Border Security
Matters
Welcome
Thomas Tass, Executive Director, BORDERPOL
2
015 is already proving to be challenging for the global border security, traveller and migration management community as the mélange of economic, social and political issues that has roiled the world since 2008 continues.
We live in confusing times. Depending on the economist or politician, the global economy is either expanding or contracting. The standing of the global economy used to be a fairly exact science but for various reasons it is not so today. In today’s 24/7 news reporting environment enormous volumes of ostensibly contradictory information is continually being broadcast on the subject. What then can be said about the state of affairs within world’s border security, traveller and migration management community? Has trafficking in human beings been demonstrably reduced since 2008? Have the numbers of criminal indictments of persons involved in the trafficking of woman and children been appreciably increased. Is there palpably closer cooperation and more effective communication between law enforcement, NGO’s and IGO’s on the subject? Has drug smuggling and trafficking in counterfeit goods been eliminated since 2008? Have the number of organized crime groups involved in these activity been reduced? Has the movement to legalize drugs reduced smuggling of so called soft drugs? Has cooperation, communication and consultation between border service entities, national & regional police services, civil and military border guards, immigration and customs agencies and various associated taxpayer funded intergovernmental organisations improved since 2008? Has there been a demonstrable improvement in the standardization of services and an upgrade of the professional performance of border services and agencies? Has science and technology made security and traveller programs less costly since 2008? Has it had offered more
Vol: February 2015
Contents Agency News
2-8
Remaining true to support of law enforcement on the border
9
Highlights from 3rd World BORDERPOL, Congress
10 - 13
UK Election Time: The Battle Lines on Immigration and Border Control
14 - 15
What is Necessary for PNR to Work?
16 - 17
The Western and Arab Alliance together across the Levant Region in the fight against extremism 18 - 20 Human Factor in Security
22 - 23
Industry News
25 - 27
Product Update
28
News and updates form the Secretariat
29 - 31
effective systems with regard to data/privacy protection, more efficient traveller clearance systems? Has the legal and social systems of the international community improved refugee selection, protection and resettlement since 2008? Have the number of refugees that meet the UN definition decreased? During the last three annual World BORDERPOL Congress meetings in London and Budapest, as well as at the various workshops leading up to the Congress, these matters have been discussed and debated by law makers, leading academic and industry experts and frontline border management officials. The result of these undertakings brings incremental improvements in the border security, traveller and migration management communities’ ability to challenge the actions of international criminal groups. Successes are emerging as a result of our efforts to bridge communication, consultation and cooperation gaps that exist between the various stakeholders. BORDERPOL remains true to its support of law enforcement on the border as stated in Article 2 (b) of our Constitution. We will continue to work with our friends and colleagues around the world to improve global border safety and security “To promote safe and secure borders through good border governance and complementing the efforts of existing international organizations through dynamic and effective partnerships through global cooperation, communication and consultation among border security professionals;”.
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Successful 3rd World BORDERPOL Congress in Budapest
as they take advantage of chaos in Africa and the Middle East, the EU borders chief said. Many asylum seekers and illegal immigrants are reaching Europe via the Mediterranean sea, with hundreds dying during the perilous crossing, said Fabrice Leggeri, executive director of Frontex, the European Union’s border cooperation agency. Libya’s plunge into anarchy has created an ideal environment for traffickers, who pack people fleeing war and poverty in the Arab world and sub-Saharan African onto rickety boats that set sail for Europe -- mainly aiming for nearby Italy. In an interview at the Warsaw headquarters of Frontex, Leggeri said the numbers since Jan. 1 of what his agency terms “irregular crossings” into Europe at all border points was the highest ever recorded.
The 3rd World BORDERPOL Congress was said to be a great
success by all involved.
The event once again attracted representation from across the globe, with 138 delegates from 38 countries represented. 27 Heads of Service, 18 Deputy Heads and 93 Heads of Department, Managers and senior officials from across the border community came together to discuss the pressing issues that are of concern to all in an atmosphere of mutual respect and fraternity. Some of the most interesting discussions revolved around the sharing of information, the effects of cyber crime across borders and UAV technology and how to exploit it. Highlights included: Minister Abba Moro, Minister of Interior, Nigerian, signing an agreement to make Nigerian Immigration Service the first African agency to become a full member of BORDERPOL. Commissioner Clarence Yeo was the recipient of the first BORDERPOL ‘Excellence in Border Management’ award on behalf of Immigration & Checkpoints Authority of Singapore. There was an award of a special citation for the Hungarian Border Police to recognise their sustained support for BORDERPOL and its aims since its inception. Thomas Tass Executive Director of BORDERPOL received a ‘Recognition Award’ from Mr. Muhamad Anil Shah Abdullah, Director for Police Services, Assistant Commissioner of Police, ASEANAPOL for his work in promoting IBM worldwide. Mr. Abdullah also stated the intention of ASEANAPOL to work more closely with BORDERPOL in the coming years. A round-up of the Congress can be found on page 10.
Record flow of migrants likely this year: EU border chief
A record number of migrants look set to flow into Europe this year, with human traffickers becoming increasingly aggressive
An official put the number at more than 5,600, despite winter storms and cold that normally deter the human smugglers. Asked if that meant 2015 would be a record year, Leggeri said: “Yes, if the current trend is confirmed.” In 2014, there were approximately 300,000 irregular crossings into the European Union, with U.N. data showing at least 218,000 people entering via the Mediterranean. The other major route for migrants was overland from the Middle East into the western Balkans and onto the EU, officials said. “There are obvious reasons: because of the geo-political situation in Syria and the Middle East, because in Libya one can say there is a failed state and there is no government able to have effective control of the territory, which makes it easier for organized crime to flourish there.” Leggeri said traffickers were becoming more aggressive. In one case this month, smugglers pulled out guns to threaten an Italian coastguard crew which was trying to tow a wooden vessel filled with migrants into port. The traffickers, he said, wanted the boat back so they could use it again. Frontex is in charge of an EU coastguard mission patrolling the Mediterranean, dubbed Operation Triton, which started work last November just as Italy wound down a much larger program, Mare Nostrum, that rescued more than 100,000 migrants in 2014.
Mideast states can establish security: Iran minister
Iranian Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani-Fazli has dismissed foreign intervention in the Middle East, saying regional countries are capable of establishing lasting stability in the region.
“Terrorism, extremism and human trafficking are [among] the calamitous problems in the region which have emerged through the support the United States, the Israeli regime and some regional countries provide for extremist movements and deviant factions,” Rahmani-Fazli said in a meeting
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Niger arrests more than 160 Boko Haram suspects at Nigerian border
O
fficials in Niger have arrested at least 160 people suspected of being involved with Islamist militant group Boko Haram. The organization, originally based in Nigeria, has stepped up attacks on neighboring countries. At least 160 suspected militants belonging to the Islamist Boko Haram group were arrested at Niger’s border with Nigeria on Monday, police said. with Tajikistan’s Interior Minister Major General Ramadan Rahimzadeh in Tehran on Thursday. The top Iranian official further said the measures taken by the foreign-backed terrorist groups have instigated instability, crises and insecurity in the region. “Therefore, the [regional] countries’ contribution to fighting terrorism and extremism can help establish lasting security in the region,” Rahmani-Fazli said, adding, “Tajikistan has good cooperation with Iran and other countries in that regard.” He also touched upon border security between the two countries, saying, cooperation between Tehran and Dushanbe to tighten security along their common borders can bring about positive results for both nations. He further referred to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s trip to Tajikistan in September 2014, saying that during the visit Iran and Tajikistan signed a deal to cooperate in fighting drug smuggling. Rouhani traveled to Tajikistan on a three-day visit on September 10 to participate in the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). Iran, Tajikistan, Pakistan and Afghanistan can join forces to fight against drug smuggling, added the official. He also said the two countries have agreed to form a committee to handle the issue of border security and fighting drug smuggling. The Tajik minister, for his part, said terrorist groups have brought insecurity upon the whole world, adding that Iran and Tajikistan plan to expand their cooperation in fighting terrorism. He also pointed to the establishment of security in the region, saying that serious measures should be taken to achieve stated objectives in the area of fighting terrorism.
“We would like to warmly thank the residents of the Diffa region whose assistance has allowed us to arrest more than 160 suspects,” Niger’s police spokesman Adily Toro said on local television. The suspects were being interrogated and faced charges of terrorism and conspiracy in connection with a terrorist group, Toro added. Earlier this month, terrorists launched an attack on Niger’s remote Diffa area, across the border from Boko Haram’s stronghold in Nigeria. Police arrested dozens of suspects in the Nigerian city of Zinder, west of Diffa, where more than 10,000 people were on the run to escape the recent violence. Earlier on Monday, Cameroon lost five of its soldiers in clashes which left around 86 jihadists dead. The skirmishes took place in Waza, at Cameroon’s border with Nigeria, news agency AFP reported. More than 1,000 terror suspects were also being held for questioning by Cameroon’s army, which recently formed a military alliance with Nigeria, Chad and Niger to drive out Boko Haram militants. The terror group, which denounces everything Western as un-Islamic, has killed and kidnapped thousands in its efforts to create a caliphate. Its members have recently stepped up attacks against Nigeria’s neighbors.
Kosovans risk perils of roads, forests and criminals in chase for better life in EU
F
or the thousands of Kosovans who have left their country for Hungary in recent months, Vila Lira has stood as poetic reminder of the opportunities and risks of trying to sneak into the European Union.
He further noted that Tajikistan plans to expand its cooperation with other countries to counter drug smuggling, expressing hope that cooperation between Tehran, Dushanbe, Kabul and Islamabad can resolve the issue of drug trafficking. Iran has a 900-kilometer border with Afghanistan, where narcotics production is very high. Smugglers have sought to use Iran as a main route to transfer drugs to Europe. Over the past three decades, the country has spent millions of dollars to seal the borders and prevent the transit of narcotics destined for European, Arab and Central Asian countries.
