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 (Augusta)April 22nd - September 11th 2001 marks the beginning of a new era for the whole world, the Twin Towers attack in New York gave birth to a global consciousness against the international terrorism. For this reason, starting from that day, all countries in the World have joint their efforts to defend themselves from such attacks. The Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI), including Italy and thirteen other nations, has been created on this purpose. The "Clever Sentinel" drill final phase was carried out today in Augusta. The drill had been started on April 13th, and the aircraft phase took place from 19th to 22nd under the Italian logistic control. The President of the Council has coordinated the prohibition simulation together with five Ministries: the Foreign Affairs, the Interior (Civil Defence and Firemen), Defence, Finance (Customs Agency), Transports and Infrastructures (Coast-guard) Ministries. The drill was meant to activate the commitment signed by the nations attending the PSI, against the proliferation of the weapons of mass destruction business. About ten aircraft means were used during the drill: a refuelling vessel, the Etna; a fighter, the Ardito; a frigate, the Bersagliere; an aircraft patrol, the Atlantic, from the Italian Navy, which has also offered a special team of the Comsubin air raiders.  Some additional means from the other countries were completing the group: an aircraft patrol and a frigate, the Courbert, from France; a frigate, the Van Speijk, from Holland; a frigate, the Infanta Elena, from Spain; an aircraft patrol, the P3C and a fighter, the Gonzales, from United States. The drill set involved the interception, convoy and boarding of a vessel, suspected of transporting some materials required for the weapon of mass construction; then the inspection and sequestration of the load and the hijacking to a seaport, in this case to the Augusta port. A team of international observers was on board of the Etna. The final phase of the drill has been performed in the commercial area squares, with an impressive deployment of police, the Italian State Police, the Carabinieri, the Customs and Inland Revenue Service and the Coast Guard, all in the presence of the Prefect, Mr. Francesco Alecci. In the organization of such operations, he was the point of convergence of all people attending. The main protagonists of the final phase were the Firemen, with their special units in charge for the radioactivity survey and the control measures in case of bacteriological attacks detection. The Firemen have arranged the decontamination areas, controlling and preventing any possible ground contamination. The Port Authority of Augusta, according to their territorial competence, has followed up the business area logistics. Such event has fixed the world's eyes on the Augusta Seaport; it has been a good occasion to call the attention on the probable war scenes connected to the international terrorism, waiting for the imminent introduction, on July 1st , of the new security measures within the seaports, with the help of technical means and equipment, which make possible very careful controls on the goods transported into containers. A briefing was held on board of the Etna at the end of the drill. All authorities and people taking part to the intervention plan foreseen by the PSI were attending. We hope that thanks to the organization of such important event, linked to security, the Frontier-Police office, suppressed about twenty years ago, when the international tensions were very different from the current ones, can be opened again in the Augusta seaport, in order to guarantee better controls within the port, compared to the past. Gianni D'Anna
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