Greek F-16
Posted on 05/27/2004 10:34:01 AM PDT by Destro
GREECE WILL ’SHOOT DOWN’ TERROR PLANES
27.5.2004. 14:25:42
Greece has vowed it will shoot down any plane attempting to target the Olympic Games in a September 11-style attack, and has pledged to offer total security at the Athens Games.
Hundreds of special forces, bomb experts, snipers and sniffer dogs will secure the Olympic village where 16,000 athletes and coaches will stay during this summer's Games, officials said.
Public Order Minister George Voulgarakis said NATO surveillance planes would monitor the skies.
"If a renegade plane, a plane that is not on its proper course over Greece, enters restricted airspace, and does not change course after being warned, it will not reach the Olympic stadium," he told state television. "It will be shot down, let me make it clear that it will never reach the stadium."
Organisers unveiled their plans during a three-day security briefing for representatives of the 202 nations participating in the Olympics, in a bid to calm international fears over security.
An estimated 900 armed security staff will be on duty at the Olympic village, while several hundred frogmen and armed guards will be deployed at the port of Piraeus where seven luxury cruise ships will berth.
US and Australian Olympic Committees, which in the past have questioned security arrangements, said organisers were taking all necessary measures.
"Everything that is needed to be done is being done," said US Olympic Committee chief security officer Larry Buendorf. "Greece will organise the safest Games that can be organised."
Australia angered Games organisers two weeks ago when it issued a travel advisory warning visitors to Athens to be cautious, days after minor bomb attacks.
"I realised the (Greeks) are doing everything possible to host safe Athens Games," Team Australia security chief Bob Myers said. "They are doing everything they can."
Athens will be the first summer Games since the September 11 attacks and organisers are putting in place the biggest security plan in the history of the Games at a cost of $A1.71 billion.
SOURCE: World News
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Is this a warning to Air France?
Shot down by what? The Athens airport is so close to town that by the time they realized the plane didn't touch down on the runway it would be too late.
Don't think planes will be the problem. More than likely bombs. But that is just my opinion.
That was the old airport the new one is far from Athens.
Does Greece even have fighters capable of shooting down other planes? Probably nothing less than an American carrier group could protect the Olympics from suicide pilots, and we can't afford to risk shooting down an airliner from Syria or Iran just because the pilot refuses to ID himself.
Boeing F-15 Strike Eagle's, Dassault, M-2000-5's, Eurofighter - 2000's (TYPHOON), Lockheed-Martin F-16's and Suckhoi, Su-30's. Does that answer your question?
Actually Greece has a pretty active air force. The have their far flung Aegean islands. They practice very regualarly and whenever a tourist goes to greece you will see them practicing at some point during your stay over the years. They fly US made aircraft.
Greek F-16
Good, then they can shoot down planes bearing Greeks.
Anyone want to make odds for them shooting down an innocent plane due to miscommunication? Just imagine a 747 being shot down over the middle of Athens.
Anyone that naive enough to not to believe there will be airmarshals on each and every flight? Pilots passed extra background checks? This is not a 9/10 mentality we a dealing with for security.
They probably know that.. it's probably just a threat to discourage anyone stupid enough to try it anyways. The problem is.. they are already stupid enough to try it anyways.
However I still say in this day and age there isn't going to be a plane anywhere in the world that is going to be taken hostage today without some passengers putting up one hell of a fight. They better be armed with alot more than boxcutters.
I would sooner take a walking tour of Falluja then get on an airliner bound for Greece this summer.
Just imagine a 747 being hijacked and flown into the stadium. Should be enough to assuage your fears of "miscommunication."
This strikes home because I will be on one of those planes. And for the record, no matter what they are armed with, past passenger conduct after 9/11 indicates passengers will beat the feces out of anyone who tries something.
Somehow, their promise to shoot down a plane I might be a passenger on, does not offer me much reassurance about their offer to provide "total security"!
--Boot Hill
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