Hellenic Police Headquarters
Athens, Jan. 13, 2004
Press Release
An inter-branch readiness exercise for Olympic security, code-named “Blue Odyssey 2004”, will take place on Feb. 6, 7 and 8 (Friday through Sunday). It will mark the sixth such exercise organized by the Olympic Games Security Division within the framework of preparations for security of the 2004 Olympic Games.
This wide-ranging and multi-hour exercise is based on a complex scenario involving a sequence of incidents (anti-terrorism reaction, management of repercussions/losses and a hostage situation at sea) necessitating a response to incidents of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats.
The primary locations for the holding of this exercise will be the Piraeus and Palea Fokia (SE Attica prefecture) regions, while it is stressed that citizens` daily routines will in no way be affected.
Personnel involved with the exercise will hail from the primary agencies and bodies assigned with security for the 2004 Olympic Games (Hellenic Police, the Hellenic Coast Guard, the Fire Brigade, the National Intelligence Service), the Armed Forces, as well as participation of officials from the Athens 2004 Olympic Games Organizing Committee (ATHOC), the General Secretariat for Civil Defense, the National Ambulance Service and the Greek Atomic Energy Commission. Additionally, representatives from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Transports and Communications, Health and Social Solidarity, Development, as well as cadres from the Center for Containment of Communicable Diseases and the General State Laboratory, the coroner`s office, the National Meteorological Service and the Hellenic Railroads Organization will participate.
Additionally, advisers from the United Kingdom participated in the exercise, whereas observers were on hand from the other countries serving as members of the Olympic Advisory Group (United States, Germany, France, Spain, Australia and Israel).
The goal of the exercise is to test the current operational plans; the degree of response and the overall coordination of all the relevant agencies and bodies involved with security, Olympic Games operations and civil defense to such incidents through the creation of a simulated Olympic environment of virtual incidents.
Conclusions from the exercise will be used to improve operational plans for the Olympic Games Security Program, with several exercise planned for this purpose during the first six-month period of 2004.
