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Greece wraps up biggest security training exercise ever
Athens, Feb 10: Greece completes its biggest anti-terrorist security training exercise to date for the Olympics.
Athens, Feb 10: Greece completes its biggest anti-terrorist security training exercise to date for the Olympics.
Blue Odyssey, a joint Greek-British drill and the largest training exercise to date, came to a close on Sunday (February 8) after three days of intensive readiness training against terrorist attacks.
The exercise, with the assistance of international security experts from the United States, France, Britain, Germany, Russia, Israel and others, tested local forces in various scenarios including terrorst attacks, hostage takings and biochemical or nuclear attacks. It was carried out throughout the city at public sites such as train stations and ports, both on land and in the sea. Some 1,967 personnel, including police, armed forces, coast guard, firemen, emergency services, medical, railway and atomic energy agency personnel, including special anti-terorist and biochemical squads took part in the three day drill. Pulbic Order Minister George Floridis said the drill was devised to test the coordination of all these forces simultaneously during an attack. The exercise was cloaked in secrecy due to real time scenarios in their natural environment.
After the events of September 11 and the emphasis placed on terrorist threats, an international advisory board of seven countries is assisting Greece with training and advice.
Greece has the most expensive budget in the history of the Games allocated towards security at 650 million euros. Greece will donate 10 thousand military forces to the event and maintian another 40 thousand on standby.
In total some 50 thousand people, from police, army, fire brigade and others will participate in security for the Games.
New technology has been pouring into the country, from security cameras, radioactive sensors and gas masks for subways, equipment and uniforms for soldiers. The government has also requested mobile chemical laboratories from Russia.
Police spokesman Lefteris Economou said police forces were using the best technology to date for the exercise.
Bureau Report
The exercise, with the assistance of international security experts from the United States, France, Britain, Germany, Russia, Israel and others, tested local forces in various scenarios including terrorst attacks, hostage takings and biochemical or nuclear attacks. It was carried out throughout the city at public sites such as train stations and ports, both on land and in the sea. Some 1,967 personnel, including police, armed forces, coast guard, firemen, emergency services, medical, railway and atomic energy agency personnel, including special anti-terorist and biochemical squads took part in the three day drill. Pulbic Order Minister George Floridis said the drill was devised to test the coordination of all these forces simultaneously during an attack. The exercise was cloaked in secrecy due to real time scenarios in their natural environment.
After the events of September 11 and the emphasis placed on terrorist threats, an international advisory board of seven countries is assisting Greece with training and advice.
Greece has the most expensive budget in the history of the Games allocated towards security at 650 million euros. Greece will donate 10 thousand military forces to the event and maintian another 40 thousand on standby.
In total some 50 thousand people, from police, army, fire brigade and others will participate in security for the Games.
New technology has been pouring into the country, from security cameras, radioactive sensors and gas masks for subways, equipment and uniforms for soldiers. The government has also requested mobile chemical laboratories from Russia.
Police spokesman Lefteris Economou said police forces were using the best technology to date for the exercise.
Bureau Report