Spy-in-sky drones for 2012 Olympics spark 'police state' fear

09 January 2008

A 'spy in the sky' drone similar to ones proposed over London for the 2012 Olympics

By Mike Brooke

mike.brooke@archant.co.uk

ROBOT drones may be used by the RAF for surveillance and intelligence-gathering during the 2012 Olympic Games, it has emerged.

The drones, which are fitted with infra-red sensors and electronic eavesdropping equipment, will be able to provide a bird's eye view of the crowds across East London.

The proposal has raised feared on the London Assembly that the Government is planning to turn the capital into a 'mini police state' while the Games are on.

Assembly Member Jenny Jones said tonight (Wednesday): "These proposals are completely out of proportion.

"I understand the need for security at the Olympics. But such a measure would make people feel criminalised purely for attending a sports event."

The Green Party member insists the public needs to be 'reassured' that London is not going to turn into a 'police state' for the duration of the Games being staged st Stratford in four years' time.

She is urging the Government not to go 'over the top' with spies-in-the-sky security.

The proposal is part of the largest security operation ever mounted in Britain.

It will be the first time that unmanned Reaper aircraft have been allowed to fly over London, operating within an 'air exclusion' zone to minimise risk of mid-air collisions.

Manned fighter aircraft will be stationed at several RAF bases within 'striking' distance of East London to meet any threat of a hijacked airliner being used similar to New York's 9/11 World Trade centre terrorist suicide attack in 2001.

The Americans have used drones in Iraq mainly to launch strikes against high-priority insurgent targets and al Qaeda leaders with Hellfire guided missiles.

But the RAF foresees surveillance and intelligence-gathering as its priority, mainly to track movement on the ground similar to its missions in Afghanistan.

The RAF's top brass have submitted a £500 million 'urgent operation' plan to Whitehall to press the Treasury to buy 10 more drones to equip a fully-operational squadron.