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The name of this restaurant and hotel complex in Palic, northern Serbia, resembles “Freedom Villa” in Albanian – a nod to its clientele’s hopes for a better future outside of their impoverished and isolated home country. Until last week, when Serbian authorities finally shut it down, Vila Lira had connected migrants and people smugglers who promised to get them across the nearby border to Hungary illegally. For €200 (£148) apiece, they bought their entry into the EU’s Schengen area.
objective is to reach Germany. For these migrants, leaving is a big gamble. Kosovans have sold off land, homes and cars, and given up steady jobs in some cases, just as many others like them have done during the past 60 years. The journey is dangerous, and they stand a good chance of being caught by authorities. Most of those who are caught try to seek asylum, which only serves to buy time, in some cases in detention centres. Yet it seems for many, any shot at escaping is worth taking..
On one of the days in the week before it closed, 70 Kosovan men, women and children were gathered outside. A thirtysomething man with blond hair emerged from inside with a beer in hand. “Didn’t I tell you not to stand out there on the roadside? I don’t want you to be seen outside. Get inside now,” he snapped at the migrants in colloquial Kosovan Albanian.
Number of Romanians and Bulgarians working in the UK soars 15% to 172,000 after border controls lifted
“We know people who have been tricked by the owner of Vila Lira,” said a Kosovan-Albanian man in his 20s called Fitim, from Broja in central Kosovo, standing with a friend on the side of the road in the muddy outskirts of Palic. “After taking everyone’s money he shops some to the Serbian police, so they have to pay them too. We are going to walk to Hungary on our own at dusk – we are not paying any trafficker.” As Kosovo marks the seventh anniversary since it declared independence from Serbia on Tuesday, a sudden exodus is indicative of a country that has endured a difficult birth. Kosovan police say about 25,000 people have crossed illegally from Kosovo into Hungary since September to seek a new life in the EU. According to the Kosovo Intelligence Agency, that number is 50,000. Other estimates run as high as 100,000. In one of Europe’s poorest regions, it is clear – from the nightly crowds at Pristina’s bus station, to the well-worn paths through the forests of Vojvodina and the packed trains in Hungary – that the number is substantial. The migrants usually cross into northern Serbia and then pay people smugglers to take them illegally across. By December, Kosovan citizens accounted for the largest share of people – 40% – detected illegally entering the EU’s external borders, according to Frontex, which patrols the bloc’s borders. Hungary received 13,000 asylum requests in January, mostly from Kosovans. But for the majority, their final
T
he number of Romanians and Bulgarians working in the UK soared by 15 per cent in the past year, official figures have revealed. Some 172,000 people from the two eastern European countries were working in Britain in the last three months of 2014. This is up 22,000 on the same period in the year before, the Office for National Statistics said this morning. The number of Romanian and Bulgarian workers in Britain has soared by 15 per cent in the past year The figures come despite assurances from the Government that there would be no major influx after border controls were lifted in January last year. The figure suggest forecasts by Sir Andrew Green, chairman of think-tank MigrationWatchUK, that 50,000 a year from Romania and Bulgaria would seek work in the UK, could be realised. While the number of workers from the two eastern European countries fell 9 per cent quarter-on-quarter from 189,000 between July and September last year, the overall number of workers from the two countries jumped markedly over the year. Employment curbs were lifted for citizens of the two countries on January 1.
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Bulgaria Detains 44 Illegal Migrants at Border with Romania
Bulgarian border police have detained 44 illegal migrants from Syria and Iraq trying to cross into Romania, bTV reported.
The migrants were discovered hidden in a Bulgarianregistered truck at the border checkpoint at the RuseGuirgiu bridge over the Danube around 2 am local time. According to the cargo manifest, the truck was carrying apples to the Czech Republic. The truck driver is a Czech citizen. The illegal migrants were trying to reach Austria. Thirty-nine of them were from Syria and five were from Iraq, bTV said. The group included three children aged 14-16, eight women and 33 men. Nine illegal migrants from Afghanistan were also detained at the same border checkpoint.
Hinojosa touts border security plan
Gov. Greg Abbott spelled out his
border plan, which includes calling for double the current spending on the border and adding 500 new state troopers and more Texas Rangers. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s plan has included keeping the Texas National Guard working the border until the end of May. However, the two Republicans are not the only powerful state officials with ideas to secure the Texas border.
State Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen, has put forward a plan to move away from Guard troops, a situation that he has critically called the “militarization” of the border. “We need to make better use of our taxpayer dollars by developing a plan to phase out the National Guard troops and replace them with a permanent solution,” Hinojosa said. The overwhelming concern for security came during the summer when tens of thousands of unaccompanied minors from violent areas of Central America went to the border and Texas leaders sent more law enforcement officers and the Texas National Guard to focus on security while the Border Patrol handled the influx of children. Hinojosa noted that the cost of the border security law enforcement surge has been $102 million.
of “their role in national security,” the military spokesperson said Wednesday. According to the statement, Al-Sisi discussed “security plans” with the military pilots, adding that the borders must be protected from militant and terrorist infiltration as well as the smuggling of weapons.
EU Extends Italian Coastal BorderControl Mission Until End of 2015
T
he European Union’s executive said it would extend its joint coastal border control mission with Italy until the end of 2015 and could beef up the operation in other ways, as Italy struggles with a surge of migrants fleeing Libya. The European Commission offered an extra €13.7 million in emergency migration funding for Italy on Thursday and said it was ready to react quickly to any Italian request to increase the resources of the mission, known as Triton. Officials said the bloc could also reconsider the scope of the operation. Several hundred migrants are believed to have died this month as they attempted to sail to Italy, marking one of the largest losses of migrants’ lives as they attempted the treacherous Mediterranean crossing from Libya.
Al-Sisi ‘follows up’ on Libyan border military security
The Triton mission was originally intended to run for just a few months. But Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi had been pressing for more assistance from Italy’s EU neighbors. The EU has already earmarked more than €500 million ($568 million) to help Italy cope with migration pressures in its 2014-2020 budget.
military zone headquarters on the Libya-Egypt borders to meet miltary forces and tribal leaders. Al-Sisi will tell them
Italy last year abandoned its Mare Nostrum search-andrescue mission, which had rescued more than 150,000 migrants in operations that ventured close to the coast
President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi paid a visit to the Western
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of Libya. Critics of the program say that Mare Nostrum encouraged more migrants to attempt the risky sea passage because they were more confident the Italians would save them. The Triton operation is far more modest in scope, with rescue actions mainly taking place within 30 nautical miles from the Italian coast.
Myanmar urges China prevent rebel attacks from across their border
China should cooperate with Myanmar to prevent “terrorist attacks” being launched from Chinese territory, a Myanmar official said on Thursday after 10 days of fighting between the Myanmar military and insurgents.
Fighting broke out on Feb. 9 between the army and a rebel force in the Kokang region of northeast Myanmar, on the border with China, called the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA). At least 50 government soldiers and 27 rebels have been killed, according to state media. The fighting has forced tens of thousands of people from their homes, and about 30,000 of them have fled into China. China has called for peace and said it supported efforts to resolve the conflict so refugees could go home.
The foreign ministers of both countries met on Tuesday to discuss the crisis, Hmuu Zaw, an official from the office of Myanmar President Thein Sein.
Porous Syria-Turkey Border Poses Challenge in Fight Against Islamic State
O
fficially, Turkey’s border with the Islamic State-run region of Syria is closed to all traffic. That, however, doesn’t stop some two dozen professional smugglers from accosting prospective clients in full view of a lone Turkish soldier, a few yards from the Karkamis border gate. How hard is it to get across? “Only 50 lira,” or $20, offered Maher, a 35-year-old Iraqi smuggler who said he had been imprisoned in Abu Ghraib and showed off the scars he said were from fighting U.S. forces in Iraq. “It’s very easy—you just walk for five minutes and you are in Syria,” he added, beckoning a foreigner to follow into the wooded hills. “There are a thousand roads, it is all open.” Across the railway tracks from Karkamis sits the Syrian city of Jerablus, under Islamic State’s rule. It is an hour’s drive from the main metropolis in the this part of Turkey, Gaziantep. The porousness of Turkey’s 500-mile border with Syria has become a strategic problem for Western efforts to defeat Islamic State and prevent terrorist attacks at home. The
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Methamphetamine Precursor Chemicals Seized at Thai Border
Chemicals used in the production of methamphetamine
with a market value of more than 600 million kyats (US$582,000) were seized by authorities at the Shan State border town of Tachilek, the township police anti-drug squad announced. A routine patrol on Monday evening by local police and militia troops uncovered 164 bags of a controlled substance together weighing a total of 8,150 kilograms, hidden in bushes on the banks of the Mekong River near Pala village on the Thai-Burma border. Their owner is still at large.
militant group controls roughly half the frontier, the main gateway for the influx of thousands of foreign fighters into the battlefields of Syria and Iraq. It costs as little as $200 to fly to Gaziantep from Europe, and European citizens can usually travel here without passports, just on their national ID cards.
“The seizure is the largest amount so far this year,” said Aung Kyaw Soe, a member of the township anti-drug squad. “The chemicals are used in making methamphetamine tablets. For the time being, we still don’t know the owner, but we are taking measures to find and arrest him.”
The border problem became evident when Hayat Boumeddiene, the partner of an Islamic State follower involved in the Paris terror attacks last month, used the welltrodden path not far from here to escape into Syria.
Authorities have ramped up anti-drug campaigns on the Thai-Burma border in the last year. In July 2014, the Tachileik Township anti-drug squad seized more than US$2.3 million worth of opium along with several automatic weapons during the search of a pickup truck passing through Pankaw village.
And it isn’t just people who are crossing: Islamic State smuggles out oil and brings in military supplies, too, Western diplomats and security analysts say.
While there have been frequent seizures of illicit drugs and weapons, observers have criticized a relative lack of arrests and convictions in connection with trafficking seizures.
The issue dates back to the outset of the Syrian conflict in 2011, when Turkey, eager to speed up the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad ’s regime, essentially threw its border with Syria open to rebels and foreign fighters, including many who ended up joining Islamic State. Some 1.6 million Syrian refugees have settled in Turkey since then.
Burma is Southeast Asia’s largest producer of synthetic drugs. An Aug. 2014 statement by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) warned that the escalation of drug-related crime in Burma could undermine the country’s future development and stability.
“Turkey’s policy from 2011 and until mid-2014 was that anyone and everyone who wanted to fight Assad was welcome to go to Syria and do so,” said Soner Cagaptay, director of the Turkish Research Program at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, a think tank. “That policy has ended now—but it’s very hard to go back to a nonporous border because you have already allowed all these smuggling networks to be established.”
