MINISTRY OF PUBLIC ORDER
PRESS OFFICE
Athens, 9-2-04
PRESS RELEASE
Blue Odyssey 2004, the code name of a three day joint Exercise for the Security of the Olympic Games, was successfully completed yesterday, Sunday February the 8th 2004. The Exercise was organized by the Security of the Olympic Games Division and it falls in the general planning for the preparation of the Summer Olympics Games 2004.
1.967 Officers and Personnel from 20 Agencies, as well as 120 Greek and Foreign Observants, took part in the Exercise. Specifically, there was participation of all Agencies involved in the Security of the Olympic Games (the Hellenic Police, the Coast Guard, the Fire Brigade and the National Intelligence Service) the Hellenic Military Forces. There were also participants from the Athens Organizing Committee, (Athoc «Αthens 2004»), the Secretariat of Civil Protection, the Emergency Medical National Center and the Hellenic Atomic Energy Committee. In addition there were participants of the Foreign Affairs Ministry, the Ministry of Public Health, the Ministry of Transportation and, the Ministry of Development as well as personnel from the Hellenic Center for Infectious Diseases Control, the General Chemical Laboratory, the Medical Coronary Agency, the National Meteorological Service and of the Hellenic Railroad.
The countries of the Olympic Consulting Team (USA, United Kingdom Germany, France, Spain, Australia, Israel) as well as the countries of Russia, Japan and Holland, also participated by sending Observants for the Exercise. It is also worth to mention that Mr. Santiago De Sicart member of the International Olympic Committee also participated as an observant. There were also representatives of all sponsors of the Olympic Games.
The Exercise adjusted to a mock Olympic Environment, began at first with a steady flow of information that something was about to happen. A series of events-of different nature and climax- in conjunction with many incoming calls by all participating Agencies to the General Security Division (Main Command Center) led gradually to the second phase of the Exercise. This phase took place during the early hours of Saturday February the 7th, when there was a mock chemical gas explosion took place at the Railroad Station in the port of Piraeus. This mock explosion, set in action the plan that had been laid out beforehand in case there was a Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear (C.B.R.N) threat. In this critical «for the Security of the Olympic Games» environment there was also a mock hostage situation at a sail boat right off the rocky coast of Palea Fokea about 30 miles from Athens.
In order to face off effectively all these incidents, there was a gradual escalation of all tactical and strategic actions taken by all involved Agencies.
In the third phase that began on Saturday evening, the Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear (C.B.R.N) threat was ended with the coordination of all units involved in this case, namely, the Antiterrorist Unit of the Hellenic Police, the Special Units of the Fire Brigade and the Special joint force of the Hellenic Military forces n for Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear (C.B.R.N) threats.
The third phase was concluded during the early morning hours of Sunday Friday the 8th when armed men of the Coast Guard Special Forces, the Underwater Team Mission (combat divers),in an operational attack, carefully planned, reoccupied attacked the sail boat releasing the hostages.
Blue Odyssey 2004, was deemed successful according to everybody involved in all fields that were tested and its results that will emerge during the evaluation at the aftermath of the Exercise will be used and help to modify and adjust all operational plan for the Security of the Olympic Games.
For more information please contact: Tel.: 210 6924558
Fax: 210 6929764
E-Mail: elasgrty@mopo.gr
