Govt conducts complex, islandwide exercise to beef up counter-terror response

SINGAPORE — Beginning with news of numerous bomb attacks in neighbouring countries and culminating in terrorists being taken down during attacks at heartland malls, the country’s biggest ever counter-terrorism exercise - involving about 3,200 officers from four agencies and spanning 18 hours - were conducted on Monday (Oct 17), lasting into the wee hours of Tuesday morning.

The islandwide exercise involved officers from the Singapore Police Force, Singapore Civil Defence Force, Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and Immigration and Checkpoints Authority. About 50 volunteers from the People’s Association also participated.

Until Monday, the largest counter-terrorism exercise was Exercise Northstar V in 2006, where more than 2,000 personnel from various agencies took part. The mock exercise a decade ago - meant to test the response of civilians and agencies - occurred on a Sunday morning at four MRT stations and a bus interchange, and an estimated 3,400 commuters were involved.

The latest exercise, which unfolded in two phases, was to validate the Home Team and SAF’s operational response in the event of a large-scale terror attack or a heightened security threat to Singapore.

In the first phase, information on bomb attacks in the region led to a higher threat level here. Additional Home Team and SAF personnel were deployed at over 360 locations for land and border security patrols starting from 10am.

As part of the stepped up security measures, the SAF’s Peacekeeper Protected Response Vehicle was deployed alongside a police Fast Response Car in the Marina Bay Financial Centre yesterday afternoon, with joint SAF-police patrols at Jurong East MRT and bus interchange in the evening.

SIMULTANEOUS MOCK ATTACKS

The second phase began with armed terrorists entering Singapore by boat and attacking Marina Country Club at around 10pm. Police officers responded to the shooting incident to contain it and minimise casualties.

About two hours later, a string of mock attacks based on the Paris terror strikes in November last year panned out across the island, including at Junction 8 in Bishan as well as malls in Tampines.

In Bishan, four gunmen started opening fire towards shoppers. After the neighbourhood police ascertained there was a threat, the police’s Emergency Response Team swooped in to provide the first wave of response to try to contain the situation and minimise casualties. Fifteen minutes later, Anti-Swarming Teams from the police’s Special Operations Command moved in on the armed attackers. They were supported by the SAF’s Special Operations Task Force who stormed into Junction 8 through a staircase.

Meanwhile, the Army Deployment Force – a battalion-sized force that was formed in the middle of this year in response to the terror threat – set up a security perimeter outside the shopping mall with their Peacekeeper Protected Response Vehicles (PRVs).

Inside the building, a firefight ensued before the terrorists were killed by the security forces.

Over at Tampines, two victims were held hostage at the escalator in BHG store by gunmen. When the Anti-Swarming Teams arrived at the scene, they took over tactical command from the Emergency Response Team officers, and moved into strategic positions on the first and second levels. The Anti-Swarming Team tried to negotiate with the gunmen but when the gunmen showed signs that they were about to kill the hostages, they were shot and the hostages freed.

After a would-be suicide bomber was also shot dead, the Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Explosives team moved in to help defuse a bomb. This was not the end, however. Other terrorists barged into the cinema at Tampines Mall, taking moviegoers hostage. In the exercise, at least one civilian was gunned down while another had a vest with explosives strapped on. The terrorists shouted at moviegoers to post what was happening on social media using their phones.

Suddenly, the lights went off and Special Operations Task Force troops stormed through the doors, killing the terrorists. “We’re from the SAF and we’re here to rescue you,” they told the hostages, who were then instructed to get up row by row and leave the cinema to a holding area. The hostage with the explosive vest was separated from the others and had his vest removed. It was detonated after everyone had left the cinema. The injured were helped at the holding area by SCDF officers, while personnel from the Criminal Investigation Department’s post-blast investigation team conducted investigation.

Elsewhere on the island, a terrorist attempting to escape via the Woodlands checkpoint was discovered and detained by immigration officers.

‘INDIVIDUALS NEED TO BE READY’

Speaking to reporters after the exercise, Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean described it as “a very important exercise to bring together all the different security agencies from the Home Team and the SAF”.

“We’ve been able to exercise the procedures together. Together also with the community,” he said. “But what’s important as well is the individual response and the community response. No matter how fast the security forces react, there will always be the first few minutes where whatever you do yourself is important to protect yourself and your friends and those around you. So the security forces will exercise and get ready. As individuals, we also have to be prepared, to be be ready.”

Deputy Police Commissioner Lau Peet Meng said the exercise had given officers across agencies greater confidence in dealing with multiple terrorist attacks. “(It) had allowed us to become more familiar with each other’s operating procedure, instilling confidence from our ground troops to the command elements, and also with the community,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mr Teo agreed with remarks by Malaysian Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein who told Malaysian media that the launch of an operation by Iraqi forces on Monday (Oct 17) to wrestle back the Islamic State’s stronghold of Mosul could lead to an exodus of its fighters to South-east Asia.

Adding that threat levels in the region have been at their highest in “many, many years”, Mr Teo said: “That means the terrorists who’ve gone there may well return home and that is likely to increase the threat to our region. So we have to take the threat very seriously. Not just the security forces, but everyone in Singapore. Stay alert, stay united and stay strong.”