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| Southeast Asia |
| Singapore conducts transport terror readiness drill |
| 2006-01-08 |
| SINGAPORE - Singapore on Sunday staged a large emergency exercise to test its readiness for terror attacks on its bus and subway systems, mindful that its role as a close U.S. ally makes it a potential target for Islamic extremists. More than 2,000 workers from 22 government agencies took part in the emergency exercise, which involved mock attacks at train stations and a bus interchange. Organizers used thunder flashes to simulate bomb explosions, as well as smoke generators, fire simulators and special makeup to simulate wounds. Hundreds of âcasualtiesâ wore tags detailing their simulated wounds - including burns and injuries caused by chemical agents - so paramedics knew how to âtreatâ them. Authorities had said they would hold the exercise on a weekend in the first half of January, but had not said exactly when. Service at a dozen train stations was disrupted for several hours, and shuttle bus service was provided for commuters. Public announcements were made just before the drill to avoid panic. One simulated explosion occurred at a train station on Orchard Road, Singaporeâs main shopping avenue. The exercise took place early in the morning, before most stores opened. The drill, named Exercise NorthStar V, follows deadly bombings on the London transport system in July, as well as on the train network in Madrid, Spain, in 2004. On its Web site, Singaporeâs civil defense force said those attacks spurred Singapore to prepare itself for a similar assault, though it said the exercise did not mean there was a âreal threat of an imminent attackâ on the transport network. âThe scenario for the exercise is similar to that of the London bombings on 7 July 05, that is near-simultaneous bomb blasts in the trains at the station platform and in the trains traveling into the tunnel,â the defense force said. |
| Posted by:Steve White |