There has been no blog for last few days as have been completing a submission as requested on the training regulations for the new Private Security Personnel & Private Investigators Act 2010.
As I have pointed out on many occassions the New Zealand Security Industry only plays at security, so the submission was not complimentary to the current system or the likely system that will be implimented under the regulations.
But there were many suggestions on where they have to look to bring the industry up to international standards.
The points I have made though take on a more realistic view when the latest Wikileaks posting about New Zealand reveal how NZ Muslims have fought in wars such as Afghanistan,Bosnia & possibly Chechnya.
No Jihadists? Yeah Right!
They also reveal at least one Jihadist is promoting extremist views in a New Zealand mosque.
There will never be suicide bombers in New Zealand! Yeah Right!
That is someone they can watch but what about the ones they don't see as highlighted by what the former Kiwi Jihadist has pointed out in his youtube postings.
Yet the New Zealand Security Industry is not ready for what it views as a more aggressive form of security to combat or neutralize any threat. Inside Terrorism
Even basic crime is not just about the police doing their job but the whole community & in that the NZ Security Industry has a big role to play if they are up to it. So what about extremism?
But as I say the Security Industry in New Zealand just plays at it!
First thanks to Simon for his kind words. Just try to base this on my experience & what I see & hear out on the ground.
This last week has raised the issue of terrorist threats to New Zealand.
First there was the Wikileaks reports on New Zealand which range from closer intelligence ties where the US could assist in monitoring radicalizing Kiwi Jihadists to the claim that there were no terrorists or support groups in New Zealand.
Funny I found one person who had been a radicalizing Kiwi Jihadist on youtube, another that could be. That is without taking into account the person who turned to Islam in prison & called it, in an interview, the religion of the black man for the war against the white man if I remember his tirade correctly some years ago.
The problem is as outlined in his youtube clips by the former Kiwi Jihadist, both New Zealand & US intelligence ignore those small things that you really need to be aware of & not just look for the smoking gun or rely on electronic intelligence.
So how any good comment could be made based on what they hear or see in Wellington or based on electronic intelligence is limited.
As recent events in the US itself has shown a lot of the radicals have been home grown young idealists. They are the ones they know about. Silent Warfare: Understanding the World of Intelligence, 3d Edition
Then there was the incident on the inter Island ferry where a Jewish prayer ritual not regularly seen in New Zealand was been practised & caused a call out of the Anti terrorist police unit.
The Race Relations commissioner says it hints at an "exaggerated fear of terrorisn." I would beg to differ & say New Zealand tends not to think it will ever been a target even though it has been in the past & is daily from organized crime.
I would go further & say the ships crew have done very well. Something happening which they were not familiar with so they reported it & kept it under observation only so as not to panic passengers.
The Police then reacted & carried out their drills as they should. If you think there is a possible terrorist you do not ask them "excuse me are you a terrorist?", but treat the person as a terrorist until you know better.
The only person I would say is near to fitting that title would be a member/former member of the SAS anti terrorist team.
Or a former terrorist! Home Grown Terrorism (The Undeclared War Against Crime in America)
Then you throw into the mix the terrorist attack in Sweden. All the focus of likely terrorist attacks in Europe had been on the major players not the 'safe' countries like Sweden.
It is exactly the same reason why New Zealand is a perfect target. It is seen as safe & therefore a successful attack would have major psychological effect on people.
Even though only one person was involved in the Swedish attack, with a seperate car bomb then suicide bomb or pipe bombs in his back pack you could see the intention followed the terrorist line of follow up attacks or even bombs placed to hit those responding. Things just didn't go the way as planned. 60 Minutes - Homegrown Terror (May 9, 2010)
The reaction in this case was good in particular by the ships crew & that is the sort of thing that all New Zealand entities should be prepared for but generally aren't because they think it just won't happen here.
I found yesterdays blog or the information contained in it very concerning when I came across it.
But as the self confessed ex Jihadist says "what if?"
