Greek Authorities: Olympic-Installed Cameras Can't Be Used to Fight Crime

ATHENS, Greece -- Scores of surveillance cameras installed in Athens as part of a massive Olympic security operation last year can only be used to monitor traffic, Greece's powerful privacy watchdog ruled Tuesday.

The Data Protection Authority rejected a police request to use footage from the 293 cameras for crime-fighting.

Greece's police sought to extend their surveillance powers following the July 7 terrorist attacks in London. But the privacy authority, which has the final word on how the cameras can be used, rejected the request.

The authority renewed the police's permit to use the system for "traffic management" until May 24, 2006.

Street cameras in Athens have repeatedly been the target of arson attacks by anarchist groups, damaging or destroying more than 50 over the past year.

Arsonists destroyed three of the network's cameras over the weekend.