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Police apologise for "Allahu Akbar" being shouted at fake terror attack

A training exercise at a shopping centre in Manchester last night aimed to put emergency services through their paces.

terror - 2 Sky News Sky News

Updated 1.45pm

POLICE IN MANCHESTER have apologised after a man was shown shouting an Islamic religious phrase during a mock terror attack.

The trial run of a terror attack was taking place in the city’s Trafford Centre and was aimed at giving emergency services a chance to deal with a simulated situation.

To begin the training a man posing as a suicide bomber entered through the front of the shopping centre and shouted “Allahu Akbar”, before detonating an explosion pack around five feet away from where he was standing – something aimed at replicating a suicide bomb attack.

Following footage of the incident being broadcast this morning, commentators took to social media to question why it was necessary for the phrase to be used.

Greater Manchester Police swiftly responded to the incident, saying that the “exercise is based on a suicide attack by an extremist Daesh-style organisation and the scenario writers have centred the circumstances around previous similar attacks of this nature.”

However, on reflection we acknowledge that it was unacceptable to use this religious phrase immediately before the mock suicide bombing, which so vocally linked this exercise with Islam. We recognise and apologise for the offence that this has caused.

Images released earlier of the the exercise show that it was carried out with startling realism.

More than five months planning had gone into the trial run, and local residents were warned beforehand to expect loud noises and emergency service activity in the area.

Around 800 volunteers were involved.

Manchester anti-terror exercise What the inside of the Trafford Centre looks like on a normal day Dave Thompson / PA Wire Dave Thompson / PA Wire / PA Wire

Hundreds of volunteers – covered in blood and screaming for realism – are seen in the footage rushing around the shopping centre in groups to flee from the attacker.

Police terror exercise Sean Hansford / PA Wire Sean Hansford / PA Wire / PA Wire

The only thing signposting that the event wasn’t for real were the red ear-mufflers being worn – used to protect volunteers against the noise of the blank rounds being fired by police.

The exercise got underway at midnight last night and is part of three days of practice for Merseyside Police, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue and the North West Ambulance Service.

terror - 3 Sky News Sky News

The Trafford Centre is the second largest in the United Kingdom, and will open for business as usual this morning.

Further training exercises will take place today and tomorrow at locations across the north west of England.

First published 08.15am 

Read: Professor interrogated after passenger reports him for doing maths on plane

Also: French TV channel broadcasts gruesome video of apparent Paris café suicide bombing

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144 Comments
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    Mute Nigel Hayden
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    Jul 17th 2021, 12:19 AM

    I still wear a mask, just because you’re vaccinated doesn’t mean you should take chances, there are still people everyday in my local shop going in unmasked which pisses me off .

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    Mute Robert Clifford
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    Jul 17th 2021, 12:39 AM

    @Nigel Hayden: Perhaps they’re going in unmasked because they’re fully vaccinated.

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    Mute Rob Foley
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    Jul 17th 2021, 12:42 AM

    @Robert Clifford: nah

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    Mute alan hickey
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    Jul 17th 2021, 1:27 AM

    @Nigel Hayden: well if you have your mask on your grand then

    33
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    Mute Craic_a_tower
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    Jul 17th 2021, 1:57 AM

    @Robert Clifford: 1 in 20 people diagnosed with covid have been fully vaccinated. Half of those who got covid have long term effects on health. So no if you are vaccinated you aren’t safe for yourself or those around you. Wear a mask, very very very simple.

    143
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    Mute Teresa O'Halloran
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    Jul 17th 2021, 2:27 AM

    @Robert Clifford: you wear a mask to protect others, not to protect yourself.

    122
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    Mute Jacqueline berry
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    Jul 17th 2021, 5:26 AM

    @Robert Clifford: can’t they still carry covid and spread it to those that aren’t yet vaccinated?

    53
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    Mute Graham McNamara
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    Jul 17th 2021, 5:28 AM

    @Craic_a_tower: I do wear a mask but by your statement we shall be wearing masks forever

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    Mute Kevin Thompson
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    Jul 17th 2021, 5:55 AM

    @alan hickey: wearing your mask has little protection for you, it is worn to protect other people.

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    Mute Hear me now
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    Jul 17th 2021, 6:23 AM

    @Nigel Hayden: perhaps they have a medical condition

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    Mute Keith Blackmore
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    Jul 17th 2021, 6:40 AM

    @Nigel Hayden: your choice, their choice, live with it

    42
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    Mute Charles Coughlan
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    Jul 17th 2021, 7:10 AM

    @Nigel Hayden: Not wearing masks indoors is pure selfishness, that includes the wan’s who’s masks are deliberately worn incorrectly, people who cant wear masks can always wear face shields.

