EXTRACTS FROM EYE SPY INTELLIGENCE MAGAZINE * images are presented in low-res screen shots for quicker loading
HEAT training, observation, security, evasion, interrogation and safety
FOR MORE INFORMATION SEE THE RESPECTIVE BACK-ISSUE DESCRIPTION PDF CONTENT PAGE
Page 03 Hostile Environment Training - working overtly in conflict zones and staying alive - ISSUE 38 Page 04 Safety Abroad - Observation - ISSUE 25 Page 04 Escape and Evasion - teaching of the Russian System - ISSUE 14 Page 05 Road to Safety - vehicle security tactics - ISSUE 16 Page 06 Watchers in a Crowd - secret tactics of a Russian security operative - ISSUE 18 Page 07 The Defendo System- ISSUE 18 Page 08 H.E.A.T. - private security training - ISSUE 30 Page 09 Winning hearts and minds - ISSUE 25 Page 09 Interrogation - torture without pain - ISSUE 12 Page 10 Foundation of Tactical Driving - awareness, security, scanning, focus - ISSUE 57 Page 10 Hostage Takers - intelligence insight - ISSUE 57 Page 11 Hostage Taking - minimising the risks - ISSUE 58 Page 13 Evolving Rules - profiling, counter-terrorism, counter-surveillance - ISSUE 61 CONTINUED OVER Š
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PDF CONTENT PAGE - CONTINUED
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Page 13 Rules of Hostage Survival Pt. 1 - surviving captivity - ISSUE 61 Page 14 Rules of Hostage Survival Pt. 2 - surviving captivity - ISSUE 62 Page 15 Rules of Hostage Survival - guidance to the initial responder - ISSUE 63 Page 16 60 Seconds - what do you see - intel training - observation skills - ISSUE 69
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TITLE: HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT TRAINING
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SUB TITLE: WORKING COVERTLY AND OVERTLY IN CONFLICT ZONES... STAYING ALIVE ISSUE 38 Security personnel, bodyguards, aid workers, the media and civilians working in conflict zones should be trained to deal with a multitude of dangers and situations that can arise when operating in foreign lands. Unfortunately this is not always the case. Many people venturing to such places are ill-informed and not prepared. Eye Spy looks at several key factors that should be addressed before selecting a place of residence. EXTRACT: A security guard was killed by an angry mob because he answered a question in the wrong language in the wrong part of town. An international relief worker was beaten to death for trying to help people on the wrong side of an island. There are many conflict zones outside the Middle East including the Balkans, Kosovo, Bosnia, the Congo, Sierra Leone, East and West Timor, Haiti, Colombia and since the 2001 attacks on America - almost any region can become a conflict zone. Environment training for working in foreign countries or disaster areas can be a matter of life and death. All too often we hear about persons being abducted in Iraq - and not necessarily just those assigned to security companies or government offices. For reasons right or wrong, everyone is vulnerable. However, there are many safeguards readily available that could lessen the risk. Naivety is no excuse when journeying into ‘high intensity areas’. RESEARCH BEFORE YOU GO Proper research is essential. Read and absorb everything you can get your hands on about the area. Despite its obvious frailties, the Internet is a great source of information from both official and unofficial sites by people who live in the area. Although it may be propaganda, you’ll get a reasonable idea of who hates whom and why. Research the history behind the hatred and politics and familiarise yourself with the ethnic groups and governments involved. Government web sites offer excellent advice on the status of most nations. Learn what slogans, languages and clothing not to use and wear. When on-site, talk to locals and follow their advice - discover the meaning of colours in the region; in some countries even wearing the wrong coloured shirt can get you killed. Be respectful of culture and traditions, but be aware at all times you are an invited guest or there to be of assistance. Just because you view your role as “helpful”, doesn’t necessarily mean everyone will. Tips on money, selecting travel routes, house or hotel security, and much more. Working in a hostile area? You’ll want to read this.
