Course shows how to foil hijeckings and suicide bombs - Glasgow Evening Times - Saturday 29 September 2007

A TRAINING course on terror attack survival is being held in Glasgow today.

Ordinary members of the public are expected to flock to the training event to learn tactics like twarting a hijacking attempt and escaping a suicide bomber.

The course, the first of its kind in the UK, is being staged just three months after the unsuccessful suicide attack on Glasgow Airport and extremists' failed attempt to detonate two car bombs in London.

Experts from 360 Defence, a Scottish-based security company, designed the one-day course using techniques previously reserved for law enforcement agencies and corporate clients.

Participants will be given advice on issues such as recognising suspected attackers during the eight-hour class.

Simon Leila, who has been involved on the security industry for 25 years, said "We are not trying to create a panic but the reality is we live in a society where bad things can happen. "Anybody who thought it wouldn't happen here was given a wake-up call by the recent Glasgow and London attacks"

"We want to teach people to be more aware and how to spot potential threats. The police can't be everywhere so we all have to keep our eyes open, wits about us and proactively report any suspicious behaviour.

"The threat of terrorists hitting targets anywhere in the UK has never been higher and people need to know what to do" he continued.

"During the Glasgow airport incident, if the car had exploded as planned, many of those people who stood around taking photographs on their mobile phones would have been killed or at least seriously injured."

The course takes place at the Glasgow Centre and will feature role playing in mock scenarios with pyrotechnic versions of improvised explosive devices and chemical and dirty bombs.

A spokeswoman for Strathclyde Police said officers had met organisers of the course for a demonstration of the skills which would be taught and they had no objections to the event.

Professor Paul Wilkinson, head of terrorism studies at St Andrews University, said: "There is room for this type of course and we just have to accept there are going to be people who encounter these problems.

"There is a case for increasing liaison between the public and private sector in emergency planning."