The Counter Terrorist Magazine August / September 2019

2019 CYBER TRENDS • FEMINISM VS ISLAM IN THE WEST•FBI’S NEW PISTOL

Journal for Law Enforcement, Intelligence & Special Operations Professionals

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2019

VOLUME 12 • NUMBER 2

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NCT Sur América A Vision of IB Consultancy

After a very successful first edition of NCT South America in Bogotá, NCT is coming back for its second edition: this time to Rio de Janeiro for NCT South America 2019 at the Brazilian Ministry of Defense’s Copacabana Fort from the 5th to the 7th of February! The CBRNe Society’s official partnership with the Brazilian Armed Forces will bring together high-level decision-makers, experts and first responders in the field of CBRNe for an amazing three-day exhibition and conference. The official conference language is Spanish.

The Brazilian Armed Forces will kick off the event with a live CBRNe capability demonstration followed by a Static Display highlighting their current CBRNe and C-IED capabilities. The conference stream will address topics related to High Visibility Events (HVEs), regional cooperation in South America, training for the response to CBRNe and EOD threats in Latin America, UXO challenges, and much more!

Our experienced speakers from Brazil, Latin America and beyond will share their experience and knowledge on the latest CBRNe threats in order to discuss solutions for making this world a better and more secure place. +31 71 744 0174 www.ib-consultancy.com @ibconsultancy

5-7 February 2019 Copacabana Fort | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil www.nctsouthamerica.com

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Counter CONTENTS

The Journal for Law Enforcement, Intelligence & Special Operations Professionals

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8

14

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2019

VOLUME 12 • NUMBER 2

COVER STORY:

16

KIDNAPPING DEFINED

by Orlando Wilson

FEATURES:

8

TCG 2019 CYBER TRENDS

by The Chertoff Group

14

PISTOL PROJECTION MINI RED DOT SIGHTS (MRDS) PRACTICAL USE AND OBSERVATIONS

by Karim Manassa

26

FEMINISM, SWEDISH STYLE

by Bruce Bawer

32

HOW THE FBI SELECTS A NEW DUTY PISTOL

by Editorial Staff

DEPARTMENTS: 06

From the Editor

42

Innovative Products

38

Book Review

A Culture in Despaire

Armor Wall, The Portable Vehicle Barrier, Phantom Products Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell

Cover Photo:

Pixabay

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A Culture in Despair

Counter The

FROM THE EDITOR:

by Garret Machine

Journal for Law Enforcement, Intelligence & Special Operations Professionals

I

am very proud to be an American, and I am acutely aware that we possess freedoms and

benefits that no other “first world” nation can claim. Namely, we all have garbage disposals, hot water, central air conditioning, return policies, free refills, customer service, disposable cars, and a working constitution that protects all that capitalism has to offer.

I work in an industry that only exists in America—commercial firearms for the general public. I travel the country with weapons, making use of them as fine instruments for the enrichment of the man with disposable income and/or the professional. Only in America!

I am also proud of the heritage our lawmen, and I am thankful that they remain ever ready to keep the peace by putting themselves in harm’s way. Or so I thought…

As it turns out, officers, in fact, have no duty to “protect and serve,” and an officer’s firearm is to protect him, not you. While we take for granted that officers are brave, selfless, and fit; proficient in firearms; and have the mindset necessary to make critical decisions under stress, we are naive. While some officers are as we expect them to be, a federal court judge has now created a legal precedent for case law which states, “Neither the Constitution, nor state law, impose a general duty upon police officers or other governmental officials to protect individual persons from harm—even when they know the harm will occur.” Boy, we were way off. Wyatt Earp must be rolling in his grave.

In this instance, the basic fundamental requirement of simply performing the primary function of the job is no longer the case. With no duty to act, officers will not train or prepare to act, and they will not have the mindset to put themselves in harm’s way because it is no longer required or assumed. Hard times make hard people, hard people make easy times, easy times make soft people. Well that’s about where we are at right now in American history, the soft part.

Ironically, refusing to aid an officer in an apprehension is a misdemeanor in most states.

This means that while they are not compelled to aid you, you are compelled to aid them.

Once this was called forming a posse and real men lined up to do so.

Who is more likely to use deadly force when a degree of lesser force is sufficient to compel lawful compliance?

1. A veteran of combat tours overseas who has been exposed to life and death stress, who

has been inoculated against violence, and who wants to continue service as an officer.

2. A schoolteacher who changes professions and becomes a police officer because she likes

helping people.

The answer is obvious. He who has confidence is less likely to flinch. He who knows nothing of violence will fail to identify it correctly when doing so counts the most.

Garret Machine Editor, The Counter Terrorist

VOLUME 12 • NUMBER 2

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2019 Editor Garret Machine Director of Operations Carmen Arnaes Director of Advertizing Sol Bradman Administrative Jennifer Junatas Contributing Editors Orlando Wilson Karim Manassa Bruce Bawer The Chertoff Group Editorial Staff Graphic Design Morrison Creative Company Copy Editor Laura Town

Advertising Sales Sol Bradman bradman@homelandsecurityssi.com 305-302-2790 Publisher: Security Solutions International 3479 NE 163 St. • STE 127 N Miami Beach, FL 33160 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 eZine issues of the magazine is $19.99. (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 © 2019 Security Solutions International

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TCG 2019 CYBER TRENDS

by The Chertoff Group

Photo by: Pixabay

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CYBER THREAT TRENDS CRYPTOJACKING

If the recent and explosive growth of ransomware is any indication, criminal organizations will continue to employ malware for profit.

C

ryptojacking, also known

as cryptomining malware, uses both invasive methods of initial access and drive-by scripts on websites to steal resources from unsuspecting victims. Cryptojacking is a quieter, more insidious method of earning profit that affects endpoints, mobile devices, and servers; it runs in the background, quietly stealing spare machine resources to make greater profits with less risk. Due to its ease of deployment, low risk profile, and profitability, TCG posits that this trend will continue to increase in 2019.

SOFTWARE SUBVERSION While exploitation of software flaws is a longstanding tactic used in cyber attacks, efforts to actively subvert software development processes are also increasing. In some

cases, developers are specifically targeted for attack. Malware has also been detected in certain open source software libraries. As software code becomes more complex and dynamic, opportunities for corruption increase as well. In 2019, we will see a continued increase in the use of third-party applications or services as a “back channel� into networks via corruption of the third-party firmware or software (and the updates thereof ).

Such back channels bypass traditional protective and detection capabilities intended to prevent externally-based incidents, thus allowing infection of a corporate network.

RISE IN ATTACKS TO THE CRYPTOCURRENCY ECOSYSTEM Why do people rob banks? Because

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“The officers were surrounded by 150– 200 migrants who attacked the officers and their cars”

that’s where the money is. However, the use of cryptocurrencies for everyday transactions is becoming commonplace. We will continue to see a rise in attacks against individuals and organizations that use cryptocurrency as an increasingly standard element of their business operations and transaction options.

CYBER POLICY TRENDS (SLOW) DOMESTIC MOVEMENT ON DATA PRIVACY AND SECURITY LEGISLATION High-profile data breaches, the implementation of the GDPR, and California’s Consumer Privacy Act will help drive domestic efforts for comprehensive data security and privacy legislation, though a divided Congress and limited interest from

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the White House are likely to slow progress. Additional states are expected to follow California’s lead if Congress fails to take action, in spite of lawsuits filed by technology companies and the Department of Justice.

CYBER THREATS AND INFLUENCE OPERATIONS Fear, uncertainty, and doubt continue to build around the cybersecurity of state and local election technologies and will continue to grow as the U.S. looks to the presidential and general elections in 2020.

HEIGHTENED INCIDENT DISCLOSURE EXPECTATIONS (SEC, ETC.) • The European Union General Data Protection Regulation (The GDPR) became enforceable on May 25, 2018. The GDPR includes

the requirement that organizations must report a personal data breach within 72 hours of becoming aware of it. Likewise, the New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) has imposed the requirement that firms subject to its jurisdiction notify DFS 72 hours after determining that either of the following two events has occurred: (1) a personal data breach, or (2) events that have a “reasonable likelihood of materially harming any material part of the normal operation(s)” of the regulated entity. These 72-hour timeframes significantly accelerate reporting, putting pressure on organizations to mature their incident response and resiliency capabilities in order to meet these new mandates.

