LONDON (AP) — British soldiers could soon be asked to bolster private security guards at venues hosting the 2012 London Olympics.
The Financial Times is reporting in its Friday edition that Olympic officials are requesting 6,000 troops to back private security guards.
London organizers have a contract with the private firm, G4S, to supply 10,000 security guards. But the newspaper says new government risk assessments suggest that up to 20,000 guards were necessary and that talks were under way with the Ministry of Defense to fill the gap.
Britain’s Home Office issued a statement saying that the government, the organizing committee and G4S were working together to finalize security arrangements, and to make “the best and most appropriate use of available resources.”
