In Cyprus, officials from Algeria to Iraq train to keep WMD from crossing their borders

LARNACA, Cyprus -- From arsenic acold arsenic Algeria, Iraq and Georgia, an assortment of elder authorities officials converge connected this mini installation for training by apical U.S. experts to forestall nan kinds of materials utilized to build weapons of wide demolition from crossing their borders.

In conscionable its third twelvemonth of operation, nan U.S.-funded Cyprus Centre for Land, Open Seas and Port Security (CYCLOPS) has acold exceeded expectations. From nan twelve courses that officials were initially hoping to clasp annually, request has skyrocketed, pinch scheduled training sessions for adjacent twelvemonth expected to surpass 50, says nan center’s head Chrysilios Chrysiliou.

So far, complete 2,000 officials from 20 countries including Yemen, Libya, Armenia and Ukraine, person received training connected radiological and atomic discovery for customs officers, methods of smuggling weapons of wide destruction, and chemic coercion investigations among a big of different topics.

On Monday, a group of Cypriot and Egyptian officials started a two-day seminar connected maritime cybersecurity led by nan U.S.-based Sandia National Laboratories.

“This characteristic has really brought ... a batch of occurrence which could not had been foreseen erstwhile Cyclops was initially being created,” Chrysiliou told nan Associated Press.

According to Chrysiliou, cardinal to nan center’s occurrence has been nan top-notch level of instruction participants person from U.S.-based experts, including from nan Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and nan Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, that specialize successful counter-proliferation programs.

The halfway besides boasts an array of nan latest successful cutting-edge detectors capable to sniff retired radiological, chemic and biologic agents and explosives that countries successful nan wider region don’t person aliases person entree to.

“Here, nan participants person nan opportunity to spot nan latest exertion successful in detecting each of nan scope of nan threats,” said Chrysiliou. “It’s for illustration a showcase of what exists retired successful nan market.”

For instance, trainees are taught connected really to observe and decently dispose of nan radiological elements of discarded aesculapian instrumentality that militants could usage to manner a weapon. Another emerging threat is nan imaginable usage of off-the-shelf drones to disperse chemic aliases biologic agents complete populated centers.

CYCLOPS has been nan merchandise of ever-closer Cypriot-U.S. defense and information ties, earning plaudits from U.S. officials each nan measurement up to nan White House. During Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides’ gathering pinch U.S. President Joe Biden past week, nan halfway figured prominently arsenic an illustration of enhanced bilateral information cooperation.

The halfway was built connected a $7 cardinal U.S. authorities grant, $2 cardinal of which was for nan acquisition of separator information equipment. The land nation's proximity to nan Middle East was seen arsenic an plus to helping train officials from nan region, whose options for specified training would different beryllium very limited. The Cypriot authorities has secured different $5.6 cardinal successful European Union backing to grow nan halfway and acquisition further high-tech equipment.

“There’s specified a immense liking by different agencies of nan U.S. and nan U.N. too, because they person seen nan worth of utilizing CYCLOPS because of its proximity to their neighboring countries,” Chrysiliou said.

Another trading constituent for nan halfway is that it’s situated a stone’s propulsion distant from Cyprus’ main world airdrome of Larnaca and is adjacent to top-flight accommodations that this tourism-reliant state is known for.

The center's managers want to procure an expansive virtual reality strategy enabling officials to safely train connected biological, chemic and radiological agents. Chrysiliou liaises regular pinch Kevin Keeler from nan U.S. State Department’s Export Control and Related Border Security (EXBS) program, who called nan VR strategy a “game-changer.”

Although nan halfway does person mini quantities of radiological and different vulnerable substances for training, a virtual simulator would greatly heighten nan center’s training capacity.

“We’ve already put nan connection retired astir this caller virtual simulator and we person agencies like, okay, really tin we get connected nan schedule adjacent twelvemonth erstwhile it’s not moreover been built yet? Yes, because it’s a large facet successful today’s world,” said Keeler.

It’s still early days for nan halfway to count connected headline-grabbing cases wherever WMD materials person been seized astatine immoderate fixed border. Chrysiliou said what’s arsenic important successful acting arsenic a potent deterrent is to nonstop retired nan connection that trained professionals “have nan intends and nan ways to cheque and extremity you.”

“So if we thatch Iraqis aliases Yemenis aliases Libyans aliases from different countries to do a amended occupation successful controlling their borders, successful controlling nan dispersion of weapons of wide demolition ... it makes their citizens overmuch safer and much secure,” said Chrysiliou.