Treating locals with respect is an absolute must in creating a good relationship ©
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TITLE: SAFETY ABROAD - OBSERVATION SUB TITLE: PROTECTING YOURSELF IN AN INCREASINGLY DANGEROUS WORLD ISSUE 25 In light of the 2004 Madrid train bombings, Eye Spy commissioned an informative feature on safety abroad. Peter Consterdine, one of the world’s most respected security consultants provides a plethora of tips on travelling abroad. Also included are dozens of vital actions (many drawn from the world of espionage), that you can perform.
Take note of your surroundings
Carry an old wallet with expired credit cards
The distinction between 9/11 and the terrorist act in Spain, is that passengers on the trains in Madrid might have had a part to play in their own safety. On every train that was bombed, a terrorist had got on and subsequently got off the train, leaving behind a backpack or case containing the explosive device. We will never know whether anyone on the trains noticed such an occurrence and then agonised not only about what to do, but what, in fact, they might have seen. Would they have thought about someone leaving a bag on the train with a suspicious state of mind or would they have been of a mind to think that the person had left it by accident? In fact, did anyone notice anyone leave behind an article at all!
We spend our lives, or at least major chunks of it, on autopilot, taking in little of our surroundings - either situational or from a threat perspective. We are dogged by routine and lulled into a false sense of security by the familiarity and apparent safety of our surroundings. It is a case of ‘looking’ but not ‘seeing.’ It isn’t possible to make a judgment call simply on the basis of someone walking away from a bag which could have been, as we have said, quite an innocent act. What would cement a conclusion would be the person’s behaviour and demeanour prior to walking off the train. Was the person nervous, sweating, avoiding eye contact, unfamiliar with the common practices on the train... TRADECRAFT TIP: Divide notes and keep old credit cards as ‘giveaways’ should you become the subject of a robbery. Consider carrying a ‘bluff’ purse or wallet to give away.
TITLE: ESCAPE AND EVASION SUB TITLE: TEACHINGS OF THE RUSSIAN SYSTEM ISSUE 14
In the intelligence world, the best evasion is that of an unassuming nature. In order to remain undetected and leave a country, an agent will usually establish a thorough cover story. Often, the best field agents for this type of work are those that blend into the background; an agent can’t afford to be incongruent to the setting. Ethnic features, cultural mannerisms, and language ability will be taken into account. Indeed, language ability is often paramount. Escape and Evasion is a concept widely associated with military training. It represents a valuable craft taught to soldiers so that they can survive in hostile terrain. The training is designed to help operatives to avoid capture and unnecessary confrontation with the enemy. It is especially useful for fighter pilots and Special Forces units that end up behind enemy lines. World War Two and The Vietnam War revealed just how vulnerable pilots are when they crash land in ‘hot zones’. Today, modern forces across the globe put their personnel through intensive training exercises so that they can be better prepared for survival situations. Naturally, some training regimes are more gruelling than others. Escape and Evasion is also readily embraced within the field of intelligence; perhaps in an even more in depth manner. The scope of this ‘field tool’ is recognised by most elite forces including the SAS and Russia’s Special Operation Units... ©
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TITLE: ROAD TO SAFETY SUB TITLE: VEHICLE SECURITY TACTICS ISSUE 16 Vehicle security is an important subject for those involved in the close protection field or the intelligence community. For the civilian, there is the problem of car jackings, road rage, and auto theft. Car jacking is a somewhat colloquial term that describes the act of attacking people in or around their vehicles. The objectives behind this type of assault evolve around the attacker’s need for money, valuables, or even the vehicle itself.
