Counter-terrorism exercise held at Sports Hub for the first time; post-blast work highlighted
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SINGAPORE – There could have been more casualties after armed terrorists “detonated” two bombs during a concert at the Singapore Sports Hub, if not for the quick work of the authorities.
A third bomb, found under a spectator’s seat in the stadium, was neutralised by a remote-controlled bomb disposal robot from the Singapore Armed Forces’ (SAF) Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Explosive Defence Group (CBRE).
On April 15, Exercise Heartbeat, a counter-terrorism and emergency preparedness exercise, was held at the Sports Hub for the first time.
It was organised by the Singapore Police Force (SPF), supported by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) and the SAF, in collaboration with Kallang Alive Sport Management.
Over 180 people had participated in the exercise, including personnel from SPF, SCDF and SAF, as well as volunteers and students who were role players.
The exercise’s organisers also showcased for the first time the police officers involved in the post-blast investigations (PBI).
One scenario in Exercise Heartbeat at Singapore Sports Hub involved a bomb detonated near a parked car.
ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI
After a bomb was detonated near a parked car, the PBI team looked for clues by taking photographs and forensic swabs, which could point to the composition and construction of the bomb.
They were also hoping to find forensic intelligence that can be used to quickly identify perpetrators.
Observing the exercise at the Sports Hub was Minister of State for Home Affairs Sun Xueling, along with senior officers from SPF, SCDF and SAF.
Commander of Bedok Police Division Justin Wong (left) and Minister of State for Home Affairs Sun Xueling (centre) meeting participants of Exercise Heartbeat 2025 on April 15.
ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI
She said the exercise demonstrated the close collaboration between government agencies, premise owners and the community in dealing with a terror incident.
“This exercise has been a useful way to shore up our readiness and confidence to respond to threats at a major concert and event venue, which would involve a large mass of people,” said Ms Sun.
“We all have a role to play in combating potential terror attacks. We must all stay vigilant, learn emergency preparedness skills and also build close relationships in the community.”
In the exercise scenario, the organisers of a concert received an anonymous bomb threat, and the first bomb explosion rocked the concert venue, sending fragments flying from the burning stage.
A bomb under a spectator’s seat being neutralised during the exercise.
ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI
Chaos erupted almost immediately, with screaming fans running towards the exits. A few who were injured were trapped when gunmen began walking down the aisle, shooting at fleeing concert-goers.
Some concert-goers used their mobile phones to alert the authorities about the terror attack, which is a key aspect of SGSecure’s advisory “Run, Hide, Tell”.
After the SPF’s Ground Response Force arrived and overwhelmed the gunmen, SCDF paramedics wearing kevlar helmets and ballistic-resistant vests attended to the casualties under a protective police cordon.
The fire on the stage was extinguished by an unmanned fire-fighting robot.
Two previous Heartbeat exercises were also conducted in areas with large numbers of people, One Punggol lifestyle hub and the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) West.
Zaihan Mohamed Yusof is senior crime correspondent at The Straits Times.
