Office staff trained to deal with terror attack

Office workers and security staff are being trained for the front line of a terrorist attack on London.

Police are instructing an army of 1,500 reception staff and doormen to handle the aftermath of a terror strike in the City and Canary Wharf along the lines of the September 11 attack on the World Trade Center. The staff are being given lessons on how to handle crowds, evacuate large numbers of people from buildings and set up police cordons.

They will also be briefed on how the emergency services will respond to disasters or major securitythreats. Under the initiative, codenamed Operation Griffin, the office workers are being equipped with yellow high-visibility police vests, police tape to put around a crime or disaster scene, and a list of emergency numbers.

The operation is being run by the City police but will also include businesses in areas covered by the Met, such as Canary Wharf. City

Commissioner James Hart, who recently had talks with the FBI and New York police on counterterrorism tactics, said the scheme was essential to help companies cope with the aftermath of a terrorist attack or a major alert.

The City force also provides a secure telephone line for businesses to gain information on the latest threat level.

Most of the 600 already trained are security staff but some receptionists and other "front of office" workers are also being briefed.

Trained staff at major companies will also be responsible for smaller firms such as bars and sandwich shops nearby.

Mr Hart said: "They are being fully briefed about the police and the emergency services' response so they can be more helpful to us on the day that something dreadful happens, the day that we hope will never happen.

"If something does happen we can call on these people to help with basic tasks such as setting up cordons or controlling groups of people. The response we have had is terrific. There is great enthusiasm for the project."

Mr Hart said he agreed with Met Commissioner Sir John Stevens that an attack on London was inevitable, and the City was a potential target.

"There are people out there who wish to do us significant harm.

"It may well be that they do not have the capability this year or next but this problem is not going to go away. At some point someone will do us harm."

Mr Hart said it was likely that al Qaeda was carrying out reconnaissance on potential targets in London, even testing police defences by dialling 999 or leaving suspect packages.

"What we know about al Qaeda is that success is based on a thorough understanding of the target."