• Separately, on February 21 2018, the SEC released updated guidance about public company cybersecurity

disclosure requirements under federal securities laws. The guidance focuses on two topics: (1) the importance of maintaining comprehensive cyber policies and procedures, particularly as they relate to timely disclosure of material cyber risks and incidents, and (2) the application of insider trading prohibitions to material cybersecurity risks and incidents. Recent incidents at Yahoo, Uber, and Equifax have forced government and public companies to take a harder look at breach disclosure norms. The threshold disclosure question is one of materiality—i.e., whether there is a “substantial likelihood that a reasonable investor would consider the information important in making an investment decision or that disclosure of the omitted information would have been viewed by the reasonable investor as having significantly altered the total mix of information available.” While the SEC states that “[w]e do not expect companies to publicly disclose

specific, technical information about their cybersecurity systems,” there is an expectation that a public company should “disclose the extent of its board of directors’ role in the risk oversight of the company, such as how the board administers its oversight function and the effect this has on the board’s leadership structure.” Thus, a key question is how senior management and boards are advancing their understanding of cyber risk such that they can make informed judgments about materiality.

VULNERABILITY EQUITIES PROCESS The Vulnerabilities Equities Process (VEP) “balances whether to disseminate vulnerability information to the vendor/supplier in the expectation that it will be patched, or to temporarily restrict the knowledge of the vulnerability to the USG, and potentially other partners, so that it can be used for national security and law enforcement purposes, such as intelligence collection, military operations, and/ or counterintelligence.” The exposure

Photo by: Pixabay The Counter Terrorist ~ February/March 2019 11

AMBIGUITY REMAINS FOR THE LINES OF DEFENSE Organizations continue to struggle with defining and implementing effective first and second lines of defense. While there is a general consensus that first line defense consists of information security operations and second line defense is responsible for cyber risk oversight, security practitioners, risk managers, and regulatory bodies are not consistently aligned on the practical implementation of these concepts.

Ambiguity in this area represents significant organizational and risk mitigation implications.

CYBER MARKET TRENDS THREAT EMULATION TO MEASURE EFFECTIVENESS (ATT@CK)

Photo by: Pixabay and subsequent exploitation of the NSA’s EternalBlue has amplified calls to address the vulnerability equities issue by increasingly tipping the scales toward disclosure.

CISA AND LINGERING PRIVATE SECTOR RESISTANCE The Cybersecurity Information

Sharing Act (CISA) was passed to improve cybersecurity through enhanced information sharing about cybersecurity threats between the public and private sectors. Although it offers liability protections for the private sector, many large companies continue to be reticent to share sensitive, potentially riskreducing information with peers and the government.

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Organizations are embracing the MITRE ATT&CK model with a slew of new products and services that provide better, granular modeling related to threat tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs). In 2019, there will be an increase in products and services that model threat actor campaigns and suggest mitigation strategies or validate people, process, and technologies in places that address these TTPs.

IDENTITY SOLUTIONS MOVING TO THE CLOUD Historically, organizations have preferred to manage their identity tools and services—especially Active Directory and privileged account management—onsite due to the sensitive nature of the information (“crown jewels”) and the general

importance of protecting that information in order to maintain business operations. Organizations are increasingly moving to cloudbased IAM solutions to complement cloud-based application security capabilities. Movement of IAM to the cloud continues the security product migration first seen by endpoint detection and response products, and this movement is being adopted across whole segments of the security industry.

AUTHENTICATION THROUGH MOBILE DEVICES WILL EXPLODE Acceptance and use of biometrics, facial recognition, QR codes, etc., via mobile devices will increase as organizations and users come to trust that these approaches provide

added security to currently “insecure” elements at places like voting booths, the DMV, and so on. The trend toward greater acceptance is also linked to the proliferation of converged physical-cyber security in identity proofing—i.e., the need to use facial recognition at facility turnstiles, in order to access WiFi via devices, etc.

CUSTOMERS WILL INCREASINGLY FOCUS ON EFFECTIVE RISK MANAGEMENT AS A DIFFERENTIATOR The operational impacts of notPetya to FedEx and a data breach to Equifax were not just expense items—in both cases, customers voted with their feet and the companies lost revenue. Moreover, Equifax had

been certified to several information security standards (e.g., PCI). Thus, customers will increasingly look for assurance that service providers have cybersecurity programs in place.

They will also be looking beyond compliance-based measures to proof of actual effectiveness.•

ABOUT THE AUTHOR The Chertoff Group 1399 New York Avenue Suite NW, Suite 1100 Washington D.C., 20005 Phone: 202.552.5280

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EVERY DAY CARRY TRAINING TO

SAFELY & EFFECTIVELY SAVE LIVES - SERVING SOUTH FLORIDA -

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PISTOL PROJECTION MINI RED DOT SIGHTS (MRDS) PRACTICAL USE AND OBSERVATIONS

14 The Counter Terrorist ~ February/March 2019

by Karim Manassa

“The juice is worth the squeeze” is a phrase that describes the return on investment on what is, essentially, a heads-up display for sighting a pistol—mini red dot sights, or MRDS.

M

y recent journey to

MRDS began with vision issues at an indoor shoot house where my over-40 eyes experienced two problems. First, the florescent lighting did not provide enough ambient light for me to easily find and focus on my fiber optic front sight.

Second, my eyes were taking too uncomfortably long to refocus when changing focal planes (e.g., shifting from a hard, front-sight focus to a person, room, or open area and back).

Knowing that it would be much easier to see an electronic red dot—and

easier to remain focused on just one focal plane—I began researching the pistol MRDS concept further, and I ultimately acquired one and took the training that goes along with it.

Traditional iron sights require the user to manage three focal planes in two different clarities (clear front sight, blurry rear sight and target).

In contrast, MRDS allow the user to focus on just the target with both eyes, as they naturally would, and then simply overlays or superimposes the red dot over the desired point of impact.

By eliminating the need to hard

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focus on the front iron sight or red dot, the MRDS’ target-centric, single focal plane provides many user benefits over iron sights: 1) It reduces mistake-of-fact shootings by gathering more target data (e.g., watching the hands) because the target is in clear focus.

2) It provides greater environmental awareness from a larger field of view due to true, both-eyes-open shooting.

With MRDS, you can look at the active dynamic or threat in totality and simply overlay a red dot rather than having to work through the front sight.

3) It is agnostic to eye dominance due to true, both-eyes-open shooting. Crossdominant shooters (e.g., right handed but left-eye dominant) no longer have to be as concerned about repositioning their gun for proper eye-sight alignment.

Even normal-eye-dominant shooters benefit when transitioning the gun to their support side.

4) It allows for faster sight acquisition. Overlaying a red dot on the desired point of impact is faster than finding and focusing on the top edge of the front sight and working through it over the desired point of impact. This benefit is multiplied when shooting on the move.

5) It facilitates long-distance shooting because it is adjustable, and the dot’s size and gain can be user selected to better match smaller desired points of impact.

6) It eases Improvised position shooting with a parallax free dot up to a certain distance (which varies depending on the device).

In spite of these benefits from having a target-centric, single focal plane, many new users complain that they can’t find the dot upon presentation. The reason for this is that unlike a rifle RDS, which is very

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forgiving of shooting technique errors because it has four or five points of contact on the gun, the pistol MRDS is very unforgiving of shooting technique errors. Indeed, the pistol MRDS actually amplifies user errors because it has only two points of contact on the gun.

After completing a two day pistol MRDS course with Modern Samurai Project, I was surprised that little of the course content had to do with the MRDS technology; instead, everything had to do with shooting technique fundamentals. Once these fundamentals (direction of the eyes, stance, grip, and trigger control) are sorted out, not only does aiming with MRDS become completely natural, but shooting with iron sights improves significantly as well. So, to be clear, there are no “special” aiming techniques specific to MRDS, except perhaps using the Bindon Aiming Concept if the glass becomes occluded.

Over the past six years, vendor offerings for pistol MRDS have expanded greatly. Currently, the most vetted and popular MRDS is the

second generation Trijicon Ruggedized Miniature Reflex, known as the RMR Type 2. The RMR Type 2 has the highest documented round counts in use, includes an impact absorbing patented “rabbit ear� housing design that protects the glass from breakage if dropped, offers a form factor that is low enough to work with standard suppressor height back up iron sights and many holster designs, and maintains excellent battery life.