    64
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    Mute Charles Coughlan
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    Jul 17th 2021, 7:12 AM

    @Hear me now: Not a valid excuse, wear a face shield

    32
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    Mute lelookcoco
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    Jul 17th 2021, 7:51 AM

    @Hear me now: Only if arrogance is now a medical condition

    43
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    Mute Dave O'Keeffe
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    Jul 17th 2021, 8:42 AM

    It’s incredible that 16 months in some people still don’t know the basics.

    36
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    Mute Effrafax of Wug
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    Jul 17th 2021, 9:04 AM

    @Robert Clifford: what’s that got to do with it?

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    Mute Effrafax of Wug
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    Jul 17th 2021, 9:06 AM

    @alan hickey: a year and a half in and you still don’t get that the mask is to protect others, not you.

    28
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    Mute Sara McS
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    Jul 17th 2021, 10:05 AM

    @Kevin Thompson: over a year into mask wearing and some people still don’t get this.

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    Mute Craic_a_tower
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    Jul 17th 2021, 12:29 PM

    @Graham McNamara: yes that is possible. The reality doesn’t change because you don’t like it. They introduced safety belts and people have to use them all the time, you brush your teeth daily, you eat daily…. Risks do not disappear because you couldn’t be bothered

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    Mute Robert Clifford
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    Jul 17th 2021, 12:35 AM

    Mask wearing in Ireland is slipping and mask wearing should slip to the point where you should be old enough and responsible enough to make a choice as to whether you would feel more comfortable wearing one in any given surrounding. Let’s call a spade a spade here. Nobody wants or likes wearing them. They serve very little purpose and only symbolise quite frankly a daft adherence to a set of rules that nobody on either side of the fence has any real grasp of.

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    Mute Paul Furey
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    Jul 17th 2021, 12:50 AM

    @Robert Clifford: looks like you don’t understand.

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    Mute mar
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    Jul 17th 2021, 12:58 AM

    @Robert Clifford: It should be clear to everyone by now that masks do sfa.

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    Mute Robert Clifford
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    Jul 17th 2021, 1:20 AM

    @Paul Furey: Looks like I don’t understand. The Oracle has spoken.

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    Mute Gavin Linden
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    Jul 17th 2021, 1:29 AM

    @mar: unfortunately masks do something, they indicate compliance…….!

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    Mute Craic_a_tower
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    Jul 17th 2021, 1:59 AM

    @Robert Clifford: you don’t get to make the choice for me and you don’t see how selfish your view is because you don’t like restrictions. Luckily dangers like fires have visible light and heat to stop you sitting on a fire.

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    Mute Paul Mcnevin
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    Jul 17th 2021, 2:01 AM

    @Robert Clifford: You don’t understand, they serve a purpose.

    56
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    Mute Ger
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    Jul 17th 2021, 4:55 AM

    @Robert Clifford: in fairness you don’t need to be “an oracle” to find fault and see the bs in your comments on this app. Just a basic grasp of science will do.

    54
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    Mute Dave O'Keeffe
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    Jul 17th 2021, 8:44 AM

    @Robert Clifford: masks reduce spread, it’s as simple as that. Your complete ignorance of the science on the issue isn’t a defense 16 months into this.

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    Mute Effrafax of Wug
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    Jul 17th 2021, 9:19 AM

    @Robert Clifford: honestly, your understanding the of the issue is child-like.
    “you should be old enough and responsible enough to make a choice as to whether you would feel more comfortable wearing one in any given surrounding”. Thats like telling a child they can pee anywhere they like so long as THEY feel comfortable with It. Have you given up on living in a society then? What other areas of collective social responsibility have you given up on? Maybe your the kind of person who likes to park in Handicap spaces without a blue badge, but goes mental when someone parks in that public space right outside you house? Fly tipping is probably okay with you, so long as it helps you get rid of that pesky mattress and it’s nowhere near your house, right?

    31
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    Mute Sean O'Doherty
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    Jul 17th 2021, 9:35 AM

    @Effrafax of Wug: Eh, it’s not “handicap”. It’s disabled. And even that term is outdated.

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    Mute Charles Coughlan
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    Jul 17th 2021, 10:45 AM

    @mar: Social media qualifications?

