China has formed 40 "crack forces" to fight possible terrorism activities and prevent nuclear and other radioactive accidents during the Beijing Olympics.
BEIJING: China has formed 40 "crack forces" to fight possible terrorism activities and prevent nuclear and other radioactive accidents during the Beijing Olympics.
The anti-terrorism teams would take steps to counter terrorism, including biological attacks, and bombings, state media reported.
The teams, including 188 experts, would also be on alert round the clock from July one against chemical accidents or spreading of infections, it said.
The teams are equipped with satellite communication vehicles which would transmit live footage of any accident site to the headquarters to enable distance evaluation on any accident, state-run Xinhua news agency said citing a report in the 'Beijing Times' newspaper.
The report, quoting a source with Beijing municipal health bureau, said the command and control headquarters in the municipal government had installed a network monitoring for radioactive elements and inert gas leaks.
Besides, emergency rooms and outpatient desks in city-wide hospitals would immediately report any cases related to severe infectious diseases, such as severe acute respiratory syndrome and cholera.
Contingency plans are also in place for public health threats.
A four-colour threat system, with red indicating the gravest threat, is expected to be publicised, it said.
Four days ago, Chinas postal service suspended mailing liquid parcels and a few other materials as part of ramped up security measures for the Beijing Olympics.
Chinese aviation authority also recently imposed a ban on carrying liquid in baggage on domestic flights as a safety measure.
Security for the Olympics has been given top priority with authorities identifying terrorism as the "biggest threat" to the Games.
The head of Interpol Ronald Noble warned in Beijing recently that an attempted act of terrorism was a "real possibility" and China must be prepared for a possible strike by al-Qaeda or some other terrorist groups during Olympics.
China's Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) said recently that it is fully gearing itself up to handle any emergency during the Beijing Olympics with its plans that included preventing potential nuclear, biological or chemical attacks.
Land, Navy and air forces would "participate in safeguarding the Games", a top official of the PLA Command Team for Beijing Olympic Security Work said earlier.
Ministry of Public Security had also earlier reported foiled plots to crash a Beijing-bound passenger aircraft and carry out bomb attacks on hotels and government offices in the Chinese capital and other cities and kidnap foreign tourists, journalists and athletes during Olympics.
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