ITALY: Italy secures the airspace over Turin ahead of athletes and foreign dignitaries attending the Winter Olympics closing ceremony.

Record ID: 331803

  • Title: ITALY: Italy secures the airspace over Turin ahead of athletes and foreign dignitaries attending the Winter Olympics closing ceremony.
  • Date: 23rd February 2006
  • Summary: (W5) NEAR TURIN, ITALY (FEBRUARY 24, 2006)(REUTERS) WIDE AIRCRAFT MISSILES SPINNING CLOSE OF MISSILES SPINNING ITALIAN OFFICERS WATCHING STANDING BY MISSILES VARIOUS OF OFFICER MOVING ANTI-AIRCRAFT MISSILE SYSTEM WITH REMOTE CONTROL DEVICE VARIOUS OF MISSILES RADAR GROUP OF ITALIAN OFFICERS PASSING BY MISSILE SYSTEM (SOUNDBITE)(Italian) CESARE ALIMENTI, ANTI-AIRCRAFT UNIT COMANDER, SAYING: "Our task for the Winter Olympics is set up close to city of Turin and provide anti-aicrafts defense for the city and area around." VARIOUS OF MISSILES SPINNING VARIOUS ARMED PARATROOPERS ON GUARD OF TURIN'S CASELLE AIRPORT
  • Embargoed: 10th March 2006 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Italy
  • Country: Italy
  • Topics: Defence / Military,Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA2UT3GCXF139CMBZH7HXLSCNMP
  • Story Text: Italy will secure the airspace over Turin when athletes and
    foreign dignitaries, attend the Winter Olympics closing ceremony.
    The no-fly order was the latest move to protect the athletes gathered
    in Turin for the Games.
    Wary of terrorist threats Italy has deployed thousands of police,
    snipers and armed skiers to patrol the slopes, venues and living quarters of
    athletes staying in Turin and villages in the nearby Alps.
    In addition to some 9,000 police, Italy will deploy 1,350 skiers from
    its special Alpine force to patrol and groom the slopes during the Games, as
    well as 400 parachutists.
    NATO was sending two E-3D surveillance aircraft to patrol the skies
    during the Games.
    Security officials was saying they have had no specific terrorist threats
    against Turin in contrast to security concerns that dogged the Athens Games in
    2004.
    But Italy is an ally of the United States in Iraq, where it has troops.

    Security and intelligence officials met in Rome on the eve of the Games
    for a last-minute review of preparations.
    A 2005 Italian intelligence report released last week indicated a more
    elevated risk of a terrorist attack in the ongoing period between the Winter
    Olympics and April general elections.
    But the interior ministry has repeatedly said in recent weeks there was
    no clear indication of an imminent threat.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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