Personally, I use an RMR RM06 Type 2 that offers manual or automatic adjustable gain and a 3.25 MOA dot, milled into a Glock 17 slide, with Ameriglo suppressor height sights and enhanced front and rear slide serrations. The work was performed

by ATEi, one of the industry leaders in red dot installations. The rear back up iron sight may be placed behind the RMR in the existing rear sight channel or in front of the RMR in a milled channel. This is a matter of personal preference. For me, placing the rear sight in front of the RMR reduces

visual clutter when looking through the RMR’s window.

RMR Type 2 Pro Tips: * Duracell batteries last the longest and fit best inside the battery compartment. * Though a battery can last for two years, semi-annual replacement is recommended for duty use. * Zero for 10 yards/meters. * Apply Cat Crap semi-monthly to avoid fogging and to shed rain. * Manually set the gain to maximum and then back off two clicks. This manual setting reverts to automatic after 16 hours, so be sure to reset it daily.

*** To ensure an agnostic review process, we receive ZERO remuneration or consideration from the vendors. ***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Karim Manassa owns EDC Pistol Training, a South Florida based training company specializing in solo self-responder training for civilians and off-duty law enforcement. Comprised of five instructors from different lanes, EDC provides a comprehensive program of live fire, force on force, and care under fire training. Please visit our site at www.edcpistoltraining.com.

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by Orlando Wilson

KIDNAPPING

DEFINED 18 The Counter Terrorist ~ February/March 2019

Photo by: Pixabay

There are five primary reasons for kidnapping, and the mindsets of criminals vary greatly from area to area and culture to culture. As a result, there is no single profile that fits all kidnappers and all kidnapping situations tend to be unique.

T

he major kidnapping threat to most people in developed countries is being caught up in a small-scale crime that’s gone wrong (or a fight that’s gone bad), like a bank robbery that turns into a hostage situation or a workplace hostage situation caused by the actions of a disgruntled or mentally ill employee. In emerging markets, targeted and express kidnappings for financial gain or favors are a main threat. The mindsets of criminals

vary greatly from area to area and culture to culture. As a result, there is no single profile that fits all kidnappers and all kidnapping situations tend to be unique. I tell my clients that their primary concern if they are kidnapped or held hostage is staying alive in order to be released or to escape.

KIDNAPPING FOR FINANCIAL GAIN These days, you do not need to be a high roller to be kidnapped or involved

The Counter Terrorist ~ February/March 2019 19

in a hostage situation—it can happen to anyone. If you are an international traveler, you need to be especially aware of the threat of kidnapping, even if you’re not going to one of the world’s kidnapping hotspots, like Haiti, Mexico, Venezuela, Afghanistan, Somalia, Iraq, Nigeria, Colombia, or the Philippines. The fact that you are a foreigner can make you a target, especially in poor countries where your watch, your jewelry, and the contents of your luggage will match or far exceed the average monthly earnings of most citizens.

It is very difficult to get accurate figures about kidnapping rates because a lot of incidents are not reported to the authorities or media; also, governments that are keen to attract tourists and investors try to keep official crime rates favorable.

You should research and do a threat assessment for all locations that you will be visiting in order to identify the main threat. If you identify a kidnapping threat, look for patterns in the way the kidnappers operate and work out procedures that will help you avoid the threat.

When we talk about kidnapping, most people immediately think of kidnapping for ransom, which is a very lucrative business in some countries. If someone is kidnapped for ransom or favors, you need to remember that the person is a valuable commodity to be bargained for and they will be kept alive as long as the kidnappers believe they are of value. The negotiation in this type of kidnapping is a business negotiation; you are buying back an asset.

There are cases in which people are kidnapped for favors rather than money. For example, a son or

daughter of an influential person may be kidnapped and released only after the parent has done the kidnapper a favor. The media has termed this type of incident “Tiger Kidnapping.”

In Colombia in 2003, the Marxist terrorist group known as the ELN kidnapped a young lady from the town of Cocorna. The ransom demand was for her father to kill one of the ELN’s enemies. He refused, and a few days later the girl’s body was found dumped on the side of a road with a gunshot wound to the head. From a negotiation standpoint, situations like this are extremely difficult to deal with because the terms are very rigid.

If the kidnappers are professionals, there is a good chance that a hostage will be released when the ransom demands are met. For the kidnappers, it would be bad business practice not to do this because it would deter families from making payments to secure the release of future hostages. On the other side of the coin, if ransom demands are not met, it is good business practice to execute a hostage as a means of encouraging future payments. The professionalism of kidnappers varies greatly from highly skilled individuals to Neanderthals; all kidnappers, however, are capable of extreme violence. There is never a guarantee that a victim will be released when a ransom is paid.

Express kidnapping is a crime that has boomed over the past decade, with incidents taking place globally from Caracas to Vladivostok. Express kidnapping can be classified as a more comprehensive version of mugging or street robbery. There have been cases in London where victims have

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been snatched from the street and held captive for several days until their bank accounts were emptied via ATMs, online money transfers, checks, or other financial instruments.

A classic example of express kidnapping involved a businessman visiting a Central American country.

When he arrived at the airport, he went to the taxi rank and got a taxi to take him to his hotel. About 10 minutes into the trip, the taxi pulled over and in jumped two men with guns. The victim was handcuffed, threatened, and robbed. He was then driven to numerous ATMs and forced to withdraw money until he reached the withdrawal limits on his bank cards. As he was being driven around, one of the kidnappers was making phone calls to try to sell him to other groups; luckily for the businessman, no one wanted to buy him. The criminals had his passport and took his picture with a cell phone. They told him that if he reported anything to the police, they would find out because they worked with the police—and then they would come to kill him. The man went to his embassy, where they told him that he was lucky because everything he lost could be replaced.

They also told him not to report the incident to the police.

Chances are that the fact this man was a foreigner saved him from being sold into a ransom situation.

The kidnappers in this case were not sophisticated criminals and did not have the skills and resources to handle a high-profile kidnapping. Criminals don’t want attention, and kidnapping foreigners usually brings attention from the international media and the embassy of the victim’s home country; this means embarrassment for the

government and pressure on local law enforcement to do something.

Express kidnappings are safer and more convenient for criminals, and the criminals do not need to be highly skilled and well connected to pull them off. In a typical kidnapping, the criminals usually go to a wealthy area and look for a suitable target—someone who looks like they have some money— and then snatch them. Once the kidnappers have a victim, that person is robbed, taken to ATMs, sexually assaulted, and otherwise victimized. If the victim has a cell phone, the criminals may use it to contact the victim’s family for a ransom. The amounts requested in express kidnappings tend to be low, and this is where locals make better targets than visitors. In Venezuela, for example, it is easier and quicker for a resident businessman in Caracas to get and deliver a US$30,000 ransom to kidnappers than it is for the family of a kidnapped student who lives in Helsinki.

The main problem with express kidnappings is that the kidnappers are generally not high-end criminals.

This means they tend to be more violent and more unpredictable than groups that target high profile victims for large ransoms. As with any kidnapping, paying the ransom in an express kidnapping is no guarantee that the victim will be released, especially if the victim can identify the criminals or has been sexually assaulted. Sexual assaults in these situations are not just targeted at females; I recently heard of a home invasion of a middle-class home in Haiti in which the criminals raped the wife in front of the husband and

then raped the husband in front of the wife.

I have seen courses offered in which people are put though a fake kidnapping and interrogation, and in which no one gets a real kick or a slap. This does not come close to military training, let alone a real kidnapping. I think the only people who would want to go through a realistic kidnapping experience or be interrogated are people who enjoy BDSM (bondage, dominance, sadism, and masochism) sexual practices, and I am always very wary if someone asks

"Chances are that the fact this man was a foreigner saved him from being sold into a ransom situation."

Photo by: Pixabay The Counter Terrorist ~ February/March 2019 21

to be interrogated.

So, kidnapping for financial gain is a very complicated issue. The golden rule is this: Don’t get kidnapped!!

Plan, prepare, avoid, avoid, and avoid . . . and don’t get kidnapped!!

VIRTUAL KIDNAPPING Virtual kidnapping is a tactic that criminals are using throughout South

America. It involves contacting the families of people whose cell phones they have just stolen or people who they know are in places where cell phones are usually turned off, like cinemas. The criminals claim to have kidnapped the owner of the cell phone or the person in the cinema.

