Nipping terror threat in bud

Bombs and snipers are believed to be the main security threats as police, defence personnel and spies gear up for their biggest operation.

The police specialist search group will comb every Apec venue and hotel for bombs in the days before the arrival of foreign and trade ministers, and then the leaders this weekend.

Counter-sniper members of the police special tactics group will be stationed on the roofs of hotels hosting leaders, and the main venues including the Auckland Museum and the Auckland Town Hall.

More extreme threats have also been prepared for. An Air Force Iroquois team, using night-vision goggles, has been in intensive training for several months in case it is needed for a counter-terrorist mission during the summit.

And defence personnel have been practising decontamination procedures in the event of terrorists attacking hotels with gas or chemical weapons.

An earlier plan to moor the naval frigate Canterbury at a downtown berth for use as an emergency decontamination centre has been dropped.

Apec police commander Detective Superintendent Peter Marshall said the preparations had been based on intelligence gathered on threat assessments.

But he would not discuss such intelligence "in any shape or form.

"We believe we are prepared."