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"Seven Signs of Terrorism Relate to School Security" The shooters at Columbine High School and Virginia Tech prepared for their attacks in the same way that terrorists plot theirs, according to Rudy Holm, protective security advisor for the Department of Homeland Security. Holm said there are seven signs of terrorism and people who have detected these signs and reported them to their local police have averted 25 school shootings in the nation in the past year. The seven signs of a likely terrorist include someone who is carrying out surveillance, obtaining data, testing security, gathering supplies, looking suspicious, performing a trial run, and ultimately getting everything ready. Those plotting an attack on a school typically take time to examine the location and carry out surveillance. They may be watching from a distance with cameras or binoculars. They generally have maps or diagrams of the site and use them to locate security cameras, evacuation routes, or crowded spots. Someone who seems out of place may be asking questions such as: "Do you see police around here a lot?" or "Are those lights always on?" Someone planning a school attack will also test security by pulling fire alarms to observe the flow of traffic, how long it takes emergency workers to respond, and how students and employees react. There have also been instances where plotters continually triggered school alarms until police no longer go to the scene because they believe the alarm system is broken. Plotters may also practice test runs, perhaps leaving a package somewhere on the site. If someone reports a package that turns out to be harmless, police and school personnel should note where the package was left in case it was part of a trial run. "UK Warns of Higher Threat of Terror Attack in United Arab Emirates" The U.K. government is warning the United Arab Emirates and the approximately 120,000 British expatriates who live there about an increased risk of a terrorist attack. "There is a high threat from terrorism," an e-mail from the British Embassy indicated. "Terrorists may be planning to carry out attacks in the U.A.E." The message, delivered to registered U.K. expats in the emirates, read: "terrorist attacks could be indiscriminate and could happen at any time, including in places frequented by expatriates and foreign travelers such as residential compounds, military, oil, transport, and aviation interests." The U.A.E., where foreigners make up at least 80 percent of the population, is currently positioned at the highest possible level of risk for a terrorist attack. However, the embassy is not altering its advisory for visitors to the U.A.E. and is not encouraging travelers to cancel their vacation plans in the emirates. "Euro 2008: Referees Have 24-Hour Guard" The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) implemented several special security measures to protect officials at the Euro 2008 soccer tournament. The team of 12 referees, 24 assistants, and eight other officials are protected by 24-hour security. Their Zurich hotel is patrolled by security guards, with two police officers on each floor to keep outsiders from reaching the officials. Hotel receptionists are also screening all incoming calls to prevent people from intimidating the referees. Though UEFA officials claim that the security measures are designed to protect referees from verbal abuse, they also serve to reduce the risk of match-fixing by people trying to take advantage of the Internet gambling boom. There have been several recent cases of match-fixing, with one referee receiving a 29-month prison sentence for fixing a match in Germany in 2005. UEFA now has an information-sharing agreement with bookmakers, receiving a notification anytime irregular betting patterns emerge. The security measures are even stricter than security for Champions League matches. "It is the only competition where everyone knows where the referees are staying," said UEFA advisor William Gaillard. "Terror Files Inquiry to Be Set Up" In the United Kingdom, authorities are probing a security breach in which classified government documents were left on a train. Prime Minister Gordon Brown labeled it a "very serious incident" and said the investigation would try to determine how extensively the documents had been circulated. Home Office Minister Tony McNulty said it would have been "very, very bad" if the files have been posted online. "These are not documents that the government seek to hide just because they don't want the public to know about it, they are documents that are operational documents that if released in that fashion would tell our enemies things that we don't want our enemies to know," he said. The documents were reviews made by the government's Joint Intelligence Committee. One was an evaluation of Iraq's security forces, while the other is believed to be titled "Al-Qaeda Vulnerabilities." It was numbered and labeled "For UK/US/Canadian and Australian eyes only." An unidentified Cabinet Office worker, who apparently writes and contributes to intelligence and security reports, was suspended after the files were left on a train seat and passed on to the BBC. He allegedly was allowed to take classified papers out of the Cabinet Office as long as he followed strict procedures. The current investigation will primarily concentrate on the Cabinet Office and its security protocols. "Brown Wins Vote on Terrorism Plan With Rival Support" Members of British Parliament voted in favor of a plan to extend the length of time police can hold terrorism suspects without charging them with a crime from 28 days to 42 days. However, the bill only won by nine votes, leaving it vulnerable to amendment by the House of Lords, where no party holds a majority. Prime Minister Gordon Brown's plan gained support from ministers who believe that police need more time to investigate terrorism cases, which are becoming more complex. Members of the Conservative Party said that they will reverse any extension if they win the next election, which must be held by the middle of 2010. Brown's Labour Party trailed the Conservative Party by 20 percentage points in recent opinion polls. "Cameroon Says 'Pirates' Seize Six in Bakassi Attack" A Cameroonian official and five soldiers were ambushed and seized by pirates on the Bakassi frontier with Nigeria in the latest attack in the oil producing Gulf of Guinea. The attack happened at Mbenmong on the contested Bakassi peninsula, which Nigeria surrendered to Cameroon two years ago following an International Court of Justice ruling. "These attacks linked to international terrorism are becoming more and more frequent in African maritime areas, notably off Somalia and the Gulf of Guinea," the Cameroon armed forces said in a statement. In November, at least 20 Cameroonian soldiers died on the