The Associated Press
LONDON (AP) - The British government is putting 3,500 extra military personnel on standby to protect venues at the London Olympics, after a private contractor acknowledged it may not be able to provide enough guards on time.
The contractor was supposed to provide the bulk of 13,200 private security guards across 100 venues. But it said in a statement that it had encountered problems providing staff, though it still hoped to meet its obligations.
A person briefed on the government's planned response says the extra troops are being prepared after the contractor, G4S, held talks with organizers and the British government.
The mammoth Olympics security operation was already scheduled to include 7,500 troops, thousands of police, Typhoon fighter jets, helicopters, two warships and bomb disposal experts.
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