ABW’s TP CoE counteracts the dangers of explosives and CBRN substances
On 22-23.06.2021, specialized units of the Internal Security Agency in cooperation with representatives of the Polish Airports’ State Enterprise (PPL) and representatives of the Fire Brigade, as well as with the participation of other uniformed services, conducted two-day exercises presenting the risks associated with the use of improvised explosives (IED) and CBRN substances by terrorist groups.
During the first day at the training ground near Warsaw, explosives were prepared based on commonly available products and articles of daily use, which were then detonated to determine the scale of possible damage caused by their use in public space.
On the second day, the vulnerability of the airport environment to the hazard substances was examined. It was assessed to which extent these substances can be used to build an IED or prepare a CBRN mixture in the restricted area of the airport. Selected chemical precursors were used to simulate the contamination of an airport bus. The above served to raise awareness of the threats and build PPL's resilience to the risks associated with the activities of extremists and terrorists.
The activities carried out by the Internal Security Agency also contributed to increasing the level of security of both airport employees and all travellers using civil aviation. The knowledge acquired in this way will be used by the officers of the ABW’s Terrorist Prevention Centre of Excellence to future more tailored joint ventures and trainings with operators and administrators of public space.