ATHENS, Aug 12 (AFP) - United States basketball stars arrived here Thursday at their Olympic home, the ocean liner Queen Mary II, after a taste of security concerns during a five-day stay in Turkey for final pre-Olympic training.
National Basketball Association players were in Istanbul when bombs exploded Tuesday at two small hotels far from where they were lodged, killing two and injuring 11. A Kurdish separatist group claimed responsibility.
"We were all a little uneasy about it because most of the guys had family here," US coach Larry Brown said. "People here handled it great. They made us feel secure."
The US State Department notified the US team`s security coordinator and the team was briefed about the situation, which did not disrupt workouts or games against the Turkish national team.
"I wanted to know what went on and what we were going to do about it," NBA Rookie of the Year LeBron James said. "They gave us a briefing that made us feel more comfortable. Basically, I was trying not to think about it."
More than 60 people were killed in Istanbul nine months ago when four suicide truck bombs exploded.
"We knew when the schedule was made that there had been some incidents here, but everybody wanted to come," Brown said.
Security woes were a factor in a dozen top NBA players turning down the chance to play in the Olympics, with Jermaine O`Neal and Ray Allen among the most vocal about safety concerns.
"It`s not a feeling. It`s a reality," US co-captain Tim Duncan said of the security concerns. "You see what`s going on in the world and it`s real."
Allen mentioned concerns that the Queen Mary II would be a floating terrorist target much as the USS Cole, an American destroyer struck by a terrorist-linked bomb blast in 2000.
But the US NBA players who made the trip to try and win a fourth consecutive Olympic gold medal accepted the situation.
"If I didn`t think it was completely safe, I wouldn`t be here," James said.
The Queen Mary II, with a staff of 1,250, features some of the tightest security precautions at the Games.
The skyscraper-sized ocean liner comes complete with 1,310 staterooms on 14 decks, five swimming pools, miniature golf, a driving range and planetarium. It will be docked in Piraeus Harbor, safeguarded by minesweepers and top security.