Ambassador
Ambassador Event
AMBASSADOR WAYNE DONATES ANTI-TERRORISM EQUIPMENT TO ARGENTINE FEDERAL POLICE
August 5, 2008
Ambassador Wayne donated anti-terrorism equipment valued at U.S. $100,000 to the Argentine Federal Police Department on August 5. The donation is part of a joint program developed by the Embassy and the Office of Anti-Terrorism Assistance (ATA) in Washington, DC. The program for Argentina includes anti-terrorism training and equipment for the Ministry of Justice and police and security forces.
The equipment includes two bomb suits for PFA’s Explosives Unit valued at U.S. $30,000 each; hostage negotiations equipment and a target/range kit for PFA’s Counter-Terrorist/SWAT Unit; and post blast investigations kit for PFA’s Anti-Terrorism Investigations Unit.
“We are committed to strengthening and deepening cooperation with the Argentine government and its security forces”, said the Ambassador during the donation ceremony. Members of the Argentine Police Department headed by Arturo Hector Jesus Martinez, Chief of PFA’s Explosive Unit, participated in the ceremony. Mr. Martinez gave thanks for the donation, highlighting that the equipment are “tools for peace” to combat terrorist crime.
Ambassador mentioned in his speech the first in-country training course on Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Emergency Response Operations conducted in April 2008, and announced two upcoming courses. The next one will be a Senior Crisis Management seminar in Washington, D.C. on September 14 – 19, 2008, for senior members of the Ministry of Justice and its forces. The seminar is conducted at American University by top notch faculty from around the world. In late October 2008 a course on Critical Incident Management Course will be conducted in Argentina, focusing on the management areas of policy planning, coordination, response management and use of force.
