Exercise simulates terror attacks

Several persons were “killed” and several others were “injured” and “arrested” in simulated terror attacks on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota in a 36-hour full-scale all-hazard Exercise KONFITMA that will be completed today.

This year’s 5th annual KONFITMA is the biggest since the training started in 2009 because this time it includes not only Saipan but also Tinian and Rota, according to CNMI Homeland Security and Emergency Management special assistant Marvin K. Seman.

Seman said over 400 persons from local and federal enforcement and government agencies participated in the training.

Members of the Civil Support Team from Guam, Hawaii, and Alaska also joined in the annual training.

KONFITMA initially kicked off last Wednesday, May 21, on Tinian and at the Saipan airport.

Seman said two more scenarios will play out on Saipan and one on Rota this morning, Wednesday.

Seman said yesterday’s operation began at 6:40am when authorities received a call about an active shooter at the Saipan airport.

Commonwealth Ports Authority police and Department of Public Safety police responded and were able to take down the male “suspect,” who was armed with a handgun.

Seman said emergency evacuation and shelter-in-place procedures were executed during the airport operation that lasted an hour and a half.

Seman said the officers did not shoot the “suspect” and only subdued him.

No one was “ injured” in the airport shooting scenario.

The second scenario happened at 8:30am when authorities received a call about a bomb threat at Garapan Elementary School and bomb explosives at Saipan Southern High School.

At Garapan and Southern High, students were safely “evacuated” while law enforcers searched for suspects and bombs.

Between 9:15am and 9:20am, an “active shooter” was causing panic at the Commonwealth Health Center. The male “suspect,” armed with a small handgun, took hostage a cashier and a pharmacist and demanded money and drugs.

The hospital initiated a lockout procedure and immediately notified law enforcements.

The “hostage taking” happened in the pharmacy area at the main entrance of the hospital.

The “hostage taker” eventually ran to the lower parking area of the hospital where law enforcers “shot” and “wounded” him.

While the CHC incident was going, police received a call about a chemical and biological laboratory found at the Telesource building near the airport.

At this juncture, the CNMI government asked for assistance from the Civil Support Team.

While law enforcers were busy at the Telesource area, two male individuals aboard a car got down at the Garapan Fishing Base and fired several shots at the Horiguchi Building.

Federal enforcers and security personnel at Horiguchi initiated a lockout procedure and facilities security plan.

The shooters eventually made their way to a target of opportunity—a tourist bus. The terrorists detonated an explosive device that burned the bus and a couple of other vehicles. Seven persons were seen lying on the ground near the burning vehicles.

A couple of victims were “dead.” Police officers later arrested one “suspect.”

After the Fishing Base attack, three more scenarios were carried out yesterday afternoon and late at night on Saipan.

KONFITMA is a partnership between the CNMI, the U.S. Department of Defense, and various agencies to test the response capabilities of law enforcers and many agencies, not just for the incidents but also in handling the hot weather.