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    Mute ShaneO'Mac
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    Jul 17th 2021, 1:08 AM

    Older people have been protected. Let’s move on with lives now.

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    Mute Craic_a_tower
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    Jul 17th 2021, 2:01 AM

    @ShaneO’Mac: the young people are getting sick and half with long term effects. If you want to kill off the young we should listen to you

    104
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    Mute Kevin Thompson
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    Jul 17th 2021, 5:59 AM

    @ShaneO’Mac: the 60-70 year olds will be done in the next couple of days, bit still need 15 days more for second dose to fully work.

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    Mute Effrafax of Wug
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    Jul 17th 2021, 9:44 AM

    @ShaneO’Mac: yeah let’s do that
    BBC News – Why are so many babies dying of Covid-19 in Brazil?
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-56696907

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    Mute Darren Lambe
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    Jul 17th 2021, 6:17 AM

    As of July 19th, vaccinated people arriving from Britian no longer have to quarantine or take a pcr test 72 hours in advance of arrival. Mask wearing or lack of , is the least of our problems when the powers that be are making decisions like this.

    55
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    Mute Colin
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    Jul 17th 2021, 12:10 AM

    If/When Pfizer and Astra wear off are we bolloxed? I think the masks are here to stay

    50
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    Mute Seán Ó Briain
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    Jul 17th 2021, 12:46 AM

    @Colin: No, we will have a booster to deal with the new variants. We’ll also have new therapeutics that will probably stop the virus from replicating for those who get infected. A tablet you can take to stop you developing symptoms. There’s billions going into covid research, so there will be a light at the end of the tunnel.

    99
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    Mute Hugo Bugo
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    Jul 17th 2021, 1:58 AM

    @Seán Ó Briain: some of ye are definitely walking towards the light

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    Mute Ger
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    Jul 17th 2021, 5:02 AM

    @Colin: booster shots will probably be needed for another year or two until we get enough of the planet vaccinated. There will be more mutations but hopefully they will lessen the severity of the virus as vaccines start winning the battle worldwide. Viruses usually lose potency as they mutate to survive. This one doesn’t need to yet, although there are some reports suggesting that delta may not be quite as severe as previous varients and just much more transmissible. But make no mistake, we won’t beat this virus until the whole planet does and while we are looking like having a vaccine uptake in mid 90 percentile here there are plenty of countries that will do well to get half that without making them compulsory.

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    Mute Darren Lambe
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    Jul 17th 2021, 5:22 AM

    @Ger: A compulsory vaccine? What happened to freedom of choice?

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    Mute Ger
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    Jul 17th 2021, 6:17 AM

    @Darren Lambe: I never said what my opinion on compulsory vaccines so stop trying to make an argument where there isn’t one. I’m just saying that some countries will inevitably go that way if there isn’t a large enough uptake. France is considering it according to Macron last week. One of the central Asian countries, I’m blanking on which one at the minute, has already made them mandatory. The argument that they will use is that if there is not enough vaccinated people in their country then they can’t reopen it safely. There are lots of vaccines out there that are already mandatory, if you want to travel to certain countries or work in certain professions. This is no different. If we want to get back to normal we need to vaccinate for our sake and for the sake of those around us.

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    Mute Charles Coughlan
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    Jul 17th 2021, 7:14 AM

    @Hugo Bugo: @Hugo Bugo: The remainder are unwashed Trumpafarians.

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    Mute AA
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    Jul 17th 2021, 10:03 AM

    @Seán Ó Briain: great positive comment Sean. Love it. Thanks

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    Mute William Tallon
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    Jul 17th 2021, 12:35 AM

    This growing trend towards the gradual emaskulation of the population is bound to give a lot of men pause for thought…

    39
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    Mute Charles Coughlan
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    Jul 17th 2021, 7:17 AM

    @William Tallon: Ive read that some men view wearing masks as a threat to their masculinity :-)

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    Mute Stephen Grehan
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    Jul 17th 2021, 2:11 AM
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    Mute Paul Cunningham
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    Jul 17th 2021, 9:45 AM

    @Stephen Grehan: she deserved it

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    Mute Ronan McKeon
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    Jul 17th 2021, 10:09 AM

    Some dope in the vaccination centre the other day kept taking her mask off to make video calls and another hadn’t their nose covered. What hope is there for us?

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    Mute Dave O'Keeffe
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    Jul 18th 2021, 6:34 AM

    Let’s be clear here, this cannot be accurate. People who wear masks under their nose would say they wear masks and the many people that “forget” their masks would say they wear them too

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