Fears of Al-Qaeda Attacks in Germany and US Intensify

According to the newspaper Die Welt, German officials fear that al-Qaeda may be planning to stage attacks in their country, which so far has escaped a major attack by Islamic extremists, according to a report published today.

Meanwhile, senior leaders of al-Qaeda are expanding efforts to attack the United States, senior intelligence officers informed the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence recently.

Biometric Security Checks Begin at London Heathrow

According to the Bloomberg news service, London Heathrow, Europe's busiest airport, has started a trial of biometric security checks ahead of the opening of a new terminal in March.

Passengers transferring to domestic UK flights through Terminal 1 are being asked to provide biometric information, including digital fingerprints and a photograph, airport operator BAA Ltd., owned by Madrid-based Grupo Ferrovial SA, said today in a statement. The biometric system is being tested between Feb. 1 and the opening of the 4.3 billion-pound ($8.4 billion) Terminal 5 on March 27. British Airways Plc, Europe's third-biggest carrier, will be the new terminal's sole occupant.

Developments in biometric systems, especially in their application as access control systems, will be one of the subjects covered on ARC’s new Specifying Security Technology Course, 21-25 July 2008.

Other topics covered in this week-long advanced programme include:

Convergence, migration of physical security to the IT network, IT network security overview, systems specification, project management and testing, automated access control systems, electronic systems for asset management (GPS, RFID, EAS), digital CCTV systems and specification, perimeter and building intrusion systems.

For details contact Janet.

Alert - Possible Hostile Reconnaissance Rise in the UK

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Information provided from a number of UK sources suggests that there has been an increase in reports relating to incidents in which individuals have been seen filming various UK venues and when challenged, claim to be foreign journalists.

Whilst such cases may be entirely innocent, such events could raise the spectre that such persons could be carrying out a reconnaissance of that location.

Security staff should be alert to such events and if there is any doubt as to the authenticity of their credentials or if they are suspicious as to their explanation, the police should be contacted as soon as possible. For confidential reports to police, the anti terrorist hot line number is 0800 789 321.

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Dwarves Hide in Luggage to Steal

Gangland mobs are robbing long-distance coaches by sneaking dwarves into the luggage holds in sports bags, according to Police Oracle, citing the Sun Newspaper.

Once inside, they slip out from their hiding places to rifle through the belongings of unsuspecting travellers. Then they take their loot back to their hiding place and wait to be collected by another gang member when the coach reaches its destination. The cheeky criminals have stolen thousands of pounds in cash, gems and other valuables in recent months.

The problems seems to be particularly acute in Sweden.

For the full story click on:

http://www.policeoracle.com/news/Dwarves-Hide-In-Luggage-To-Steal_15408.html

The Bugging Business

Anything divulged inside a building or a private car is potentially open to an extraordinary array of eletronic bugging devices or telephone intercept systems, reports The Times Online. Bugging is a fine art, and the technology has leapt forward in recent years.

The latest electronic listening device is known as the GSM bug. Michael Marks of Spymaster, a company that supplies surveillance equipment, told The Times: “With one of these new bugs, all you have to do is place it covertly under someone’s desk. It’s like a miniature cellular phone. You can ring it from thousands of miles away, it answers silently and you can listen in on conversations. The GSM bug could be in an office in London but the person listening to the conversations could be in Australia.”

Terrorists are fully aware that encrypted mobile phones are vulnerable to eavesdropping by the authorities. “If you can acquire the service number of the mobile phone, what’s called the IMEI number, located just under the battery, you can tap in to people's conversations,” Mr Marks said.

Read on by clicking here.

Technical surveillance countermeasures is one of the topics addressed in the Information Security module of Security Management Stage 1, a university-accredited course which takes place 31 March – 11 April 2008. Contact Janet for details.

How to Escape the Spies All Around Us

With an estimated 6 million CCTV cameras now in the UK, and numerous other surveillance systems and devices monitoring almost every action of Britons, the Times Online presents some interesting hints for avoiding surveillance, including:

Replacing number plate illuminating lights with IR bulbs
Using tinted car windows
Become a hoodie
Don’t use credit cards
Use email encryption and source-masking services such as Hushmail
Avoid Facebook
Live in a tent!

For more on this story, click here. (But take care, you may be being watched!)

Travelling to an ARC Course in the Near Future? - Packing Tips

Travelling to an ARC course in the near future?

Want some tips on how to pack your suitcase so that you look your best?

Look no further:

http://travel.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/travel/article3329417.ece