In some parts of the world, especially certain African countries, car jackings are especially feared by women because there have been numerous cases where the carjackers rape their victim. The car is a claustrophobic environment where there is little room for movement, and the targeted person can feel very vulnerable, even trapped. Russian Special Forces veteran Vladimir Vasiliev, is one specialist who understands the requirements of vehicle safety. He has even produced an informative video tape covering this subject. Recognised for his elite military background, Vasiliev teaches Systema (a.k.a. The System), the Russian survival art that he learnt in the military. Vasiliev was a field operative, often operating behind enemy lines. He also carried out a training role - his speciality was close quarter survival. He trained other Spetsnaz operatives, political bodyguards, and even KGB personnel. Vasiliev had to prepare these individuals for worst cases scenarios. He points out that vehicle security, whether it is for the civilian or government specialist, will always involve precautionary measures. On this basis, we will look at the different threats in stages....
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TITLE: WATCHERS IN THE CROWD
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SUB TITLE: SECRET BODYGUARD TACTICS OF A RUSSIAN OPERATIVE ISSUE 18 The ‘System’ has been the tactical nucleus for some very specialised operatives within the Russian military and intelligence framework. Men such as Konstantin Komarov, a former GRU (military intelligence) officer are a good representation of this type of consummate professional. He is yet another product of intense training and experience. Komarov is trained in the System and it appears that this has contributed to the functional requirements of his military role. EXTRACT: Russia invariably has its own manifestation of the Official Secrets Act, and on this basis, one appreciates that for individuals such as Komarov, much information has to remain classified. His experience goes beyond the camouflage. He has worked with the Russian police force and he acts as an advisor to various Special Units. He is also a security consultant. Understandably, an intelligence background gives one a unique grounding when it comes to coordinating close protection within the corporate sector. Now, before looking at some of the close protection tactics conveyed by Komarov, a brief glimpse of the Russian intelligence mechanism might be appropriate.
Vladimir Vasiliev
RUSSIAN INTELLIGENCE GROUPS It seems as if the three letter groups are all tasked with very specific realms of intelligence, but we need to accept that the work of these organisations is not so isolated. In other words, there is likely to be some overlap in regards to their objectives and zones of operation. It is too cut and dry to assume that intelligence is simply divided into foreign intelligence and internal security. GRU (Main Intelligence Directorate) is Russia’s military intelligence wing and within its structure are various directorates, each responsible for different functions. Intelligence gathering, image interpretation and long range reconnaissance would seem to be some of the typical components of military intelligence. Though, once again, we can assume that a multitude of other tasks are carried out. It would be hard to go into specifics about GRU, without entering more hypothetical realms. After all, this is one of the most secretive organisations in the world.
Crest of the GRU
If intelligence is the backbone of an organisation, then counter intelligence and security will also have to be addressed. High ranking officers and government staff are obvious targets for subversives. On this basis, the bodyguards involved in the personal protection of Russian dignitaries are of high calibre. Their training has to be thorough. Indeed, there are many integral factors that need to be addressed as part of any security operation: WATCHERS AND IMAGE Konstantin Komarov is a distinct step away from the Western image of the bodyguard. He is a clean cut man of light weight, elusive build. On first impressions, only the alert, glass-like eyes hint at a possible security background. In Russia, according to one school of thought, the concept is to provide a security team that includes individuals with imposing physical presence and the more subtle members, that can blend into the crowd. The heavy weight bodyguard will provide an intimidation factor, as well as crowd control capabilities. In crude terms, they can also represent a better human blanket for the client, if shots are fired! The second type of bodyguard is very much the ‘watcher in the crowd’. Usually there will be a number of these operatives stationed among the crowd, especially when the client is high profile... An in-depth look at security training in Russia.
