Why a race row threatens our Olympic security

It is next to impossible to get through a day without hearing another mention of the name Tariq Ghaffur, the police officer at the centre of the latest racism row at Scotland Yard.

What makes Mr. Ghaffur particularly newsworthy is that he happens to be not just an assistant commissioner at the Met. but the most senior Muslim police officer in the country.

And he has accused the Commissioner, Sir Ian Blair, of racial discrimination.

Mr. Ghaffur claims he has been humiliated and undermined and has taken on a barrister to represent him.

While Sir Ian denies racism the National Black Police Association, which has seen a file on the case, says that evidence of bullying, victimisation and discrimination is "compelling."

All of this would be deeply serious in any circumstances.

But Asst. Commissioner Ghaffur is the man in charge of security for the 2012 Olympic Games in London. Amongst his claims is that he was sidelined from meetings about the event.

The security plans are not going well.

An Olympics report prepared for the new Lord Mayor, Boris Johnson, singled out the issue as an area of concern. It said security was "significantly behind the rest of the planning" and warned that if security features at venues have to be "retro-fitted" then there will be serious cost implications.

It went on to say that failure to catch up and complete and properly costed plan will have serious implications for Londoners as they will be the people most exposed to disruption and security risks.

Nobody is in any doubt that the Games present an almost irresistible target for terrorists who will foresee the possibility of a double whammy - inflicting a major atrocity against Britain and being able to do so before a worldwide audience.

Yet here we are with security planning falling behind target and with the senior police officer in charge of the operation not only embroiled in a major racism row with his boss but apparently being shut out of crucial meetings on the subject.

Am I alone in believing this is potentially disastrous?