I thought this was a joke at first .

[Mr Nuts]

Olympic shocker: We’ve put missile squad on the roof

The surface-to-air rockets will be used to blast any hijacked plane out of the sky during the Games.

Residents fear the short-range high-velocity missile launchers — mounted on their water tower — could make them a target for an al-Qaeda attack.

But one security expert tried to reassure them by saying: “No one there will be burgled for the next few months, that’s for sure.”

Specialist anti-terror units will start training exercises this week at the smart apartment block in the Bow Quarter, East London.

Resident Neil Midgley, 43, said: “People here are very worried. It may put us in the spotlight for some bad people.

“If the MoD goes ahead after this week’s tests we’ll have two months of soldiers and surface-to-air missiles 24/7 on our roof.”

The water tower — not far from London’s City Airport — was picked for the launchers because it has uninterrupted views of the skies around the Olympic Park.


Rockets ... GBAD missiles
Security expert Will Geddes, of International Corporate Protection, said: “This is no big surprise to me. I worked on the Athens Olympics and they had missiles around the city.

“It’s defence against a 9/11 type of attack, with a jet being used as a bomb.

“But in terms of the missiles being located where there are residents, that’s quite unusual.”

Shocked resident were only told of the missiles in MoD leaflets sent to 700 flats.

It said the GBAD — Ground-Based Air Defence — weapons will be operated by “fully trained and experienced soldiers” and added: “Having a 24/7 armed forces and police presence will improve your security and will not make you a terrorist target.”

But Mr Midgley said: “We’re concerned. You don’t expect the army to invade your back garden.

“We’ve tried to find out if the MoD actually has a legal right to do this or if it sought the management company’s permission — but we can’t get hold of anyone.”


Worried ... resident Neil Midgley
Another resident said: “It’s bizarre. I trust my service charge will go down to reflect this.”

Local MP Rushanara Ali said: “The MoD has handled this appallingly. There has been no consultation and people are very worried. They want reassurance.

“The MoD needs to explain what the security measures are and what the risks are to people in a worst-case scenario.”

An MoD spokesman said last night it was looking at other sites — not just the Bow flats.

He added: “Site evaluations have taken place. But no final decision on whether to deploy ground-based air defence systems for the Games has been taken.”

[Milkins]

That's the idea - shoot down a plane over a heavily populated area. FFS - you'd hope they'd get on the case before surface to air missiles are required close to the Olympic site. By then it'll be too late in terms of preventing a feckin' disaster.

"Shall I fire sir?"

"Have you calculated the risk of firing against not firing in terms of loss of life?"

"Er, no sir, that's ridiculous."

"OK - let her go - tally ho.......!!!!!"

[Weybridge]

I fully expect Al-Q will be putting their feet up for the entire period with a few non-alcoholic beers watching global media-fuelled fear and paranoia develop while grinning the entire time.

[... and chips]

It isn't a problem to shoot down a plane over East London as that is where the poor people live. In fact, it could be Osborne's new growth plan: kill lots of benefit claimants and provide regeneration opportunities for construction/property developers.

[Locky_McLockface]

It isn't a problem to shoot down a plane over East London as that is where the poor people live. In fact, it could be Osborne's new growth plan: kill lots of benefit claimants and provide regeneration opportunities for construction/property developers.

Everyone's a winner!

[HappyHour@TheBreweryOfLife]

Layers of defence, innit.

[Lost in Transportation]

Layers of defence, innit.

More like layers of paranoia...

[HappyHour@TheBreweryOfLife]

Layers of defence, innit.

More like layers of paranoia...

To be fair, there has been the odd precedent.

[Lost in Transportation]

To be fair, there has been the odd precedent.

1972 I will give you. Not many others that I can recall.

[No Shot Sherlock]

Damned if you do, and damned if you don't.

A deterrent is only a deterrent if it is 'visible' to those it aims to deter. No doubt there'll be other measures that we'll hear about in the coming weeks, and others that we won't be told of (unless/until they have to use them!).

The whole world will be watching the Olympics, and every scrote with a grievance (real or otherwise) will be looking to air it to that audience. If keeping the silent majority safe means putting armed troops on every street corner then that's okay with me.

[The Cincinnati Kid]

London is by far and away the city that has been under ballistic misslie attack more than any other.
FACT.

Missiles on roofs is bit overkill though. A squadron of spitfires should be sufficient.

Unless they are air to ground missiles and you can fire them at johnny foreigners with a backpack. Then you need them on every roof.

[Earl Grey]

Don't worry. All the missiles are cardboard mock ups.
Blue Peter's doing a special on how to make your own terrorism-deterrant roof-top station.