From the Terrorists point of view.

Kia Ora,

Being a hectic time, so a bit of a delay in the blogs. Three incidents or issues have come up & in trying to explain it to people in NZ I have had to go back to looking at it from a terrorists point of view.

First incident was the bomb alert at Dunedin airport. Of note was the description of the device & it begs the question as to why the whole airport was closed down after an initial check that there were no other devices.

From a terrorists point of view they would of got good information out of this. Drills used, how they can tie up major transport hubs in NZ due to poor standard operating procedures & that many cities in NZ, that will be used for the rugby world cup, have no explosive specialists.

As the British soon learnt in Northern Ireland, those on the ground need to be trained a little higher in IED recognition & even have drills to clear items themselves or you can tie a whole city up with just a few incidents.

That is a lesson that was put into NZ army training, but is lacking in NZ security training.

The next thing that arose was the annoucing of the Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens)Concerts.

Now I love his music & would like to go to one of the concerts, but I would consider them a likely target.

The reasons they are likely targets are as follows.

Yusuf is a moderate Muslim & those that carryout acts of terrorism consider them legitimate targets as they are not sticking to their view of the Koran.
I have being security for a TV Christian Evangelist who requires bodyguards & that was because for the same reason. A lesser evangelist had his family massacred by an extreme Christian group.

In the US at present there is a marked increase in open hostility towards the government, in particular over Obama being President & issues such as Healthcare.

In NZ here in an article within the last week it was stated that there was 7000 Saudi students. Most of them will be good law abiding people. There will be a few that will likely have other agendas on their mind.

What is generally not known is that despite all the focus on Iran & Syria allowing support to the insurgency in Iraq, most actually came across the border from Saudi Arabia & the majority of the 9/11 hijackers were Saudi Students.

After the reporters stunt exposing the poor security & the comments in particular by the Minister of Police that security would be upped for the World Cup, but not before would signal to a terrorist that the best time is now & this concert is a perfect opportunity.

The third major issue is the press release by the Police inspector in charge of planning for the Rugby World Cup in which he states that they have planned for terrorist acts which though are unlikely.

From a terrorists point of view they will be laughing all the way to the bank. The World Cup as one of  the largest sporting event in the world supposedly, will be on the radar or as pointed out above in the events leading up to it. To say otherwise means you have your head in the sand.

He also points out he was at an international briefing for the Soccer World Cup.

Point he is missing as are many in NZ, is it is a huge jump in mindset from security or policing in NZ to the requirements of such an event, when terrorism is likely, when most people in NZ will never have experienced terrorism in the way most likely to hit on an ongoing basis.

Many live with the daily terrorism associated with organized crime or in Christchurch's case boyracers, but not what comes through with suicide bombings or associated activities.

Speaking to police officers on the ground, many agree & many do not want to be armed. Others tell me their weapon skills & lack of training means many are more dangerous to themselves or others around them

That is why the police associations campaign to arm police needs one of two things. A huge influx in money for training or the formation of groups of permanently armed police on standby for incidents requiring their skills.

Meanwhile NZ goes on believing that there is not threat. The biggest threat is the believe their is no threat.

Terrorism concerns.

Kia ora,

Over the last week there have being major terrorism concerns for the IPL Cricket & the Commonwealth Games after bomb blasts outside a stadium prior to an IPL game.

But as predicted in an earlier blog, the Indians, just delayed the game a bit then carried on. It is part of life in many parts of the world.

But yet again it calls into question the possibility of terrorism in New Zealand.

It is not just a matter of good security training, but yet again a change in mindset.

The reaction of a former player turned commentator & his comments, show that an attack on New Zealand will have a greater effect than a full on attack at the Commonwealth Games.

How hard will it be to change the NZ mindset in regards to anything to do with security or even policing let alone terrorism.

Two incidents  in this last week show this has a long way to go. A very long way.

The first was part of the increasing tendecy to flout authority of any kind & ended up with the shooting of a security guard with an air rifle by a teenager.