Despite the Burmese government’s commitment to fight illicit drugs in cooperation with international agencies, the UNODC said that drug trafficking remained rife within the Golden Triangle region on the border of Thailand, Laos and Burma.
Turkish officials acknowledge the difficulty of protecting the Syrian frontier, pointing out that it cuts through areas where populations on both sides are linked by historic, family and tribal ties. Yet, Ankara said it is actively cracking down on the influx of foreign fighters to Syria, establishing new “risk analysis units” to weed out suspected jihadists in airports and collaborating closely with European intelligence agencies. Turkey has deported 1,100 foreigners suspected of wanting to join the fight in Syria and Iraq, and added 5,000 names to its no-entry list last year alone, said a foreign ministry official. [Source: Wall Street Journal]
Tachilek Township Anti-Drug Squad seizes chemicals used in drug production in Tarlay in eastern Shan State
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MEPs call on member states to step up external border checks, including at airports, to prevent terrorist attacks
• prevent recruitment and departures to join terrorist organisations, • disrupt financial support to terrorist organisations and trafficking of firearms, and • set up “disengagement and de-radicalisation” programmes.
To protect the EU against terrorist attacks and yet safeguard
MEPs call on member states to prevent the movement of terrorist suspects by strengthening external border checks. They rule out any proposals to suspend the Schengen system, but encourage member states to tighten up existing rules and make better use of the Schengen Information System (SIS) and the Advanced Passenger Information Systems (APIS). They reiterate that certain targeted checks can already be performed on individuals as they cross external borders.
citizens’ rights, MEPs advocate de-radicalisation programmes, stepping up checks at Schengen area external borders, and better information exchange among EU member states, in a resolution voted on Wednesday. They urge member states to make faster progress on the Data Protection Package, so that talks could proceed in parallel with those on an EU Passenger Name Record proposal and thus deliver a full set of EU data protection rules.
Stepping up checks at external borders
Improving cooperation and information sharing Member states should improve the exchange of information between law enforcement authorities and EU agencies. In particular, they should ensure that their national units provide Europol with the relevant information, MEPs say. They point out that only 50% of information regarding terrorism and organised crime is currently given by member states to Europol and Eurojust. They also back plans to create a European counter-terrorism platform within Europol so as to maximise its operational, technical and intelligence exchange capabilities.
The joint resolution was approved by 532 votes to 136, with 36 abstentions. Counter-terrorism measures must not compromise fundamental rights MEPs pledge to work “towards the finalisation of an EU PNR directive by the end of the year” andencourage member states to make progress on the Data Protection Package, so that negotiations on both proposals can take place in parallel. They aim to ensure that data collection and sharing is based on a coherent data protection framework offering legally-binding personal data protection standards across the EU
Ghana Immigration Service holds capacity building training course
T
he Ghana Immigration Service recently held a capacity building training course on “Safer Migration, Security and Integration within the ECOWAS Sub-region for their Border Control officers, under the auspices of ECOWAS-Spain Migration Project to help provide humane and orderly migration.
They also urge the Commission to assess the consequences of the EU Court of Justice’s annulment of the Data Retention Directive and to seek independent experts’ views on the “necessity and proportionality” of the PNR proposal. Tackling the growing threat posed by “EU foreign fighters” MEPs call for a “multi-layer” approach to tackle radicalisation, calling on member states to: • invest in educational and social schemes that address the root causes of radicalisation, • counterbalance online incitement to perform terrorist acts,
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Remaining true to support of law enforcement on the border By Thomas Tass, Secretaryu General, BORDERPOL 2015 is already proving to be challenging for the global border security, traveller and migration management community as the mélange of economic, social and political issues that has roiled the world since 2008 continues. legalize drugs reduced smuggling of so called soft drugs? Has cooperation, communication and consultation between border service entities, national & regional police services, civil and military border guards, immigration and customs agencies and various associated taxpayer funded intergovernmental organisations improved since 2008? Has there been a demonstrable improvement in the standardization of services and an upgrade of the professional performance of border services and agencies?
We live in confusing times. Depending on the economist or politician, the global economy is either expanding or contracting. The standing of the global economy used to be a fairly exact science but for various reasons it is not so today. In today’s 24/7 news reporting environment enormous volumes of ostensibly contradictory information is continually being broadcast on the subject. What then can be said about the state of affairs within world’s border security, traveller and migration management community?
Has science and technology made security and traveller programs less costly since 2008? Has it had offered more effective systems with regard to data/privacy protection, more efficient traveller clearance systems? Has the legal and social systems of the international community improved refugee selection, protection and resettlement since 2008? Have the number of refugees that meet the UN definition decreased? During the last three annual World BORDERPOL Congress meetings in London and Budapest, as well as at the various workshops leading up to the
Congress, these matters have been discussed and debated by law makers, leading academic and industry experts and frontline border management officials. The result of these undertakings brings incremental improvements in the border security, traveller and migration management communities’ ability to challenge the actions of international criminal groups. Successes are emerging as a result of our efforts to bridge communication, consultation and cooperation gaps that exist between the various stakeholders. BORDERPOL remains true to its support of law enforcement on the border as stated in Article 2 (b) of our Constitution. We will continue to work with our friends and colleagues around the world to improve global border safety and security “To promote safe and secure borders through good border governance and complementing the efforts of existing international organizations through dynamic and effective partnerships through global cooperation, communication and consultation among border security professionals;”.
Has trafficking in human beings been demonstrably reduced since 2008? Have the numbers of criminal indictments of persons involved in the trafficking of woman and children been appreciably increased. Is there palpably closer cooperation and more effective communication between law enforcement, NGO’s and IGO’s on the subject? Has drug smuggling and trafficking in counterfeit goods been eliminated since 2008? Have the number of organized crime groups involved in these activity been reduced? Has the movement to
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Highlights from 3rd World BORDERPOL Congress Connecting and Protecting
Head of Hungarian Border Police Dept delivers Opening Keynote Speech
BORDERPOL Executive Director, Thomas Tass, opens event proceedings
Thomas Tass opens the 3rd World
BORDERPOL Congress in Budapest to a crowded conference room of border protection and security professionals from 40 international agencies, who enjoyed 3 days of interesting and informative discussion and debate.
www.world-borderpol-congress.com
Col. dr Gisella Vas delivers her Comrade Abba Moro MP, Minister of Interior for Nigeria gives Opening Keynote Speech
keynote speech at the 3rd World BORDERPOL Congress to a full auditorium of senior border agency officials and sets the scene for 3 days of discussions and workshops.
Comrade Abba Moro, Minister of
Interior for Nigerian joins the World BORDERPOL Congress in Budapest to deliver his keynote address to highlight the need for international border agency collaboration in light of the current global security threats and challenges.
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Closed Agency Only Workshops allowed for private discussions
T
he Closed Agency Only Workshops, hosted by the Hungarian National Police, designed to promote enhanced inter-agency co-operation and information sharing amongst border forces, proved a great success for the 40 agencies represented at the Congress. The behind closed door discussions allowed for greater communication and collaboration between agencies.
Networking opportunities and a chance to meet the exhibitors
Coffee and lunch breaks during the
conference gave the delegates the opportunity to visit the exhibition and view some of the latest technologies and products, for border protection, management and security, available on the market. The event provided excellent opportunities to network and meet industry colleagues and share ideas and thoughts on the conference topics, as well as challenges closer to home, all with the purpose of creating inter-agency co-operation nd information sharing and enhance collaboration for safer and more secure international borders.
Packed conference room for opening keynote session Migration Movement Challenges from Human Trafficking to Illegal Migration
ASEANAPOL make their first
appearance at the World BORDERPOL Congress with Muhamad Anil Shah Abdullah, Director for Police Services, giving an overview of the Southeast Asian challenages facing border and police agencies.
A full conference room of
border agencies and the border management and security industry was in attendance for opening keynote speeches by Lt. Col Karoly Papp, Chief Commissioner of Hungarian National Police; Comrade Abba Moro, Minister of Interior for Nigerian; Col. dr Gisella Vas, Head of Hungarian Border Police Dept; and Dmitry Nekrasov, Head of the Department of customs legislation and law enforcement practice, Eurasian Economic Commission.
Welcome Reception for Agencies
Chief Commissioner Karoly Papp
welcomes the delegates from border agencies and agencies at the border to the Welcome Reception at the Ministry of Interior buildings, along with Thomas Tass, Secretary General of BORDERPOL.
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The Four Colonels
M
eeting of the four Colonels at the Welcome Reception - Col. Zoltan Nagy, Head of Operational Centre, EUROPOL; Col. dr. Gisella Vas, Head of Hungarian Border Police Dept; Col. Zoltan Szabo, European Secretariat of BORDERPOL and Col.Géza Horváth, Director of International Law Enforcement Center, Hungarian National Police, enjoying a catch up and sharing of experiences.
Receiving the BORDERPOL Award for Excellence in Border Management
The Board of BORDERPOL
Commissioner Clarence Yeo, head
The World BORDERPOL Congress
of the Singapore Immigration & Checkpoints Authority receives the BORDERPOL Award for Excellence in Border Management for the highest standards of border management and best practice as voted for the the BORDERPOL Awards Committee.
also provides the opportunity for the BORDERPOL Committee members to gather and discuss strategic and operational plans and enjoy meeting industry colleagues and counterparts from around the world.
The award was presented to Commissioner Yeo by BORDERPOL Operations Director, Ken Richardson.
Nigerian become the latest members of BORDERPOL
Comrade Abba Moro, Minister
of Interior for Nigeria meets Thomas Tass, Secretary General of BORDERPOL, to become the latest border agency to join the World Border Organization - BORDERPOL. Nigeria have been warmly welcomed to the organization and look forward to closer collaboration.
Meeting in the Dutch Quarter
Colleagues of the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee enjoy Hungarian hospitality at the end of a long day’s discussion and information sharing.
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4 World BORDERPOL Congress th
8th-10th December 2015 The Hague, Netherlands
4th World BORDERPOL Congress Enhancing collaboration in global border protection and
8th-10th Decembermanagement 2015 challenges. Save The Dates The Hague, Netherlands www.world-borderpol-congress.com
The World BORDERPOL Congress is the only multi-jurisdictional transnational platform where the border protection, management and security industry policy-makers and practitioners convene annually to discuss the international challenges faced in protecting not only one’s own country’s borders, but those of neighbours and friends.
