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In an sight reminiscent of the Counter-Strike games, over 2,000 firearms officers from the Metropolitan Police took part in a mock terror attack in London on Tuesday.
Firearms trainers posed as terrorists armed with AK47s and bombs and simulated an attack on a shopping centre for officers to deal with. The exercise was intended to gauge the response time, accuracy and situational awareness in such a scenario involving civilian players and possibly hostages.
Although observers speculated that the exercise was a response to the Paris attacks that shook the world, officials insisted that the exercise was part of an annual training programme which had been set up months in advance of the Paris atrocities.
"Marksmen were trained to hunt and eliminate any threat if terrorist gunmen launch an attack," Assistant Commissioner Patricia Gallan said.
Rediff.com takes a look at the exercise.
Image: Firearms instructors play the role of militants during a police exercise simulating a militant attack on a shopping centre at a Metropolitan Police training program for armed officers in London. Photograph: Yui Mok/ Reuters
Image: Firearms instructors play the role of militants during a police exercise simulating a militant attack on a shopping centre at a Metropolitan Police training program for armed officers in London. Photograph: Yui Mok/ Reuters
Image: Firearms instructors play the role of militants during a police exercise simulating a militant attack on a shopping centre at a Metropolitan Police training program for armed officers in London. Photograph: Yui Mok/ Reuters
Image: Firearms instructors play the role of militants during a police exercise simulating a militant attack on a shopping centre at a Metropolitan Police training program for armed officers in London. Photograph: Yui Mok/ Reuters
Image: Firearms instructors play the role of militants during a police exercise simulating a militant attack on a shopping centre at a Metropolitan Police training program for armed officers in London. Photograph: Yui Mok/ Reuters
Image: Firearms instructors play the role of militants during a police exercise simulating a militant attack on a shopping centre at a Metropolitan Police training program for armed officers in London. Photograph: Yui Mok/ Reuters
Image: Firearms instructors play the role of militants during a police exercise simulating a militant attack on a shopping centre at a Metropolitan Police training program for armed officers in London. Photograph: Yui Mok/ Reuters
Image: Firearms instructors play the role of militants during a police exercise simulating a militant attack on a shopping centre at a Metropolitan Police training program for armed officers in London. Photograph: Yui Mok/ Reuters