Someone said to me "it was only an air rifle". The modern air rifle can be more powerful than many .22, just the pellet is small. Shot in the wrong place & they kill.

Just ask the family of the police sergeant killed by one.

The second is the incident is the ruckus over the police car turning to chase a speeding vehicle & then being hit by a motorcyclist killing the motorcyclist.

The comment is all about how wrong the police officer was.

The initial impression I received from the media coverage was that the police vehicle had a vehicle approaching at speed, had turned blind & was hit by the motor cyclist coming from behind the patrol car, but that didn't add up to where the police car was hit from the images shown.

Now comment by the driver of the speeding vehicle puts it in a different light, though not knowing the full facts this is how I see it.

Ute was speeding, Police car turned as bike was behind the Ute, police car would of had clear view  unless the bike was also speeding or even racing the Ute.

But still the venom is at the police like they deliberately did it.

Then the dirver of the Ute claims that his Mazda bounty could not reach the speed of 154kmh.

Funny that as teams were able to get their Pajero's to 180/200 kmh in Iraq & even with four to five tonne armoured landcruisers we reached speeds of 160 to 180Kmh & many of these were well underpowered compared to any bounty.

So with attitudes like that it is going to take a huge mindset change for the public of NZ to accept the security levels needed to stage a world class sporting event.

And again that then leads to the even greater mindset change needed by the NZ security industry.

Suicide bombers do not stop just because you say so.

On current tactics, they will arrived armed to fight their way in to inflict maximum damage. Few bombers to neutralize any opposition then the next ones get that bit further.

To combat it we need to practise basic security for real, not just play at it. Hands up all those in the NZ security industry who knows what a suicide bomber looks like after they have detonated their vest?

Mayhem & Terrorism!

Kia Ora,

Few days delay here from when this was going to be posted, but being working on how social media interacts to assist a business. The effect is huge when you realize what it can do.

Anyway to Mayhem & Terrorism. Am I talking again about Suicide bombers?

No, but Christchurch's very own brand of terrorism & the lack of respect for others that todays society brings.

Over the last two weeks we have had to put up with a group talking loudly on their balcony whilst trying to sleep. They do not realize it or didn't until told, that it is a breach of the Resource Management act. On Friday added to that was the base in the music, although the person in charge did try to keep it down for as long as he could.

Invariably other issues arose.

As I was getting ready to go over to point out the music needed to be turned off as after midnight heard a noise & looked out to see one of party goers head over to a station wagon full of young people, one of whom then decides that the frontage of the complex is his toilet. Well until he got a bollocking & party was also told to cut the noise.

Just prior to that though a group had gathered on the edge of the complex to smoke pot, which of course they didn't think was a drug.

Finally the party was over & then the police were called as two females decided that the best way for them to travel was in the boot of the car.

It is illegal because it is dangerous. People have died doing that before.

So nothing major, but don't need to go to do security when it is coming to you.

But it had reprecussions the next night.

You could hear the Christchurch Terrorist's better known as boy racers in groups in the area.

At about midnight went down stairs to office to turn off an item & as I open the door about four feet away a girl comes through the trees on our boundary & takes her pants down, looking to use the front of our office as a toilet.

She got a sharp wake up, & ran off but then a mate of hers came around the corner where she had being going between our company vehicles.

About 0215 am were woken by a noise to see a van that had being at the party parked in same spot & just as badly as night before. But instead of guy & his girlfriend it was the homeboys who were wandering around the place, looking like they were up to no good. But as got ready to call the police, they left.

Head outside to make sure there is no tagging & look down the road to see boy racers setting up a diesel then starting use it.

Police rung & this time police units & fire units blocked the road. Apparently a large amount of diesel had being applied to the road in a dangerous spot just around a cormer & it appeared that a jumbo rubbish bin had also being set alight.

Now they may seem tame incidents but they are normal activity in many areas of Christchurch on any given night.