They demand a ransom of a few thousand dollars, which the family must pay within a couple of hours.

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Consider how you would react if you received a phone call from someone claiming to have kidnapped a close family member and telling you to drop off two thousand dollars at a certain location in two hours or your loved one will be killed. You want to contact your family member, but they don’t have or are not answering their cell phone. What would you do?

In the U.S. or Western Europe, you

might call the police, but you might not want to call the police in a third world country. Besides that, what are the police going to do in two hours?

So, you have to decide—are you going to pay two thousand dollars or are you going to allow a family member to be killed?

Another take on this tactic is being used by criminals in Latin American prisons. They make cold calls on cell

phones to people, and they claim to have kidnapped their wife, daughter, son, or other family member. The criminals request that the ransom be paid within an hour in the form of cell phone credits, which can be done over the phone or online with bank cards. Again, think about what you would do if you could not confirm whether your relative had been kidnapped. A lot of these criminals are in prison; they have nothing better to do than make calls. If they can get one or two people to pay each week, they are making a good living.

I understand that some insurance companies are now offering policies for virtual kidnapping, which sounds suspicious to me. Virtual kidnappings are scams, no different from telemarketers. If people are educated about the problem, they won’t fall for the scam. But, if people are educated about the scam, they won’t need insurance policies either. If a real kidnapping is suspected, it needs to be confirmed before any action is taken; we will discuss this later.

KIDNAPPING FOR PUBLICITY The groups or individuals who kidnap for publicity can be anything from animal rights or environmental protesters to hard-core terrorists.

As you would expect, there is a big difference between dealing with Greenpeace and Al-Qaeda. If you are involved in a situation in which an environmental group protesting oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico has taken over a local government building, there is a very good chance you will be released within a few

hours—once the media has turned up, the police have arrested the protestors, and their cause has been satisfactorily publicized. Violence is generally not the nature of their cause, and it would not do them any good; however, always remember that they are still are very capable of it. On the other hand, if you’re a westerner taken hostage by Islamic extremists, you’d better hope that security forces get to you quickly.

There are many examples of westerners being kidnapped and publicly executed, and you can count on these kidnappers being professional, focused, and prepared to kill and die for their cause. For example, consider the case of the Nord-Ost theater siege in Moscow, October 2002. All forty Chechen terrorists involved in the siege expected to die for their cause.

The leaders of the group were all experienced combat veterans, and they were well prepared and well armed for the task. If you are caught up in this type of incident, you have big problems and you should constantly be looking for an opportunity to escape.

CRIMES GONE WRONG One of the most common causes of hostage situations in developed countries is crimes that have gone wrong and have turned into hostage situations. For example, this occurs when the police respond to a bank robbery in progress and get to the bank before the robbers escape. The robbers then hole up in the bank and try to negotiate for a car or other means of

Photo by: Pixabay The Counter Terrorist ~ February/March 2019 23

transportation so they can escape. They may also negotiate with the police for favorable terms of surrender.

It is unlikely in this type of situation that the hostage takers are trained professionals, but this does not make them any less dangerous.

In fact, they may be more dangerous due to panic, lack of discipline, and the influence of any drugs they may have taken. These days you can expect criminals to be well armed and—if they are looking at lengthy prison sentences—be prepared to resort to extreme violence. In these situations, you must rely on the police to negotiate with the criminals but, as always, you should look for ways to safely escape when possible.

MENTAL ILLNESS & DOMESTIC DISPUTES People suffering from mental illnesses or who are involved in domestic disputes account for most hostage situations, especially in the U.S and western Europe. With mental illness, the most common situation tends to be that of a disgruntled or terminated employee returning to a business to confront a former boss and escalating the situation into a standoff with police. If a corporation suspects that a former employee is mentally unstable, it has a responsibility to take the necessary precautions to protect its staff members.

The causes of domestic disputes and crimes of passion are endless, and these situations can also develop into hostage situations. For example, an employee’s ex-boyfriend may turn up at your office and threaten to shoot himself while everyone watches. If Photo by: Pixabay 24 The Counter Terrorist ~ February/March 2019

you own a business these days, this is something you must have procedures for handling, for liability reasons if nothing else. Both this situation and the disgruntled employee situation are extremely dangerous because of the mental state of the hostage taker, who must be dealt with very carefully. As with crimes gone wrong, you should try to escape and leave negotiations to the police.

KIDNAPPING FOR SEX TRAFFICKING I am regularly asked about the threat of kidnapping for sex trafficking, usually by parents who have a daughter going on holiday overseas. I cannot recall any incidents in which a tourist has been kidnapped and sold into slavery.

Incidents of female tourists being kidnapped, raped, and killed do happen, but those crimes are about sex and control; sex trafficking is about business.

The human traffickers who kidnap girls for the sex industry tend to target girls from poor and developing countries, where the police and government response to the disappearance of a citizen will be minimal, if there is any response at all. Traffickers usually lure girls away from their native countries with advertisements for decent jobs in western Europe or the Middle East.

When the girls arrive at specified meeting points to be taken to their destinations, they are kidnapped instead. The kidnappers take the girls’ passports and travel papers and traffic

them to illegal brothels, where the girls are usually drugged and forced to work as prostitutes.

If the families of these girls report them missing to their countries’ law enforcement agencies, there is not much that can be done. The girls left home of their own freewill, they are young and may not want to call their families, and there is no evidence to launch an investigation. This scenario is much different from a tourist being snatched off the street to be used in the sex trade. Professional criminals are not stupid, and they do not want unnecessary attention from law enforcement—it’s bad for business.

So, why take the risk to kidnap a tourist when you can promise a girl a job and she will turn up at your door? •

Photo by: IDF Circle 277 on Reader Service Card Circle 313 on Reader Service Card

The Counter Terrorist ~ February/March 2019 25

FEMINISM, SWEDISH STYLE A Swedish court recently ruled against the parental rights of Alicia, a Swedish citizen. It handed over her children, who are also Swedish citizens, to a foreigner who is known to have raped their mother in the context of an Islamic Sharia marriage, when she herself was a child.

26 The Counter Terrorist ~ February/March 2019

Refugees from Syria arrive at Stockholm Central Station by train through Denmark and Malmo in September 2015. Photo by: Frankie Fouganthin

S

by Bruce Bawer

ometimes, when someone points out these Sharia rules, people respond, "Well, the texts says such-and-such." The point is not that these things are written in Islamic scripture, but that people still live by them.

Swedish officials have not made any "mistakes" in Alicia's case.

Every single action on their part has been rooted in a philosophy they thoroughly understand and in which they deeply believe. These officials are, as they love to proclaim, proud feminists. It seems, however, that their ardent belief in sisterhood ends

where brutal Islamic patriarchy, gender oppression, and primitive honor culture begin. That is feminism, Swedish style. In practice, the compulsion to respect the different priorities of other cultures is most urgent when the culture in question involves female inequality that is thoroughly enshrined and enforced.

On its official website, the Swedish government brags "Sweden has the first feminist government in the world." [1] . What, exactly, does that mean?

"This means that gender equality

The Counter Terrorist ~ February/March 2019 27

"A man is not only permitted—but encouraged—to beat his wife if she is insufficiently obedient."

is central to the Government's priorities . . . a gender equality perspective is brought into policymaking on a broad front . . . The Government's most important tool for implementing feminist policy is gender mainstreaming, of which gender-responsive budgeting is an important component."

Accompanying this patch of bureaucratic rhetoric on the website is a photograph of Sweden's current government of twelve women and eleven men.

Of course, there are several types of feminism. Sweden's preferred type is not about universal sisterhood and the spreading of sexual equality around the globe. Rather, it is intersectional feminism. What is intersectional feminism? It is a species of feminism that, in accordance with the

relatively new academic concept of intersectionality, accepts a hierarchy whereby other victim groups—such as people of color and Muslims—are higher up on the grievance ladder than women. As a result, women who belong to those other groups enjoy a more exalted status as victims than white female Christians or Jews.

This means that intersectional feminists must be culturally sensitive and culturally relative, recognizing and privileging culturally predicated values other than sexual equality.

