July 14, 2005 - 5:35 PM

Italy bans U.S. security guards from Winter Games

By Rachel Sanderson

ROME (Reuters) - Italy will not allow the United States or any other country to bring its own security personnel to guard athletes during next February's Winter Olympics, the government official in charge of the Games said on Thursday.

"Italy is perfectly able to guarantee security," Mario Pescante, Undersecretary and Extraordinary Commissioner for the Turin Olympics, told a news conference.

"I exclude categorically that the U.S. team or any other team will be able to bring people for their own security."

After the suicide bomb attacks on the London transport system last Thursday Italy has said it could be the next in line following threats from Islamic militant groups.

National teams were allowed to bring their own security guards for last August's Summer Olympics in Athens.

Italian Justice Minister Roberto Castelli was quoted by Corriere della Sera newspaper this week as saying the government "already knew" Italy would be attacked when the northern city of Turin plays host to the Games from February 10-26.

"Everyone is concerned. Everyone in every corner of the world is concerned the minute they step on to a bus...the security measures are in place, but they will of course be strengthened," Pescante said.

INTERNET THREATS

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is a close ally of President Bush and Italy has troops in Iraq.

Internet threats purported to be from Islamic militant groups following the London attacks on July 7 said Italy would be next if it failed to withdraw its troops from Iraq.

Valentino Castellani, chairman of the Turin Olympic Organising Committee told Reuters Television the city was ready.

"The most secure place in Italy in 2006 will be the Olympic site because it is protected, visited before by the police.

"You have access only with accreditation, you have inspections with X-rays," Castellani said in an interview at Thursday's news conference.

Athens deployed Europe's largest peacetime security operation in August 2004 when it held the first Summer Games since the September 11 attacks in the United States. Defense measures included NATO warplanes and Patriot missiles.

"We need to have a lot of serenity in dealing with the Olympic Games. I remember the experience in Athens when a lot of alarm was generated before, and then there was an exceptional Games without any particular risk or event," Castellani said.

But when asked about measures to combat suicide bombers, such as those who set off the London bombs which killed at least 52 people, Castellani expressed the same confusion as officials around Europe.

"How can you deal with a kamikaze? They can't come into the Olympic site," he said, then added: "It would be very difficult for them to enter."