Posted on 12/29/2002 6:29:49 AM PST by knighthawk
LONDON: Britain will arm itself with new legislation to allow police and military to evacuate or quarantine by force large parts of London and other cities in the event of a catastrophic terrorist attack.
The special powers are likely to form part of a "civil contingencies" Bill to be published shortly.
According to the Ministry of Defence, a new 7,000-strong Civil Contingency Reaction Force, to be deployed next year to 14 regions around the UK, would have the option of carrying arms. Live ammunition could be used in major cases of unrest.
A "semi-live" test of London's ability to handle a catastrophic terrorist attack will be held next month.
The exercise, possibly involving a mock biological attack, will test the effectiveness of new command structures set up after the September 11 terrorist attacks.
The new laws will pave the way for armed police and army units to throw "health cordons" around specific areas hit by biological attack to prevent people escaping and spreading infection.
Specially trained armed police and military units, positioned at train stations and key road junctions, would have powers to deal with panic or looting and to police the new health cordons with measures such as plastic baton rounds.
The Cabinet Office on Saturday said the existing legislation was not flexible enough to deal with threats posed by modern terrorists.
"There are legal issues around the setting up of health cordons and keeping people in and out of them," a spokesman said. "The law may need to be tightened in this area and that is what is being looked at."
Professor Michael Langman, of the joint vaccination and immunisation committee, which advises on how to deal with biological warfare threats, said there were concerns that people in cities would try to leave in the face of an anthrax or smallpox attack, potentially spreading the killer infections to other cities and countries.
A government official said: "If there is an attack, we will contain and isolate the victims, then vaccinate and evacuate the community in a ring around the outbreak to create a firewall."
Quoting internal documents, The Sunday Times on Sunday reported that "a mass fatalities working group" has advised that mobile mortuaries be set up within hours of an attack. Police would turn roads into one-way routes out of the city for residents to be evacuated. The river Thames has also been identified as an escape route.
If people want on or off this list, please let me know.
Me neither. But I'm going to have to sit down with some Ordinance Survey maps and plan a cross country E and E route for my wife and I should it ever come to that. We've got some kicka$$ camping/hiking gear. Give me three kilos of spaghetti noodles and the two of us are good for two weeks on the move in relative comfort. Five kilos and I think we could make it to the Highlands cross country. There's a couple big Lochs to get across. Without being seen is the tricky bit...
throw "health cordons" around specific areas hit by biological attack to prevent people escaping and spreading infection.
Actually, that part makes more sense than the mass evacuations.
LOL
No not really. Why?
I'm an immigrant here myself. I'm also an ex-soldier. It's always handy to have a plan. It's just like carrying a small fire extinguisher or tow rope in your car. You'll probably never need it- but if needs be, you'll have it. I understand the government's position in this matter. They have a plan. But if the situation arose, and they wanted to cordone me in at gunpoint- I'd like to have at least thought about how I would get out if I felt like my survival depended upon it.
Obviously, if they were using the military and armed police to cordone the area- it wouldn't be a good idea to be seen fleeing by them. In such a situation, it seems reasonable to suppose soldiers might have lethal force authorization. Getting shot isn't my idea of a good time. I'd have to make a judgement call if the situation arose. If it seemed more likely I would catch some upleasantly lethal disease by staying put than the likelihood of being shot by soldiers trying to get out of the area- I would flee. So, this is what I was referring to.
Are you OK with that Deacon?
I appreciate the sarcasm in your post though. Thanks for giving me the benefit of the doubt and have a nice day, enjoy the rest of this year and I hope the coming year meets you with good health and prosperity.
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