Why do I call the boy racer's terrorists because that is what they do. They go into an area & terrorize the inhabitants so that people are too scared to give out too many details in case they come back to threaten or do harm to them.

I am aware of one incident recently were a group of these Terrorists (they use a form of intimidation or terrorism to  try to get their way) alledgedly went onto an address of informants as a group & threatened them.

I have personally attended a series of incidents where it went from intimidating staff at a 24 hour factory, to once the business owner was there, so his workers could leave, putting a flue through the buildings windows, trying to tip over the owners car & trying to intimidate security on our arrival.

The following week they stoned the static security guard two nights in a row when he began to take their details.

In a susequent action they broke windows in other businesses & tried to set the one in question on fire as I arrived, which were all cover for burglaries in the area.

More recently of course they have taken to attacking & shooting at police patrols & then attacking an aviation security patrol.

They like to class themselves  as car enthusiasts. They are nothing of the sort.

The real car enthusiast has respect & treasures their vehicle.

Sorry but they are terrorists & so far all attempts to deal with them have failed as they just don't care. As far as they are concermed no one has the right to stop them.

Welll not initially but the new security service we are about to launch will in time become a bane to their existance. We do expect a reaction but are prepared for it.

Sign of Things to Come!

Kia Ora,

Well the last couple of days have being interesting internationally as a sign of things to come.

First there has being the storming of parliament in Thailand, following the unrest in Greece & now what could be described as a coup in Kyrgyzstan, resulting in the incumbent politicians running from the capital.

What has caused this?

Thailand it is an on going issue between suporters of the former head of government & the replacements.

Greece it has being the result of austerity measures the Government had to take to try & stave off financial collapse.

Kyrgyzstan it was a 200% rise in the cost of utilities (water, gas, etc). So could that happen in say the US or even here in NZ?

Not can but when should be the question? Already prices up up 10% in supermarkets & crime is on the rise.

Just two days ago I was visiting a business in a mall & as I came out a guy goes "are you mall security?" "No, but work in the industry, why?" " oh no reason".

Anyone in the industry will know that anyone taking interest in security are up to something. When talking to a few shops just after they all commented that there had being a rise in crime in the area recently.

So could it happen in the US? Well there is certainly a lot of anger already over the health care bill which they can't afford. Citibank recently gave notification as required that sometime in the future they may require 7days notice for people to withdraw their money.

Of course when that happens, the bank will just say we gave you a warning.

Meanwhile the SEC has basically said funds will not have to pay peoples pension funds out if ordered to hold them.

Both of those issues are enough to set people off, not to mention the job losses & foreclosures.

In NZ there was a few months ago a small notice in papers to the effect from 1st April 2010 power lines companies will be able to raise prices by level of inflation.

In the last few weeks there has being another small clipping to the effect that even though the storage lakes are fuller than normal for this time of year, the spot prices for electricity were high, so to expect a price rise shortly from the supplying companies.

The ones in the know have being getting themselves ready.

So what has that to do with security?

It is the security industry & police that are going to bear the brunt of the rise in crime & emotions that will lead to even more violent crime.

Are they ready?

In one word. No!

Now in the army we trained for situations such as this, it was called 'Aid to the Civil Power', but the military is committed elsewhere in a number of operations. Even mobilizing the reserve element & Territorials would not cover it. NZ's terrain & small population just means there will never be enough people.

So the slack will have to be taken up by the security industry & that means having a properly trained industry, something that in most cases at present there is not present.

Having being in near riot situations or situations in which the elements which make up a riot were present, the attitude of most of the security staff was ambivalent at best.

They just had no idea why ex military pers or police were doing things in a certain way. When outnumbered as you invaribly are, certain actions have to be taken to keep on top of the situation.

Firearms Control!

Kia Ora,

Well it has hit the headlines again. Firearms control after a couple of murders where firearms were used.

But is the way we control them actually going to stop the murders?


Not really. The recently released NZ police statistics made the point that most murders were carried out without a firearm. Often they would of happened without one being present anyway. It was just convenient.

