Terrorism in Hong Kong: city’s uniformed services tackle home-made explosives and toxic gas as part of combined unit’s first drill

Hong Kong being attacked with home-made explosives and toxic chemical gas were among the scenarios as 270 officers in six disciplined services took part in an anti-terrorism drill on Monday.

The intelligence-led operation, code-named Powersky, took place in Lei Yue Mun Park in Shau Kei Wan in the afternoon and involved neutralising a terrorist cell of four individuals.

It was the first exercise conducted since the Interdepartmental Counter Terrorism Unit was established last April.

The deputy security minister, Sonny Au Chi-kwong, said it was important to enhance coordination among the unit and its member departments.

Au stressed that while there was no specific intelligence to suggest Hong Kong was a likely target, public awareness of counterterrorism should be heightened.

“The volatile and rapidly evolving terrorist landscape poses a heightened threat to global security,” Au said, adding the current terrorist threat level in Hong Kong remained moderate.

“That said, as an international city, Hong Kong is not immune from the global threat of terrorism.”

The three-part simulation exercise began in February, when the customs authority and Fire Services Department seized a batch of illicit petrol and a large quantity of precursor chemicals for making explosives. They arrested a fictional suspect called “Ah Kuen” and referred the case to the cross-departmental counterterrorism unit to follow up.

Hong Kong’s anti-terrorism task force goes to Xinjiang to study local methods

During the imprisonment of the suspect, correctional officers found an exercise book with explosive-related drawings and the name of another suspect, “Carlos”.

Customs later intercepted another suspect, named “Ah Sum”, and found a book with extremist content in his possession.

Meanwhile, immigration officers picked up a female visitor entering the city with a fake travel document. An email with contact details for “Ah Sum” was found on her.

The unit believed the four individuals belonged to the same terrorist group and intended to launch an attack in Hong Kong using home-made explosives.

“After collating and analysing the intelligence, the unit found the terrorist cell’s hideout and coordinated various operational units to neutralise the cell on Monday,” said senior superintendent of police, Winna Leung Wing-sheung, who was also in charge of the unit.

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During Monday’s drill, the interdepartmental Counter Terrorism Unit asked customs to examine a suspected cargo truck at the scene for explosives using mobile X-ray and a sniffer dog.

Meanwhile, supported by the Government Flying Service, officers from the Special Duties Unit, also known as the “Flying Tigers”, armed with MP5 submachine guns, raided the terrorist hideout and neutralised two terrorists.

Separately, but also part of the drill, another two terrorists attempted to flee. Armed counterterrorism officers subdued the suspects, but one released toxic chemical gas during the confrontation.

Officers from the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Bureau defused the potential chemical and radiological threats, while firefighters from the Hazardous Material Team carried out decontamination procedures for affected civilians.

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Hong Kong’s first anti-terrorism task force was established last April to boost the city’s preparedness and capability in light of global terror threats and attacks. The task force was announced by Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor in her policy address in October 2017.

Headed by the Security Bureau, the unit comprises 43 officers from six disciplined services – police, customs, immigration, correctional services, the fire services authority and the Government Flying Service.

Au led the task force to China’s north-western region of Xinjiang in December to study how their counterparts there had tackled extremists. The visit took place against the backdrop of international calls to investigate mass internment centres for Muslim minorities in the region.