Call for Papers
Join us for developing co-operation and collaboration through high level discussions and presentations on the future for border protection and management.
– Ease of travel for bona fide travellers has not become less burdensome it has become more complicated despite new technologies such as biometrics, e-visas – The costs of delivering streamlined safety and security at airports, border points and seaports has not gone down despite all the promises of politicos the world over – Standardization of systems such as trusted traveller programs has not occurred despite lots and lots of talk at ICAO, IATA, etc. – Trafficking in human beings by transnational criminal gangs has expanded not declined despite the billions that have been spent by national governments and institutions such as IOM, OSCE, INTERPOL – Support for sustainable interdisciplinary activities by governments regarding border security and migration, traveller management issues remains exceedingly challenging despite the efforts of BORDERPOL If you are interested, you are invited to submit your abstract for consideration by the conference committee by submitting an abstract of approx 200 words.
Abstract submittal deadline – 30th April 2015
Please email the conference director with the following details or submit online at www.world-borderpol-congress.com:
Are you interested at speaking at the World BORDERPOL Congress and sharing your experiences with your international colleagues?
• Presentation Title • 200 word Abstract • Your contact details
The World BORDERPOL Congress Advisory Committee is inviting abstracts for consideration for inclusion in the conference programme in the topics areas of:
Neil Walker, Director Programs & Events BORDERPOL Email: neil.walker@borderpol.org
We look forward to welcoming you to The Hague, Netherlands on 8th-10th December 2015 for the next gathering of border and migration management professionals.
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The World BORDERPOL Congress Advisory Committee is inviting abstracts for consideration for inclusion in the programme of the 4th World BORDERPOL Congress. Although the programme will consider all aspects for discussion, and you are encouraged to submit your abstract for review, particular topics for discussion to be considered will be: – Border surveillance techniques and systems – Is it possible to enhance the protection and management of extended land borders? What are the solutions? – How can border agencies enhance border security and improve results, whilst under increasing pressure of resources? – How can border administrations better share information and data under increasing pressure from privacy laws? – How can small country border administrations ensure their effectiveness against growing criminality and terrorist threats? – Maritime, port and coastal border security: How can we best guard the coast and major ports from international organised criminal activities, including human trafficking and drug smuggling? – Illegal migrant numbers and movements have not declined over the last 20 years they have actually increased despite a plethora of national and international agreements to manage the problem
Greater closed workshops for agency discussions As part of the evolving developments at the World BORDERPOL Congress, this years World BORDERPOL Congress will see greater ‘agency only’ workshops for closed discussions and development of actions points, throughout the two day congress. Ensure you attend the 4th World BORDERPOL Congress on 8th-10th December in The Hague, Netherlands and participate in this great industry gathering, for the opportunity to develop unique working collaborations for a better way of working and international cooperation of border agencies. You will be able to come away with enhanced knowledge and understanding, new working relationships with international colleagues and an action plan for future border protection and collaboration. Full details will be announced soon but to pre-register your interest please contact Neil Walker, Director Programs & Events, at neil.walker@borderpol.org.
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UK Election Time: The Battle Lines on Immigration and Border Control By Tony Smith CBE, International Liaison Director, BORDERPOL The UK general election takes place on 7 May 2015. The wheels of government will grind to a halt whilst the political parties marshal their arguments about who is best placed to manage the UK’s immigration and border controls for the next 5 years. As ever, immigration is one of the top issues whereupon votes will be won or lost – alongside the state of the economy and the National Health Service? This is the first time that we have known with any real certainty when the election will be held. In years gone by the ruling party has decided when to “go to the polls” within the 5 year window, and decisions on timing were often made on the state of the opinion polls. Now that we have “fixed term” elections it is reasonable to conclude that the main parties have planned their election manifestos accordingly. Have they? This is a difficult time for operational leaders in UK Border and immigration services. They are already significantly muted about what they are allowed to say in public about immigration policy, practice and procedure (notwithstanding that most are eminently more qualified and experienced to do so than many of the political leaders they serve). As the election approaches they will be placed into “purdah”, which effectively prohibits them from making any public pronouncements about their subject matter expertise in the run up to the election. Meanwhile politicians in government will want to demonstrate to the electorate what successes they have achieved in policy development and operational delivery over the previous term; whilst those in opposition will want to demonstrate the opposite of course. This means that front line officers often feel they are being treated like “political footballs” at this time, although their professionalism does not allow them to be fazed by it. Life goes on. People and goods continue to trundle across borders. Smugglers, terrorists and criminals don’t observe purdah; nor do they respect any form of government for that matter. People don’t join the Border Force to win popularity contests. It is a rare commentator that dares to praise the work of the Border Force or the Immigration Department. It is much more fashionable to decry the organization as “not fit for purpose”.
Rarely does a week go by without some kind of story about our “porous border”. Only once in over 40 years’ service do I recall any vague complement, and that was after the London 2012 Olympics (when everybody thought we would screw up and we didn’t). So what are the policy intentions of the main parties in this area? Both the Labour party and the Conservative party have admitted to errors of judgment during their time in office. Labour’s extension of primary immigration from outside the EU under the “points based” system backfired, when the heavily argued economic case for more managed migration was contradicted. The Conservative promise to “cut numbers” to an arbitrary figure of below 100,000 net immigrants a year was ill conceived – particularly in the context of EU migration which by definition cannot be controlled. Meanwhile the prolific rise of the UK Independence Party – whose primary pitch is to leave the EU and “regain control of our borders” – has led to a massive swing in their direction in recent months, despite scant discussion about where that would leave the UK on things like the juxtaposed controls, EU asylum shoppers and access to EU
Border Security Matters
systems (which might ultimately prove counter-productive for stronger border controls). Clearly one of the critical areas is the UK position on freedom of movement within the EU. Whilst no party is advocating the abolition of the internal frontier and membership of the Schengen group, the party divisions on this are clearer. UKIP says that it will pull out of the EU altogether. The Conservatives say that they will “renegotiate” the terms of membership, and thereafter offer a referendum on the subject. Labour continue to support EU membership whilst keeping a watchful eye on Brussels; whilst the Liberal Democrats appear to be the most pro-European party around right now. A quick look at the facts might help. Since coming into power the Coalition government has created a single separate Border Force as a Home Office Department; dismantled the UK Border Agency (that was created with a splash by the previous administration); abolished the national identity register and accompanying ID card programme (another brainchild of the previous Labour administration); and terminated www.borderpol.org
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the “e Borders” Programme (which was much publicized by the previous administration as the modern day solution to UK Border Control). Meanwhile immigration figures have remained stubbornly high with net migration figures to year ending June 2014 rising to 260,000 (from 182,000 the previous year). This compares with a highest annual figure of 320,000 in 2005 and a lowest ever of 154,000 in 2012, and demonstrates the folly of setting an overall net migration target of below 100,000 against the backdrop of the freedom of movement of 500 million EU citizens across Europe.
On the other hand, asylum intake (which is probably our best real yardstick for measuring illegal entry) has hovered in the region of 24,000 per year – and has remained so for around a decade now. This is a remarkable show of strength, given that illegal entry into the EU has increased 3 fold in 2014 over 2013 to an estimated 180,000. For that we can thank the Border Force – particularly in Calais and other juxtaposed locations – for maintaining strong border controls in the face of unprecedented pressures upon them. For me, as with most things, the biggest issue comes down to resources. The Border and Immigration budgets – save for a brief blip in 2012 for the Olympics – have been cut year on year since 2007. Border Systems Procurement – held out as the follow up to “e borders” – has failed to materialise. Potential vendors and developers remain in a state
of limbo, without any clearly defined strategy or vision for the state of UK border controls in 2020. The inexorable growth in international traffic has not been matched by a consequential growth in resources flowing to the Home Office, and that seems likely to remain the case for the next 5 years. We cannot maintain a strong border without paying for it. Any weaknesses in our defences will certainly be exploited by the traffickers, criminals and terrorists that pose the greatest risks to the safety and security of the nation. There are imaginative ways of raising revenue for border security and immigration services which do not involve a charge upon the British taxpayer. I for one will be looking to see how the parties intend to control and modernise our borders for the next 5 years in government – and, equally, how they intend to pay for it.
Tony Smith CBE is former Director General of the UK Border Force and UKBA Gold Commander for the London 2012 Olympics. He is now Managing Director of Fortinus Global Ltd and Director of International Development at BORDERPOL.
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What is Necessary for PNR to Work? by Ricardo Baretzky, President, European Centre for Information Policy and Security (ECIPS). PNR passenger screening prior to entry as been recently proposed by the European Commission as a solution to fight ISIL from entering the EU. There are several debates about the added value of such a program. Despite the European Commission not proceeding the implementation of PNR, France still announced that they will be implementing PNR passenger screening program after the Charlie Hebdo terror attacks. There are several issues we have to understand about PNR. The first issue is that of the PNR history in exercise to the US immigration and transit of passengers. Many is not familiar with the in-depth system at work of the USA. More than 90% of the USA PNR program is outsourced to private “investigative� companies. These organizations is then contracted back to flight agencies who ensure the passenger screening has been done prior to entering or permitting a visa to enter to the USA. Often the border agency has no say, nor information how passengers are screened, nor do they have direct access to verify such screening data results. A mistake the USA has recently learned could come at a price if not paid attention to. This is a multiple problem since the question would be what data is the key data to be relied on when screening passengers. What is the accuracy of such data. Recently, the former Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce of South Africa, Mr. Joe Emmeran was denied visas for
his family to visit Disneyland. This, after they already purchased the tickets and made all arrangements for a vacation in Disneyland. After an in-depth investigation by SACIA, it was found that the passenger has no relation to any terrorist organization but yet was on a no fly zone list of the PNR system. This raises the question as to where does the data come from and how legitimate is the data used to screen PNR passengers? If it is from social media or open sources on internet, yes, then certainly many people could be mistaken for having terrorist links particularly of they are from Muslim decent. The methodology of PNR poses several problems such as the latter described. We have to grasp the fact that PNR screening methods were in use long before any terrorist attack in the USA. It created several opinionated points of debate and can often lead to misunderstanding of the officer in charge. The key according to CYBERPOL is to
sustain a database that is infection free. This is easier said than done. Even with the US intense PNR screening 9/11 still happened, and 3000 civilians still lost their lives. This once again proofs that data that is not coordinated becomes old and can often be misunderstood. The question we all should ask, how then did the terrorist avoided the PNR system and were only detected once they were in the country prior to the 9/11 attack? Was PNR any effective in the USA and what can we learn from this experience. Some could argue that there were no failure of the US PNR system but indeed, declassified intelligence rereleased strongly surges that homeland security knew about these Terrorist and that most of them were on the radar for several years prior to the attack. This bring us to the devastating thought of the perception of how intelligence of such vital importance were not shared with PNR companies. Did the intelligence agencies prevent the PNR system to have access to any data due to the fact that it was considered classified at that point and time? That brings us the next point of how much classified information is necessary to prevent a crime? The Differences between the US AND EU, We have to examine the present situation to fully understand that differences in European borders in relation to that of the USA. The factors such as location and geographic makeup is largely at play. We have borderlines that are in the present day and time mostly open and free to travel troughs. The psychology of the travelers are very different. Many cross the borders by car and the most venerable borders of Terrorist infiltration is borders such as that of Italy.
