Stoking Fear Ahead of London Olympics

image source

Stephen Lendman, Contributor
Activist Post

America’s “war on terror” never ends. Neither does Britain’s. After London was named host for this year’s summer games, terrorist fears were stoked.

Former Australian/UK British civil servant Peter Ryan performs security consulting services. He’s advising the International Olympic Committee on London preparations. His consultancy thrives on hyped threats, real or otherwise.

After the city was named host in 2005, he told organizers to “think the unthinkable.” Besides other advice, he said:

You are not just thinking about football hooligans, getting drunk in a pub and causing trouble. 

You are dealing with a different animal, completely new threats – suicide bombers and protecting the critical infrastructure. You cannot have a power station going down and all the lights going out.

He said athletes’ food and water supplies must be protected. Check for poisons, he advised. “Specialist teams” have to “supervise bomb management, hazardous materials, athlete and VIP protection, and aviation security.” Public spaces around venues are most vulnerable, he added. Ryan’s well paid for making London sound more like a war zone than host for Olympic sporting events.

Terrorist threats are more hype than real. No evidence whatever suggests dangers. Secretary of State for Defense Philip Hammond said “there is no specific threat to the Games.”

British MI5 head of domestic security Jonathan Evans gave a rare June public address. He called the Games no easy target. Nothing is guaranteed, he said. At the same time, he downplayed possible terrorist attacks.

Nobody’s paying attention. London is more militarized than at any time since WWII. A previous article covered it and what’s really going on. It’s not about foiling terror attacks. An earlier one discussed Olympism profiteering, exploitation and corruption.

There’s little clean and wholesome about Olympic sport. Claiming it is a mirage. It conceals its dark side. Together with militarized preparedness, London is repressively occupied.

The city is more battleground than sports venue. Hyped fear advances Anglo-American imperialism. It also targets Londoners wanting social justice. Torries and New Labour spurn it. So do other European, American and Israeli governments.

The Sunday Times published an inflammatory propaganda piece. It headlined “Israel fears Iran attack at Games,” saying:

London is militarized with thousands of troops, police and private security guards. Information suggesting a potential terrorist attack is lacking. The Times based its report on what Israeli officials claim, real or otherwise.

“(P)anic rooms have been installed beneath the stadium as havens for VIPs and spectators in the event of an attack.”

After Iran was falsely blamed for Mossad’s latest Bulgaria false flag, London bells and whistles sounded the alarm about Tehran allegedly dispatching terrorists to attack the Games. Might as well claim Martians are coming.

Israel sent Shin Bet and Mossad agents to protect its 38-member delegation. The Times said they’re “hunting a group of white Europeans who are thought to have converted to Islam and (are) working with the Iranian Quds force and Hezbollah, the terrorist group backed by Tehran.”

Haaretz covered the story. It called “the connection between Iranian terror and the Olympic Games tenuous at best.” It’s “highly improbable that Iran” or elements connected to its government plan anything like what’s hyped.

Haaretz added that Tehran has its own athletes competing. It won’t “do anything to harm or distract them from (bringing) glory (to) the Islamic Republic.”

Omitted was any connection between Tehran and terrorism. Accusations made are baseless. Without clear corroborating proof, charge by charge, they lack credibility.

Weeks earlier, the Sunday Times claimed Al Qaeda was believed to be planning an Olympics attack. Quoting unnamed intelligence sources, a recruited Norwegian Muslim allegedly intended “to hijack a US passenger plane and crash it on a suicide mission.”

As in other hyped threats and false flags, no evidence whatever gets cited. Nothing links named suspects to Western and/or Israeli targets. Charges made are baseless. Fear is falsely generated.

At issue is waging war to dominate the entire Mediterranean Basin and more from North Africa through the Middle East into Central Asia to Russia and China’s borders.

Rupert Murdoch owns the London Sunday Times. His media empire features demagoguery, propaganda, pseudo-journalism, scandal, sleaze, celebrity gossip, and warmongering. Truth and full disclosure are verboten. So are real news, information, and honest opinion.

Murdoch tops the media scoundrel list. He’s a global pirate. Former Chicago columnist Mike Royko (1932 – 1997) said “no self-respecting fish would (want to) be wrapped in a Murdoch paper.”

“His goal (isn’t) journalism. (It’s) vast power, political power,” and bottom line priorities. He’s unrivaled as a manipulative hardball media predator.

He runs his empire ruthlessly. He takes no prisoners. He uses deception, chicanery, arrogance, artfulness, charm, cunning, poisonous influence, intimidation, and sheer muscle to get his way.

Take anything his media empire features with a grain of salt. The Times said:

One of the alleged terrorists “is thought (to be) carrying a US passport under the name of David Jefferson, who is believed to have fled after the Burgas attack.

It’s “thought (he has) another powerful device” similar to the Bulgaria bus bomb.

Security experts say the Quds force — a unit of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards — has recruited a number of white European Islamic converts, including two Germans, one from Sweden and a couple of Britons.

Know the source. Murdoch and Israeli officials mock truth. They’re toxic. Iran and Hezbollah had nothing to do with the Bulgarian bombing. It had Mossad fingerprints all over it. Car bombs are a favorite tactic.

Hyping non-existent London threats advance the ball for more Middle East war. New York police increased the chance by spuriously linking Iran to nine alleged 2012 plots against global Jewish targets.

Reuters reported the story. It cited NYPD sources. They claimed “three plots were foiled in January, three in February, and another three in late June.”

Evidence proving each charge was omitted because none exists. Credibility was sorely lacking. Baseless accusations follow earlier ones. Media scoundrels regurgitate them like gospel.

So-called “Law Enforcement Sensitive” documents called Bulgaria’s bombing the latest plot. Others in India, Georgia, Thailand, Cyprus, Kenya, and elsewhere were invented or false flags.

Iran threatens no one. Neither does Hezbollah. Israel is a longstanding regional menace. Its nuclear, chemical and biological arsenal threaten humanity.

Real threats are suppressed. Fake ones are headlined. Western media consumers get round-the-clock managed news misinformation. Murdoch media are the worst.

Follow credible alternative sources for real news, information, and opinion. No others provide it.

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at [email protected]. His new book is titled How Wall Street Fleeces America: Privatized Banking, Government Collusion and Class War

Also visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com and listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network Thursdays at 10AM US Central time and Saturdays and Sundays at noon. All programs are archived for easy listening.

http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour/