The event is one of a number of such operations conducted by the two companies worldwide, affording an extremely rare opportunity for clients and security organisations to gain vital information in support of counter-terrorism planning and UK resilience. It’s not only designed for the police and Government agencies, but will also be of great value to security managers of any organisation that could be a potential terrorist target.
This terrorism awareness seminar is being held at a time when the UK Government has set our threat level at ‘severe’, with an attack on a UK target classed as being ‘highly likely’.
Indeed, a statement released on Al Qaeda-affiliated web sites in January stated: “By the last day of March 2008, martyrdom seekers of the Organisation of Al Qaeda in Britain will target political leaders, Embassies, ‘crusader centres’ and their interests throughout the country.”
Prevention rather than post-attack response is always the preferred option. Although there are many and varied indicators of an attack that can be detected by aware parties, businesses have a responsibility to put in place both coherent and practised contingency plans just in case the worst should happen.
Of course, the terrorist attack at Glasgow International Airport on 30 June 2007 is still very present in all our minds. In addition to the commercial and safety implications related to such an attack, there are the inevitable ramifications within society as social trust begins to break down and minority groupings start to feel marginalised still further.
The terrorism awareness seminar will impart delegates with valuable information on the various methods and trends currently employed by different Islamic extremist terrorism groups. Speakers are to include Tal Hanan, the chief executive of Demoman International and a former Explosives Unit deputy commander of the Israeli Special Forces. In the past, Hanan has given presentations to members of the US Secret Service, the US naval intelligence and a host of other agencies worldwide.
The seminar will enable delegates to spot the suicide terrorist, and help them to understand what an effective protection policy might look like. Delegates will also receive crucial information about actual incidents that have occurred as part of the awareness building programme.
Terrorists often seek to use hostages and, as such, Day 3 of the programme follows an in-depth hostage survival and awareness module. This will look closely at the means by which hostages are abducted, the conditions in which they’re likely to be held and the behaviours they should adopt to maximise their chances of a safe return home.
This particular day will be hosted by Simon Atkinson, the former operations officer of the Defence Resistance Training Wing (which is instrumental in formulating and promulgating present UK defence policy on hostage survival). Atkinson has since established similar policies for several NATO allies and civilian organisations alike.