Bengali Tiger

For delegates familiar with Security Management Stage 1, the term Sumatran Tiger conjures up images of long evenings debating with colleagues in front of a computer screen to put together a security strategy for a notional oil extraction and production operation deep in the heart of SE Asia.

Delegates attending the Security Management Stage 1 Course in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka were for the first time today introduced to “the tiger” and enthusiastically set about identifying the risks, actual and potential, which might befall this huge foreign investment project.

Typically for a group of South Asian security managers, this course is bursting at the seams with talent and enthusiasm, and the project results are likely to reflect this. Three of the five syndicates have each have one retired Brigadier-General at the helm, ensuring the solution remains strategic, and with almost half the 20 delegates possessing an MBA or studying for such, the solutions are sure to be business commensurate.

FCO Slow to Alert Travellers to Lebanon to Deteriorating Security Situation

Amidst renewed violence in Lebanon, reported to be the most serious since the ending of the civil war 17 years ago, the British Government has been slow to review its travel advice, and almost two days after the violence began there have been no amendments to the FCO website. This highlights the weakness of depending for business travel advice on open sources, which cannot be assumed to be current.

In contrast, the equivalent Australian service, operated by http://www.dfat.gov.au/ and which prides itself on timely delivery of overseas travel advice, has been monitoring the situation closely and is urging travellers to reconsider their need to travel at this time. A useful extension of the Australian web site is a free email notification service, alerting subscribers to security changes within countries.

The clashes have occurred near the northern city of Tripoli between the Lebanese Army and radical militants belonging to the Fatah Al Islam group, a Palestinian splinter group which is alleged to have ties with Al Qaeda.

Oxford Analytica Warns of Multiple Indicators that Al Qaeda is “Flourishing”

In a recent summary report Global Strategic Analysis Group Oxford Analytica warns that there are multiple signs that Al-Qaeda is flourishing, concluding that reconstruction of Al Qaeda’s infrastructure renders increasingly likely another major attack on US territory, and more destructive attacks in Europe. Drawing attention to what analysts call a “dysfunctional Iraq policy”, the reports identifies four key negative consequences of US military engagement Iraq as:

1. Foreign jihadists in Iraq accelerating radicalisation
2. Jihadists learning urban warfare techniques
3. The US presence in Iraq reinforcing Muslim perceptions of a hegemonic, hostile predisposition towards Islam
4. Unilateral US stubbornness against the dismay of allies and partners

For a full copy of the 3-page report, contact David.

Don't Underestimate Al Qaeda, Deputy High Commissioner Warns ARC Delegates in Keynote Regional Risks Presentation

The Deputy British High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Stephen Bridges, in a keynote speech to mark the opening of the Security Management Stage 1 Course in Dhaka, warned delegates of the dangers of complacency over the threat posed by the Al Qaeda network. In particular the Deputy High Commissioner drew delegates’ attention to the level of ingenuity of those who have taken up arms in support of the Al Qaeda cause. “These people are often a lot smarter than we give them credit for, and this poses significant challenges for security managers”, remarked the Deputy High Commissioner.

Having been the target of a terrorist plot while previously an ambassador, the Deputy High Commissioner - a political analyst by training - understands the threat better than most.

His warning comes amidst reports of a consolidation of the Al Qaeda presence in Europe’s soft underbelly, US legislation imposing strict physical antiterrorism security standards on the US petrochemical industry and comments by Lord Stevens, the former Metropolitan Police Commissioner, that the number of Al Qaeda operatives and active supporters in the UK may be as high as 4,000 - twenty times higher than Lord Stevens' 2005 estimate.

Regional Security Management Training in S Asia

Twenty security managers from Bangladesh, China, South Korea, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo and Sri Lanka have gathered in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, to attend a two-week Security Management Stage 1 Course. The programme, which follows on from a successful pilot course last year, will provide delegates not only with core skills knowledge in security management best practice, but will importantly set delegates off on a study programme which will lead to the award of a work-based learning MSc with Middlesex University.

Frank Fodstad, Deputy Managing Director of Grameenphone, which, together with BAT Bangladesh is co-hosting the course, opened the programme by reminding delegates that integrated security management of the highest international standards is essential to organisations such as global communications leader Telenor. Telenor has a $1 billion investment in Grameenphone, and is one of Bangladesh’s biggest private sector investors.

During the two weeks delegates will study security risk management, operations management, physical security, personnel security, protection against terrorism, information and IT security, security surveying, crisis management, investigations and leadership.

Further Asia-region courses are being planned in Bangladesh. Contact Janet for details.

Seven out of the World’s Top Ten Multinationals Have Chosen ARC Training

Seven out of the world’s top ten (Fortune 500) corporations have selected the ARC Training International Academy for Security Management to train their security managers. This number includes all top five UK multinationals, four out of the top five US-based companies, and the world’s largest integrated oil and gas project, Sakhalin Energy, of which the major shareholder is Russia’s largest company, Gazprom.

The Phantom USB Menace!

A US survey of 370 IT professionals has confirmed USB data sticks (so-called “thumb drives”) as the greatest security concern, posing a very serious threat to sensitive corporate data. 80% of respondents admitted that their companies had no effective controls in place and just 8.6% of respondents’ companies had total bans on such devices.

“Thumb drives are becoming increasingly difficult to identify as many are taking on disguises such as watches, small Star Wars figurines, key fobs etc.” comments David Cresswell of ARC. For information on how to manage this growing threat contact David.