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TITLE: DEFENDO
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SUB TITLE: REVISITS CAMP-X ISSUE 18 The ‘Defendo System’ is a powerful and deadly art that was taught and used by specialist officers, including OSS and SOE trained at Camp-X, the paramilitary installation in Ontario in WWII. A unique look at this little known, though fascinating selfprotection system used to help train field operatives. EXTRACT: Defendo’s roots go back to Liverpool, England, around 1907. In that era Vaudeville was all the rage. When the general populace weren’t in the local pub, they were at one of the many music halls that sprang up all over Britain. Variety was the flavour of the day, and audiences were treated to the likes of Buffalo Bill Cody and Charlie Chaplin. A young boy by the name of Bill Underwood made pocket money selling programmes at the Vaudeville Pavilion theatre after school. Backstage, Bill got to meet the stars of the day, including Harry Houdini, but it was the serendipitous meeting with two Japanese men that changed the course of Bill’s life forever. Yukio Tani and Tara Maki were Jiu-Jitsu experts. They made a living demonstrating their craft and challenging all comers on the music hall stage. Nightly they would toss large, muscular Englishmen around at random, as the audience watched dumfounded. To a young Bill Underwood it was a magical experience. He quickly made friends with Tani and Maki and brought them cigarettes and tea in exchange for rudimentary Jiu-Jitsu lessons. Like the Jiu-Jitsu experts, Bill was diminutive in size. (Even as a grown man he only reached five feet two inches.) Consequently, he quickly learned the necessity of leverage and balance to displace bigger, stronger opponents. In the first decade of the twentieth century, boxing, and wrestling were the only fighting arts one could study in the Western world. With the principles learned from his Japanese teachers, Bill began to create the inchoate form of his unique system. Since his lessons with Tani and Maki were few and far between, Underwood experimented with his own concepts, including what would become his trademark: the application of excruciating pain as a means of controlling an adversary. Unbeknownst to anyone, Bill was a self-defence prodigy - a genius in the making. In 1910 Underwood moved to Canada. When World War I broke out, Bill went overseas and joined in the Royal Montreal Regiment. His unarmed combat techniques served him well in the trenches of France. A fearless man, Bill would stealthily approach German trenches at night and decapitate lone sentries with a garrote made from cheese wire between a pair of sticks. On one occasion, he escaped German captivity after the first gas attack at Ypres in April 1915, by disarming his guard and shooting him with his own rifle. The next year he transferred to the Royal Flying Corps and finished the war as a pilot. The horrors of war are always interspersed with some comic relief. Despite his small stature, Bill was a bit of a ladies’ man, thinking nothing of putting the moves on another soldier’s girlfriend, usually when the soldier was present. Bill’s fighting skills were held in awe by the other men in his outfit; they were all terrified of him. He usually got the girl.... ©
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TITLE: PRIVATE SECURITY TRAINING SUB TITLE: HEAT ISSUE 30 Eye Spy and Law Enforcement Picture Library recently spent time with a very specialist company providing superb training for those serving at the cutting edge of front-line security, be it in an intelligence, military or commercial environment. The head of that company is a person known to millions worldwide as the ‘man in black’ - who with colleagues - ended the Iranian Embassy siege in London. He is former SAS officer John McAcleese. Contact! Contact left! Echoes over the radio. A vehicle screeches to a halt and four men armed with automatic rifles pour out of a vehicle in fast and menacing motions. Their movements are a blur as they take cover, bringing weapons to their shoulders they engage the enemy before leaving their stricken vehicle and make for safety. This could be a scene played out in the bad lands of Iraq, but this is a training exercise conducted at a site in the UK. The four ‘armed’ men are all participants in Stirling Services’ Hostile Environment Awareness Training / Personal Security Detachment Course or HEAT [H.E.A.T / P.S.D.]. Barry, Francois, Chris and Tony (pseudonyms) are four professional ex-British servicemen who are heading for Iraq. All the men are fully aware of the dangerous security situation in Iraq, thus are attending the course in order to hone and practise the specialist skills required for operating in such a deadly theatre as Iraq. To this end they chose Stirling Services as the company that can best equip them for their future deployment. Director of Training, John McAleese, a 22-year veteran of the British Army, heads the course. During his employment with the army, John spent 15 years in the 22 Special Air Service (SAS) regiment. John or ‘Mac’ to those closest to him is better known as the man in black photographed making an explosive entry during the 1980 Iranian Embassy siege in London. Like it or not, the incident immortalised the SAS and gave the public a fleeting glimpse of the most professional group of soldiers in the world. Former SAS officer John McAcleese
A fascinating feature packed with advice and information for those wanting the very best in training. ©
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TITLE: HEARTS AND MINDS
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SUB TITLE: ISSUE 25 Real professionals know that most intelligence is really a mundane, office routine of collection, collation, interpretation and evaluation, followed by dissemination to decision makers with a need to know. In this fascinating feature, Colonel John Hughes-Wilson, a British Intelligence officer for 25 years, provides a deep insight into the world of intelligence, and importantly, notes: “It is the ability, in the words of an ancient Chinese sage to subdue your enemies and bend them to your will without having to resort to force.” A clever look at this vital form of tradecraft. • Colonel John Hughes-Wilson is currently an advisor on intelligence to a number of international organisations. He is author of the best selling books Military Intelligence Blunders and The Puppet Masters.