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CYBERPOL recently announced that the key problem to data management is access to data and the lack of qualifications to handle such data. It said that a global coordinated effort is prerogative to overcome these problems. The PNR system introduced by France should work relatively fine but would not be effective if border checkpoints is not operative on 2/3rds of its borders. It is estimated that the project could cost the French Taxpayers more than 2 Billion Euros but won’t stop the ISIL terrorist infiltration problem. Ricardo Baretzky , the president of ECIPS said recently that studies indicates that ISIL members prefers to use land and see entries to countries. If correct, then the problem is about to get worse provided we step up proper check points with a organized data system management for these points with an integrated shared data framework. These are just but a few question we need to consider. One of the major problems we face in Europe are that there is no proper data policy to share information between intelligence agencies via an international Data base platform. Most agencies prefer not to share their data as it is the source of their income. With a defragmented data sharing system, there is also the other things lacking within the cross border intelligence operational system. One of them that benefits the USA is the upgrade of NSA after 9/11 that now plays a major role in how data is shared with these PNR agencies in the USA. In Europe we have the GCHQ but limited to UK territory. In principle, the rest of EU lacks far behind from having the same standards or capability. Experts estimate that as much as 100 Billion Euros are necessary to bring the European security systems up to date. That does not include training of any sort or kind for officers.
Recent Studies: Studies done by CYBERPOL indicates that less than 0.1% of law-enforcement officers knows basic skills on the computer and that a cyber security standardization is urgent among not only cyber law-enforcement but all officers of the law. The lack of understating the cyber risk to the critical infrastructure needs urgent addressing to avoid a catastrophic terrorist attack. Baretzky said that we have to understand that terrorist uses all their tools. “To undermine the use of both, CYBINT(CYBER) and HUMIT intelligence by terrorist in
Border Security Matters
combinations to make their next big terror plot would be a huge error by officials that could come at the very big price� he said. It is this in a necessary context that we have to understand the three phase solution propose by the ECIPS. 1. Educate officers on both CIBINT (Cyber Intelligence)an Cyber Crime Risk Management (CCRM) 2. Data base integration and cooperation/ Sharing without limits 3. And cross border sharing operations and training. Can PNR be effective? Yes, it can provided that we have the proper mechanism in place and that official has updated training says ECIPS. Unlike the USA, the European union is counselled to stay far away from the privatization of any PNR program. Many could argue and say that we have Interpol, Europol and many others, but despite the raise of these agencies, we face one major problem within the EU across its 28 member states. The lack of law-enforcement integration and the sharing on a coordinated platform their data, or findings, can lead to major problems in the future.
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The Western and Arab Alliance together across the Levant Region in the fight against extremism John Baker Head of Global Operations for the National Security and Resilience Consortium and Michael Fuller MBE Chief Executive of the NS&RC Resilience Directorate examine the current issues surrounding the Syrian conflict the ISIS threat and its increasing impact upon the political economic stability and border security issues of neighbouring countries. a whole and their ability to deal with multiple threats from individuals who can communicate with each other quickly and easily via the internet. The Syrian war and the subsequent emergence and spread of ISIL captured the world’s attention and transformed the Levant region in ways one could not have imagined prior to 2011. As the numbers of dead and of refugees and internally displaced kept climbing, and as families were torn apart and neighbourhoods were turned into war zones, economies slumped and regional economic ties broke down.. The Arab spring continues to have a profound effect across a wide geographical region long after its start on the 18th December 2010. Political stability across North Africa and the Middle East has become increasing complex due to factional, tribal and religious differences and internal conflict . With Syria at the core of the problem the economic political and social collapse in these regions has created a vacuum now filled by extremist groups. The failure in Iraq to deliver a stable, politically balanced, well funded, well managed infrastructure has allowed rapid territorial advances by the Islamic State forces ISIS. This advance has been accompanied by brutal regime of lawlessness causing fear and bloodshed. The Western and Arab alliance now face ISIS which is well funded and coordinated. It is increasingly difficult to see a short term resolution. to this challenge to peace and democracy. The war is drawing radicalised and disaffected individuals from across Europe and the rest of the world to
fight in Syria and Iraq and the additional challenge now facing governments and the security services is how to deal with those individuals if and when they return. The attack in Paris highlights the level of threat faced by a free and open society from just a few radicalised extremists . The security services have stated openly that another attack is inevitable and as such all western democracies remain on high alert. Open borders and the internal radicalisation of individuals in country means that security in the wake of such an attack becomes a challenging task despite the deployment of tens of thousands of security personnel.
The greater Levant area is comprised of : Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, and Egypt. The direct effect to this region comes from the decline in the size and skills of Syria’s labour force due to loss of life and refugee outflows, infrastructure destruction, the trade embargo on Syria, costof-doing-business increases, and a decline in productivity. The indirect effect captures the opportunity cost of foregone trade integration initiatives aimed at improving trade logistics and liberalising trade in services Billions in losses The indirect effect is important to consider because the war disrupted the intra-Levant trade, which grew seven-
Monitoring the international movement of individuals intent on fighting in Syria and who potentially then return with a radicalised mindset has placed significant demands upon the security services resources as
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fold between the early and late parts of the 2000s. It put an end to plans for deepening intra-regional trade ties further following the signing of the “Levant Quartet” agreement in 2010. The benefits of deep trade integration reforms were expected to be sizable. Areas affected An estimated 9 million Syrians have fled their homes since the outbreak of civil war in March 2011, taking refuge in neighbouring countries or within Syria itself. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), over 3 million have fled to Syria’s immediate neighbours Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq. 6.5 million are internally displaced within Syria. Meanwhile, under 150,000 Syrians have declared asylum in the European Union, while member states have pledged to resettle a further 33,000 Syrians. The vast majority of these resettlement spots – 28,500 or 85% – are pledged by Germany. While it is true that the EU is a leading contributor of humanitarian aid to the region, the amount donated by each of its 28 member states has varied greatly. Furthermore, while the EU has accepted the vast majority of Syrians who have applied for asylum, it has to date received relatively few requests. Its response to a UNHCR call for more than 130,000 resettlement spots for Syrian refugees between 2013-2016 has also been tepid. In contrast, absorbing the influx of refugees has been an enormous challenge for Syria’s neighbours, with strong implications for the stability of the entire region The effect on Lebanon provides a good example of the Border Security challenges faced by other nations. Geography of Lebanon Lebanon is located in Western Asia between latitudes 33° and 35° N and longitudes 35° and 37° E. The country’s surface area is 10,452 square kilometres (4,036 sq mi) of which 10,230 square kilometres (3,950 sq mi) is land. Lebanon has a coastline and border of 225 kilometres (140 mi)
on the Mediterranean sea to the west, a 375 kilometres (233 mi) border shared with Syria to the north and east and a 79 kilometres (49 mi) long border with Israel to the south. The border with the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights is disputed by Lebanon in a small area called Shebaa Farms] Lebanon is divided into four distinct physiographic regions: the coastal plain, the Lebanon mountain range, the Beqaa valley and the Anti-Lebanon mountains. Lebanon Lebanon is currently on the front line of the fight againt ISIS. Lebanon is the second largest recipient of US military aid in the middle East outside of Israel and is also partnering with the UK Government in order to fund its border security needs through the provision of training, weapons and kit to the military border guards.
Political parties March 14 - Pro-western Sunnibased alliance named after mass demonstrations that followed killing of ex-premier Rafik Hariri Hezbollah - Pro-Syrian Shia military/ political movement that fought Israel in the 2006 war. Leads alliance of Shia Amal militia and Christian Free Patriotic Movement On 27 December 2013, former Minister of Finance Mohamad Chatah, a senior aide to former Prime Minister of Lebanon Saad Hariri, was killed along with seven others in a car bomb explosion in downtown Beirut, a security source said The 62-year-old was on his way to a March 14 coalition meeting at Hariri’s residence. A year after neighbouring Syria began its descent into civil war in 2011, deadly clashes between Sunni Muslims and
The current and long term threat from extremism to Middle Eastern security and global security has found a focus in Lebanon which now represents a ‘line in the sand’ for western and middle eastern forces currently engaged in the war against ISIS and the spread of its violent and brutal ideology.
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Army to protect its borders from jihadi groups. Since 2012 they have been been supporting efforts by the LAF Land Border Regiments to observe and deter illegal armed actors in the border areas. This includes almost £20m ($31.4 million) to construct Protected Border Observation Posts along 140 km of the border, and to deliver Land Rovers, body armour, secure communications and ballistic protection for LAF positions.
