Interpol, UN To Test Terrorist Attack Readiness

Friday November 25, 2005
Reuters

Cape Town (Reuters)-Interpol will hold a global simulation under the auspices of the United Nations to test the world's readiness to deal with a natural disaster or terrorist attack, a top official said on friday.

"Basically it's looking at what we think will be a real incident, then having a real time response," Lord John Stevens, head of Interpol's Strategic Advisory Panel, told Reuters.

The 10 member panel of senior figures in international law enforcement is meeting in Cape Town to help chart a global police response to security threats.

Earlier this week, Interpol Secretary-General Ronald Noble said there was a real risk of an international biochemical attack, while security officials remain on high alert for bomb attacks following recent incidents in Britain, Bali and Egypt.

Stevens, a former london police chief, said the panel had unanimously endorsed the proposed exercise, which was likely to happen in new york early next year.

Representatives from police forces and international organizations such as the World Health organization and Civil Aviation Authority would take part.

"This will be the first time...that we will have a world-wide link into a table-top exercise...It will certainly be next year and perhaps even in the first part of next year," stevens said.

All the lessons that had been learned from last years Indian Ocean Tsunami and from the attacks in new york, london and bali would be tested again to enhance the response to future events, he said.

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