If it's real, they won't be running so slowly

SOME were indifferent while others did not even give it a second glance.

NO ALARM: Madam Teng Yang Hui said she knew it was just an exercise at VivoCity. TNP PICTURES: GAVIN FOO

Despite the cordons and presence of police officers at VivoCity, hardly anyone batted an eyelid.

This was day two of Exercise Northstar VII, Singapore's largest anti-terror drill, at the shopping mall yesterday.

Student Catherine Lin, 18, was waiting for a friend near one of the cordoned-off areas when the action unfolded before her.

She told The New Paper she had no idea what was going on as police officers, including those from the Special Operations Command (SOC), ran past her.

Was there an emergency? Or was it an exercise?

A "hostage" being helped out.

It didn't matter to Catherine.

'There's nothing to be worried about,' she said. 'If there's anything, they (the building's security personnel) will evacuate everyone.'

This apathy extended to workers at the shopping mall.

For two promoters stationed at a sales fair just metres away from the cordoned area, it was business as usual.

One of them, who declined to be named, said: 'I just came in to work a while ago and saw the policemen in the area. But, no, we weren't told that anything was going on.'

Star team officers storming the area where the "hostages" were kept. TNP PICTURES: GAVIN FOO

Was she curious or concerned?

'No, I'm just doing my work,' she said, all the while looking at the boxes of kitchen appliances she was arranging.'

Exercise Northstar VII is modelled after last November's Mumbai terror attacks.

In the exercise, which takes place over three days, 15 terrorists hijack a marine vessel at sea and head towards Singapore.

They take over smaller boats along the way and eventually split into six teams, landing at different parts of the island.

VivoCity was one of the 10 locations they targeted.

'Terrorists' in speed boat

In the 'attack' that took place from 10am to noon yesterday, three 'terrorists' arrived in front of the Singapore Cruise Centre in a speed boat.

The gunmen then moved on to the Cable Car Tower and HarbourFront Centre.

At a bridge linking HarbourFront Centre to VivoCity, they fired random shots at the ceiling, startling shoppers, some of whom tried to run down a nearby fire escape staircase.

Ten shoppers were captured in the chaos and held hostage at a stairwell on the first level of the shopping mall.

People who heard gunfire called the police.

When the men in blue arrived, they split themselves into three groups and cordoned off different areas of the shopping mall.

Officers from the SOC also manned the inner cordon and conducted search and containment operations.

Minutes later, the Special Tactics and Rescue (Star) unit officers positioned themselves in the area where the hostages were held.

The elite team from the police crack unit then stormed the stairwell, shooting dead the three terrorists.

All the hostages were rescued. Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) paramedics rendered first aid to the injured.

Two shoppers who witnessed part of the enactment said they were not aware that there was an exercise. But they were confident that it was not for real.

Said Madam Teng Yang Hui, 79, in Mandarin: 'If it was for real, they (the officers involved) wouldn't be running so slowly.'

Her daughter, housewife Madam Ang Ser Kiang, 52, chipped in: 'The hostages would have been crying too.'

So what would they do if there was a real attack?

'Run and hide,' said Madam Teng.

The first day of the exercise, on Monday, took place at Cafe del Mar on Sentosa's Siloso Beach.

In that attack, terrorists arriving by sea gunned down party-goers at the beachfront bar, leaving 10 'dead' and more than 20 others 'injured'.

Police officers, including those from the SOC, threw a cordon around the area and combed the island's shoreline for further threats.

The second test scenario was enacted at Raffles Place MRT station where two terrorists attacked commuters early yesterday morning.

Next Wednesday will see Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) personnel storming Rasa Sentosa Hotel in a bid to rescue hostages held there.

Exercise Northstar VII involves more than 2,000 participants from 15 agencies including the Home Team, the SAF, the Land Transport Authority and SMRT.

Islandwide anti-terror drill to climax next Wed

"Gunmen" opened fire at Cafe del Mar "patrons" in Sentosa in yesterday's staged attack where 10 people "died". The forensic team was called in as seen in the picture. (PHOTO: JAMIE KOH)

Expect an islandwide mobilisation of 15 agencies in the country's biggest anti-terror drill this year.

Mock attacks simulate an assault on the city one evening. Involving six boatloads of 15 "terrorists", the following scenarios are being played out over three days:

YESTERDAY

Cafe del Mar in Sentosa, Shaw House and two hotels in town were attacked.

TODAY

Terrorists land at Marina South and Singapore Cruise Centre via rubber dinghy and proceed to attack Raffles Place MRT station, HarbourFront, VivoCity and the Cable Car Towers.

NEXT WEDNESDAY

The Singapore Police Force and the Singapore Armed Forces storm Rasa Sentosa to bring down the terrorist ringleader and rescue hostages.

Journalists got a piece of the action yesterday at Sentosa, after being briefed to cover the event "as if it were a real incident".

At 7am, three "gunmen" jumped off a rubber dinghy at Siloso Beach and fired automatic weapons at Cafe del Mar "patrons" marking the beginning of the exercise.

