Brussels, 28/09/2007 (Agence Europe) - No fewer than 250 European special unit agents were trained in the port of Ostend for four days from 24-27 September, the Belgian Federal Police Service states in a press release. Trainees included Belgian, German, Danish, Dutch, Swedish and Spanish nationals. Within the scenario of the exercise, the special units had the task of rescuing passengers taken hostage on a ferry, the “Oleander Limmasol”. This kind of training carried out by special units is part of the “Atlas” project. The Belgian Federal Police press release goes on to say that: “Following the attacks of 11 September 2001 in New York, the European Council entrusted the chiefs of police with the mission of organising collaboration between the various European special units. The Atlas project was born”. Carlo Presenti, the chief of cabinet for Security Commissioner Franco Frattini, took part in the exercise. The special units receive Commission subsidies. Atlas brings together a total of thirty special units from EU countries as well as from Norway. Members have signed a moral code and promised to use the project solely for policing purposes, never for military purposes. (bc)