Vic: Army aircraft to shoot down rogue planes during Games

AAP General News (Australia)
12-05-2005
Vic: Army aircraft to shoot down rogue planes during Games

By Danny Rose and Jane Bunce

MELBOURNE, Dec 5 AAP - Jet fighters and Black Hawk helicopters will be on alert to
shoot "rogue" aircraft out of Melbourne's skies during next year's Commonwealth Games.

Stringent flying restrictions throughout the 12-day event are among security measures
Victoria Police announced today, 100 days ahead of the March 15 opening ceremony.

Police Chief Commissioner and Games security head Christine Nixon said protection had
been scaled up since the Sydney 2000 Olympics to the highest level of security "ever seen
in this country".

The flight exclusion zone will cover a 40-nautical mile (about 75 kilometres) radius
from the games' main athletics venue, the MCG, taking in about 20 airports and runways
spread across the city's suburbs.

Ms Nixon said the zone would counter a potential September 11-style terrorist attack
using a hijacked aircraft or small plane.

"If someone was to stray into the area, they would be given a lot of warning and they
would be able to be dealt with, I hope, appropriately," Ms Nixon told reporters in Melbourne
today.

Asked whether shooting down a rogue aircraft was among the available options, Ms Nixon
said: "Certainly that's a possibility", adding that the decision-making process would
be suitably swift.

"That won't be something that people will have a half-hour discussion about," she said.

Victoria Police Commonwealth Games Planning Office Commander Brendan Bannan reassured
the aviation industry that routine commercial flights would continue unhindered.

"It's about protecting the airspace from rogue aircraft that are un-notified and flying
without flight plans," he said.

Ms Nixon said the heightened air security would be matched on the ground with thousands
of police, military and security personnel plus experts from interstate.

All police leave and training commitments have been cancelled, a move that boosts the
number of available officers by 25 per cent.

The security plan also includes extra vetting of international visitors, and permits
for Melbourne residents who live in streets that will be used for games-related security
purposes.

ASIO, meanwhile, are conducting counterterrorism checks on 55,000 athletes, officials
and volunteers involved in the games by comparing their names against information held
in the terrorism databases.

It is believed that families of some of the 4,500 athletes competing at next year's
Games will also be checked.

Security advisers have rated the risk of a terrorist attack during the games as medium.

Commonwealth Games chairman Ron Walker said the security plan would reassure the 90,000
interstate and overseas visitors in Melbourne for the Games that they would be adequately
protected.

"In fact, I want to say to all those people that buy tickets, every person who buys
a ticket and goes to the Commonwealth Games, knowing full well that they will be adequately
protected against any person that wants to cause them harm," he said.

Meanwhile, 100 days from the Games, Victorian Premier Steve Bracks has declared everything
on track for the biggest event in the state's history despite the massive organisational
effort and community goodwill required.

"Our venues, general infrastructure, transport planning and other logistical considerations
are on track and there is a growing sense of community excitement in the lead-up to the
Games," he said.

Some significant milestones over the next 100 days include: Games venues open day next
Sunday; and the arrival of the Queen's baton in Victoria on February 16, 2006.

The 2006 Commonwealth Games will run from March 15-26, 2006.

AAP jb/sp/jt/de

KEYWORD: COM06 NIGHTLEAD

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