They must be feminists who understand that, while no expression of contempt for the purported tyranny of Western males can be too loud, overstated, or vulgar, they must—in their encounters with less feminist-minded cultures—temper their devotion to female equality

En route to Women's March Rally on 7th Street between Constitution Avenue and Madison Drive, NW, Washington DC on Saturday morning, 21 January 2017. Photo by: Elvert Barnes Photography 28 The Counter Terrorist ~ February/March 2019

with respect to those cultures' different priorities. In practice, the compulsion to respect the different priorities of other cultures is most urgent, and the respect itself most cringing, when the culture in question involves female inequality that is thoroughly enshrined and enforced.

Needless to say, this brand of feminism is not confined to Sweden.

In 2017, on the day after Donald Trump's inauguration, it was on full display in the United States at the Women's March. During the march, the new president was universally denounced as a personification of patriarchy while Linda Sarsour, a woman who wears a hijab and who is a champion of Islamic law (sharia), became an overnight feminist heroine.

What does Sarsour promote?

Under sharia law, a woman is expected to be subservient and obedient.[2,3] Her testimony in court is worth half that of a man because she is "deficient in intelligence."[4,5] A daughter should be given an inheritance only half that of a son.

[6] A man is not only permitted— but encouraged—to beat his wife if she is insufficiently obedient.

[7] A man may take "infidel" wives, but a woman may not wed outside the faith.[8] A man may have up to four wives, but a woman can have only one husband.[9] A man can divorce his wife simply by uttering a few words; [10] if a woman wants a divorce, she must subject herself to a drawn-out process that ends when a group of men rules on the matter.

[11] A man is entitled to have sex

Activist Linda Sarsour speaks at the Women Disobey protest against US Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) "zero tolerance" policy separation children and families at the US/Mexico border. Photo by: Sarahmirk The Counter Terrorist ~ February/March 2019 29

with his wife against her wishes and, under certain circumstances, other women as well. [12] And that is just the beginning.

Sometimes, when someone points out these rules, people respond, "Well, the text says such-and-such."

The point is not that these things

feminism raised to the point of selfdestruction.

Still, in no country have the precepts of intersectional feminism been more unequivocally endorsed by the political and cultural establishment, and more eagerly internalized by the citizenry, than

are written in Islamic scripture, but that people still live by them.

Moreover, at the 2017 Women's March, Sarsour—a woman who champions these profoundly inequitable, profoundly antifeminist codes of conduct—was applauded. That is intersectional

in Sweden. Case in point: One of the consequences of intersectional feminism is a severe reluctance to punish Muslim men for acting in accordance with the moral dictates of their own culture. It is precisely because of this reluctance that Sweden—with its feminist

30 The Counter Terrorist ~ February/March 2019

government—has become, according to some observers, the "rape capital of the West."[13] Moreover, it was intersectionality that led every female member of a Swedish government delegation to Iran last year to wear head coverings and to behave like the humblest harem on the planet.[14] One Swiss news website observed, "With this gesture of subjugation, they have not only made a joke of any concept of 'feminism' but have also stabbed their Iranian sisters in the back."[15] Yet another example of intersectional feminism is the 45-year-old Swedish woman who worked in a group home for unaccompanied refugee children.

[16] In November 2016, presumably out of the goodness of her heart, she took an Afghan former resident of the group home— Abdul Dostmohammadi—into her home after he turned 18 and could no longer live at the group home. Within a month, the two were lovers; some months later, Dostmohammadi sexually molested her 12-year-old daughter.[17] When the girl told her mother, her mother did nothing, later explaining to authorities that she had feared Dostmohammadi would be deported if she reported him.

When the girl told her father, who lives elsewhere, he informed the police. The mother need not have worried about deportation: Dostmohammadi was given a threemonth suspended sentence, charged a small fine, and ordered to perform community service. Such is the power of intersectional feminism

in Sweden's system: It enables a Swedish mother—and a Swedish court—to accord lower priority to the welfare of a sexually molested child than to the welfare of the Muslim man who assaulted her.

Another example of institutionalized intersectional feminism in action involves Alicia, whose Iraqi parents took her to Sweden when she was four. When she was 13, they took her back to their homeland to marry her 23-year-old cousin. Returning alone to Sweden, Alicia, a Swedish citizen, gave birth to twin boys, who automatically became Swedish citizens at birth. After Alicia had cared for them for a period of time, her children were taken away from her against her will in order to be raised by her husband in Iraq. Last year, her husband petitioned the Stockholm municipal court for sole custody of the children. On January 9, 2018, the court ruled in his favor on the grounds that the twins had lived longer with him than with Alicia, who is now 24.[18] A Swedish court ruled against the parental rights of a female Swedish citizen. It handed over her children, who are also Swedish citizens, to a foreigner who is known to have raped their mother in the context of a sharia marriage, when she herself was a child.

Juno Blom, an expert in honorrelated violence, is one Swedish woman who apparently did not get the memo about intersectional feminism. Calling the court's ruling a disgrace, Blom charged that Sweden has failed Alicia throughout

her life, stating, "A little girl was taken out of Sweden, married off, raped, and deprived of her children without action by the authorities.

And now they have put the last nail her coffin by denying her custody.

I have probably never seen a case in which so many mistakes have been committed."

Blom does not seem to understand: Swedish officials have not made any mistakes in Alicia's case. Every single action on their part has been rooted in a philosophy that they thoroughly understand and in which they deeply believe. They are, as they love to proclaim, proud feminists through and through. It just so happens that, in deference to the edicts of intersectionality, their ardent belief in sisterhood ends where brutal Islamic patriarchy, systematic gender oppression, and primitive honor culture begin. That is feminism, Swedish style. •

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Bruce Bawer is the author of the new novel The Alhambra (Swamp Fox Editions). His book While Europe Slept (2006) was a New York Times bestseller and National Book Critics Circle Award finalist. This article appeared at Gatestone Institute website and is archived at https://www. gatestoneinstitute.org/11861/swedenfeminism.

https://counterjihad.com/women http://content.time.com/time/ world/article/0,8599,185647,00.html [4] https://quran.com/2/282 [5] https://muflihun.com/ bukhari/6/301 [6] https://quran.com/4:11 [7] https://quran.com/4/34 [8] https://quran. com/60/10?translations=20 [9] https://quran.com/4/3 [10] https://muflihun.com/ muslim/9/3493 [11] http://www.iium.edu.my/deed/ hadith/muslim/009_smt.html [12] https://muflihun.com/ ibnmajah/9/1853 [13] https://www.gatestoneinstitute. org/5195/sweden-rape [14] https://www.frontpagemag.com/ fpm/265825/swedens-fatuousfeminists-bruce-bawer [15] http://www.audiatur-online. ch/2017/02/16/der-schwedischeverrat/ [16] https://www.gatestoneinstitute. org/6190/sweden-refugee-children [17] http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ article-5306279/Mother-refusedreport-Afghan-migrant-molestingdaughter.html [18] http://www.gp.se/nyheter/ hedersflickorna/experterna-rasarefter-alicia-domen-det-vidrigastejag-l%C3%A4st-i-hela-mittliv-1.5093807 [2] [3]

REFERENCE http://www.government.se/ government-policy/a-feministgovernment/ [1]

The Counter Terrorist ~ February/March 2019 31

HOW THE FBI SELECTS A NEW DUTY PISTOL

This is a Glock 22 (.40 S&W) with a few modifications. Photo by: Bobbfwed 32 The Counter Terrorist ~ February/March 2019

by Editorial Staff THE FBI CURRENTLY ISSUES .40 CALIBER GLOCKS

T

he FBI issues its agents either a Glock 22 in .40 S&W (full size) or Glock 23 in .40 S&W (compact). It is clear that the new FBI RFP encompasses the FBI’s recent report on the performance of modern 9mm and .40 S&W cartridges. In that report, the FBI claims there is no significant difference in ballistic performance between the two cartridges.

Based upon that report, the FBI recommended moving their duty issue firearm to a 9mm option. The report recognized that the move to 9mm would be cheaper for the

Bureau (it is) and would result in less recoil problems for agents with smaller hands or stature (which is where I think the weight of the decision is found).

The last 15 years have seen an incredible advancement in firearm and ammunition manufacturing.

There is no doubt that both components have improved dramatically. The 9mm round is a decent round and, with the right hollow point bullet placed in the appropriate targeting area (cranial vault, upper middle chest), is definitely deadly. However, without going into a huge debate about

The Counter Terrorist ~ February/March 2019 33

wound ballistics, there is much to be said for the energy damage potential caused by the bullet. In that regard, I still prefer the larger, expanding, and more energetic .40 S&W over the speedier, less expanding, and less energetic 9mm. For nearly every comparison, .40 S&W expands larger and has around 100 ft/

brought charges against the auditor hired to find out if there was a problem. This may be a big red flag for America’s largest federal law enforcement agency. It could be seen as politically incorrect to carry the firearm of a company that has been charged with federal crimes.

