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"Counter-Terrorism: Police Disrupt 13 Terror Networks in Last Year" U.K. police disrupted 13 terror networks over the last year, according to a report on Scotland Yard's Counter-Terrorism Command. Police responded to 181 calls of suspected terrorism in the 2007 fiscal year, helping to foil major attacks and cut terrorist funding. The goal of most counter-terrorism investigations is to reduce the ability of terrorist cells to carry out attacks. The police have arrested 46 people in relation to terrorism investigations between the beginning of the year and the end of May. Some of the success is credited to the Metropolitan Police's Counter Terrorism Intelligence Officers, who work closely with local officers to learn about communities and advise officers. The public has also become more vigilant following the 2007 terrorist attacks in Glasgow and the Haymarket. Police received 25 percent more calls involving explosives, chemical and nuclear threats than the previous year. "Blackwater Brand Shift: Security to Take Back Seat" Blackwater Worldwide executives are planning a shift away from the private security sector, a business that has earned it hundreds of millions of dollars. Reasons for this shift include the negative media attention and government investigations generated by a 2007 shootout in Iraq that left 17 civilians dead. Although Blackwater will continue to fulfill its contract to guard U.S. officials in Iraq, a larger focus will be placed on training, aviation, and logistics. Security brings in approximately 30 percent of Blackwater's annual revenue, a statistic that could fall as low as 1 percent. Blackwater operates a 7,000-acre training facility that is used by military and law enforcement personnel. The company also provides aircraft maintenance and a fleet of aircraft which can transport supplies to military bases. "UK Businesses Ban IM Over Security Concerns" Almost 75 percent of British companies have banned the use of instant messaging at work due to security concerns, according to a survey of IT directors. Almost 90 percent of respondents were concerned about the security risks associated with instant messaging services, including the loss of sensitive information. However, 74 percent of those surveyed believed that instant messaging technology could support collaboration within the organization. "Many organizations are torn between wanting to maximize security or gain collaboration and productivity benefits, and clearly maintaining security is winning at this point," said ProcessOne CEO Mickael Remond. "Three Britons Admit Plot but Not Intent to Kill" Three men accused of planning a 2006 attack on transatlantic airliners pled guilty to intending to set off bombs, but deny targeting planes or attempting to cause harm to people. Abulla Ahmed Ali, Assad Sarwar, and Tanvir Hussain said that they planned to set off bombs at Parliament or other high-profile sites in London as a publicity stunt in protest of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The three men, along with five other British Muslim defendants, pled not guilty to the charge of conspiracy to murder. Prosecutors allege that the eight men plotted to set off liquid explosives on at least seven airplanes traveling to the United States, resulting in thousands of deaths. Evidence against the defendants include videotapes that the prosecution contends are "martyrdom messages" that were to be released after the suicide attack was carried out. The discovery of this plot led to permanent restrictions on the carrying of liquids or gels on commercial planes. "Don't Strike Out in Labor Disputes" A strike contingency plan can help companies deal with a variety of issues that may emerge when union workers go on strike. When Telus, the second biggest telecommunications firm in Canada, had a new contract for the Telecommunications Workers Union in the works, its chief security officer wanted to ensure that the company was ready to deal with thousands of striking employees. Telus contracted AFI International Group Inc. to provide security guards in addition to supervisory, protective, documentary, and investigative services for as long as the strike would last. The two companies then teamed up to craft a detailed strike plan that fit with the Telus' existing contingency plans. AFI also worked to determine whether the company needed any additions to its physical security system, where protestors were legally allowed to organize, and where security guards should be placed. The planning also weighed any human resource issues that could financially, physically, or mentally negatively impact strikers. After the plan was developed, it was decided that AFI would provide project coordinators, investigators to record any acts of violence or intimidation, security officers, and executive protection. It also set up its own command center to work alongside Telus' internal security command centers. The two remained in constant communication during the time the contract was being negotiated and took immediate action after the union announced the strike. Around 15,000 workers formed a picket line, but security officers ensured that non-striking employees could safely enter their offices. There was not one incident of violence reported during the four-month strike. Security and picket leaders were not hostile toward one another and shared any helpful information. "Airline Industry Warns on ID Card Costs" UK airlines and airport operators are resisting the government's plan to distribute biometric cards to thousands of airport employees by fall of next year. The industry is concerned that such a move will