A loud explosion rocked the Terminal 1 of the airport Cologne/Bonn, then shots are fired. What happens here in the night, is thankfully only an Exercise: a number of heavily armed terrorists shooting with assault rifles at travelers, people run screaming for their lives, the injured and Dead lying on the floor bleeding. The first police officials are quick, within a few minutes the attackers are overwhelmed. “All of the perpetrators neutralized”, according to the exercise Director in his Headset.
In the case of the largest Anti-terrorist Exercise at a German airport, around 1,000 police officers. An Islamist-motivated terrorist attack, is simulated Japanese-trained offenders run by a group of military with the goal to kill as many people as possible.
“This is an exceptional situation”
Although there is, according to the police currently have no concrete evidence of attack plans, however, such a scenario is, in view of the abstract danger to the situation in Germany at any time conceivable. “It is important that we are prepared in case of an actual attack in the best possible way”, says the President of the Federal police Department in St. Augustin, Wolfgang Wurm.
The fictitious scenario had been developed from the findings of the attacks in Belgium and France, and very realistically designed, says worm. None of the practitioners, police officers know exactly what’s come to him.
are there many “normal” strip, officials on a daily basis in the airport, on the road, you would be in the case of an emergency when first on the job site. But also special forces training. About 300 extras mimes injured, Dead and in a panic, screaming passengers. It’s a mess.
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The 17-ton armored truck from Rheinmetall upgrades serves the Saxon special forces. Due to the embroidery on his seat, he was references in the presentation of the end of 2017 immediately. The Nazi Aesthetic, reminiscent of the inscriptions in Gothic font, were removed.
©Annegret Hilse DPA
Although it is a Practice, whether colleagues, according to experience, very tense and full in the Situation in there, stressed worm. “Even for experienced officers, this is an exceptional situation. You have several Dead people around you – and if you’re not careful, you can be the next one dead.”
police was satisfied
the Exercise is the Interplay of the various authorities is to be tested: state and Federal police and the customs. “Only with such Exercises, we can check whether all of the beautiful use of concepts that we have written, good in practice,” says the Deputy of the Cologne police President Miriam brown.
worm is shown after the first practice block satisfied. “The colleagues have registered for the injured, but prior to their supply, first of all, the situation is clarified.” You need to be sure that not other culprits lurking, and a second attack.
Details of the Exercise are to be evaluated in the next few days in peace. If during the test run errors were made, that’s not bad, stresses brown. “On The Contrary. From this we can learn and improve our processes.”
Petra Albers / DPA / wue