However, Glock handguns have

Glock 22 for over 15 years, and a Gen 4 Glock 22 for over 5 years. The only issues our department officers have experienced are shooter induced.

We’ve used Federal, American Eagle, PMC, Remington, Cor-Bon, Speer, and Winchester ammunition with no manufacturer problems or problems with the pistols.

THE FBI REALLY WANTED THE 9MM SIG SAUER P320

lbs greater energy than its 9mm counterpart.

Gaston Glock and his family are currently embroiled in a wealth of turmoil. From the murder-for-hire attempt on his life by an employee who had embezzled millions from the company to Gaston’s 30-something mistress (he is 86 years old), the Glock family is a terrible soap opera. There are also new lawsuits and possible criminal complaints filed in federal court in Georgia alleging that Glock and its subsidiaries have created a series of bogus tax shelters, and then falsely

proven themselves reliable, accurate, and tough for over 30 years. Glock handguns continue to own the largest share of the American law enforcement market. In my opinion, the controversy over the .40 S&W (the FBI’s current duty sidearm) was way overblown.

In spite of the anti-Glock rhetoric, the only viable issue was the shortened arms on the early model locking blocks that allowed excessive frame flex. The issue with weapon lights and feeding problems was really focused on one popular brand of ammunition. I’ve used a Gen 3

34 The Counter Terrorist ~ February/March 2019

The FBI RFP seems blatantly tailored to fit one particular firearm—the Sig Sauer P320.

There is no doubt that government agencies often write tight standards when an RFP goes out because they specific requirements and needs for the product to be purchased.

However, this RFP appears to be so specific that only the Sig Sauer P320 would fit all if the FBI requirements.

Later on, we will examine the RFP in detail and see how many fine handguns are eliminated by the FBI requirements.

Don’t get me wrong—Sig Sauer makes some incredibly good handguns and there have been many positive reviews of the P320.

Sig Sauer is not a stranger to U.S. federal law enforcement, and several agencies have issued or are currently issuing their firearms (DHS/ USCG). The U.S. military special operations units are also allowed to field Sig Sauer pistols. I would not be opposed to carrying a Sig Sauer, and I believe the FBI would be well equipped if they do change to the P320. The RFP is what I find problematic because I believe in a fair and open market system that

ensures the best item is purchased.

The P320 is a striker-fired, polymer-framed handgun that is in line with the huge trend in popular handguns on the market today. Its lighter weight over steel handguns, consistent DAO (Double Action Only) trigger pull, and ease of maintenance are extremely beneficial to law enforcement agencies. The P320 has a grip similar to other Sig Sauer handguns, which has a comfortable feel while not taking too aggressive of a grip angle.

The standard night sights are a great benefit, as is the enlarged trigger guard (gloved shooting) and the enlarged magazine release.

The P320 has a 2-round capacity advantage over the Glock 22, but only because the caliber is changed to 9mm. The Glock 17 would match that number. The Sig P320 has a metal framed and encased trigger group that helps provide frame stability. Having everything in a nice unit structure is very beneficial for armorer work.

However, the P320 is not without some downsides. The full-size model is slightly heavier than the Glock 22 and has an overall greater width.

This could be an issue for smaller stature agents. In addition, the P320 slide and frame are simply a modified version of the Sig P250, which is a polymer framed pistol with a DAO hammer action. Time will tell if the “patch” that Sig Sauer uses to plug the hammer slot will withstand heavy abuse.

The pertinent requirements listed in the FBI RFP can be found at the end of this article. The parts that are not listed are fairly

generic specifications that most modern duty firearms have. As you will see, there are several specific requirements in the RFP that eliminate many of the most popular firearms on the market.

FBI REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS REQUIREMENTS The RFP requires manufacturers to provide compact, full size, inert training (red handle), and man marker training (blue—simunition) pistols, along with parts and armorer tools as needed. The firearm must be chambered in 9mm. For the most part, most major firearm manufacturers can provide all of the necessary firearms and trainers.

Other specifications of the RFP including the following: • BARREL LENGTH—Full size must be 4.26" to 5.20"; compact size must be 3.75" to 4.25" • HEIGHT—Full size no more than 6.0"; compact between 4.75" to 5.6" • MAGAZINE CAPACITY—Full size at least 16 rounds; compact at least 14 rounds • MAGAZINE DISCONNECT SAFETY—None allowed • COCKING—Only by trigger pull • TRIGGER—Firing pin/striker fired only • TRIGGER PULL—4.5 lbs. to 6 lbs.

• MAGAZINE RELEASE—Laterally pushed, no levers • MANUAL EXTERNAL SAFETY— None allowed • DECOCKING LEVER—None allowed • GRIP SAFETY—None allowed • FRAME/RECEIVER—No finger grooves allowed, must have (3) sizes:

small, medium, and large; can be accomplished through inserts or different frame sizes • PICATINNY RAIL—Required for pistol mounted lights Certain requirements of the FBI’s RFP lean heavily in favor of the Sig Sauer P320. These requirements include the following: ACTION— Striker fired DAO; cocked only through trigger pull • OVERALL LENGTH—8.0" • BARREL LENGTH—4.7" • WEIGHT—29.4 oz. (with magazine) • HEIGHT—5.5" • WIDTH—1.4" • TRIGGER PULL—5.5 lbs.

• CAPACITY—17 rounds • MAGAZINE RELEASE—Button pushed laterally • SIGHTS—SIGLITE night sights • GRIPS—Interchangeable • RAIL—Picatinny • NOT INCLUDED—External manual safety; finger grooves on frame; grip safety; magazine disconnect safety Conversely, the requirements of the RFP eliminate a large number of other quality handguns from consideration. Among these are the following:Glock 17 & 19—Finger grooves on frame • Smith & Wesson M&P 9mm— Trigger pull is 6.5 lbs.; barrel Length is 4.25" • Smith & Wesson M&P 9c— Barrel length is 3.5"; capacity is only 12 • Heckler & Koch VP9—Finger grooves; lever magazine release; barrel length is 4.09" • Heckler & Koch P30—Capacity only 15; DA/SA action; finger grooves on frame

The Counter Terrorist ~ February/March 2019 35

• Ruger SR9—Barrel length is 4.1"; no compact model or adjustable frame sizes • Springfield XD9—Grip safety; barrel length is 4.0" • Springfield XDm—Grip safety • Walther PPX—Finger grooves on frame; trigger pull is 6.5 lbs.

• Walther PPQ M2—Capacity only 15; finger grooves on frame • Walther P99—Finger grooves on frame; lever magazine release; capacity only 15 • FNS 9—Trigger pull up to 7.7 lbs.; barrel length is 4.0"; no size changes for frame • FNX 9—Decocking lever; barrel length is 4.0"; no size changes for frame • Beretta M9—DA/SA action; capacity only 15; external manual safety • Beretta Px4—External manual safety; barrel length is 4.0"; DA/SA action • CZ75 SP-01—DA/SA action; external manual safety • CZ P09—DA/SA action; external manual safety-decocker

THE FBI RFP PROBLEM IS TWO-FOLD The FBI’s RFP is problematic in two ways. First, other firearm manufacturers will see right through this charade and make valid objections to the requirements in the RFP. Each specification will have to be justified and explained as to why it is required. The validity of some specifications may be susceptible to attack. I definitely expect other manufacturers to present viable protests to some of the RFP requirements. The FBI will have to produce proof that each standard is necessary and not just a preference.

Second, the FBI has been doing

everything it can to move away from .40 S&W to 9mm in order to accommodate weak or small-handed agents. Instead of setting a bar and requiring candidates to meet that level, the bureau seems ready to lower the bar and use questionable testing results to justify the move.

THE FBI BEGAN THE .40 S&W There is no doubt that the last 10 years have seen remarkable advancement in firearm and ammunition manufacturing, but there are many who still question whether the FBI’s report about 9mm versus .40 S&W was tailored as a result of internal personal preferences. In the last 20 years, the FBI has been hiring more and more agents with technical backgrounds in computer science, science, accounting, and languages, rather than agents with military or law enforcement backgrounds. Some of these agents have little or no firearms experience prior to entering the bureau and have suffered poor handgun shooting performance as a result. There are also more small-framed agents who complain about recoil.

