“It is also to create a deterrent to anyone that is going to have a go,
that if they do they will probably die.”
After recent criticism of MoD plans to install missiles on the roofs of
residential properties in east London, Mr Clarke stressed that Olympic
security plans would not see the heavily armed British forces roaming the
streets.
He said: “After this exercise, you won’t be aware of the military at all, the
Olympics will be entirely police led, unless something goes terribly wrong.”
The defence expert also addressed public concerns about the potential dangers
of using missiles in skies over such a built-up area.
“If anything is intercepted by missile … it will break up, bits will fly
around no question. That is relatively dangerous but the calculation is that
is a lot less dangerous than letting something get through.”