World | Philippines
Security forces conduct anti-terror drill in Manila
Security officials in the capital conducted a simulated bomb attack at a train station yesterday in a bid to gauge the government's readiness to respond to a mass casualty emergency.
- By Gilbert Felongco, Correspondent
- Published: 22:40 December 20, 2008
Manila: Security officials in the capital conducted a simulated bomb attack at a train station yesterday in a bid to gauge the government's readiness to respond to a mass casualty emergency.
Members of the National Counter-Terrorism Action Group (NACTAG) and the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) conducted training simulation and mass casualty incident exercise at the Light Railway Transit Line 2 station in Cubao suburban Quezon City.
"The drill was a good opportunity for the LRTA to practice what could be a real life situation and prepare us for possible terrorist attacks," LRTA Administrator Melquiades Robles said.
The exercises involved some 500 LRTA employees and included a simulated bomb explosion triggered by a "suicide bomber" who was able to board an LRT-2 train disguised as an ordinary passenger.
The training simulation had been occurring regularly since 2006 to prepare LRTA employees and authorities on what to do in the event that such a terror attack do take place.
A similar incident did take actually place in December 30, 2000 when a strong blast shook the Blumentritt station of the Light Rail Transit Line 1.
More than a dozen people died while nearly a hundred people were wounded after an explosion ripped through a tightly-packed train coach.
- with inputs from Rafael Juan
Bomb suspects: Links t obe probed
Police authorities in Northern Mindanao in Philippines are investigating possible links of three suspected bombers now in police custody to the Iligan City bombing.
According to PNP Spokesman, Supt Nicanor A. Bartolome, investigators are finding out if Mohammad Alpariz, allegedly a Bangladeshi bomb maker identified with Jemaah Islamiya, and Guiamalodin Edsrafil, a bomb expert supposedly under the command of wanted MILF Commander Ameril Umbra Kato, had links with those responsible in previous bombing.
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