defense system can stop the nuclear bomb that is already buried beneath the Olympic stadium and is set to explode at 9:41 pm July 27th or 10:08:35 pm July 27 (the time set on all watches or at least the watch chosen for the Olympics..check it out)? Since the site is a former Nuclear reactor/dumping site, the bomb will be undetectable...so, no sense in looking for it...Also, if anything happens that injures LeBron James, I will personally K*ll anyone involved in the attack...
They can't. They are to stop other kinds of attacks. LOL. Need help with logic?
Glad someone else has done their research! Mw91177, most people wont believe you. I know G4S, they are dirty. One news reporter tried to get out the evidence that they had massive holes in security, including be able to smuggle small handguns past their own personnel, and the BBC refused to air the report.
Ssimmons...What is even more strange is they buried much of the waste into the banks/berms leading into/under the stadium right from the River Thames...so, that way, even if a bomb is not under the stadium already, anyone could walk one right into the bowels per se and go undetected because there is already so much readings going off on the gieger counters. And, as you say, guns can be smuggled in no problem...Have you noticed so many USA basketball players got injured or opted out of going to represent the USA? If Lebron James all of a sudden can't go due to a new injury, you can bet he has intel some how or has been advised to not go...Even if he does go, I bet the team stays far away from the site...except they have to attend the opening ceremony which is when the attack is planned. If they are there but not at the opening ceremony, I will get real worried.
Theropy can help - its very good these days.
Zador: Take your melancholia elsewhere and go back to Hungary, I have a legitimate beef here...
rofl ......... a nuclear bomb under the Olympics .... legitimate beef?? Theropy is highly recommended.
Nuclear Reactor/Dumping site ..... geeez .... you need to change your favourite blog. All UK waste is processed ..... not dumped under the Olympics Site .... good grief, been reading too much from Marvel Publishing.
Hungary - roflmao .... add geography lessons to that.
See you on the Dark Side after it goes off ..... rofl .... :)
I've read some conspiracy theorys in my time, but thats up with the best of the more hysterical ones..... mind boggling.
thank you. good security = less danger.
if only we had missiles on roofs during 9/11 we could have avoided 2 wars.
wake up. this is good.
What a bunch for BS.
Maybe it would have saved the Pentagon, but not the WCT. We still would have gone to war.
YOU are an idiot. Missiles located at JFK or Laguardia could have easily stopped the airplanes thus saving thousands, and possibly 2 wars.
The point being - missiles on rooftops for a 'high value target' event are entirely appropriate.
Go home.
@jomamax Famous Quote: "Those who trade freedom for security, deserve neither, and will receive neither."
Guess who said it?
I don't see you trading any freedoms here.
Missles anywhere would not have stopped the planes crashing into the WTC on 9/11 (notice I didn't mention other places, as I don't believe a plane hit the Pentagon or crashed in a field in PA). We couldn't even get our Fighters to respond, as we were conveniently practicing a similar scenario that exact day and our leaders sat still, which basically means that missles anywhere would not have even been deployed.
9/11 was a scam on America.
Whatever happen to British Stiff Upper Lips and keeping their mouths closed for Queen and Country.
The only explosion that is happening is my mind being blown by what Charles Moore wrote. When did the Olympics become fascist? Or loathsome?
Berlin 1936, but Jesse Ownes kind of messed it up.
They are neither fascist or loathsome.
'The problem' is morons like you who blow this issue out of proportion and have no grounding in reality.
There is likely a 'missile site' located near every major airport in the US. 'Standard operating procedure' since 9/11.
If crazy Arabs didn't attack on 9/11, we wouldn't be in this mess so don't blame the Brits.
You really think arabs did this? They had their own battle going on. Heck, Osama was a smart man. He wouldn't have bitten the hands that have been feeding him. Think its Arabs? Do some more indepth research into another terrorist group, called Israeli Mossad, and American CIA.
Bin Laden claimed credit and put the blame at Clinton's feet. Bin Laden openly reasoned that if a few body bags got Clinton to pull out of Mogadishu, a lot of body bags would make the US pull out of the middle east altogether. Later captured intelligence had terrorists openly wondering why Americans weren't cutting and running like Bin Laden said they would.
Like many enemies, they grossly underestimated our resolve when being attacked. Japanese found that out the hard way. If we were attacked in the same heinous way today I guarantee we wouldn't be wringing our hands wondering what we did wrong, we'd be kicking a$$.
