Report: US government "concerned" about security at London Olympics

Nov 14, 2011, 12:38 GMT

London - The United States have raised 'repeated concerns' over security at next year's Olympic Games in London and suggested the deployment of up to 1,000 of their own security staff to protect US contestants and diplomats, the Guardian newspaper reported Monday.

However, a statement from the British Home Office said security planning was 'on track' and sufficient funding had been secured to deliver a safe Olympic Games.

The British government had a 'close working relationship' with the US which had also expressed confidence in the security measures. Requirements for venue security were currently being finalized, said the Home Office.

Meanwhile, the Guardian said the US government was concerned about venue security and was preparing to send up to 1,000 of its own agents, of which 500 would come from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

According to the Guardian, the London Olympics organizing committee LOCOG is currently attempting to resolve a 'potential crisis over venue security.'

It had found that it had 'underestimated' the number of security guards needed at the 32 different sites across the country.

Originally, it had thought that 10,000 guards would be enough, but it now believed that up to 21,000 could be needed.

Reports last week said that the gap could partly be filled by deploying up to 6,000 soldiers in security roles next year. The Olympic Games take place in London between July 27 and August 12.

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