TITLE: INTERROGATION SUB TITLE: TORTURE WITHOUT PAIN ISSUE 12 EXTRACT:
With the dawn of the 20th century and the innovation of electricity, a new field of torture opened up. Gestapo officers made wide use of electrical currents by going so far as to insert electrodes into victim’s orifices. Fortunately, with the evolution of man, the human pain threshold has vastly increased making many interrogation techniques obsolete. Even police detectives have given up the ‘good cop, bad cop’ routine for many of their prisoners are now immune to such dramatic antics. Today, interrogation has grown more subtle in nature. There has been a shifting away from the physical condition and a move toward the mental condition of the subject. Modern interrogation centres are less threatening and confessions are more likely to be made over a cup of tea rather than by the accompaniment of painful screams. The film director Alfred Hitchcock demonstrated time and time again that fear is far more powerful when you cannot see what is happening. A distant scream in the black of night can send a cold shiver up the spine. An even better example is the world’s shortest horror story: “The last man on earth was lying in bed when suddenly, there was knock on the door.” Interrogators have adapted this psychology of fear into their present day methods....
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TITLE: FOUNDATIONS OF TACTICAL DRIVING
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SUB TITLE: SCANNING, FOCUS AND SITUATIONAL AWARENESS ISSUE 57 Specialist security driver and instructor MARK S. KENDRICK, provides a deep insight into the skills that are necessary to survive in all climates and environments... EXTRACT: Should another hazard suddenly appear (such as another vehicle approaching at speed from dead ground), a restrained approach will make stopping safely possible. In contrast, a driver who rushes in to hazards will have little time in which to make a reasoned risk assessment, and may struggle to stop. It is no coincidence that police accident investigators often hear those involved in accidents utter the word “suddenly” when they describe events that led up to them crashing. An unhurried approach is a characteristic of a defensive driver, whose aim is to avoid avoidable accidents. In contrast, an unprofessional operator conducting surveillance who rushes around with their vehicle’s engine screaming and tyres squealing is likely to get ‘pinged’, and compromise an operation.
In order to have situational awareness, it is also essential to scan the driving environment, by keeping eyes moving. Scanning from the far distance to the mid-ground, the near ground and to the rear is necessary in order to be fully aware of the driving environment. Continuous scanning is akin to collecting all of the pieces of a jigsaw - only if all of the pieces are seen is it possible to complete the picture, and be situationally aware. When security matters, scanning to the horizon reveals threats earlier, giving more time to react to keep out of trouble, and find an escape route. Taking ‘cross-views’ before bends and other hazards reveals danger sooner, affording more time in which to avoid driving into trouble. For a VIP protection driver security awareness is key, and comes partly from having a conditioned scanning habit....