Alawites in Tripoli and Beirut raised fears that the conflict was beginning to spill over the border and that Lebanon’s already fragile political truce could once more collapse into sectarian strife. In 2012, the Syrian civil war threatened to spill over in Lebanon, causing more incidents of sectarian violence and armed clashes between Sunnis and Alawites in Tripoli. As of 6 August 2013, more than 677,702 Syrian refugees were in Lebanon.. As the number of Syrian refugees increases, the Lebanese Forces Party, the Kataeb Party, and the Free Patriotic Movement fear the country’s sectarian based political system is being undermined. The massive influx of people fleeing the Syrian conflict - by April 2014, Syrian refugees were estimated to make up around a quarter of the population - has placed a severe strain on the country’s resources. In March 2014, the Lebanese foreign minister warned that the refugee crisis was threatening his country’s very existence. Critical infrastructure cross border flow.
affected by
power stations the port areas and primary trading centres. Refugees, particularly nearer the border with Syria, are taking jobs from local Lebanese families creating considerable unrest.. The border with Syria was recently closed in an effort to stem the influx, however without increased aid and even with additional aid further destabilisation of the country is in the short term inevitable. Before the Syrian civil war erupted, there were signs that the revival of Lebanon’s tourism industry might lead the way to economic recovery. In 2010, shortly before the conflict began, tourism accounted for a fifth of Lebanon’s economic output. However, the fighting in Syria and the associated resurgence of sectarian tensions in Lebanon have severely jolted the country’s tourism industry and dented hopes of a return to the cosmopolitan prosperity of the 1950s and 1960s. The cost of border security
Hospitals and medical facilities are struggling to cope with a 25% increase in population.. The threat from terrorism or large scale local protests which can quickly descend into violence is affecting travel, tourism. logistics and the ability to trade effectively.
The cost to all countries bordering the conflict region is very significant. There is an increasing need for a tough, visible and coherent deployment of well armed, military structured border protection rather than soft options involving biometrics, video surveillance and lightly armed border security personnel.
The security services are over stretched and are working hard to protect major infrastructure including the airport,
The United Kingdom has already spent around $30 million to build watchtowers and deliver military equipment to the
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In both the European Union, Eastern Europe and other regions around the world we have reached a defining point in how we as free nations wish to deal with the increasing threat to national security by maintaining open borders, or borders which suddenly find themselves on the edge of major conflict. The 2015 Borderpol Congress will importantly continue this dialogue by seeking to examine these incredibly challenging questions. It pose the question of how in a free society can we balance freedom of movement with the unprecedented threat now posed by extremism, radicalisation and the utilisation of social media and the internet for nefarious purposes. Education Perhaps we need to look closely at how the next two generations of children can be better educated in the use of communication technology. Educating the heads and teachers to fully understand the significant threats which currently exist and encourage them to reduce the opportunity for free and unrestricted access to mobile communications and social media in educational establishments through niaïve and laissez faire policies. The National Security and Resilience combines national security needs with an in-depth understanding of the design and implementation of resilience solutions for major events, cities, critical infrastructure and corporate entities and border security. The NS&RC capability platforms provide expertise, proven credibility and bespoke solutions to resilience and security challenges. www.borderpol.org
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incorporating Critical Information Infrastructure Protection
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Convene; Converse; Collaborate The ever changing nature of threats, whether natural through climate change, or man-made through terrorism activities, either physical or cyber attacks, means the need to continually review and update policies, practices and technologies to meet these growing demands. The European Union is developing its policy on critical infrastructures in relation to the European Programme for Critical Infrastructure Protection (“EPCIP”) which considers measures that will enhance, where necessary, the level of protection of certain infrastructures against external threats. Critical Infrastructure Protection and Resilience Europe brings together leading stakeholders from industry, operators, agencies and governments to debate and collaborate on securing Europe’s critical infrastructure.
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Opening Keynote Presenters: - Mr Opstelten, Minister of Security & Justice, The Netherlands - Mr Fernando Sánchez, Director General, National Centre for Critical Infrastructure Protection (CNPIC), Spain Speakers include: - Hans de Vries, Head of National Cyber Security Centre, NCTV, Ministry of Security & Justice, Netherlands - Benny Jansson, Deputy Head Strategic Analysis Section, Swedish Civil Contingencies - Evangelos Ouzounis, Head of Unit – Secure Infrastructure and Services, European Union Agency for Network and Information Security – ENISA - Jakub Boratyński, Head of Unit, Trust & Security, DG CONNECT, European Commission - Mauro Facchini, Head of Copernicus Services Unit, DG Enterprise and Industry, European Commission - Andrew Wright, Head of Industrial Resources and Communications Services Group (IRCSG), NATO Operations Division - Mr. Leif Villadsen, Senior Programme Officer and Deputy Director, United Nations Interregional Crime & Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) - Christian Sommade, Executive Director, Haut Comité Français pour la Défense Civile (HCFDC), France
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Human Factor in Security It is not the weapon – it is the person Human Engineering to be Mastered this Decade Previous decades saw the world in the ‘’invention and discovery age’’. Many discoveries were made such as the mobile phone, Tablet, IP, RFiD, and Robotics. Bio-technology developments such as, Bio metrics, Stem cells and DNA. So too with Human Engineering such as, Psychology and Behavior Sciences in Particular. Now – we are coming into the decades of ‘’Mastering’’ …. Utilizing and employing these discoveries.. G e n e r a l Management Project ManagementBehavior Sciences – Negotiation Skills - Leadership skills. Perhaps all of the above in the title is relevant, - as they would supply the manager the necessary toolbox to function professionally. The Judicial System, Law Enforcement, Military and Defense, Social Services, Human Resources are all ‘’people’’ based professions. All of which are fundamentally based on extracting reliable information and managing emotions. When qualified - academics enter the field and encounter situations where they could be handling ‘’ life impacting’’ or ‘’ life and death’’ situations. Making decisions that affect people’s lives ! At University, academic courses are based on case studies, the law of the subject and pertaining theories. In these courses, there are modules or subjects related to people skills such as interviewing, and presentation. We view the people skills side as the professional critical core skill to master. This is the art of reading people using lie and deception detection regardless of culture to heighten situation awareness. The Academics regardless of qualification, are subsequently involved in various sectors where there is an emphasis of skills that are required in ;
To date the security industry has not been perceived as a behavior science profession. However, handling ‘’ life impacting’’ or ‘’ life and death’’ situations is at the foundation of security industry work. It is not the weapon that kills, commits crime, or maims - it is people. Therefore, we will use the security industry as an example of human engineering. The success of all of the above, as it is focused on the management of people and hinges on in the art of reading people using lie and deception detection regardless of culture. Argument: A manager would not be a good leader in spite of leadership skills or academic degrees, if they insult staff or clients. The key today to great management is the understanding of international cultural language, in particular as we are now in a global village.
The Human Factor in Security. Situation awareness Using ‘’Lie and deception detection skills’’ regardless of culture - heightens situation awareness. Situation awareness is not a skill - but a ‘by product’ of someone who has mastered the art of reading people. Reading people is not Body Language: Body language is relevant to a local community or culture. Each culture is different in their gestures, therefore, body language is different world-wide. However, with Neuro Science – all people regardless of their culture react the same way - as the reactions physically and verbally are invoked or stimulated by sight, sound, touch, and taste. Interviewing courses simply teach people how to be a good listener and to extract reliable information. The question is - how does one know if the information is reliable? The answer lies in understanding the language of lie and deception, as well as, the ability to identify reactions. Asking the right questions at the right time in a structured format using simple techniques with the objective of obtaining confessions is the ultimate interviewing method. Within the interviewing method the persuasion technique that would manage emotions to a point where a person would sign a document that
For example; Different cultures find some gestures, ie - touch, facial, hand or feet displays highly offensive. Understanding this makes a good manager be a great manager. We are now in the decade of mastering – Human Engineering.
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people. The following is an example in the security industry. In Border Security
would put them in prison for the rest of their life is highly effective. The proposed course for mastering human engineering provides these skills. Managers in all sectors can learn to master the human engineering factor for leadership, general management, project management, negotiations, HR, training - the list just grows and grows - simply because it is all about
Border Security Managers handle situations such as, - Managers delegate - Venue and Crime Scene – access control and perimeter protection - Evaluating and recruiting staff for Special Projects Project Management - Counter Espionage and managing or directing Undercover Operatives - Hiring of other security services such as Close Protection or Executive Protection - Facilitating or participating in disciplinary hearings - Forensics, Compliance and Reporting - Dealing with irate visitors and handling disputes - Crowd control - Discovering weak points in the layers of physical security.
- Identifying behaviour relating to trafficking of people or products. - Investigating if staff is part of inhouse crime or corruption - Loss prevention and asset protection - Investigation and interrogations All of the above are reliant on the Human Factor thus Human Engineering must be mastered. This can easily be achieved by mastering the art of reading people using lie and deception detection regardless of culture, which is Neuro Science based!
Authored for ISIO – By Master in Mind. Master in Mind is the only ISIO Accredited Course as the learning method and subject content is designed for the security industry and covers all sectors. Trained by Professionals Professionals. www.master-in-mind.com
for
BORDERPOL Master in Mind Workshop Develop natural skills in understanding human reactions in order to: • Extract reliable information • Manage Emotions We Extend Our Fame by Our Deeds
The most natural skill of a person is communication through ‘Verbal’ and ‘Non Verbal’ gestures Being equipped with skills for detecting persons that are expressing deception and lies, and the truth of the matter is paramount in being present and clear in a conversation or negotiation. The BORDERPOL Master in Mind Workshop will cover: • International Expressions and Gestures • Human Natural Indicators • Evaluating Truthfulness and Detecting Deception • How and When to call someones Bluff A BORDERPOL Master in Mind workshop can be arranged at a time and venue convenient to you!
