Counter-terrorist exercise successfully completed
The exercise, codenamed "Spellbinder", was aimed at raising the awareness and improving the readiness of all frontline officers through enhanced participation and extended exercise duration. Its second objective was to promote greater awareness and the inter-agency coordination of other Government departments and the private sector.
Reinforcing the commitment to international efforts against terrorism is one of the Commissioner of Police's Operational Targets for 2003.
Exercise Spellbinder
The exercise comprised four phases spreading over a 14-week period, with a series of simulated terrorist incidents. The number of participants for the entire exercise totalled 3,900. Phase I to phase III of the exercise took place between July 20 and September 30 this year during which a series of simulated incidents had occurred including four thwarted bombing attempts against different targets.
Investigations by the Organised Crime and Triad Bureau (OCTB) revealed that the incidents were perpetrated by a terrorist organisation. During a raid at a terrorist hideout, four suspects were shot dead in a gunfight but three others were still at large.
The concluding episode, Phase IV, took place at 10 am on October 24 when a Sarin gas explosive device was detonated at the forecourt of Grandstand II inside the Sha Tin Racecourse during a private horse auction attended by about 150 local and overseas guests and celebrities.
Police and other Government departments swiftly responded to the incident by setting up decontamination facilities to provide emergency treatment at the scene before ferrying the large number of casualties to Tai Po Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital.
Subsequent enquiries showed that the two wanted terrorist suspects were among those killed in the gas explosion whereas the remaining one was arrested at Tai Wai KCR Station by Police officers during search of a Kowloon-bound train.
The Phase IV exercise involved some 1,300 participants from Police, other Government departments and agencies including Security Bureau, Fire Services Department, Hospital Authority, Auxiliary Medical Services, Civil Aid Service, Hong Kong Observatory, Department of Health and Hong Kong Jockey Club.
The main Police units taking part included Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Bureau, Emergency Units, Police Tactical Unit, OCTB, New Territories South Regional Headquarters, Traffic New Territories South, Sha Tin Police District Headquarters and Operations Wing.
The exercise has fully demonstrated the strength and capability of the Force and other Government departments in dealing with terrorist attacks.
