TARGET HARDENING FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT PART 2 • WHAT IS TRUE SECURITY • PROTECTIVE SURVEILLANCE • SHOT TIMER • OMAD
Journal for Law Enforcement, Intelligence & Special Operations Professionals
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2016
VOLUME 9 • NUMBER 5
THREE COUNTER INSURGENCY LESSONS
INTERNATIONAL
EDITION An SSI Publication ®
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2016 USA/CANADA $5.99
thecounterterroristmag.com
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The Journal for Law Enforcement, Intelligence & Special Operations Professionals OCTOBER/NOVEMER 2016 VOLUME 9 • NUMBER 5
COVER STORY: 30
CONTENTS
30
8
22
60
THREE COUNTER INSURGENCY LESSONS FOR THE COUNTER TERRORIST by Dr. Brian R. Price
FEATURES: 08
WHAT IS TRUE SECURITY? FROM BRUSSELS TO ORLANDO, AIRPORTS TO DISNEY WORLD: SECURITY MODELS THAT PROVIDE A FEELING OF SAFETY ARE NOT NECESSARILY SAFE by Forest Rain
22
THE PRACTICE OF OMAD: HOW TO MAINTAIN A LEVEL OF COMBAT ACCURACY FOR THE GOOD GUY WITH A GUN, NON-PROFESSIONAL by Ken Pagano 48
HARDEN SCHOOLS AND OTHER SOFT TARGETS IN THEIR AOR, PART 2 THE THREAT FROM WITHIN by Amery Bernhardt
54 60
PROTECTIVE SURVEILLANCE by Orlando Wilson
HOW TO USE A SHOT TIMER by Garret Machine
DEPARTMENTS: 06
From the Editor
46
Book Review
66
Innovative Products
72
Training Review NIMS (National Incident Management System)
How to Achieve and Maintain Peace Ghost Warriors by Samuel Katz
Knives, A Higher Standard in Education, Pelican, Cobra Cuffs
Cover Photo: Afghan Local Police members man a blocking position during a village clearing operation by coalition forces and Afghan Commandos near Belambai village in Panjwai district. Photo by: Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Ernesto Hernandez Fonte
The Counter Terrorist ~ October/November 2016 5
Counter The
FROM THE EDITOR:
How to Achieve and Maintain Peace
by Garret Machine
W
hat Trump and Clinton both understand is that counterterrorism and the global stabilization process is a component of American power and prestige on the world stage. The conflicts of the Middle East have been fascinating the globe since 9/11, creating an industry, subculture, and endless debate. While this may be a sensitive subject, it creates potential for politicians the world over. Fifteen years later, thousands of Americans and allied lives have been lost, billions of dollars have been spent on the Middle East, and where has it gotten us? The Arab world has become a place for strategic experimentation where administrations are left with a legacy of disappointment. While the rest of the world is moving on and making progress, the Arab world is somehow stymied. What does the West want from the Middle East? Two things: actual peace and stability, and the perception of peace and stability. Either one is sufficient. The real question is whether or not we have negotiating partners. I am not convinced we do. Through both force and soft power we have somehow still fallen short of “enlightening” the region. I believe this is because those who we see as our adversaries do not actually want peace or stability, nor are they interested in achieving the stability and prosperity that comes with it. The status quo is exactly what they want and an ideal situation for them. The reality of it is that the quest for peace itself is seen as a weakness. The current situation will be the only peace we will get and to maintain it we must, as a wise military strategist said, prepare for war. That can be done by disproportionately responding to terrorists and their state sponsors. Meeting force with more force and violence with overwhelming violence. We must accept the fact that man is a warring being, throughout history embroiled with conflict. This world has never known long-term global peace, nor will it. If you want to maintain peace, accept that and harden up.
