Greece: Threat of Terrorism and Security at the Olympics

Publication Date: April 2004

Publisher: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Author(s):

Research Area: International relations

Type:

Abstract:

The summer 2004 Olympic Games will take place in Athens, Greece, where their success is a point of national pride. The Greek government is planning unprecedented security measures to deal with possible terrorist threats. Attacks by Al Qaeda or its allies in Europe and elsewhere heightened the government's awareness of the potential for terrorism at the Olympics. Athens believes that it has effectively dismantled major domestic terrorist groups in recent years and is preparing mainly for external threats, although anarchists and anti-globalization groups may be disruptive as well. The Greek Ministry of Public Order is in charge of security and Greece requested assistance from NATO and others, including the United States. The U.S. Administration is taking its own steps to protect the U.S. Olympic team. This report will be updated if developments warrant. See also CRS Report RS21529, Al Qaeda after the Iraq Conflict, May 23, 2003, by Audrey Kurth Cronin, and CRS Electronic Briefing Book, Terrorism, page on "Al Qaeda," updated regularly by Kenneth Katzman, [http://www.congress.gov/brbk/ html/ebter131.html] .