TAXPAYERS may be forced to fork out millions to cover the cost of a massive international security operation if London hosts the 2012 Olympic Games.

The financial warning was given by the Mayor of Athens, Dora Bakoyannis, who was in London to give a speech about what it takes to make an Olympic city.

After a brief interruption from protestors who claimed the 2004 games were used to curtail civil liberties in Greece Ms Bakoyannis set out her case.

She told a largely Greek audience at the London School of Economics the games had been an unqualified success which helped to reverse international stereotypes of her compatriots being "lazy and inept".

Athens had, according to its Mayor, undergone an "unquestionable improvement" that had given the city a new public transport system, new motorways, improved railways and refurbished hotels.

The Games had, she argued, helped Greece enter the 21st Century as the "top society" in South East Europe and were helping the country join an "international constellation" of states.

But during a question and answer session Ms Bakoyannis revealed how Greek taxpayers had been forced to bear the brunt of an unprecedented Olympic anti-terrorism operation.

"Our biggest challenge was that we were the first city to host the Games after the 9/11 terrorist attacks," she said.

"There were very high costs for security, 1.5billion dollars was taken out of Greek taxpayers' money.

"It was solely Greek money and we did not count to pay so much."

London is likely to present a bigger attraction to international terrorists because of Britain's stance on the War on Terror'.

Earlier this week the Metropolitan Police Service revealed how new anti-terrorism measures in London were being funded by council tax payers.

The Met is due to ask the government for more help with meeting the cost.

A questionnaire released by the Greater London Assembly last week said that three-quarters of public money for infrastructure improvements will come from the National Lottery and a quarter from council tax in London.

It is not clear who would pay for the 2012 security operation if the games were awarded to London.