ADMM-PLUS FORCES SHARPEN COUNTER-TERRORISM TACTICS

Spectators are trapped at the stadium in Indonesia's Sentul City, having been taken hostage by terrorists. Over at the city port, an LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) tanker and its crew have also been seized.

Improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and booby traps have been planted. And the terrorists have no qualms about making this a suicide mission. A robust mission plan is needed to rescue the hostages at both locations.

This was a hypothetical scenario played out at the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting (ADMM)-Plus Counter Terrorism Exercise, held from 9 to 13 Sep.

Forces from Singapore and other ASEAN countries as well as Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, Russia, South Korea and the United States came together for a table-top exercise to devise a hostage rescue plan.

The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) delegation comprised 12 personnel from 1st Commando Battalion, Naval Diving Unit, Special Operations Force, and the Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Explosive (CBRE) Defence Group.

At the table-top exercise, participants focused on strategic planning and discussed ways to coordinate the operations of counter-terrorism forces, police, civil defence, as well as other ministries and agencies.

They also took part in a practical exercise which focused on tactical planning of the rescue operations, such as how to deal with suicide bombers and hostages whose bodies had been strapped with IEDs.

The participants collectively discussed and brainstormed ideas, tapping on the experiences and knowledge of different forces to identify possible weaknesses in their plan.

Major (MAJ) Wee Eng Peow, Deputy Head of Intelligence at Headquarters (HQ) Commando, led the SAF in the practical exercise. "It gave us the opportunity to learn from counterparts from India, Thailand and the Philippines, who have faced terrorist threats in their own countries."

The participants also did a walk-through at the stadium and LNG tanker to see how their plan would play out in action. Hostage and terrorist role-players were planted at the areas of operation, and the participants were able to exchange pointers and further refine their plan on the spot.

The SAF also took on organisational roles. Commandos MAJ Chew Ern Pau and Captain Tan Wei Liang conceptualised the scenario and also planned and facilitated the practical exercise at the stadium.

The exercise was a good platform for counter-terrorism forces in the region and beyond to build trust and cooperation, said MAJ Wee.

3rd Warrant Officer Adrian Teo, a trainer at HQ CBRE Defence Group, added: "Understanding different nations' concept of operations allows us to complement each other better if we have to work together in the future."