It is really an amazing turnaround when you consider that this is the agency that commissioned the studies that brought about the .40 S&W after the tragic Miami Shootout in 1986. In that event, FBI agents armed with 9mm semi-automatics, .38 and .357 revolvers, and a shotgun were outgunned by two bank robbers armed with a mini-14 semi-automatic rifle, a shotgun, and two .357 revolvers. The result was two dead FBI agents and several more who were seriously wounded.

In the aftermath—which included autopsies—the FBI agents’ rounds

36 The Counter Terrorist ~ February/March 2019

(many of which were 9mm) were found ineffective in stopping the murderous bank robbers. That was in spite of the fact that some of those rounds were determined to be fatal hits. The power and design of those 9mm rounds was not enough to stop the murderers.

Today’s 9mm cartridge is much improved from the ones used in the Miami Shootout. The report from the FBI, and what appears to be a major move by the FBI away from

FBI New agent training. Photo by: FBI Photosimage source

.40 S&W, is a huge deal. It will be surprising to see how this all plays out, and if this highly restrictive and selective RFP will hold water.

PART I—THE SCHEDULE, SECTION B—SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICES/COSTS B.1 DESCRIPTION OF SUPPLIES

The Government has a need for the following 9mm semi-automatic pistols, along with all associated replacement parts, in accordance with Part 12 – Commercial Items of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR): Class I Compact Pistol: One (1) Class I Pistol with a barrel length of no less than 3.75” and no greater than 4.25”, minimum magazine capacity of 14 rounds, night sights, six (6) magazines, FBI approved gun

lock (lock approval shall be post award), operator’s manual written in English, stackable hard plastic container.

Class II Full Size Pistol: One (1) Class II Pistol with a barrel length of no less than 4.26” and no greater than 5.20” , minimum magazine capacity of 16 rounds, night sights, six (6) magazines, FBI approved gun lock (lock approval shall be post award), operator’s manual written in English, stackable hard plastic container.

The Counter Terrorist ~ February/March 2019 37

Class I Inert Training Pistol (a.k.a. Red Handle): One (1) Class I Pistol, deactivated with full articulation, red frame and slide, night sights, four (4) magazines with red floor plates, FBI approved gun lock (lock approval shall be post award),

operator’s manual written in English, stackable hard plastic container.

Class I Man Marker Training Pistol (a.k.a. SIMUNITIONTM1): One (1) Class I Man Marker Pistol, blue slide or slide with blue inserts, four (4) magazines with blue floor

plates, FBI approved gun lock (lock approval shall be post award), operator’s manual written in English, stackable hard plastic container.

Class I & Class II Pistol Replacement Parts: Replacement parts which comprise Class I

9 mm Luger. Photo by: Mutari 38 The Counter Terrorist ~ February/March 2019

& Class II Pistols to include standard and non-standard parts manufactured or provided by the Contractor of the pistols.

C.3 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS 1. C.3.1 Pistols shall safely fire 9mm Luger ammunition in all operational and training environmental conditions.

2. C.3.2 Class I & II pistols shall have the same operating system and control mechanisms with the only difference being the slide, barrel, frame, and grip dimensions.

C.4 SPECIFICATIONS C.4.1 CALIBER • Pistols shall be chambered for the 9mm Luger cartridge and must be capable of firing 9mm Luger ammunition which is in compliance with the specifications as outlined by the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers Institute (SAAMI)3.

C.4.14 SIGHTS • C.4.14.a Material shall be made of steel and capable of withstanding: 20,000 round endurance firing cycle.

One handed immediate action drills where the shooter will utilize the front edge of the rear sight by supporting it against the edge of a ballistic shield, holster, etc., and cycling the slide.

Shall be black and non-reflective.

• C.4.14.b Characteristics Front and rear sight must allow the shooter to acquire the proper sight alignment rapidly.

The proper alignment of the sights will be consistent with “equal height, equal light” sight alignment.

The information line for the FBI is the top of the metallic sights.

• C.4.14.f Low-light Sights (a.k.a.

Night Sights) The front and rear sights shall be equipped with self-luminous capsules which allow the shooter to align the sights in low light conditions.

Night sights shall allow for a horizontal sight alignment of the three self-luminous capsules in a row.

The front sight shall contain one capsule and the rear sight shall contain two capsules which will align on the left and right of the front sight.

The night sights shall contain tritium or an equivalent self-luminous material all of the same color.

The self-luminous material shall appear green in color.

WARRANTY: The sights shall have a minimum service life of 10 years from date of receipt by the FBI. WARRANTY: The sights shall be impervious to damage by commonly available gun cleaning solvents and lubricants.

The luminous portion of the sights shall not be visible from the muzzle end of the pistol.

The luminous portion of the sights may have a white color outline visible to the shooter.

The sights delivered on the pistols shall be Trijicon7, Bright and Tough NightTM Sights, or similar.

5. Class II: No greater than 6”

C.4.3 MAGAZINES 1. C.4.3.a Capacity Class I: Magazine shall hold a minimum of 14 cartridges 2. Class II: Magazine shall hold a minimum of 16 cartridges 8. C.4.3.i Magazine floor plate shall: Be removable for magazine disassembly without the use of specially designed tools. Use of the supplied armorer’s tool is acceptable. Remain securely affixed when dropped from a height of 48” onto a hard surface regardless of the number of cartridges contained in the magazine or the orientation of the magazine upon impact. Aid in the positive seating of the magazine during loading. Enable positive gripping and rapid manual extraction of the magazine if the magazine is locked in place as a result of a malfunction (e.g., double feed) or if the shooter is wearing gloves.

Have a small ledge (“toe”) on the front of the magazine to aid the shooter in rapid extraction of the magazine. This ledge must protrude forward of the grip (nominally 0.10” – 0.15”) to enable the non-shooting hand to strip the magazine from the pistol.

C.4.4 MAGAZINE DISCONNECTOR/SAFETY • None allowed. The pistol shall fire with the magazine removed and a live round in the chamber.

C.4.2 PISTOL PHYSICAL DIMENSIONS 1. C.4.2.a Barrel4 Class I: Barrel shall be a minimum of 3.75” not to exceed 4.25” 2. Class II: Barrel shall be a minimum of 4.26” not to exceed 5.20” 3. Barrel lengths between the two classes of pistol shall not be closer than 0.5”.

4. C.4.2.b Height Class I: No less than 4.75” and no greater than 5.6”

C.4.5 MAGAZINE WELL • The edges at the entrance of the magazine well shall be beveled in order to aid in the ease of reloading on both Class I & II pistols.

• It is preferred the Class II pistol have a flared magazine well entrance.

This flare should extend no more than 0.100” beyond the outside of the grip on each side.

The Counter Terrorist ~ February/March 2019 39

C.4.6 MAGAZINE CATCH/RELEASE 1. C.4.6.a The magazine catch shall be located on the frame near the junction of the trigger guard and the grip.

2. C.4.6.b The magazine catch shall be ambidextrous. It is allowable for this to be accomplished by moving the magazine catch button from the left side to the right side by a FBI gunsmith.

3. C.4.6.c The magazine catch shall be activated by depressing the catch with a lateral movement by the shooter’s thumb/finger. It is not allowable to have a magazine catch which is activated by a downward movement.

C.4.7 TRIGGER 1. C.4.7.a Trigger Mechanism Type / Class I & II The trigger pull shall be consistent in both length and weight of pull for the first shot and all subsequent shots. Firing pin/Striker fired only. There shall be no method of manually cocking the pistol other than by pressing the trigger.

If a trigger safety is present, it is preferred the safety match the contour of the trigger bow.

2. C.4.7.b Trigger Pull Weight6 / Class I & II Trigger pull weight shall be no less than 4.5 lbs. nor exceed 6 lbs. Pistol must fire with 6 lbs. of pressure and shall not fire with 4.25 lbs. pressure.

Manually adjustable triggers are not permitted.

C.4.9 MANUAL EXTERNAL SAFETY • None allowed. Only safeties which are disengaged by the

rearward movement of the trigger are allowed (i.e., passive).

C.4.10 DECOCKING LEVER • None allowed.

C.4.11 GRIP SAFETY • None allowed.

