Massimo Pinca / AP

An Italian soldier patrols the area next to the Olympic arch, in Turin, Italy. Less than a month before the start of the Olympics, authorities are rolling out a massive security operation.

The government considered closing Italy’s borders, but instead decided to increase controls, particularly at the frontier with France — about 10 miles from Sestriere, hosting Alpine skiing — while guaranteeing free access under the European Union’s open borders policy, according to a top security official.

Air space over the Olympics will be closed, with the Italian air force providing missile protection and maintaining close contact with military allies, the official told The Associated Press. He asked that his name not be used because the ministry has not made official announcements on the measures.

The United States, Britain and Israel are among the half-dozen countries helping Italy prepare. Neither the government nor Olympics organizers will say how much is being spent on security; $1.4 billion went toward security at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

“With all the talk about security before Athens, it sounded like World War III was going to explode during those Olympics. And what did it result in? Spending more money,” said Valentino Castellani, president of TOROC, the Turin organizing committee. “The message we need to give to the citizens of the world is that we will be stronger than any form of terrorism.”

While TOROC has been plagued by budget shortfalls, resulting in spending cuts in various sectors, Pescante said: “With security, we didn’t spare any expense. Everything that was asked for was received.”

The government has been fine-tuning its plans for months, using many of the same measures used to protect more than 100 world leaders and the 2 million pilgrims who came to Rome after the death of Pope John Paul II in April.

Last month, Luigi Rinella, the Italian police liaison with the U.S. government, said Italian authorities are conducting surveillance on numerous people through wiretaps and other intelligence operations. He said they include suspected Islamic militants, anti-globalization protesters and anarchists.

“There’s always concern. When you leave the house, when you take the subway, when you go to the airport — how can you say everything is under control? That’s impossible,” Pescante said. “But we’ve done everything that was asked for. We’re combining military intelligence with experiences from past Olympics. We know what the vulnerable parts of an Olympics are.”