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SINGAPORE – Shoppers at One Punggol Celebration Square were stunned when four armed “terrorists” stormed the integrated hub after crashing their car into a barrier.
Two of the men then fired shots from a pistol and a submachine gun, sending “members of the public” scrambling for cover.
Those who could not escape the mayhem were hacked by the other two attackers, who were armed with samurai swords.
It got even louder when the Singapore Police Force’s Ground Response Force (GRF) and the Emergency Response Team, decked out in their tactical gear, arrived at the scene and fired volleys at the “terrorists”.
GRF officers neutralised one of the armed men.
Two other sword-wielding attackers were also killed, while the last “terrorist”, hiding inside an audio room, was captured.
The police teams were accompanied by Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) officers, who donned Kevlar helmets and ballistic-resistant vests.
The drama on Aug 23 was part of the counter-terrorism and emergency preparedness exercise code-named Exercise Heartbeat.
It was held this year in conjunction with the Global Community Policing Conference 2024.
The inaugural event was launched on Aug 21 and attended by participants, including officers from police forces around the world, who witnessed the live drill.
Police said close to 200 foreign and local representatives from various police forces, local government agencies, industry leaders and local stakeholders observed the exercise.
“This was the first time that Exercise Heartbeat was conducted in an integrated hub and witnessed by foreign police officers.
“The exercise reinforced the close partnerships with partner agencies and local stakeholders in enhancing the community’s emergency preparedness,” said the police, who added that pyrotechnics and blanks were used in the drill.
The exercise also involved Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) personnel.
A team from the Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Explosive Defence Group had to defuse a bomb found in the attackers’ car.
The drill saw officers from the police, SCDF and SAF working together with One Punggol, an integrated hub which includes a hawker centre, community club and library.
Police said the exercise was a reminder that stakeholders and building owners have to constantly review their security measures, validate their contingency protocols and enhance their emergency preparedness against terror attacks.
“Additionally, stakeholders should ensure that there are immediate consequence management and business continuity plans, regularly conduct exercises and drills to ensure staff and tenants are familiar with the plans, and review decision matrixes on the activations of these plans,” said the police.
Observers noted that Citizens on Patrol volunteers at the scene had directed members of the public to follow the “Run, Hide, Tell” protocol and alert the police of the attack via the SGSecure app.
One of the foreign observers, Assistant Commissioner of Police Boniface Rutikanga from Rwanda, said he was impressed to see the civilian volunteers supporting the police and SCDF and SAF officers.
Minister of State for Home Affairs and National Development Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, who was guest of honour, said the exercise was one way in which the Home Team partners the community to enhance community preparedness in dealing with a terror attack.
“I would like to encourage each of us to play our part in the fight against terrorism – whether it is by staying alert or equipping yourself with emergency preparedness skills, or just building relations with each other during peacetime, to build up our resilience as a community,” he added.
Police had previously organised a similar counter-terrorism exercise at Raffles Place MRT station, which involved hostages.
More than 250 personnel were involved in the drill held in May 2023 that saw police officers deal with a suicide bomber as one of the scenarios.
https://www.straitstimes.com/singap...ck-exercise-at-one-punggol-celebration-square