Garret Machine Editor, The Counter Terrorist
Journal for Law Enforcement, Intelligence & Special Operations Professionals
VOLUME 9 • NUMBER 5
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2016 Editor Garret Machine Director of Operations Carmen Arnaes Director of Advertizing Sol Bradman Administrative Ashley Villegas Contributing Editors Dr. Brian R. Price Forest Rain Ken Pagano Amery Bernhardt Orlando Jacob Ingram Graphic Design Morrison Creative Company Copy Editor Laura Town Advertising Sales Sol Bradman bradman@homelandsecurityssi.com 305-302-2790 Publisher: Security Solutions International 13155 SW 134th St. • STE 103 Miami, Florida 33186
ISSN 1941-8639 The Counter Terrorist Magazine, Journal for Law Enforcement, Intelligence & Special Operations Professionals is published by Security Solutions International LLC, as a service to the nation’s First Responders and Homeland Security Professionals with the aim of deepening understanding of issues related to Terrorism. No part of the publication can be reproduced without permission from the publisher. The opinions expressed herein are the opinions of the authors represented and not necessarily the opinions of the publisher. Please direct all Editorial correspondence related to the magazine to: Security Solutions International SSI, 13155 SW 134th Street, Suite 103, Miami, Florida. 33186 or info@thecounterterroristmag.com The subscription price for 6 issues is $34.99 and the price of the magazine is $5.99. (1-866-573-3999) Fax: 1-786-573-2090. For article reprints, e-prints, posters and plaques please contact: Security Solutions International at villegas@homelandsecurityssi.com or call 786-573-3999 Please visit the magazine web site where you can also contact the editorial staff:
www.thecounterterrroristmag.com © 2016 Security Solutions International
6 The Counter Terrorist ~ October/November 2016
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WHAT IS TRUE SECURITY FROM BRUSSELS TO ORLANDO, AIRPORTS TO DISNEY WORLD: SECURITY MODELS THAT PROVIDE A FEELING OF SAFETY ARE NOT NECESSARILY SAFE
8 The Counter Terrorist ~ October/November 2016
by Forest Rain
What is the connection between the terror attack in Brussels on March 22, 2016 and the more recent attack at the Pulse Club in Orlando What do airports have to with Disney World
W
hat is the difference between all of these and Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion airport?
TERROR IN BRUSSELS On March 22, three coordinated bombings occurred in Belgium: two at the Brussels Airport in Zaventem and one at Maalbeek metro station in Brussels. In these attacks, 32 victims and three perpetrators were killed, and over 300 people were injured. It took over a month to return the airport
and the metro station to their previous operational status. The terror attack in the Brussels airport took place in the departures lounge. In most airports in the world, security measures begin after passenger check in.
AIRPORT SECURITY IS A VITAL NATIONAL INTEREST Airports are highly sensitive locations. A terror attack on an airport obviously affects the first circle of those
directly involved—the hurt, injured, and financially damaged—but the ramifications do not stop there. An attack on an airport is an attack on the gateway to the country in which the airport is situated. Thus, both the local city and the feeling of freedom in that nation (and around the world) are affected. An effective attack shuts down travel and by extension commerce, at least for a while. The possibility of additional attacks means that travel to other cities is also affected to some extent.
The Counter Terrorist ~ October/November 2016 9
Map of the March 2016 Brussels bombings in relation to each other. (1) 08:00 : Concourse B of Brussels Airport. (2) 09:15 : Brussels Maelbeek metro station. Photo by: Veggies Recognition of this is impetus for terrorists to target airports (and other transportation hubs). It is not necessary to hijack or blow up an airplane in order to have a dramatic impact. The attack in Brussels was an attack on the airport, on travel, even though the terrorists never got past the check in counter or anywhere near the airplanes themselves.
THE “SECURITY RACE” 9/11 created awareness for the sensitivity of airports. In order to
maintain the previous levels of travel and commerce, it was necessary to give the public a sense of security, enabling people to feel that airplanes and airports are safe. America has invested millions in security technology. After every attempted (or successful) attack, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has added additional security measures. After the “shoe-bomber,” the TSA implemented a rule demanding travelers remove their shoes for screening of potential explosives.
