Lessons learned

Official praises Greek Olympic terrorism drill

ATHENS, Greece (AP) -- Athens' top Olympic security adviser described a weekend anti-terrorism exercise as successful and said "lessons were learned" by the large number of security agencies working together.

"I thought they did well," Briton Peter Ryan said Tuesday. "There was a huge willingness to participate and learn from the experience."

Some 1,800 personnel took part in exercise Rainbow 2002, dealing with a mock hijack at Athens International Airport and attack on a cruise liner at the country's main port.

"I can say the exercise was a success. Lessons were learned of course," Ryan said, but did not elaborate.

He added: "[There] was a determination to be as professional as possible from all the participants, bearing in mind [that] you have this integrated security force of the police, the military, the coast guard, fire service and the intelligence service."

Athens has budgeted more than US$600 million for security at the 2004 Olympics and is planning at least two more large-scale exercises before the games.

Ryan, who headed security at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, made the remarks at a regional security conference in Athens. He said authorities are also preparing for attacks with chemical and biological agents.

"It's a big event, hugely expensive, and highly complex," he said. "It's the equivalent of having 10 major [soccer] cup finals every day, over 24 hours for 16 days."

Greece, criticized in the past over domestic terrorism, says Olympic security is a top priority.

Police arrested 18 suspected members of the deadly November 17 group following a crackdown in the summer. The far-left organization has claimed 23 killings, including officials from the United States, Turkey and Britain.

For Olympic security, Athens is receiving advice from Britain, Australia, France, Germany, Israel, Spain and the United States.

Senior British officers took part in planning the weekend exercise. The team was led by Scotland Yard's Assistant Commissioner David Veness.

Greece's public order minister and head of police's anti-terrorism department visited London on Tuesday to discuss the results of the Olympic exercise.

 

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