FBI USING AIRPORT IN 4-DAY DRILL.

Byline: Phillip W. Browne Daily News Staff Writer

With heightened concerns of domestic terrorism in the United States this decade, the FBI is set to simulate the detonation of a chemical weapon and the rescue of more than 400 people at Van Nuys Airport today.

Manifesting in incidents like the 30 anthrax scares in the Los Angeles region since December, the Oklahoma City bombing, the World Trade Center bombing and the Olympic bombing in Atlanta, the FBI and city officials want to make sure Los Angeles is ready.

``Our objective is to integrate crisis management in the city of Los Angeles in case there ever is a major terrorist threat,'' FBI spokeswoman Laura Bosley said. ``It's not the first drill of its kind, but it is by far the largest in Los Angeles.''

The four-day anti-terrorism drill began Monday when a simulated terrorist threat was called in to the FBI's Joint Operations Center in Westwood. Federal agents and the Los Angeles Police Department began assessing the threat, launched an investigation and began preparing for a possible attack, Bosley said.

Officials have been preparing for the drill since Thursday.

Today, that weapon will be unleashed at Van Nuys Airport and will follow with a monstrous response by city, federal and military resources, Bosley said.

``It's important to detect deficiencies in communications and response in a terrorist incident,'' LAPD Officer Eduardo Funes said. ``If it was a real situation, those deficiencies could ultimately lead to problems. We want to make sure as best we can that those problems don't arise in a real terrorist attack.''

In addition to the FBI and LAPD, other agencies involved include the Los Angeles Fire Department, Los Angeles Sheriff's Department, city hazardous materials teams and the state Department of Justice.