TITLE: HOSTAGE TAKERS SUB TITLE: INTELLIGENCE INSIGHT ISSUE 57
Former British Military Intelligence Officer SIMON ATKINSON provides Eye Spy with a unique insight into hostage taking, its many reasons and elements. Plus the procedures and methodology that have been constructed by the world’s leading exper ts that could help you survive... if ever you find yourself in such a predicament EXTRACT ONE: FOR FINANCIAL GAIN. A business. Hostages are taken in kidnappings and held at an unknown location(s). A particular problem in Italy (Aldo Moro being a good example), and parts of Africa and Latin America. Sometimes the need for funds may not be criminal but to finance terrorism (an example being the taking of middle class Iraqis from inside Iraq). MENTAL DISTURBANCE. The hostage taker is an individual with a personality defect or simply under severe stress. Careful management is needed in these cases due to ©
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the volatile nature of the event. Careless intervention may promote a suicide attempt with initial sacrifice of hostage(s). The Waco siege is the United States is a good example of this. INSTITUTIONAL REASONS. Possibly a prison siege that develops from a riot, often over seemingly trivial reasons that are very important to the inmates. These are often best resolved via minor concessions and allowing the siege to run its course. In Atlanta, GA, 1987, an 11-day siege began when Cuban prisoners took 89 hostages in response to a US-Cuban agreement to deport Cuban refugees. The siege was ended peacefully following negotiations in which US representatives agreed an 8 point plan including the right to... EXTRACT TWO: AVOID SELECTION FOR MALTREATMENT The guide for this is ‘remain the grey man’. Do not stand out and make yourself a victim for further maltreatment. This is as appropriate for those held alone as for those held in groups. Be polite to your captors and conceal your feelings and emotions. Listen carefully to everything and obey reasonable orders. Pause and think before answering any questions. Do not carry incriminating items - and ensure you never carry items on any operation that you do not need. Avoid suggestions - you will be blamed if it goes wrong.
TITLE: HOSTAGE - MINIMISING THE RISKS
Consider the impact of your verbal, vocal and non-verbal actions ...
SUB TITLE: INTELLIGENCE INSIGHT ISSUE 58 Former British Military Intelligence Officer SIMON ATKINSON explains the simple measures and protocols that will both minimise the risk of you being taken hostage and maximise your chances of survival and eventual recovery. EXTRACTS: • The Safe Room. You should create a safe room into which you can retreat. Doors should be heavy and secured with heavy duty locks and reinforcement, with the hinges on the inside of the room. Consider a second, unlisted telephone line or some other means by which you can contact the security forces. ©
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• Doors and Windows. Fit with locks and bolts. Ensure that outer locks are fitted to British Standard and cannot therefore be easily picked or drilled. Have a routine which ensures that all locks are engaged before bedtime. Do not answer the door at home without first checking who may be there. Use chains and/or CCTV. Check via an adjacent window or door peephole. Do not open the door unless you are satisfied as to the identification of the caller. If in doubt, call the Police. • Lighting. Use security lighting on the perimeter of your residence and consider the best location to site it so as not to obscure your vision outside whilst eliminating areas of shadow. Use a good ‘courtesy’ light at the front door and do not switch on your interior house light when approaching the door so that the person outside cannot see in. Keep a good torch to hand so that you can safely move around your premises, even when power has been cut.