Similar mock attacks will be held today, before the showdown between the authorities and mock terrorists at Rasa Sentosa next Wednesday.

In the exercise yesterday, 10 people "died" and 20 had suspected "gunshot wounds", before the "gunmen" fled in the direction of Rasa Sentosa on bicycles.

Home Team Academy trainees played the "victims", while Criminal Investigation Department (CID) officers combed the "crime scene" and bagged clues.

Vehicles from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) and Special Operations Command rushed to the scene.

During peak seasons, an average number of 24,000 visitors throng Sentosa daily. There are 2,300 residents living in Sentosa Cove.

Ms Suzanne Ho, deputy director of communications, Sentosa Leisure Group, said: "In any situation, our rangers or island security will work very closely with state agencies to manage a crisis.

"And, while safety of our guests is our priority, in any situation we will continue to provide updates to our island partners, in order to ensure that the information flow is kept going."

NSF dies in Land Rover accident

A FULL-TIME National Serviceman (NSF) died on Friday in an accident.

At about 11.30am, Second Lieutenant (2LT) Chan Wei Kit Nicholas, a Motor Transport Officer, was taking delivery of a Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Land Rover which had been sent to Seletar Camp for servicing.

He was inspecting the vehicle when it rolled backwards and hit him. He was discovered pinned under the vehicle.

A recovery vehicle was activated at about noon and lifted the Land Rover off him at 12.30pm.

A medical team, comprising an SAF doctor and two medics from the Seletar Medical Centre, attempted to resuscitate 2LT Chan immediately.

He was sent to Changi General Hospital at about 12.35pm.

En route, the SAF doctor and medics continued attempts to resuscitate him. 2LT Chan was pronounced dead at 1.07pm at the hospital.

The Ministry of Defence and the SAF have extended their deepest condolences to 2LT Chan's family, and the ministry will assist them in their time of grief. It is investigating the incident.

SAFRA Singapore Bay Run & Army Marathon 2009

SAF Day 2009

Soldiers Battle H1N1

WITH immediate effect, all Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) personnel will have to take their temperature twice a day.

If they are feeling unwell, they must report to their superiors.

Units which undertake critical operations like maritime security and protection of key installations, such as Jurong Island, will be separated physically from other units.

The measures are on top of existing ones to fight the Influenza A (H1N1) virus, like avoiding crowded areas and practising good personal hygiene.

These new enhanced measures came as nine SAF personnel, including seven from Maju Camp off Clementi Road, came down with the virus. Their infection was confirmed within three days of one another.

The aim of the new measures is to ensure that the SAF maintains its high level of operational readiness, said Chief of Army Neo Kian Hong at a media conference last night.

"The training of our servicemen will continue and they will be protected against the H1N1 virus," he said.

All SAF medical centres are given rapid testing kits, which can detect the virus within 30 minutes, as well as Tamiflu supplies for the treatment of H1N1.

The medical centres are also H1N1 ready, said Maj-Gen Neo.

SAF has 300,000 servicemen, including full-time national servicemen and regulars.

The number of H1N1 cases here breached 200 yesterday with 26 new cases, bringing the total to 220. The 11 new local cases include two Butter Factory patrons, and two who attended a church camp at the Fishermen of Christ Church.

The 15 imported cases comprise those with a travel history to the Philippines, Australia, Hong Kong, the United States, Britain and New Zealand.

H1N1 cases may go under the radar in future

A FEVER and a cough are all the symptoms a Singapore H1N1 patient would likely show.

Some may even have mild or no symptoms at all.

Hence, in the days to come, one in five Influenza A (H1N1) patients will go undetected by doctors and this in turn will increase community transmission, predicted Dr Leo Yee Sin, clinical director of the Communicable Disease Centre (CDC).

Her prediction came after yesterday's release of data collected from the first 50 Influenza A patients who caught the virus overseas and locally.

Dr Leo said: "It will be extremely difficult for doctors to differentiate seasonal influenza from H1N1 without using laboratory techniques."

Among the 50 patients, about one in two had a fever below 37.8 deg C the international benchmark temperature for case detection.

While diarrhoea was a common symptom in patients in the United States, only one of the 50 Singaporean patients had it.

However, symptoms could worsen as the virus spreads to high-risk groups in the community, such as pregnant women, said Dr Leo.

"They could develop a severe lung infection, which could lead to blood poisoning," she said.

From the CDC data, patients who are given Tamiflu within two days of falling ill generally recover two days earlier than those who receive the medicine later.

One in five patients still retains the virus after five days of Tamiflu treatment.

It is not known how much live virus is needed for an infected person to spread it, she said.

She shows no respect for army uniform -- even posing without pants

STOMPer Angry Singaporean came across this photo in an online forum, showing a girl posing in an army uniform, but without the pants.

The STOMPer said:

"Recently I came across this photo on the Internet.

"Why are all these young girls playing with the SAF uniform and taking photos of their acts?

"It is so disrespectful to the army and those guys who go through army training.

"If you want to cosplay please stop using Singapore Army uniform."

SAF Uniform: Don't (Cos)play play

New, Lighter Uniforms for NCC Cadets from 2012