UK MoD to use private flats as army base during Olympics: residents

The British Ministry of Defense has told residents it is to deploy a team of police and soldiers armed with missile launchers in the private precincts while residents have not been asked for their permission.

Those living in the private gated flats in Bow, east London, said the MoD has given them leaflets stating their building would be used as a watch tower for two months by soldiers and the police.

Brian Whelan, a journalist living in the building that houses 700 people, said the announcement is especially worrying as it seems the MoD is to turn the building into a barracks for the 10-member team.

"We have an MoD leaflet saying the building is the only suitable place in the area. It says there will be 10 officers plus police present 24/7. I'm not sure if they are going to live in the building.

We have a gym and a pool and people have seen them there so it makes you think it will be some sort of Army base,” Whelan said.

He added “they are going to have a test run next week” of “high velocity missile” on the roof of the building while officers and soldiers will be stationed on an old watch tower behind the apartments.

The news underline fears that the British government is using the Olympic Games as a cover to normalize greater intrusion into people’s private lives.