Bomb memories haunt Manchester police as athletes gather
Sinead O'Hanlon
Haunted by the memory of a devastating bomb attack six years ago, Manchester's police are determined to thwart any security threat to the Commonwealth Games which start on Thursday.
The Games will be one of the biggest international events since September 11 but Assistant Chief Constable Meredydd Hughes is confident his team of specialist officers will be able to counter any threat of international or domestic attacks.
"The biggest challenge for us is to marry security with the ethos of the Commonwealth Games, which are billed as the friendly games," Hughes told Reuters on Monday.
"We've built our security plan in a different way. It's more discreet, there is a lot of activity going on under the surface."
Six years ago a massive Irish Republican Army truck bomb ripped the heart out of the city centre, injuring more than 200 people.
It paved the way for a billion pounds ($1.6 billion) regeneration project but left deep scars on the city and its residents.
Hughes said that, while there had been no specific international or domestic threat to the Games, officers were aware it was a potential target.
The Games are expected to draw one million visitors to the northern English city, including Queen Elizabeth and British Prime Minister Tony Blair, as well as many foreign dignitaries.
"Manchester police have had that experience in 1996 and it is an experience we don't want to repeat. Therefore we have planned our best efforts to prevent it recurring," said Hughes.
"We've brought in a lot of specialist services. We've got specialist search teams and support from 29 police forces here."
BLUNT NORTHERNERS
Those specialists include firearms and explosives teams, underwater searchers, aerial search teams and criminal intelligence officers.
Every inch of the city, from its sewers to its waterways, streets, alleys and public buildings, is being scoured for any sign of weapons, explosives or any other potential threat, Hughes said.
Sniffer dogs trained to seek out explosives are being used across all the Games venues, including the village housing the 6,000 athletes and the city's hotels.
While Britain's police force is famously unarmed, a significant number of officers will carry firearms, Hughes said.
But not all the police's weapons were high-tech.
Hughes said the city's best defence was its army of "blunt northerners" in the shape of the more than 1,000 police officers who would be on duty each day.
Hughes said that despite the intensive preparations, police wanted to take a low-profile role at the Games and make it as easy as possible for people to enjoy themselves.
"We've done everything in our power to plan for a safe Games. There is no information to suggest anything to the contrary," Hughes said.
"We know what we have to do and we understand how we are going to do it."
