The Garda's most secretive units have teamed with cops from all over Europe to run a major anti-terror exercise that started in Dublin.
Officers from the National Surveillance and the Emergency Response units played a key role in exercise Firestorm, that involved officers from eight other countries, including Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. The special operation was held in secret in several European countries between March 6 and 9 – and details have only now been released by gardai and Europol, the EU’s policing agency.
The operation was aimed at honing the skills of specialist surveillance and SWAT officers – like the NSU and ERU. The exercise began in Ireland, when fictional terrorists were spotted by NSU officers and tailed to Dublin Airport.