To learn more about how to host a BORDERPOL Master in Mind Workshop for your staff contact: Neil Walker, Director Programs & Events, BORDERPOL at neil.walker@borderpol.org
Border Security Matters
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CYBER SECURITY
including Critical Information Infrastructure Protection
24th-25th June 2015 Bangkok, Thailand www.cip-asia.com
Co-Hosted By:
Electronic Transactions Development Agency
Department of Disaster Prevention & Mitigation
Invitation to Participate Southeast Asia has seen a rise in insurgency-related attacks and terrorist activities, creating uncertainty and insecurity on critical national infrastructure. Climate change has also seen more extreme weather patterns, creating additional hazardous, unseasonal and unpredictable conditions and a severe strain on infrastructure. On a country level, there are strategies to deal with infrastructure protection issues. On a regional level, there is the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response (AADMER), under which several teams have been set up to deal with disaster management in general, but none is geared towards the protection of critical infrastructure. Cyber security is also becoming more prevalent, and as more critical infrastructure becomes connected to the internet and exposed to the dangers of cyber security attacks, new strategies and systems need to be developed to mitigate these threats. Critical Infrastructure Protection and Resilience Asia will bring together leading stakeholders from industry, operators, agencies and governments to collaborate on securing Asia. • Learn about the latest issues, threats and risk management challenges. • Share information, case studies and ideas with international colleagues and peers that you need to work with and may rely on in an unforeseen emergency. • Discover the latest in technologies and techniques for better securing your infrastructure and how to incorporate these into continuity plans. For further details and to keep up to date with developments visit www.cip-asia.com
Gain access to leading decision makers from corporate and government establishments tasked with Critical Infrastructure Protection and Resilience. Owned & Organised by:
Supporting Organisations:
How to Exhibit Gain access to a key and influential audience with your participation in the limited exhibiting and sponsorship opportunities available at the conference exhibition. To discuss exhibiting and sponsorship opportunities and your involvement with Critical Infrastructure Protection & Resilience Asia please contact: Suthi Chatterjee Exhibit Sales Manager - Asia Tel: +66 2 247-6533 E: suthi@prmcthailand.com Paul Gloc Exhibit Sales Manager – UK & Europe T: +44 (0) 7786 270820 E: paulg@torchmarketing.co.uk Denne Johnson Exhibit Sales Manager – The Americas T: +1 918 863 9792 E: dennej@torchmarketing.co.uk
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HI-SCAN 6040-2is checkpoint scanner gains Standard 3 certification for Liquid Explosives Detection
airport operators to share information and monitor the entire screening operation via remote portable devices, such as tablet PCs.
Smiths Detection announces today that its advanced
Barrie Foley, Vice President EMEA of Smiths Detection, said: “Ever-rising passenger numbers and evolving security regulations mean airports face unprecedented challenges. Checkpoint.Evo meets both the current and future requirements of customers. We are confident that this new solution will raise aviation security to unparalleled levels of performance and quality while maintaining the highest security standards.”
HI-SCAN 6040-2is is a dual-view X-ray inspection system for the automatic detection of liquid explosives at security checkpoints where bags and personal belongings are screened. Its compact footprint, combined with excellent image quality and outstanding X-ray penetration, enhances the comprehensive range of Smiths Detection products and solutions for aviation checkpoints.
Intel Licenses Cognitec’s Face Recognition Technology for Device Access
X-ray inspection system HI-SCAN 6040-2is HR has obtained Standard 3 Type C, an extended approval as Liquid Explosive Detection System (LEDS) under the requirements of the European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC).
As a Standard 3 machine, HI-SCAN 6040-2is features higher detection capabilities designed to reveal hazardous liquids in cabin baggage, thus enhancing the level of security at checkpoints. In addition, fewer bags are subject to additional re-inspection which speeds up the entire inspection process. Barrie Foley, Vice President EMEA of Smiths Detection, said: “HI-SCAN 6040-2is HR is one of our newest products on the aviation market. We are proud that it is the first dual-view X-ray system in the world to achieve this standard. Thanks to the extended approval, the system offers particularly good value for money. “
Smiths Detection launches Checkpoint.Evo, an Integrated Airport Security Software Suite
Cognitec Systems has signed an important software
development and license agreement with Intel Corporation. Under the agreement, the companies will cooperate to apply face recognition to access control on electronic devices. Logon to PCs, laptops, tablets, mobile phones, and other computing devices will become both more convenient and secure as the technology replaces conventional passwords. “Intel is driving exciting advances in security and biometrics,” said Manish Tangri, Director, New Business, Perceptual Computing, Intel Corporation. “Our collaboration with Cognitec is a key ingredient in enabling secure yet easy-to-use, face-based authentication capabilities for consumers and enterprises.” “Cognitec is proud of being selected by Intel for this important application of our technology,” said Alfredo Herrera, Managing Director of Cognitec. “Face recognition will enable the owners of millions of computers, tablets and mobile phones to protect their devices and access them conveniently and quickly without having to remember passwords.”
Smiths Detection today unveils Checkpoint.Evo, an innovative Major Performance Boost for software solution that greatly enhances the inspection and integration capacities of airport security checkpoints.
Checkpoint.Evo connects individual sensors to a fully networked checkpoint system to provide real-time data collection, distribution and management that improves both the inspection process and operational efficiency. Its centralised remote screening helps speed up inspection of hand luggage because image evaluation and alarm resolution from, for instance, x-ray scanners can be centrally monitored away from the noise and distractions of the checkpoint. In addition, advanced recheck functions electronically mark suspicious areas in bags to enable a more focused search for illegal items by on-the-spot operators, resulting in faster throughput and reduced queuing times. Checkpoint.Evo’s data management capabilities offer real-time and historical data for analysis and reporting which allows
Cognitec’s Face Recognition lgorithm and Products
Cognitec has released the superior face recognition engine
B9 and incorporated the algorithm in its market-leading face recognition product, FaceVACS-DBScan. Research and development for the B9 algorithm focused on significant performance improvement for images with low resolution or taken in less controlled environments, often found in police databases. The matching accuracy also increased for images with non-frontal poses, with faces turned upward, downward or to the side. FaceVACS-DBScan enables users to compare still images from various sources to those stored in multimillion image databases and instantly view match lists. The application has proven an invaluable tool for ID management, allowing passport, visa and national ID agencies to compare new facial images to existing databases, find duplicates
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and errors, and avert identity fraud. For law enforcement applications, Cognitec recently introduced a mobile version of the Examiner tool within FaceVACS-DBScan. Police officers and other agents can take photos in the field, compare them to central mug shot repositories or other databases, and instantly receive candidate lists on their mobile devices. Please contact the Cognitec sales team to request software upgrades or an evaluation license for the newly released technologies.
Bulgarian International Airports implement VisionBox’s Automated Border Control eGates to improve passenger experience
A new Automated Border Control solution has been
inaugurated at the Varna and Burgas International Airports by the Bulgarian Ministry of Interior. Any passengers holding electronic machine-readable travel documents, citizens of EU, EEA and Switzerland over 18 years may now enjoy a seamless border crossing experience in both airports. The associated contract is co-financed by the Bulgarian Ministry of Interior and EU, under Action 5 – ”Establishing automated border control for EU citizens”, Annual Program 2012-2013 of the External Borders Fund. Accounting respectively for an estimated traffic of more than one and two million passengers per year, Varna and Burgas International Airports, the busiest in the country after Sofia’s, are now using Vision-Box ’s latest generation of Automated Border Control eGates to optimize passenger ® processing. The implementation of ABC technology represents a shift from the traditional border control to a new paradigm where biometric technology and self-service offer the perfect match. Passengers are in control of their own immigration process at the eGate, having their travel documents authenticated and their identity checked by way of face recognition and match against the biometrics templates embedded in the chip of the travel document (soon fingerprint will be available as well). No need to interact directly with the authorities at the border control point, which clears manual immigration lines.
In fact, this means a clear improvement of the experience felt not only by the passengers who use the airports, but also by the Border Control authorities. Instead of following the traditional manual verification, more vulnerable to errors, Border Control officers are now taking advantage of highly dependable technology and transferring their focus to security procedures with greater added-value. Having real-time access to all processes happening at the eGates, by means of a fully integrated software platform, they overrule the system and act only in case of any issue is detected by the eGates (i.e. fraudulent Passport, unruly passenger…). Furthermore, this single-sourced ABC solution is strengthening the Bulgarian Ministry of Interior with a self-integrated software platform, including improved levels of document authentication and biometric verification, supported by an advanced passenger monitoring application, which delivers relevant operational and analytical information to border authorities, help them reduce errors, correctly assess security risks and effectively monitor who enters and exits the country.
Airbus Defence and Space Z:NightOwl system has been awarded a long-range surveillance contract for the protection of borders and coastlines for a Middle East customer
T
he Optronics business unit of Airbus Defence and Space is to supply an undisclosed Middle Eastern country with a large number of Z:NightOwl M combined opto-electronic and infrared imaging systems for the protection of its borders and coastlines. The contract has a value in the tens of millions of euros. The surveillance system has been specifically developed for extremely long-range observation purposes. It combines a very large field of view for wide-area observation and detection with an extremely small field of view for identification. It thus fulfils the highest requirements for the seamless protection of land and maritime borders. The system has furthermore been designed with warmer climates in mind, so as to deliver optimal vision at long ranges even under adverse conditions such as air turbulence and haze. Z:NightOwl M consists of the third-generation thermal imager ATTICA M-ER with an optimal megapixel detector as well as an eye-safe laser rangefinder. It offers extreme magnification through a 200x continuous zoom. The system can optionally be further equipped with a near-infrared (NIR) or a short-wave infrared (SWIR) camera. It can be easily integrated into existing systems or those under construction for the protection of borders and coastlines.
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FLIR Announces Breakthroughs in Mobile Surveillance and Video Analytics
F
LIR Systems has announced two major technological advances in its ongoing efforts to provide best-in-class imaging solutions to border security operators around the world. First, the new, improved Light Tactical Vehicle (LTV) is in full-rate production and shipping to customers in the Middle East, offering unmatched mobility and broad area surveillance capabilities. Next is the release of our MERLIN® ASX anti-scintillation software, a unique image processing breakthrough to create sharp thermal images in hot operating environments. These products are designed to support critical security and border protection missions in the most demanding of environments. Light Tactical Vehicle (LTV) Effective border security requires advanced technologies to monitor large areas and the flexibility to adjust to threats that shift from one area to another, including smuggling and illegal immigration. The LTV from FLIR Systems provides a unique combination of broad area thermal, visible and radar surveillance sensors and tactical agility, giving operators truly mobile surveillance tools to protect their borders. Newly redesigned to include an improved multispectral gyrostabilized sensor suite and ground surveillance radar, the LTV is now in full rate production and is shipping to customers in the Middle East. The perfect tactical border security vehicle, LTV is the only system to give operators the high definition imagers, radar, and command and control software they need to provide long-range, networkable, broad area surveillance on such a small, agile platform. Built for rapid deployment on rough terrain, the LTV may be operated by single or dual operators and gives area commanders real-time access to high definition, geo-located video. MERLIN ASX One of the consistent challenges to thermal imaging in high temperature environments is atmospheric turbulence, or scintillation, which can reduce the effective range of a sensor. As the world leader in thermal imaging technologies, FLIR is constantly working to extend the performance of our sensors, and is proud to introduce a solution to this challenge: MERLIN ASX image enhancement software. A new feature of the industry-leading MERLIN mission analytics and video processing nexus, MERLIN ASX adds powerful anti-scintillation technology that greatly improves imaging performance in hot
climates. MERLIN ASX extends your vision like never before. Fully integrated and embedded within Ranger HDC and Ranger HRC ground-based infrared imaging systems, MERLIN ASX provides operators with greater range performance and sharper scene detail to deliver earlier threat identification and response. Because it is integrated into the imager itself, MERLIN ASX processes raw video as opposed to compressed outputs for higher fidelity and clear video without extra equipment or latency.
