Wimbledon Puts Up Car Barriers To Tighten Security

Sunday, July 1st 2007, 2:43 pm

By: News On 6

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) _ Vehicle blockers were set up in front of gates to the All England Club on Sunday as part of efforts to tighten security at Wimbledon after two foiled car bombings in London and a fiery attack on Glasgow's airport.

Tournament organizers already had stepped up measures in recent days, including more stringent searches of bags carried by people onto the grounds.

``As a result of recent events in London and Glasgow, and further to our own discussions with the police and other authorities, as well as taking into consideration the generally higher security alert level in London and across the country, we have been advised by the police to adopt extra security measures to protect the areas of most risk,'' All England Club chief executive Ian Ritchie said Sunday.

He added that the new car barriers and ``vigilant'' searches at entrances to parking areas and the club ``are inevitably going to make it slower for spectators to park and get into the grounds.''

``To try to minimize any delay,'' Ritchie continued, ``we urge everyone coming to the event to allow more time for their journey.''

Police thwarted an apparent plot to set off a coordinated bomb attack in central London on Friday when smoke was spotted coming from a car found to be rigged with explosives. A second car filled with explosives was found hours later.

And on Saturday, two men rammed a flaming Jeep into the main entrance of Glasgow airport, shattering the glass doors and sparking a raging fire yards from people lined up at check-in counters.

Britain has raised its terror alert to ``critical,'' the highest possible level.