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Sunday 29 April 2012

London Olympics 2012: MoD rooftop missile base plan alarms local residents

Brian Whelan, who lives in a block of flats in east London on top of which the MoD plan to station high velocity missiles for the duration of the Olympics, says he cannot imagine a situation where they can be safely deployed in Tower Hamlets.

The Army is set to station soldiers and high velocity surface-to-air missiles on top of a block of residential flats to ward off any airborne terror threats during the Olympics.

Residents in the private, gated flats in Bow, east London, have received a leaflet warning them that a team of 10 soldiers and police will be stationed at the building - home to 700 people - for the duration of the Games.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) leaflet says the missiles will only be fired as a last resort, said resident Brian Whelan.

He said: "They will literally be above my head as I go to sleep at night. This is meant to be reassuring but to be honest, if anything it has created a lot of anxiety for me."

''I don't think anyone wants to live in a militarised apartment building. Obviously there are security issues around the Olympics but I think this is an absolute overreaction."

The 28-year-old added: "This is a highly built-up area, I can't imagine any situation that you could safely use a high velocity missile over Tower Hamlets."

It was unclear who was responsible for liaising with the residents, but it is understood the MoD and the Metropolitan Police were working together with community groups over the issue.

It was also unclear if the building's owners would be paid to have the missiles stationed on the roof - or whether the decision was made under the Emergency Powers Act.

An MoD spokesman said: "As announced before Christmas, ground-based air defence systems could be deployed as part of a multi-layered air security plan for the Olympics, including fast jets and helicopters, which will protect the skies over London during the Games.

"Based on military advice we have identified a number of sites and, alongside colleagues from the Metropolitan Police, are talking to local authorities and relevant landowners to help minimise the impact of any temporary deployments.

"As part of our ongoing planning, we can confirm site evaluations have taken place.

"However, no final decision on whether or not to deploy ground-based air defence systems for the Games has been taken."

OLYMPIC IMAGES

telegraphuk
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