Amika Mobile wins Contract to Deliver Automated Event Alert/ Response to Canada Border Services Agency
Amika Mobile’s situational awareness, command and control products have been selected through a competitive process for a project with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). The project is funded by the Build in Canada Innovation Program that funds SMEs to bring innovative solutions to government of Canada departments. AMS receives sensor events and automatically generates alerts and receives responses from security personnel with the Amika Situation Commander module. The module tracks 2-way alert/response including ones from Amika®Panic and Amika® I-am-OK mobile applications. The project will include a Small Cell technology trial with CBSA to evaluate sending public alerts at border crossings and airports in the absence of mobile phone addressing information. “We are keen to work with the CBSA testing out critical alert/ response to track events and notifications to groups or en masse. The CBSA is responsible for border crossings where more than 100 million people and 65 million cars and trucks cross annually,” said Amika Mobile CEO Dr. Sue Abu-Hakima. Amika Mobile’s AMS enables situational awareness, information sharing, rapid 2-way communications across devices and networks, and control through advanced integration with physical security to issue lockdowns or turn on strobe lights, etc. AMS can trigger any layer alerts including VoIP, SMS, Pop-ups, web, overhead displays, digital signs, twitter, tickers, etc. based on sensor events from access control, fire panels, camera systems, building automation, government agency or weather alerting feeds, panic buttons, etc. The CBSA project combines AMS with Amika Situation Commander, Amika®Panic and Amika® I-am-Ok mobile apps. “We are pleased to be working with Amika Mobile through the Build in Canada Innovation Program. This program allows the CBSA to evaluate new products and solutions which are relevant to the CBSA mandate”, said Diane Keller Director General of the Science and Engineering Directorate at the CBSA technology evaluation labs.
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Smiths Detection
World Security Report
World Security Report is a quarterly electronic, fully accessible e-news service distributed to over 40,000 organisations globally. It tracks the full range of problems and threats faced by today’s governments, security and armed forces and civilian services and looks at how they are dealing with them. It aims to be a prime source of online information and analysis on security, counterterrorism, international affairs and defence. Smiths Detection
Border Security Matters
Border Security Matters is the quarterly newsletter of BORDERPOL, the World Border Organisation, delivering agency and industry news and developments, as well as more in-depth features and analysis to over 10,000 border agencies, agencies at the borders and industry professionals, policymakers and practitioners, worldwide. Smiths Detection
advantages
Smiths Detection
advantages
www.defencell.com
Border Security Matters
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BORDERPOL Welcomes New Deputy Director of the EU Secretariat in Budapest. Zoltan Casbo, Customs officer in Hungary has been appointed by BORDERPOL as the new Deputy Director of the European Secretariat based in Budspest, Hungary. cooperation capabilities through specific channels available for criminal information exchange with the foreign partner agencies. Zagon obtained BSc degree in customs administrations, and an MSc degree in security studies. He has recently been defended his PhD dissertation in the topic of Customs’ risk analysis and how these techniques may be used to increase organisation’s effectiveness in achieving their objectives. He researches risk management of the border agencies, supply chain security with the special focus on the flow of materials within complex networks. As a container security expert he participated in an academic research programme concerning critical traffic infrastructure protection.
Zagon joined the Hungarian Customs and Finance Guard in 1993 and gained extensive experiences in several aspects of customs enforcement, criminal investigations and intelligence analysis. He has been working as a seconded customs liaison officer to the International Law Enforcement Cooperation Centre (ILECC) in the past 7+ years. As a customs element of the Europol National Unit, and formerly the Schengen Cooperation Unit called SIRENE Bureau, he facilitates the National Tax and Customs Administration’s international
He is motivated in technical assistance programmes and skill transfer concerning risk analysis techniques and antismuggling. He has several proven track records throughout the Balkans, certain countries of the FSU and also in Turkey in development programmes of selective border control, trade facilitation, and integrated border management (IBM). He also has expertise in container security and in capacity building for the border agencies’ enforcement sector. Zagon is married with Margo and they have three children. For further details please visit his LinkedIn site: goo.gl/JsolCk
10-11 June 2015
a two-day conference addressing body concealment techniques, threat resolution technologies and processes, and the use of the human body as a weapon
Infiltration Techniques
Concealment Methodologies
Body Cavity IEDs
Detection Technologies
Physical Search Protocols
Animal Olfaction
Suicidal Terrorism
Drug Trafficking
Mining Theft
Prison Crime
Discrimination & Ethical Issues
Sponsor:
Main Media Partner:
Partners:
Media Partners:
Register at: www.bodysearchworld.com
News and updates from the Secretariat It can be reported:
F
ollowing the unanimous approval of the Management Board during the last AGM in Budapest December 2014, the GenSec is coordinating the development and implementation of a five year expansion plan. Select members of the Management Board are currently drafting proposals focusing on strategic fiscal, operational and structural changes necessary to ensure the viability of the organization between now and 2020. In support of this work the GenSec will be hosting a two day meeting in late April with stakeholders and directors.
GenSec is working with select senior border officials and members of the Common
Council which is BORDERPOL’s advisory group. Creation of an external and independent advisory board was approved at the AGM in Budapest, December 2014. The group is in its formative stage with three confirmed members. It is expected that the president of the Common Council will be announced over the coming months and will she/he be presented at the 4th World BORDERPOL Congress in The Hague in December 2015.
M
r. Ken Richardson, BORDERPOL’s Chief of Operations advised GenSec that the travel document training program in Gibraltar was successfully completed in February. More regional training initiatives are in the “pipeline” and these will be announced on the official BORDERPOL website in the weeks ahead.
T
he official BORDERPOL website www.borderpol.org has been upgraded and is now capable of hosting information accessible only to registered members. For sign on information contact the GenSec.
Follow ‘BORDERPOL’ on Twitter for the latest world border security news. To keep up to date with event developments join the ‘World BORDERPOL Congress’ on LinkedIn. www.borderpol.org
Members are advised that for security reasons passwords for various products will be changed on an irregular schedule.
M
s. Janice Kephart BORDERPOL’s Director of the Americas Program in cooperation with the Security Identity & Biometric Association [SIBA] will be hosting its first regional meeting in Washington DC, USA September 9-11, 2015. The event is called “Curtailing Terrorist Travel: Threats and Solutions” . Among the confirmed speakers is Alan Bersin who serves as Assistant Secretary and Chief Diplomatic Officer for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Policy. Jim Chaparro the Executive Vice President of Strategy at SE Solutions. Jim previously served 26 years in the federal government and as Assistant Director for Intelligence, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Patty Cogswell the assistant director, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Office of Intelligence and as the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) key intelligence officer.
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News and updates from the Secretariat It can be reported:
O
Border Security Matters www.borderpol.org www.borderpol-event.org
Editorial: Tony Kingham, KNM Media E: tony.kingham@worldsecurity-index.com Contributing Editorial: Neil Walker, Torch Marketing E: neilw@torchmarketing.co.uk Design, Marketing & Production: Neil Walker, Torch Marketing E: neilw@torchmarketing.co.uk Advertising Sales & World BORDERPOL Congress Exhibition Sales: Paul Gloc T: +44 (0) 7786 270820 E: paulg@borderpol-event.org Membership Enquiries: Thomas Tass, BORDERPOL T: +1 509 278 1660 E: secretariat@borderpol.org BSM Subscriptions: Neil Walker, Torch Marketing E: neilw@torchmarketing.co.uk
n February 1, 2015 GenSec announced the appointment of Mr. Zagon Csaba, Deputy Director of the EU Secretariat in Budapest. The EU Secretariat announced that it will be hosting its next border security workshop in September 2015.
Inputs will be collated via Twitter @borderpol from the #borderpolcommunity and
others who submit reports directly to the General Secretariat via email, fax or post. Analytical reports will be shared with members of BORDERPOL. Synopsis versions of these reports will be posted on the official BORDERPOL webpage and at the BORDERPOL Facebook page. Please pass this information along to your contacts who are involved in border security traveler and migration management.
Press releases, newsletters and similar media/publicity announcements
regarding BORDERPOL events and programs will be delivered though the UK Administration Centre. Please contact Neil Walker neil.walker@borderpol.org or Tony Kingham tony.kingham@worldsecurity-index.com regarding these items.
4th World BORDERPOL Congress
8th-10th December 2015 The Hague, Netherlands Call for Papers Open Deadline - 30th April 2015
Are you interested at speaking at the World BORDERPOL Congress? The World BORDERPOL Congress Advisory Committee is inviting abstracts for consideration for inclusion in the conference programme. See page 5 & 6 for further details,.
Copyright of BORDERPOL, Torch Marketing and KNM Media.
Please email the Events Director with the following details: • Presentation Title • 200 word Abstract • Your contact details Neil Walker, Events Director, BORDERPOL Email: neil.walker@borderpol.org
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Matters
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Border Security Matters
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World BORDERPOL Congress
th
8th-10th December 2015 The Hague, Netherlands
Enhancing collaboration in global border protection and management challenges.
S��� T�� D���� The World BORDERPOL Congress is the only multi-jurisdictional transnational platform where the border protection, management and security industry policy-makers and practitioners convene annually to discuss the international challenges faced in protecting not only one’s own country’s borders, but those of neighbours and friends. Join us for developing co-operation and collaboration through high level discussions and presentations on the future for border protection and management. We look forward to welcoming you to The Hague, Netherlands on 8th-10th December 2015 for the next gathering of border and migration management professionals.
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