NEWSFLASH UPDATE: Reserve Bank Bomb Scare

Thursday, 18 March 2004, 10:05 am
Article: Alastair Thompson

1. A police sergeant spoken to by Scoop says this is not an exercise as far as he is aware. Conincidentally a major Counter terrorism exercise starts next Monday.
( See... http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/AK0403/S00142.htm)

2. Police say a press release will be issued shortly concerning the blast.

3. Police told Radio New Zealand a suspicious box was delivered to the bank this morning and that the bomb squad is on the way to the scene.

…and…

4. Update from someone [A Scoop Reader] who walks past...

At 8:30, The terrace was blocked off from Bowen through to about Aurora Tce. However, pedestrians are able to walk up Woodward St to the terrace and none were blocked from walking right beside the Reserve Bank building this morning. We were just directed to go down Bowen rather than along the Terrace. Traffic was being diverted down Ballantrae place, through to Hill street behind the Parliamentary library, a more scenic route.

Occupants of office buildings in the area were still milling around the street at the lower end of the terrace, leading to the thought that the evacuation wasn't being taken seriously enough by building wardens and emergency services. Or the traditional kiwi attitude of "she'll be right" was prevalent.

Interestingly, not one person was asked to turn off their cell phone, although many of us were obviously texting and calling from them. If it is recommended that they are turned off when around demolition yards for fear of igniting devices, then why was our constabulary so lapse as to not have foresight here? Is it because the scare wasn't considered a real threat or is there something at risk when turning off a cellphone. Devices can be remote controlled, therefore any radio wave could, theoretically, set off the device.

The rumour on the street is that the device is aimed at overseas representative office housed in the building, not the Bank itself. But as with all hearsay, a grain of salt is required.

(continuing….)

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Alastair Thompson

Scoop Publisher

Alastair Thompson is the co-founder of Scoop. He is of Scottish and Irish extraction and from Wellington, New Zealand. Alastair has 24 years experience in the media, at the Dominion, National Business Review, North & South magazine, Straight Furrow newspaper and online since 1997. He is the winner of several journalism awards for business and investigative work.

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