only raise fees for passengers without substantially increasing security. It argues that its current vetting system, criminal record checks, and security standards are sufficient enough. Chief executives from British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, EasyJet, and Monarch Airlines sent a letter to Home Secretary Jacqui Smith expressing their opposition. The government plans on first issuing the new ID cards to airport workers before introducing them to other sectors. "Government to Be Warned Over Biological Terror Threat" The Institute for Public Policy Research's national security commission is scheduled to release an interim report on the threat posed to Great Britain by biological weapons. Ian Kearns, the Institute's deputy director, said that there were reasons to be concerned with the possibility of terrorists using disease as a weapon. However, Kearns said that the real danger was knowledgeable individuals, not terrorist groups, using new technologies to launch a biological attack. Kearns believes that the government needs to prepare a response plan that would minimize the impact of such an attack, because no strategy will be able to completely control biological weapons. "Thieves Steal Supermarket Chickens in Credit Crisis" Some Sainsbury's grocery stores in East Sussex, U.K., are now placing electronic tags on whole chickens and other expensive food items in an effort to curb theft. Although electronic tags are usually placed on expensive perfumes or clothing, Sainsbury's decided extra security was needed due to an increase in theft. The rise in food prices has led some individuals to avoid paying for some of their groceries. Stolen goods are usually resold on the black market, with razor blades the most common item stolen from supermarkets. "Thieves Steal Supermarket Chickens in Credit Crisis" Some Sainsbury's grocery stores in East Sussex, U.K., are now placing electronic tags on whole chickens and other expensive food items in an effort to curb theft. Although electronic tags are usually placed on expensive perfumes or clothing, Sainsbury's decided extra security was needed due to an increase in theft. The rise in food prices has led some individuals to avoid paying for some of their groceries. Stolen goods are usually resold on the black market, with razor blades the most common item stolen from supermarkets. "Career: Are You Meeting New Demands for a Top Security Executive?" SecurityRecruiter.com president Jeff Snyder thinks there is a feeling among corporate management that information-security executives are more likely to have the correct combination of technical skills, business knowledge, and executive leadership that the new role of physical security director requires. If so, three things needs to be done to overcome this attitude, including showing a capacity to work with executives outside of the division. Security employees interested in becoming physical security directors need to comprehend the technology now being used, and the direction it is heading. Lastly, prospective candidates need to expand and show their business knowledge. Some skills that can help candidates acquire physical-security director positions include presenting an in-depth plan that describes the candidate's strategic approach and the initiatives he or she is taking to obtain it. Other skills include dealing with security risks, promoting cross-functional collaboration, encouraging teamwork throughout corporate departments, and effective organizational approaches. Candidates also need to show a connection between activities that reduce security risk and company business strategy. Lastly, creating a performance management plan by which the physical security director can demonstrate to executives the existing security status of the firm at any given time can be helpful. "15 Hostages Rescued in Colombia" The Colombian military rescued 15 hostages who had been imprisoned in remote jungle camps by the guerrilla group known as the FARC. The hostages rescued include French-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt and three Defense Department contractors who had been held since 2003, which is believed to be longer than any other U.S. citizen now in captivity in any other country. The rescue mission was a result of a "special intelligence" operation that infiltrated the specialized rebel units that guard hostages. The commander of the unit guarding the 15 hostages, known as Cesar, was tricked into believing that the FARC's leader requested that the hostages be transported. Members of the Colombian military posed as guerrillas and picked up the hostages, Cesar, and another guerrilla in two helicopters. Once aboard, the crew overpowered the FARC members and identified themselves as members of the national army. "This was an operation without precedent that will pass into history for its audacity and effectiveness," said Colombian Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos. "Fifteen hostages were rescued without firing a single shot." "France: Shots at Military Drill Are Deemed Not Deliberate" In France, 17 people, including a 3-year-old, were wounded after a soldier used live ammunition during a mock antiterrorist drill. The soldier was arrested and is being questioned, though a prosecutor said he did not act deliberately. "This act was absolutely not premeditated," said Brice Robin, the state prosecutor in Montpellier. Robin said he would suggest that the soldier be charged with involuntary bodily harm. That charge could turn into involuntary manslaughter, however, if any of the people where were shot die from their injuries. |
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