Security – Big brother

Almost two months after originally intended, security measures at the disposal of the Olympic organising committee, there to ensure the safety of the Games, have been activated. The high-tech system, ordered from an American company at a cost of 255 million euros, was successfully tested at the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Games. Named C41, the software will integrate a host of surveillance cameras with security organisations, including police, fire services, coastguards and the Ministry of Defence, cutting response times to a minimum. Greece has spent a record 1.2 billion euros on security, and will mobilise 70,000 police and army units, as well as six Patriot–type anti-aircraft missile batteries, stationed at the Tatoi military airport in the North of Athens.