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TITLE: EVOLVING RULES
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SUB TITLE: PROFILING, COUNTER-SURVEILLANCE, COUNTER-TERRORISM ISSUE 61 In the aftermath of the 7/7 bombings in London, Eye Spy takes a look at Counter Terrorism and answers some important questions; Can we actually profile terrorists? What should we now be looking for? and what can profiling do to prevent terrorist attacks at public events and spaces? This fascinating feature explains how profiling can be augmented by covert counter-surveillance and identifying the traits used by most terrorists EXTRACT: Before any attack, terrorist organisations such as al-Qaida will conduct some form of pre-attack reconnaissance and even surveillance. In the preliminary stages of the Terrorist Planning Cycle, initial target selection will be decided upon after any such reconnaissance. Any terrorist involved in this phase of the reconnaissance will generally be relaxed and calm, and will not want to give away their intention or presence. They will therefore make every attempt to blend in with their targets surroundings. They will certainly attempt to conceal their faces to avoid detection and identification from CCTV by wearing baseball caps, hats, scarves or other head gear. It is well established that the use of covert counter-surveillance or surveillance detection drills will identify multiple sightings of repeat terrorist visits. Therefore the only way to successfully identify any form of reconnaissance is the implementation of a knowledgeable and professionally covert counter-surveillance or surveillance detection team. The ability of CCTV operatives in
public and private environments should not be overlooked as an effective aid to detect early pre-attack reconnaissance. Any suspect[s] should be approached as early as possible, simply waiting until they might appear next time, thus confirming your suspicions, could lead to a catastrophic event. Sadly this is a very common practice, lethargy breeds unprofessionalism and can seriously impede the effectiveness of security planning. If in doubt check it out. The initial phases of target selection and reconnaissance are normally conducted by older, more experienced terrorists...
TITLE: RULES OF HOSTAGE SURVIVAL PART ONE SUB TITLE: SURVIVING CAPTIVITY ISSUE 61 In Eye Spy 57 and 58 we examined procedures you can take that reduce the chance of you being taken hostage. Sometimes, however, a combination of bad luck and good planning on the part of the Hostage Takers may mean that despite all reasonable precautions, you are seized. What can you expect? What actions should you take? How can you maximise your chances of a safe return home to your loved ones? Hostage specialist SIMON ATKINSON presents simple measures and protocol that will maximise your chances of survival and eventual return home. Whilst immediately applicable to military and conflict theatres, this important series also contains valuable advice for other hostage scenarios. Š
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EXTRACT: Your captors at this stage may simply be soldiers and not experts in prisoner handling. It’s also the best time to escape because you have not yet been fully strip-searched and may still have items on you that may aid your subsequent evasion. Similarly, you are hopefully still fit and healthy - later on, perhaps degraded and ill, you may not have the will to escape even if the opportunity was to present itself. Your next best option is to accept the fact that you are caught. Be compliant (passive BUT NOT submissive) - emotions will be high and you risk significant violence if you behave arrogantly or even too weak. Expect looting of any valuables. This may be simply because your captors are poor and the sale of your wristwatch will feed their family for a month. Resistance will be met with violence. If you are not happy for it to be stolen, it should have stayed at home or on base. Blindfolding or hooding will likely happen to maintain security of where you are going - or simply because they have seen movies where this is done and believe it to be the right thing to do. Depending on the sophistication of the hostage takers, they may be starting to “CONDITION” you - more about this later....
TITLE: RULES OF HOSTAGE SURVIVAL PART TWO
SUB TITLE: SURVIVING CAPTIVITY ISSUE 62 Hostage specialist SIMON ATKINSON presents simple measures and protocol that will maximise your chances of survival and eventual return home. Whilst immediately applicable to military and conflict theatres, this important series also contains valuable advice on other hostage scenarios. EXTRACT: COPING MECHANISMS Every individual copes in their own way. Mature individuals seem to cope better than younger hostages, simply because they can draw upon a greater reservoir of life experiences to maintain their strengths. After-effects experienced by hostages seem to depend upon the degree of humiliation and exploitation that they have endured. ©
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In order to survive the stresses of captivity, as well as minimise the effect of stress, hostages can utilise a variety of coping techniques... Acceptance: Those who accept that their conditions may be squalid and that they may be there for some time cope better than those who don’t. Fight the battles you can win. Control Emotion: If you control your emotions - particularly in public, you will retain your self-respect more easily. You will avoid being singled out for maltreatment by remaining “The Grey Man”. Defeat Boredom: Enforced idleness experienced during periods of captivity is extremely destructive - you will start to feel nervous and your mind will start to play tricks on you. Potentially you may fall victim of self-pity. Defeat this by maintaining an interest in your surroundings. It is critical that you keep your mind occupied - read your favourite book in your mind, perhaps even take time making a film of the book. Cast the actors and design the script and musical score. Do SOMETHING. This can be an ongoing personal project during your captivity and gives you an element of control that you would not otherwise have and prevents you focusing on things that you cannot change. Bond and Form a Rapport: With other captives and elements of the hostage takers. Those who form relationships easily, seem to cope better than those who do not. It is also quite difficult to hurt a person who you like - a good reason to humanise yourself as quickly as possible with your captors....