10 The Counter Terrorist ~ October/November 2016
After a foiled terrorist plot to detonate liquid explosives carried onboard, the TSA banned all liquids, gels, and aerosols from passenger carry-on luggage. A child may not carry a bottle of water to drink while waiting at the gate because, possibly, it might be part of an international terrorist conspiracy. If a traveler forgets that he or she is carrying a liquid, this will be discovered at the security screening and various levels of unpleasantness ensue. The screener is not allowed to give the liquid to the
traveler to consume prior to proceeding through the checkpoint. At minimum, the traveler must allow the screener to throw the liquid away, or the traveler can choose to be escorted to a location before the checkpoint where the screener will then return the water or cola or yogurt to the traveler. After consuming the liquid the traveler can then reenter the security checkpoint, be screened again and proceed to the gate. This is an interesting precaution. Will a traveler who drinks the water he or she forgot was in their bag explode on the spot? If it is dangerous to allow the traveler to consume the liquid that was in their bag at the checkpoint, why is it okay to handover the liquid after escorting the traveler to a location before the checkpoint? Both areas are full of travelers… After the “underwear bomber” tried to get through security with a bomb strategically placed so it would not be found in a normal screening, the TSA implemented fully body scanners. Every single person needs to go in the capsule, raise their arms like a criminal surrendering to the police and undergo a full body scan that shows every contour of the body. Right to privacy? Sure. Unless you want to fly: then your most intimate privacy is stripped away. There is a race between terrorists and technology. The terrorists strive to circumvent the technology, and when they succeed additional technology is added. The investment needed to fund this “security race” is continually increasing, while at the same time passenger freedoms are more and more restricted. European airport security has fewer technology measures than those of their American counterparts. In addition, that “small” issue of freedom of movement between EU countries complicates the matter. It is known, for example, that
Billboard displaying the city's recommendations after the March 22, 2016 bombings in Brussels. The text is in french and means “Stay where you are, avoid any move, prefer communications using sms or social networks.” Photo by: Miguel Discart on Flickr
Suspects in the 2016 Brussels bombings filmed by a CCTV camera. Left to right: Najim LaachraouiIbrahim El Bakraoui and unidentified person. Photo by: (CCTV system)
The Counter Terrorist ~ October/November 2016 11
A driver’s license photo of Omar Mir Mateen. Photo by: Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles
Original police comment: “Orange ave will be closed from Grant St to Kaley Ave until further notice. Avoid area.” Photo by: City of Orlando Police Department
12 The Counter Terrorist ~ October/November 2016
There is a race between terrorists and technology.
many European citizens have gone to Syria for ISIS training. It is also known that many of these have returned to Europe. It is not known where exactly these people are.
TERROR IN ORLANDO Reports say that Omar Mateen chose the Pulse nightclub because it was an easier target than Disney World. By chance, I visited Disney World around
Original police statement: “Shooting at Pulse Nightclub on S[outh] Orange [Avenue]. Multiple injuries. Stay away from area.” Photo by: City of Orlando Police Department: the same time Mateen was supposedly scouting the territory with his wife. Israeli reality breeds a reflexive safety vs. threat assessment mechanism. It is not a matter of being in a state of hyper-tension, fear, or hysteria. It simply becomes automatic. Going to a new place, the image of how easy/difficult it would be to carry out a terror attack flashes through the mind as a matter of course. An instant later, the image is put
aside (not forgotten) and the activity at hand is continued with full enjoyment. Maybe this is why, in general, Israelis scorn measures that are meant to give the feeling of security (while neglecting measures that would provide actual safety). We all want to feel secure, but it is more important to actually be secure. Visiting Disney’s Magic Kingdom theme park set off my threat assessment reflex. While I am certain it would be
very unusual for Americans visiting Disney to consider the feasibility of a terror attack or a suicide bombing, I would be surprised if most visiting Israelis did not have the thought flash through their minds. Over 20 million people visited the Magic Kingdom last year. Cursory bag checks have been instated at the park entrance. It is reasonable to assume that this checkpoint instills in most guests the
The Counter Terrorist ~ October/November 2016 13
14 The Counter Terrorist ~ October/November 2016
We all want to feel secure, but it is more important to actually be secure.