World wide he is the sort of person the extremists recruit, young & lost or the poor.
There are reports today of suspected Islamic terror groups in Britain talking of different targets.
What is to stop that being a group in New Zealand? The fact New Zealand refers to itself as safe is the biggest attraction to these guys.
Initially anyway terrorist groups tend to be made up of lost young males who are filled with the 'spirit' of what ever religion or 'mission' (ie eco greens)& this makes them risk takers. The same thing happens early in a conventional War when nationalism results in usually the greatest casualty rates.
But what if someone follows the path this guy says he followed & actually does complete his training, then really does believe. As they found in Britain, the biggest threat now is from those who are home grown.
It will start a vicious cycle where ignorance takes hold. Every Muslim will get the blame for the actions of a few & the actions generally by the same sort of person who carried out any attack in the name of another religion usually.
But like in the US after 9/11 it will hurt those that are not even connected.
Like the Sikh who was shot dead in Texas in the mistaken belief he was a Muslim.
Yes, I did forecast there was likely to be people like this in NZ, but it is still not great to find you were right.
That is why I believe the NZ Security Industry needs to raise its standards because of all countries in the world, NZ is the one that could stop this cycle continuing here, by been effective along side the police & other agencies.
I was trying to work out how to use Youtube better last night when I came across two threads.
One was a person from Britain who immigrated to New Zealand & had re entered the area of door security. I aim to look more into his postings but seems good & professional, I would like to keep an eye on his take on issues.
The second was much more disturbing.
The initial post that caught my eye was "I used to work for the SIS (Secret Intelligence Service)" & it goes into how he was used undercover to identify Jihadists in Auckland.
Is he the real deal? Not sure but there were some things that made me take note & think maybe he is.
First his Arabic seems very good.
Though his letter to the Prime Minister is a bit of a ramble (something I have been accused of at times myself) there are a few parts in it that peaked my interest.
That is the part where he talks about his SIS handlers saying he didn't have to go fully into the role of a Muslim (since he now says he has converted to atheist & everything must be based on science). That is on the point I have been trying to make. If they don't really know or haven't experienced anything like a suicide bombing then Kiwi's will not understand.
Jihadists are not just nutters who take the Koran, as he calls them literalists (they exist in all religions & are generally the extremists), literally in their interpretation, but usually very good at counter surveillance & reconnaisance.
Through his chats though it emerges as he identifies himself at one point a picture of a young guy who was lost & his nature comes across as addictive, He now requires everything to be referrenced in a scientific nature. Time & experience will tell him that not everything is absolute. Alot is gut instinct & experience.
As my experience has shown along with some of the comments to his postings, the average Muslim is very accepting, in fact more accepting than most westerners. But it is not them you have to worry about.
There are a few comments though that seem to come within NZ that back up some of his claims with their rants against his postings on Islam.
Then there is the postings above & below which back up some recent comments on some Maori forums. I have even read one Maori convert say Islam is the black man's religion. Doesn't know his religion as well as he thinks.
NZ has issues mainly concerning the Treaty of Waitangi & racism that we need to sort through & to a great extent are. Neither side is fully happy, so we must be doing something right.
Islam may actually be good for many Maori unless they take up the radical side & there are already enough Maori advocating armed conflict that this could turn nasty.
Will mean that "you will have to give the pork bones a miss though bro. More for me".
These videos have been getting posted for a while. So is Jihad possible in New Zealand? Most definitely.
Are the authorities on top of things? I doubt it as they have never experienced this type of thing it will be hard for them to envisage it. When they speak to their foreign counterparts although the words used will be the same, they will mean different things.
The day after a TV programme to my way of thinking confirms what I already thought that a mass murderer was allowed to walk free, NZ has to look at the way it views the world & acts in it.
Security Professional whose experience ranges from 14 years in NZ army, NZ security industry since leaving army & 22 months security consultant in Baghdad, Iraq. Have a passion for security, financial education & investing.
Looking to make a difference in the world, through my businesses & other avenues such as donations.
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