C.4.15 FRAME/RECEIVER • C.4.15.a Finger grooves on the frame are not permitted.

• C.4.15.b The frame must have a non-slip surface on the area of hand contact for both right and lefthanded shooters.

• C.4.15.c Frames which allow different hand sizes are required.

Regardless of how each Contractor accommodates different hand sizes they must be able to support at least 3 sizes commonly referred to as small, medium, and large.

• C.4.15.d Two acceptable methods of accommodating for different hand sizes are: 1. Multiple Frame Sizes Two alternate sizes must be available and supplied with each pistol.

2. Grip/Frame Inserts Two alternate sizes must be available and supplied with each pistol.

• It is required the size of a frame or insert be marked on an exterior surface (e.g., “M” for medium, “L” large) for rapid identification without disassembly.

• C.4.15.e The frame shall have a locking slot groove/rail to affix a tactical light.

C.7 AUTHORIZED BUYERS • In addition to the FBI, the following U.S. Government entities may purchase pistols and/or parts

40 The Counter Terrorist ~ February/March 2019

under the contract: • United States Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security • United States Marshals Service • Department of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms • United States Postal Service • United States Treasury Department • Drug Enforcement Agency • United States Capitol Police • United States Park Police • United States Department of Energy • Office of Inspector General (all Federal agencies) • United States Department of Defense.

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Innovative Products ARMORWALL

Patriot3 is proud to introduce the Ballistic ArmorWall. The ArmorWall is the first complete mobile ballistic barrier system that provides the tactical specialist with resistance to Ballistic and Fragmentation threats. A truly transportable perimeter wall that provides ballistic protection where ever and when ever needed with complete versatility as each section can be assembled in varying heights and assembles and disassembles in only a few minutes for use over and over, from place to place. Each section has the ability to stand alone or can be connected with other sections. Each section stores in its own protective transport case and can be customized with additional cosmetic and functional option. The ArmorWall is available in NIJ threat levels 3 and 4. Contact us at info@patriot3.com for more information & pricing. •

PHANTOM

Phantom Products is proud to introduce the newest addition to its hand held lighting line: The Phantom Warrior MT™ Multitask Flashlight. This AA battery unit employs all solid state bulbs and has two intensity levels on the primary forward flashlight mode--this saves both your night eyes and your power consumption as you only use the light you need. The high intensity shoots 100 lumens out in a powerful blast to let you see EVERYTHING. But what is truly unique about this light is the side light feature. We make the only flashlight with an integrated side strobe/steady--this keeps you and your team safe in crowds as you will easily locate each other by sight instead of providing locations verbally--just hold up your light and announce your presence. The side lights are available in Amber/White, Red/Blue, or Red/White. The light can mount on your belt for easy access. This is the light that will be on every department’s “required equipment” list. phantomlights.com •

42 The Counter Terrorist ~ February/March 2019

SSI PVB

SSI PVB The Portable Vehicle Barrier transfers the momentum of a moving vehicle upwards and stops it in its tracks. Two adults can deploy the barrier in minutes without any need for electricity. It can be equipped with wheels to act as a swing barrier. You can add anchoring cables and place the PVBs in a single row or more. The PVB can be folded quickly for moving and storage; it is reusable and durable. www.ssipvb.com. •

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The Counter Terrorist ~ February/March 2019 43

BOOK REVIEW

Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell Reviewed by Garret Machine

O

nly those closest to me

know that I have often felt

that I have not reached my full potential in life. When I have great success, I often feel like it is not enough because I should have or could have taken a different path altogether.

Searching for wisdom, I found that I was not alone in this and a trusted ally led me to this book. In it, Gladwell explores the remarkable among us and examines how and why some are so successful while others with equal or greater abilities fail to rise to the top.

Throughout the book, Gladwell shows that we are all subject to biases of our environment that can contribute to our success or failure. There were several takeaways of particular interest to me.

First, parenting has a greater effect than you might think with regard to child time management. Several examples are given in the book to show how the middle class in the U.S. grooms its children for success through time management during the summer months and after school, teaching children to make their down time productive. Further, parents in higher income households tend to empower their children by facilitating curiosity and fostering learning in everything the children do.

In addition, more disposable income means more effort is allotted to child education and enrichment. Poorer households prioritize these things after basic needs are met, and in some those basic needs may be difficult to attain consistently.

Interestingly, high IQ is important to success only up to scores of about 130. Anything above 130 is great but does not make the significant differences that the lower range experiences. For example, a score of 100 is an average IQ in America.

Average for U.S. college graduates is 105. At a score of 130, a person is considered a genius, but people with scores above 130 may not see tangible benefits beyond their test results.

Furthermore, gaining 10,000 hours of expertise is important for mastering a skill set. The Beatles are an example of this idea. On a personal level, I am an expert at imparting complex information

44 The Counter Terrorist ~ February/March 2019

in a simple, palatable dialog that lends itself to student success. I know that, but the book helped me articulate it as such.

Ultimately, Gladwell shows that mindset and conditioning are critical to success in life. This does not mean just being good or successful at what you do, but being among the best at what you do. Achieving the top 15% in your field of study, practice, or business is attainable only through a specific set of circumstances that include timing, intellect, talent, and coaching (parenting).

I highly recommend this book to any overachiever.•

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Thanks in part to that program, we are better able to defend ourselves in the United States. In response to demand, we are now offering a once-in-a-lifetime experience covering the following advanced subjects: May 31st – June 8th

Hezbollah - a threat as deadly as al-Qaeda - Learn about them in their own territory, along Israel’s northern border.

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2019

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Phone: 866-573-3999 Fax: 866-573-2090 contact@securitysolutionsint.com Circle 50 on Reader Service Card Circle 215 on Reader Service Card

The Counter Terrorist ~ February/March 2019 45

ADVERTISER INDEX

Counter The

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2019

VOLUME 12 • NUMBER 2

Journal for Law Enforcement, Intelligence & Special Operations Professionals To request detailed product information, visit our website http://thecounterterroristmag.com/readerservicecard.php or scan this code. Select the appropriate Reader Service Number (RSN) on the web-form and submit your contact information. Individual advertiser’s websites are also provided below for your convenience.”

Page

Ad/Company • website and/or email............................................................................................... RSN Number

41 5th Annual International Police K9 Conference• www.k9copmagazine.com.......... 279 45 Advanced Homeland Security Training in Israel • www.homelandsecurityssi.com... 215 2 DeSantis Holster & Leathergoods • www.desantisholster.com.................................. 241 13 EDC Pistol Training • www.edcpistoltraining.com..........................................................118 25 K9 Cop Magazine • www.k9copmagazine.com........................................................... 277 3 NCT Sur America • www.nctsouthamerica.com............................................................. 319 4 Patriot3 • www.patriot3.com....................................................................................... 301 48 Phantom Products Inc. • www.phantomlights.com...................................................... 209 47 PVB • www.SSIPVB.com............................................................................................. 226 17 Southern Police Equipment • www.southernpoliceequipment.com................................ 343 43 SSI Elevated Tactics • www.homelandsecurityssi.com................................................... 313 7 TacOps West • www.tacopswest.com.......................................................................... 101

46 The Counter Terrorist ~ February/March 2019

New and improved

( portable vehicle barrier ) When Law Enforcement in Dallas wanted a product to protect the greatest sporting event in the US they chose SSI’s PVB. The reason the PVB is used by agencies and militaries across the globe is that it transfers the momentum of the threatening vehicle upwards and stops it in its tracks. Two adults can deploy the barrier in minutes, and there is no need for electricity whatsoever.

The Portable Vehicle Barrier comes with several customized configurations: • You can put wheels on it so that it acts as a swing barrier and easily opens a road • You can toughen the line by adding anchoring cables or place the PVB’s in one single row or even three rows to stop anything • Additional safety features can be added PVBs can be folded down quickly –moved and stored with ease – the PVB is reusable and durable.

Best of all NO maintenance is required.

Made in the USA means jobs in the USA and supporting our national economy. Ordering is quick and easy allowing us to make the PVB available to your agencies immediately. Besides being the most cost effective barrier in the business today, the PVB is a VBIED killer. CALL NOW.

Call now for more information. Pricing dependent on quantity and delivery location. Call: (305) 401-6906 or email info@homelandsecurityssi.com

Or visit our website: www.SSIPVB.com

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The Counter Terrorist ~ February/March 2019 47

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