The Counter Terrorist ~ October/November 2016 15
impression of security, but we must ask ourselves, is this a true reflection of reality? Entrance to the park does not begin at the checkpoint, it begins in the parking lot. Visitors leave their cars and join a stream of people walking to a boat or the monorail that serve as transportation to the park entrance. At that point, bags are checked and every so often someone is selected for a random screening via a metal detector. Supposedly this procedure ensures visitor safety. No one seems to have considered that the process of transporting guests via boat or monorail necessarily creates large crowds of people waiting to board their selected form of transportation. Hundreds of visitors gather together at one time, multiple times a day. It would be the simplest place in the world for a suicide bomber to blow him- or herself up. Park the car, walk into the crowd with everyone else and… kablooey. Dozens of people would die, many more would be injured, the Disney reputation would be forever damaged, and the American economy would take a major hit. Easy. The security model at Disney is very similar to the security model implemented at most airports around the world. It is not necessary to actually enter the Disney park in order to execute a devastating attack on its visitors and cause irreparable damage to an iconic symbol of America.
FEELING SAFE AND BEING SAFE ARE TWO VERY DIFFERENT THINGS. Prior to entering the Disney parks, there is an announcement to visitors explaining what is not allowed within the park. One of the things mentioned is that
16 The Counter Terrorist ~ October/November 2016
no one is allowed to wear a mask (unless they are a small child). I am curious to know what the Disney procedure would be for a visitor wearing a burqa. This version of Islamic dress for women is worn in many places around the world. It is a complete covering where even the eyes are not visible. What is the difference between a burqa and the prohibited masks? It is next to impossible to demand the burqa be removed. Would the Disney security take aside visitors dressed in this manner and check them in a private room? It is very easy to hide anything under a burqa… What Makes Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport Different? Israel’s Ben Gurion airport is world renowned for its safety. Security experts study the Ben Gurion model and yet it is not implemented elsewhere. Why? The Israeli security model is diametrically opposed to the one employed everywhere else. While the rest of the world relies on technological solutions for safety, Israel relies first on people who are backed up with technological tools. While the rest of the world begins security measures after the check-in point, Israel’s airport security begins before travelers set foot in the airport. Machines that scan bags and people, stripping to have articles of clothing scanned and hysteria about nail files and bottles of water may give the impression of security. Feelings are nice, but what about facts? While Israel has cuttingedge technology available to enhance security, the first line of security consists of well-trained, experienced people. It is the ability to recognize someone who is behaving suspiciously that makes the difference. It then becomes possible to further investigate that specific person, define
their threat level, and when needed, remove the threat. It is not necessary to treat everyone like criminals in order to keep the public safe. It is not technology that makes a person dangerous or assures detection of a danger. The 9/11 hijackers used box cutters, not high-powered rifles. The problem was not their weapons but the unprepared flight crew who did not have the knowledge, training, or skills to deal with the threat. That and the civilians who sat quietly while they were being hijacked… It wasn’t technology that prevented Flight 93 from being used to crash in to another building and wreak more terror on America. It was people. It was Todd Beamer and the men with him who, with no weapons, decided to storm the cockpit and take down the terrorists. Where there is a will, there is a way, and frankly the terrorists have a lot more will than the minimum wage, (often) poorly educated, low interest employees working in airport security around the world. To oversimplify, while airport security around the world strives to detect “ways” that passengers can be hurt, things that can be used as weapons and bombs, Israeli security detects people who have the will to commit acts of terrorism. But this means profiling is racist… right? Wrong. Profiling is the extrapolation of information about something, based on known qualities. When applied to security, this means detecting people who may pose a threat, based on known behaviors and tendencies of people who have, in the past, been dangerous to the public. This is called learning from experience. When someone behaving suspiciously is detected, they can then be taken aside, further questioned, and inspected. This allows security to focus in-depth on the few who could be a
