In the current atmosphere of foreign and domestic terrorism, the Athens Olympics are gearing up to meet extensive security challenges as the world looks on. The Greek Government has reportedly spent more than $600 million on security planning, training, and infrastructure. The final cost could almost double to $1.2 billion. The Olympic Games Security Division, a special police unit created for the 2004 games, is responsible for organizing and coordinating Olympic security. More than 45,000 specially trained security personnel, with access to the most sophisticated security technology, will work around the clock to protect the athletes and the visitors; an additional 10,000 personnel will be available in reserve. The security teams will not only be responsible for protecting the sporting venues, some of which are located in several cities around Athens, but also the Olympic village, airports, hotels, ports, and nearby resort areas. The Greek Government has addressed many issues in response to security concerns made public through intelligence reports developed for the U.S. Government in August 2003. An international committee, chaired by Greece and supported by the United States, Britain, Australia, Israel, Spain, France, and Germany, was established to oversee the security effort and has been sharing information on terrorism threats and advising on security and protection. Greece has hired some of the world’s leading terrorism security experts who have brought in their own teams to conduct risk assessments of all the Olympic venues and other potential targets. A sophisticated and technologically advanced command and control center has been built to manage the vast security operation. In addition to the 45,000 security personnel on hand for the games, 60,000 security volunteers will also be available to provide assistance. The United States has set up its own interagency Olympic security task force to monitor what is happening in Athens and to ensure the safety of the U.S. team. The Greek Government believes that security for the games is on track. Between now and August, more than 170 training exercises will be carried out culminating in a series of operational readiness exercises.