Bakassi peninsula after men riding in a speedboat shot at their post. Cameroon believes the attackers belong to a Nigerian militant group. Earlier this month, gunmen traveling in speedboats carried out consecutive acts of violence on an oil supply and security ships in southeast Nigeria, which left a contractor working for Canada's Addax Petroleum dead. The United States, which acquires over 15 percent of its oil imports from the region, has said the gulf's 2,000 coastal miles are ignored, uncontrolled, and susceptible to "terrorist groups, criminal gangs, or separatist militias." U.S. Navy and Coast Guard ships have increased patrols along Africa's West Coast to enhance maritime security, improve cooperation with local navies, and provide them with training. "Keeping the CEO Safe Can Be Costly" A growing number of companies are covering the security expenses of their CEOs, according to a recent survey of proxy statements by Fortune 300 companies. Of the proxies reviewed, 91 companies reported expenses for protecting their CEOs. Corporate spending may be even more prevalent than the survey shows, because some companies may have spent less than the reporting threshold or considered security an ordinary business expense. One security expert estimates that 75 percent of American CEOs have 24-hour protection. Businesses are concerned that their CEOs could be victims of kidnapping, extortion, disgruntled employees or a random act of violence. Both software manufacturer Oracle Corp. and retailer Limited Brands Inc. spent over $1 million on security for their CEOs. Meanwhile, Valero Energy Corp. spent just $239 on a home-alarm service for its CEO. One consultant said that some boards view security spending as a way to show how important the CEO is to the company. However, some shareholders are upset with the amount spent on what they view as excessive security. "Security has become a convenient excuse for getting shareholders to pick up the cost for the CEO's lifestyle," said Richard Ferlauto of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees. "Members of Parliament Say UK Risks Drift to Surveillance Society" Britain's Home Affairs Committee urged the government to adopt a "data minimization" policy, which would only collect and safely store essential information. The committee became concerned with the safety of personal information after a government department lost unencrypted computer discs containing the banking and personal information of 25 million people. The scope of surveillance initiatives became an issue after the committee learned that a conversation between a prison inmate and a local government official was recorded. The committee called on the government to take steps to ensure that data was only used for the purpose for which it was collected. It also warned against installing microphones on surveillance cameras. "What we are concerned with is the tendency to collect more and more data just because the technology allows it and for data to be used beyond the purposes it was initially collected for," said committee chairman Keith Vaz. "South Asians Charged in Spain with Plotting Suicide Attacks" A Spanish judge has filed terrorism charges against 11 South Asians, including 10 people arrested in a series of raids in January by police in Barcelona. All 11 were charged with belonging to a terrorist group linked to Pakistani Taliban warlord Baitullah Mehsud. Eight of the alleged terrorists were also charged with possessing explosives. The cell is believed to have been planning a series of suicide bombings. Three of those arrested were recruited as suicide bombers and three others are allegedly explosives experts. The police were aided in their investigation by an informant who used to be a member of the terror cell. Nine of those arrested were originally from Pakistan, while the other two are from India. "Deadly Pakistan Embassy Bomb Raises Security Fears" A car bomb exploded outside the Danish embassy in the capital of Pakistan on June 2, killing six people. All the victims were Pakistanis, however, the explosion is raising concerns about the security of foreigners in Pakistan. It is believed that a suicide bomber is to blame for the bombing, as jihadis may be more likely to attack the embassy after cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad were printed in Danish newspapers in 2005. The cartoons have already prompted fatal protests and attacks on Danish missions. The Netherlands embassy has also received threats after an anti-immigration lawmaker made a movie deemed as anti-Islam. The embassy moved to a well-secured hotel in May. In addition to those who died, around 25 people were injured in the bombing, which occurred in a residential neighborhood where a variety of embassies are located. Since the explosion, the Norway embassy has been closed. "A Workplace Violence Policy is Essential" Workplace violence policies are important in helping to keep employees safe. Effective preventative programs generally concentrate on encouraging employees' personal growth and strengthening their quality of life. Employers may consider assembling a team of people from various departments, such as human resources, security, the Employee Assistance Program, and senior management, to help facilitate communication with workers. The team should persuade employees to get involved and report incidents, and will ultimately be responsible for following up on those reports. The policy should also determine how the building will be secured physically. Parking lots should be well lit, access to the building should be restricted, and people should not be secluded. Installing metal detectors and remote locking systems might also be considered. A workplace violence policy should clearly define violence and list the punishments for violent behavior. Policies on conduct, harassment, and domestic violence should all be tied into the workplace violence policy. "Embassies Tightening Staff Security" High-security compounds are being constructed in Pretoria, South Africa, by foreign governments who are concerned about the safety of their diplomatic corps. Although the official reason for the development is to provide embassy staff with "high-quality" housing, improved security is also a goal. Several diplomats and foreign visitors have recently been the victims of crime. The United States, Great Britain, Germany, and several other countries have issued a warning advising citizens to not visit certain parts of South Africa after a Mozambican was killed by a mob. China's embassy staff has been living in a compound for the past three years, while the British High Commission hopes to occupy a gated residential complex by 2009. The United States now attempts to place new embassy staff in multi-unit secure compounds instead of stand-alone housing. |
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