London Olympic chief Coe defends security plans

LONDON (AP) The head of London's Olympic committee is shrugging off concerns about the addition of more soldiers to guard venues for the games.

Games chair Sebastian Coe said Friday the decision to ask for 3,500 more soldiers to help safeguard the games was made after the security company, G4S, acknowledged that they couldn't recruit all the 10,400 people they had promised to.

The new servicemen are in addition to the 7,500 troops already promised to help out at some 100 venues and sensitive sites.

Coe says the changes will only create a different "mix of security in and around our venues and around the (Olympic) park."

British officials say there's no question of security being compromised at the games, which start July 27 and end Aug. 12.

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