Different strands of the defence forces sought during the exercise to capture a group of pretend terrorists trying to flee the Estonian capital by ship.

The defence forces said the aim of the training was to improve cooperation between different structures, including security police and the armed forces, the ambulance services and flight and maritime traffic control centres, in preventing a terror attack and detaining extremists.

Three Estonian border guard ships, a navy patrol boat, mine hunter, two border guard motor boats, border guard and Polish MI-8 helicopters, two Robinson 44 and armoured personnel carriers were used, along with blank ammunition, explosive packages and light and sound grenades.

Georgi Kokoshinski, a spokesman for the Estonian Defence forces, said Prime Minister Juhan Parts was to observe the training on Tuesday.

Estonia, a Baltic former Soviet republic, joined NATO on March 29 and the European Union on May 1, and currently has 45 troops in Iraq.

WAR.WIRE