TITLE: RULES OF HOSTAGE SURVIVAL SUB TITLE: GUIDANCE TO THE INITIAL RESPONDER ISSUE 63
In previous issues, SIMON ATKINSON looked at avoiding captivity and hostage survival as well as the mindset of Hostage Taker and their motivations. He’s also discussed the aims of a captive. This article focuses upon guidance to the initial responder to a call in the middle of the night informing them that their principal, employee, employer, colleague or loved one has been taken hostage. The actions taken by this person - the Untrained Negotiator often prove key to the successful outcome of the situation. EXTRACT: Keep talking: Do not end a conversation yourself. Whilst the HT is talking, the hostage is safe. Contain the incident: Have a plan for maintaining operational security. How will the family be informed? What if the media make enquiries? ©
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Debrief witnesses: Ensure any witnesses to the event are appropriately debriefed before they are allowed to leave the scene. Try to gain information: Such as - age/sex of caller, name of caller, background noise, are they using a prepared text? HUMANISE THE HOSTAGE (and the HTs): THE GOLDEN RULE. Use their first name, refer to their loved ones. It is much more difficult to harm a person than it is to harm someone who represents a political or financial entity. YOU SHOULD NOT:Put anyone else at risk: You have enough to deal with, without giving them extra hostages! Ignore any communication: You must ensure that all communication is answered - 24/7. Challenge a HT to carry out a threat: They will see this as a challenge to their credibility and likely harm the hostage. Represent yourself as a ‘final decision maker’: You are a conduit or link man NOT the highest authority. Make promises: Never make a promise you cannot deliver. Always say “I’ll see what I can do...” Set deadlines: Do not set yourself or the HT any deadlines. Do not ask for a deadline. This will place more pressure on yourself or the HT to conduct a stated action. Ensure that a deadline is not set by the HT without passing comment, “...It may take longer to achieve that...”...
TITLE: 60 SECONDS - WHAT DO YOU SEE? SUB TITLE: OBSERVATION TRAINING IN A LIMITED TIME ISSUE 69 Eye Spy explores a very important training element that those intent on a career in field operations and personal contact intelligence gathering must learn... EXTRACT ONE: One well known intelligence service in the West actually teaches a programme called 60 Seconds. The exact format of the test is unknown, but students are placed in an outdoor or indoor scenario for one minute and invited to gather as much visual and audible information as possible. They are then recalled and asked to write an essay on what has just transpired. This gives instructors a deep insight into the mind of the student and helps them ascertain what the prospective operative believes is both relevant and important. What’s missed is equally crucial to the instructor, who can then decide on the quality of information and performance of the student. If the operative shows promise, then they will continue on the course. ©
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Emphasis is also placed on accuracy. If a student has been told a story containing statistics, it is likely only certain data will be recalled. How accurate that recollection is can reveal much about the attentiveness and memory absorption/recall of the student. And it may also provide an indication on how reliable the student is - and if he or she is “suited” to this type of intelligence work... A ROAD SIGN POST How many signs are displayed in the far left photograph? One of course - even the shadow supports this. However, viewed from a different angle additional information is provided. In surveillance and observation, recalling such data properly can be critical - especially if you are in contact with colleagues who are out of sight.
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