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Singapore deploys Gurkhas to guard sea entry points
10/13/2005
SINGAPORE, Oct 12 (AFP): Sea entry points into Singapore are now being guarded by Gurkhas as part of enhanced measures following the London subway attacks in July and the recent Bali bombings, police said Wednesday.
Members of the Gurkha Contingent -- elite Nepalese fighters who gained fame in the British armed forces -- have been deployed at the international Sea Cruise Center and ferry terminals, a police statement said.
The center is used by ocean-going ships from some of the world's leading cruise lines, while the terminals link Singapore to Indonesian islands and southern Malaysia.
A police spokeswoman told AFP the new Gurkha deployments started this week.
Singapore, a staunch US ally, fears it is on the list of targets of attack by regional and international terrorist groups. Experts have warned that ships could be hijacked or turned into floating weapons by extremists.
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