Specialist firearms officers believed to be from the South’s Counter Terrorism team have been carrying out extensive training on the Isle of Wight today (Tuesday).
A number of unmarked cars and vans were first spotted racing through the streets of Newport at around 11:00 this morning, followed by more activity in the county town at lunchtime.
With blue lights flashing and sirens blaring the elite team swooped on a ‘suspect’ vehicle on Foxes Road, near to Sainsbury’s. Counter Terrorist Specialist Firearms Officers boxed in their target vehicle at the junction with Sylvan Drive before moving on to the next scenario.
It’s known they spent time out in the West Wight too, pursuing and then containing a vehicle at Compton.
Islanders have reported seeing armed officers wearing bulletproof vests jumping out of cars – under the watchful eye of an instructor.
It’s not the 1st time that Counter Terrorism officers have descended on the Isle of Wight for training… In January 2021, a realistic exercise was conducted at the former Weston Academy in Totland.
Just 6 months later, another significant training exercise was conducted on the Island as previously reported by Island Echo.
It remains unclear why the Isle of Wight has become a hotspot for Counter Terrorism training in recent years. Perhaps it’s because their sensitive activities are out of the eyes of criminal gangs, or maybe it’s in connection with 2 recent terrorism-related arrests locally.
Hazard a guess, i’d say its both of those reasons.. local activity, and general walliness of the toss pots who think they can rule the world with fear …
They should be on the rip-off ferry’s, stopping the scumbags coming here…
If they are looking for Criminals they are the otherside of town at County Hall.
“armed officers wearing bulletproof vests jumping out of cars – under the watchful eye of an instructor”
well I’m sure after that, they’ll be half competent at jumping out of cars…
not sure about anything else, but at least they’ll have that bit sorted.
next lesson…. sliding over the bonnet, Starsky & Hutch style…
lovely little holiday isle this has become..
Package fishing off the south coast.
It’s to try to fool islanders into thinking there are a lot of police and that they are doing something to keep the UK safe. The reality is the UK has been sold to the highest bidder. They have literally sold the ground from underneath our feet. And the royals, who I am told so many times are there to keep parliament in check, do nothing and pocket a nice sum of cash as their pay off.
You were told incorrectly.
What is it with you lot extracting the pee out of the police, none of you would be saying these rather stupid comments if you needed them at any point.
Be thankful we’ve got them and what’s more I bet you would call them if you were in trouble
Have you never noticed corruption in the police force, that have criminal records and have sexual thoughts and actions??? Only to be protected by the police complaints commission??…
The very police that protect extreme Islamic protests? And arrest native British people for waving our national flag?….You need too wake up and smell the coffee….We are in very big trouble, wake up..
When you have some 150,000 police officers in U.K. yes there’s bound to be a few rotten apples,
The general public have some too
The Independent Police Complaints Commission was replaced by The Independent Office for Police Conduct in 2018.
What do the multiple question marks signify?
And you really think if you were in trouble and called them that they would even turn up?
And our comments are stupid…
The Isle of Wight; a definite breeding ground for terrorists what with all our diversity… lmao….
Was a young lad arrested this year for terrorist related offences on the island.
One arrest does not constitute a “breeding ground”