Hanoi  - Vietnamese police staged a mock hostage situation over the weekend to train for the possibility of a terrorist attack on next month's Miss Universe pageant in the seaside resort city of Nha Trang, local officials said Monday.

More than 500 police took part in the rehearsal Saturday morning, according to Cao Minh Nhan, director of the provincial police department.

"We are now ready to ensure safety for the Miss Universe contest," Nhan said.

According to Vietnamese newspaper People's Police, the rehearsal envisaged a team of eight terrorists attempting to enter the contest hall carrying weapons during the pageant finals. The mock terrorists killed a guard, seized 30 hostages and barricaded themselves inside the auditorium, demanding a car, a helicopter, and a million dollars in cash.

The paper reported that with negotiations ongoing, commandos broke into the room where the terrorists were holding their hostages, killing three terrorists and capturing the other five. A second team of four terrorists who attempted to rescue their comrades were captured after security forces punctured the tires of their car.

The newspaper did not report on casualties among the mock hostages.

Asked why terrorists might attack the Miss Universe pageant, Nhan said a number of different scenarios had been suggested, and police had selected the most complicated one.

The finals of the Miss Universe pageant will take place in Nha Trang on July 14. (dpa)