As my sergeants used to say in the army it is not the weapon that kills, but the nut behind it. Or as a former member of the British SAS said to me in Baghdad, "watch the weapon, not the clown behind it. Where it points is the danger, not the clowns intention."

No that is not a contradiction. The weapon is the tool. Badly handled it is dangerous & a bad workman blames his tools.

Of course there is the upswing in armed robbery of late as the financial crisis strengthens it grip, leads to a rise in crime.

Most of those weapons are illegal. Smuggled in through a variety of sources.

For a number of years the NZ police used to have a small press release asking people to watch out for suspicious activity around our coastline which they believed were responsible for alsorts of smuggling.

Then there are incidents like the one last year where a container showed up in Dunedin full of explosives.

Again it often comes back to the NZ mindset. Although we identify as pioneer types most are city born & breed & have probably never held a firearm.

Properly trained they are not that dangerous unless you intentionally intend to use them. But NZ tends to have the blinkers on.

For example recently after I left the army I was involved in the security for a public event. The police were getting their briefing for the nights event when over the radio came "a young boy has just had a firearm pointed at him by a male, description ....., keep an eye out in this area until police arrive from briefing".

We were close to that point, so I suggested we get a little closer to see if we could identify the person in question prior to police arrival.

My offsiders comment was "we will see him as firearms stick out".

"what about pistols or sawn off shotgun?" I asked.

"Oh they are illegal, so they won't be around".

Not sure what planet that guy was on, but just presenting a firearm at someone is illegal or having them concealed, as it was reported to be, is also illegal in NZ. So I don't think that was going to stop someone having one or other of the above weapons.

Stricter weapons control will only penalise those that follow the law. True some of them are pretty slack & the police deal to them when they discover that fact.

But it will in no way affect those that intend to use them for criminal acts.

Security Upgrade in Industry needed now!

Kia ora,

In the last few weeks the Sovereign debt crisis has brought bombings & riots to Greece. No I haven't got the wrong blog. As it is expected for the worlds economies to get a lot worse over the next few years (what recovery? Any upswing has being due to stimulus & they haven't created one new job) the security threat is going up.

The bombings in Greece were against immigrants & as jobs become tighter in each country there will be the predictable backlash against immigrants.

During one riot even a union official was attacked.

Here in NZ the Government has proposed new measures for those on the benefit.

As any beneficiaries will tell you it is hard enough to survive on the benefits on offer as it is. If they are cut as proposed then crime will rise & it is already at epidemic proportions.

People are hurting financially already & armed robberies have jumped.

Just today though I saw a turn of an even more disturbing nature on a social media site.

With the recent moves by the government seen as undemocratic, upset over the foreshore seabed & other issues, there were two comments about arming themselves to sort things out.

There is also upset over the charges those who were arrested in the Tuhoe terror raids are up on.

Now Tuhoe have geniune grievances but most of those arrested weren't Tuhoe, but part of the largest terrorist network in the world. Eco greens.

Between Eco Greens & anti abortionists they are more a day to day threat than Bin Laden & his co horts & only probably outnumbered by those other terrorists, organized crime.

The Mind set that thinks they are doing more good when they shoot someone or blow up something is in line with the suicide bomber who is expecting to meet 72 virgins.

Of course in NZ people don't relate to the greens being terrorists. People are pushing for the person who jumped onto the Japanese whaling ship to be released when under international law he actually committed an act of piracy.

It is also the country that recently let three 'terrorists' off for attacking a government installation.

There is a lesson there. Terrorists do not think that by giving them the benefit of the doubt, they will leave you alone. It actually encourages them to carryout more audacious actinities.

Bringing this back to the security industry it means that action has to be taken now to lift it into the real world & to stop playing at security.

Otherwise  it is going to jump up & hit the industry between the eyes.

The reporters from the Sunday Star times have already sent a wake up notice. The industry & the government needs to take heed now.

Not after the fact!