More than $1.2 billion has been spent on security in Athens in preparation for the Olympics, but the Risk and Insurance Management Society, Inc. warned last Thursday that it may not be enough.

Risk Management Magazine examined the likelihood of a terrorist attack in its August cover story and revealed that risk professionals are worried by the rushed preparations being made just months before the Opening Ceremonies and how such last-minute preparations will affect the security of the area. US Homeland Security has named the Games a likely terrorist target and cites the May Athens bomb blast as evidence of this. The bombs are believed to have been warnings to those who planned to attend the games.

Risk Management Magazine spoke to David Mair, who served as the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) senior risk manager for 15 years and as RIMS president, about the security concerns.

Mr. Mair said: ?In an event as large as the Games, you simply can?t secure the entirety of a city 24 hours a day for 16 days. When you bring that many people together there is no certainty. Whether it is an individual attack, like in Atlanta (in 1996), or an organised terrorist group, you cannot be sure that you will prevent everything everywhere.?

RIMS reported in a release last Thursday that many security professionals do not questions if terrorists will try to shed blood at the upcoming Games. Instead, it is a question of what tactics they will use, how successful they will be, and whether or not they will force an unprecedented cancellation of the Games themselves.