Posted on 08/08/2004 6:01:05 AM PDT by tjwmason
British special forces have been sent to Greece to help protect British athletes taking part in the Olympic Games.
Two six-man teams, one from each of the armed forces' elite counter-terrorist units, have been advising Greek army and navy officials on how to thwart attacks by al-Qaeda. The troops were dispatched following fears expressed by British and American security services that the terror group might try to disrupt the Games with an outrage designed to inflict mass casualties.
The Special Boat Service and the Special Air Service are believed to be the only foreign special forces units brought in by the Greeks. The two units will be in Athens throughout the Games, which open this week and end on August 29. Their operations will be co-ordinated by MI6 from the British embassy.
A team from M-Squadron of the Special Boat Service, based in Poole, Dorset, is known to have advised members of the Hellenic navy's special forces on marine counter-terrorism techniques.
The SBS, regarded as the world's best marine counter-terrorism force, is officially in Greece in an "advisory" capacity only, but The Sunday Telegraph understands that it has taken all the equipment necessary, including weapons, to thwart a terrorist attack on Piraeus, Athens's main sea port.
One of the unit's main responsibilities will be to advise the Greeks on the security of the liner, the Queen Mary 2, and eight other ships, which will between them have about 15,000 passengers embarking to watch the Games, including state dignitaries.
The Greek equivalent of the SBS, Monada Yprovrixon Kastrofon - the Greek for Underwater Destruction Unit - is believed to have received advice from its British counterparts on covert surveillance, anti-hijacking skills, diving and locating mines and booby traps.
Both units use similar selection and training techniques and, during the Gulf war, the Greeks worked closely with the British in helping to enforce a UN embargo against Iraq.
Although the security of the British athletes will be handled by British Olympic officials and the Greek authorities, a team from the SAS counter-terrorism unit from Hereford has been helping the Hellenic army with counter-terrorist strategy.
Several possible hostage-taking situations have been discussed with the Greek military. The SAS team has also been studying plans of the Olympic Village, trying to identify its security weaknesses.
British and American athletes are regarded as at the greatest risk from terrorist attack, although teams from other countries allied to Nato, or who have troops serving in Iraq, are also believed to be under threat.
A Ministry of Defence official said: "The SBS and the SAS are in Athens in a consultancy capacity. They were invited by the Greek government because of their expertise in counter-terrorism.
"They have been there for six weeks monitoring the build-up to the Olympic Games and advising the Greek authorities.
"In the unlikely event of a terrorist incident it would be up to the Greek authorities to decide whether or not they wanted to use any British assets. It is not a case of Britain offering. It would be up to the Greeks to ask. That is how these things are done."
Said it before, arm the athletes, especially the shooting team...
Send everything we can spare, snipers,ex dod people, etc...
Lets make these games safe...
I notice the French aren't listed as sending any "Special Olympic Forces".
I'm imagining the arrest scene in 'Blues Brothers', a horizontal forest of trained muzzles. :-)
I have a bad feeling about the Olympics this time--not just terrorism, but the jeering anti-Americanism. I do not think it will be inspiring, to say the least.
I like it
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