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Coffeeshop Chit Chat - Our Home Team can handle terrorists one</TD><TD id=msgunetc noWrap align=right>
Subscribe </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE class=msgtable cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="96%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=msg vAlign=top><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgbfr1 width="1%"> </TD><TD><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 border=0><TBODY><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgF noWrap align=right width="1%">From: </TD><TD class=msgFname noWrap width="68%">kojakbt22 <NOBR>
</NOBR> </TD><TD class=msgDate noWrap align=right width="30%">1:14 am </TD></TR><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgT noWrap align=right width="1%" height=20>To: </TD><TD class=msgTname noWrap width="68%">ALL <NOBR></NOBR></TD><TD class=msgNum noWrap align=right> (1 of 5) </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgleft width="1%" rowSpan=4> </TD><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>3667.1 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgtxt><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>Dec 10, 2008
MUMBAI-STYLE ATTACK
</TD></TR><TR><TD><!-- headline one : start --></TD></TR><TR><TD>Home Team up to the task
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->I AGREE with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong that a terrorist attack within our borders is possible, even though the probability is low due to the tireless efforts of our Home Team ('Don't think a terror attack won't happen here', last Saturday).
The recent terror attacks in the Indian city of Mumbai shocked us more than previous incidents because this time one of our own was caught in the middle. Singapore lawyer Lo Hwei Yen was taken hostage by terrorists and later killed in cold blood.
We must put this attack in perspective. Since 2001, our Home Team has developed various layers of defensive and offensive capabilities to deter, detect and respond effectively and decisively against any terrorist intent against us within our borders.
Yes, the Home Team suffered some setbacks with the escape of terrorist mastermind Mas Selamat Kastari in February, and soon after, the attempted escape by two criminals from a temporary holding cell. But the fact that the perpetrators in the second incident were recaptured within minutes is testimony to improved incident response capabilities, as well as lessons learnt.
As a security consultant, I can say with confidence that our Home Team will respond much more swiftly than the Indian commandos in Mumbai to get into effective counter-attack positions.
With this understanding, I hope major hotels, malls and other business outlets open to the public will refrain from designing incident-specific security action plans in a knee-jerk reaction to the Mumbai attack.
Instead, they should invest their limited resources to develop an all-hazard incident management plan for front-line staff to manage any emergency situation as on- site first responders. These capabilities are crucial during the initial minutes of an emergency situation, when usually no instructions are forthcoming and the normal chain of command may even cease to exist.
During the first 30 seconds of the attack in Mumbai Central Train Station, the actions of two low-level employees, acting independently of each other but with a common objective, saved the lives of untold numbers of passengers.
The station announcer, with a bird's-eye of the vast hall below, used the public address system to direct passengers to exit doors directly opposite the terrorists' positions, thus saving them from exploding grenades and automatic gunfire.
The armed station guard opened fire with his World War II rifle. Although his single-shot weapon was no match for the terrorists' rapid-fire AK-47s, it was enough to force them to take cover and direct their fire at the guard, allowing more passengers to escape unhurt. Jimmy Seah
[email protected]
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
MUMBAI-STYLE ATTACK
</TD></TR><TR><TD><!-- headline one : start --></TD></TR><TR><TD>Home Team up to the task
</TD></TR><TR><TD><!-- headline one : end --></TD></TR><TR><TD><!-- show image if available --></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->I AGREE with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong that a terrorist attack within our borders is possible, even though the probability is low due to the tireless efforts of our Home Team ('Don't think a terror attack won't happen here', last Saturday).
The recent terror attacks in the Indian city of Mumbai shocked us more than previous incidents because this time one of our own was caught in the middle. Singapore lawyer Lo Hwei Yen was taken hostage by terrorists and later killed in cold blood.
We must put this attack in perspective. Since 2001, our Home Team has developed various layers of defensive and offensive capabilities to deter, detect and respond effectively and decisively against any terrorist intent against us within our borders.
Yes, the Home Team suffered some setbacks with the escape of terrorist mastermind Mas Selamat Kastari in February, and soon after, the attempted escape by two criminals from a temporary holding cell. But the fact that the perpetrators in the second incident were recaptured within minutes is testimony to improved incident response capabilities, as well as lessons learnt.
As a security consultant, I can say with confidence that our Home Team will respond much more swiftly than the Indian commandos in Mumbai to get into effective counter-attack positions.
With this understanding, I hope major hotels, malls and other business outlets open to the public will refrain from designing incident-specific security action plans in a knee-jerk reaction to the Mumbai attack.
Instead, they should invest their limited resources to develop an all-hazard incident management plan for front-line staff to manage any emergency situation as on- site first responders. These capabilities are crucial during the initial minutes of an emergency situation, when usually no instructions are forthcoming and the normal chain of command may even cease to exist.
During the first 30 seconds of the attack in Mumbai Central Train Station, the actions of two low-level employees, acting independently of each other but with a common objective, saved the lives of untold numbers of passengers.
The station announcer, with a bird's-eye of the vast hall below, used the public address system to direct passengers to exit doors directly opposite the terrorists' positions, thus saving them from exploding grenades and automatic gunfire.
The armed station guard opened fire with his World War II rifle. Although his single-shot weapon was no match for the terrorists' rapid-fire AK-47s, it was enough to force them to take cover and direct their fire at the guard, allowing more passengers to escape unhurt. Jimmy Seah
[email protected]
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