Obama to deploy 500 FBI agents to London Olympics

by: jim kouri | published: 11 27, 2011

The Obama Administration is prepared to deploy 1000 security agents to the 2012 Olympic Games in London as a result of about terrorists -- both foreign and homegrown -- who may be planning a surprise attack. The London Olympic Games will be held beginning on July 27, 2012 to August 12, 2012.

According to source in Washington, well over 500 FBI agents as well as federal law enforcement officers from other U.S. agencies will be sent to Britain in order to provide security for the athletes, dignitaries, diplomats and other high-profile targets during the Summer Games.

The Law Enforcement Examiner's source in Washington, DC, claims the U.S. government's national security experts are suspicious of the British government handcuffing law enforcement and security forces.

"Giving into political correctness, the British cops are restricted in carrying out "stop and frisk" procedures. In fact, some London officials are unhappy over having foreign police providing security in their city," said the source.

The FBI’s international law enforcement activities focus on one other key element—international training. Through international training, the FBI provides foreign law enforcement officers with skills in both basic and advanced investigative techniques and principles that promote cooperation and aid in the collection of evidence.

Training allows the FBI to demonstrate major crime scene, counterterrorism, and other investigative techniques, while establishing better working relationships, thus strengthening cooperation among law enforcement personnel worldwide. Funded by the Department of State or Department of Defense, significant training programs include the International Law Enforcement Academies, as well as bilateral training programs targeting anti-terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, and terrorist financing.

A British official anonymously told the BBC that "the Americans are risk-averse, with a capital 'A' and underlined. They want to see everything ... They want to be on top of everything -- building protection, counterterrorism strategy and VIP security -- everything."

Asked about the size of the US security task force being deployed to London in 2012, the official told the BBC, "They [Americans] don't do things by halves."

The reported friction between the U.S. and British officials in further complicated by Olympic Games officials recently admitting that they underestimated the number of security personnel required more than three dozen sites.

They originally believed 10,000 men and women would be sufficient. Now they claim they require at least 22,000.

FBI GLOBAL OPERATIONS

Since World War II, the FBI deployed special agents and other personnel overseas to help protect Americans back home by building relationships with principal law enforcement, intelligence, and security services around the globe that help ensure a prompt and continuous exchange of information.

In many cases, the FBI and its resources have assisted foreign governments with special investigations by having FBI "boots on the ground" performing forensic assistance especially in cases involving terrorism or international organized crime.

Today, the Bureau operates legal attaché offices—commonly known as legats—and smaller sub-offices in 75 key cities around the globe, providing coverage for more than 200 countries, territories, and islands. Each office is established through mutual agreement with the host country and is situated in the U.S. embassy or consulate in that nation.

The legal attaché program is managed by the International Operations Division at FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C. This office keeps in close contact with other federal agencies, Interpol, foreign police and security officers in Washington, and national and international law enforcement associations.

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