LONDON, England ● The Ministry of Defence is refusing to attend a public meeting to discuss the placing of surface-to-air missiles on residential flats during the Olympics, reports the BBC.
Bow Quarter in Tower Hamlets – where 700 people live – has received leaflets saying high velocity missiles could be placed on a water tower.
The Bow Quarter is the first of several other nearby areas that will be fitted with rooftop missiles as part of a strategy to prevent an airborne terrorist attack during the Games.
These missiles can accelerate to three times faster than the speed of sound within 1,300 feet after launch and have a range of more than 3 miles. They’re part of the British government’s £1 billion ($1.6 billion) security plan to protect the Olympic Games this summer from potential attacks.
One resident of the complex told the Guardian: “It’s rather surreal … It is an example of the insane world we live in post-9/11. I don’t think anyone here feels more secure because of this … The question is, will this make us a target?”
Daily Telegraph journalist Neil Midgley, who lives in the complex, described his surprise at the juxtaposition.
The Bow Quarter
“It came as something of a shock, given that the Bow Quarter is a leafy — some would say sleepy — gated enclave. The people who normally dwell in our 700-odd flats are Canary Wharf bankers, creative types and young families.”
A protest meeting to be attended by local MP Rushanara Ali is set for Thursday.
The MoD has confirmed it will not attend the event.
Campaigners claim the MoD had previously said it would be present.
A statement released on their behalf called the no-show “an act of contempt for the people of Tower Hamlets”.
It continued: “The Ministry of Defence, having initially said they would attend, have now pulled out of a public forum in east London to discuss plans to site missiles on a Bow estate during the Olympics.”
The statement claimed this “confirmed opposition to any kind of meaningful consultation”.
But the MoD denies ever saying it would be present.
A spokesman said: “We have conducted a number of community engagement events at which we have endeavoured to answer all questions put to us by residents.
“Should the government give the go-ahead for ground based air defence systems to be deployed, we will conduct further engagement with residents to update them.
“The MoD has never suggested that it would send a representative to a meeting at Bow Road Methodist Church so any suggestion that we have pulled out is puzzling and incorrect.”