problem, without creating a burden on those who are not. The profile of a potential terrorist is complicated. Some of its elements I am familiar with, more I am not. (Similarly, many Israeli security measures are seen while others remain unseen.) It is worth pointing out that potential terrorists are not necessarily Arabs or Muslims. Most Arabs and Muslims will move freely through Ben Gurion airport without undergoing in-depth security checks, because they are lawabiding citizens who pose no threat. Potentially dangerous people do not necessarily have any religious or ethnic ties to Islam. They can even be innocent people who, because of their naiveté became, unbeknownst to them, carriers of bombs set to explode at later time (for example, mid-flight). Elsewhere, so as not to appear “racist,” people are chosen for random additional security checks. In a world terrified of offending, it is considered better to subject everyone to offensive, intrusive and cumbersome inspections than to actually identify potential dangers. It is better to focus on giving the feeling of security than being actually secure. Israeli experts investigate all the airports where flights depart to Tel Aviv and analyze their security measures. Think about that–Israeli airport security does not begin just at the checkpoint everyone passes driving in to Ben Gurion: it begins at the foreign airports where there are flights destined for Tel Aviv. This included warning Belgian authorities that the security measures in the Brussels airport were inadequate. The general public does not see most of the measures taken to keep travelers to and from Israel safe. The emphasis is on actual security, not the illusion or feeling of security. The emphasis is on detecting potential threats, on
The Counter Terrorist ~ October/November 2016 17
Ben Gurion International Airport runways and terminal. Photo by: My another account
Ben Gurion Airport, also referred to by its Hebrew acronym Natbag, is Israel's main international airport, handling over 13.1 million passengers in 2012. It is one of two airports serving the Tel Aviv Metropolitan Area, the other being Sde Dov Airport, which provides primarily domestic flights. Ben Gurion International Airport serves as an international gateway to not only the Tel Aviv and Jerusalem metropolitan areas but to the majority of Israel. The airport serves as a hub for El Al, Israir Airlines and Arkia Israel Airlines. Photo by: Jorge Láscar from Australia
18 The Counter Terrorist ~ October/November 2016
the people with the desire to commit attacks, rather than finding all the possible methods of committing an attack. People before technology. This takes us back to Orlando and a gut wrenching question that must be asked: how is it possible that so many people in the Pulse club just lay down to die? The concept of security is a life and death issue. What provides security? Technology or people? Laws or individuals? There will always be a way to get around technology. People who want to commit acts of terrorism will not be bothered by the restrictions of the law. Who provides security? The “authorities” or the people? Waiting for the “authorities” to come and save them
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killed 49 people at the Pulse. On the other hand, the club bouncer, Imran Yousuf, a 24-year-old Hindu and former Marine, did not wait for rescue. Instead he rescued not only himself but also some 50 or 60, possibly 70 additional people. There is a big difference between feeling secure and being secure. The Israeli model focuses on actual security over the feeling of security, focusing always on people over technology. The Israeli model dictates that the security authorities are responsible but individuals must do their own part to help save themselves and save each other. It is up to security experts everywhere to decide which model to implement.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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Forest Rain was born in Detroit and immigrated with her family to Israel at the age of thirteen. She served in the IDF Northern Command as an Ordnance Corps Personnel Coordination Sgt. After her service, Forest Rain co-developed and co-directed a project to aid victims of terrorism and war. These activities gave her extensive first-hand experience with the emotional and psychological processes of civilians, soldiers and their families, wounded and/or bereaved and traumatized by terrorism and war (grief, guilt, PTSD, etc.). Forest Rain is a Marketing Communications and Branding expert.
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Connect with Forest Rain Inspiration from Zion: http://forestrain. wordpress.com/ Twitter: @frisrael Email: lionheart.e@gmail.com