Now, on a more important note; how are the missile sites going to detect any nuclear bomb that might already be buried beneath the Olympic stadium...you know, the one built on top of a former nuclear plant/ waste site? The time of detonation could be 10:08:35 pm (time set on all Omega watches, Omega is official time piece for the Olympics). I would not want to be in the stadium if there really is a bomb underneath it. Also, those stadium lights are creepy..shaped like a pyramid with a bright light at the top...If you are watching the opening ceremony and you see the lights get really bright all of a sudden...the next thing you see will be a bright flash...then the screen go blank..Oh, and if anything happens to Lebron James...I will personally K$ll anyone involved in causing that...
Did you really have to repeat this sophomoric rambling?
Sorry, it was the registration process...I had to get an email and the first post was in limbo, but still posted, MY BAD...see the edited second post for proof...
Sorry, it was the registration process...I had to get an email and the first post was in limbo, but still posted, MY BAD...see the edited second post for proof...
14 deleted, RWING derailing about 'King Obama'. Appears habitual. Stop it - write your own article next time. Post on-topic.
You're suspended for a week for violating #4 of the Code of Honor.
Sheesh if they did nothing ppl would gripe about that .. I think it's a good idea
Armed school police officers, TSA security at airports, Patriot Act, New Defense Authorization Act, missile defense sites at the Olympics...
Different times we live in.
Yep, all based on the Hollywood event that was 9/11.
As government grows... liberty decreases.
The US Federal Government has set the stage to repeat history once again...
confirms 6 has 20.
added that any fired missiles could explode over some of the most densely populated areas of London.
Yeah, because that's the one thing we have to be worried about, and not like, oh, I don't know, the actual targets the missiles are hitting.
Let The Games Begin......
Missile to the right of them
Missile to the left of them
Missile in front of them
Volley"d and thundered
Stormed at with shot and missile
Boldly they ran and well
Into the jaws of Death
Into the mouth of Hell
Ran the Olympic Participants
I don't get it? Why would protesters protest missiles being put up for THEIR own defence? That really doesn't make sense to me. I could see protesting if they weren't putting them up for fear that they might be attacked by terrorists, but not protesting something set up for their own defence. OOHH I see now, they are P R O T E S T E R S and that's what they do, prostest anything, whether or not they believe in it or not, they have to get their name's in the news. What a sad, sad group of people. Using the Olympic Games to get on TV because they are so unremarkable in every other way, no one would other wise pay any attention to them at all. Just really, really gross people here, these protesters...
watch this movie and wake up!
go to thrivemovement dot com/the_movie
also, watch Loose Change 9/11
Stupid.
Missile to shoot down a terrorist controlled plane ...do they think the plane would vaporized in mid air ??? So shooting it down with a missile and have said plane crash randomly into one of the most densily populated urban areas is better ???? Sound like a win win for terrorists intent on killing.
You choose....
A missile from the last line of defence risking debris hitting houses etc, maybe dozens/a couple hundred dead - or a plane nose diving into a stadium packed with 90,000?
Fortunately those arranging security dont play by one liners, they actually have a job to do, and are held accountable for results.
The Brits are not putting up 6 air defense sites just because. One reason they don't have the money. 2nd, they don't want the Liberals/Muslims/communist crying like little spoiled brats. What they have to do is be prepared for what their Intel tells them could happen.
Blame the Security on the Terrorist, blame Iran, blame Mecca, blame Hezbolla, blame Al Qaeda, blame the Muslim Brotherhood, blame HAMAS, and blame Barack Hussein Obama because he refuses to acknowledge the Threat to major Cities.
Solution: Nuke Iran, Nuke Mecca, destroy HAMAS, destroy Hezbollah, expel CAIR from the USA, Condemn the Muslim Brotherhood, and ban the Quran from the USA. Simple.
The Muslims have been attacking the Free World and other Muslims for over 45 years. Time to stop it. Muslims will not stop attacking. Just like the Barbarians attacking the Roman Empire, they won't stop. Romans gave them money, help them secure land, gave them weapons, technology, and what happen?? Roman Empire's appeasement of Barbarians was the Roman Empire's downfall. Nuke the bastards. Stop giving them money, stop appeasing them, stop giving them shelter, stop making them stronger and stronger. Destroy the Bastards.
Amen
Nooo. Don't frigging station BARCAPs with all the FIGHTERS they have. Nooo, let's just install expensive-ass SAM batteries that'll cost a ton prove highly ineffective against aircraft and the debris it'll produce and risk a missile maybe even clipping a civilian building!