Posts By: Jacob Charles

Tough ride

As armoured vehicles continue to evolve, Timothy Compston finds that appropriate operator training can be as important as ballistic protection in hostile environments   The technologies used in armouring and up-armouring vehicles have moved on rapidly in recent years, and are now widely deployed by police, NGOs, VIPs and border patrol personnel across the world’s… Read more »

Moscow’s missile standoff

Anthony Tucker-Jones reports on Nato’s highly controversial missile shield that is fuelling fears of escalating confrontation with Russia   There is an old saying that history has a nasty habit of repeating itself. In the early 1960s, the US stationed missiles in Turkey; in retaliation, the Soviet Union deployed them into the Caribbean sparking the… Read more »

Containing the threat

Patrik Anderson explores the unique challenges of securing ports and cargo, and argues that IP-based surveillance systems offer multi-layered protection from terrorist threats   Shipping ports are a vital lifeline for supplying the world’s population with the necessities of living. Between land, rail and sea, ports are the hubs of far-reaching networks that connect suppliers… Read more »

TSCM Training – Who Needs It?

Dean La-Vey outlines the various types of counter-surveillance training available, and argues that every TSCM operator should engage in constant re-training to stay ahead of the threats   Technical surveillance countermeasure (TSCM) training can broadly be divided into two distinct areas – training specifically on the operation of TSCM equipment, and training on the procedural… Read more »

Ungoverned spaces

Anthony Tucker-Jones reports on Saudi Arabia’s unprecedented counter-insurgency effort in Yemen   Saudi jets, supported by those of nine other moderate Sunni Arab states, launched a series of co-ordinated air strikes against Shia Houthi rebels in war torn Yemen on 26 March as part of Operation Decisive Storm. Their first move was suppression of enemy… Read more »

Open source

Nigel Somerville discusses the importance of open source intelligence gathering in countering the growing terrorist threat to critical infrastructure   Terrorist groups today are relying more and more on modern technology to facilitate their objectives. Global and decentralised in nature, extremist groups are now exploiting the Internet, mobile phones, social media and widely available software… Read more »

Disruptive technology

David Brooker discusses the evolving IED threat and calls for greater partnership between governments and industry to ensure disruptor technology can meet the challenge Improvised explosive devices (IEDs) continue to be the weapon of choice for the modern day terrorist; this is evident in the Middle East – and in particular Iraq and Afghanistan – but… Read more »

Inside inspection

Kirstine Wilson asks whether handheld backscatter or dual X-ray imaging technologies can better enhance onsite inspection of suspect bags and packages   Following the Charlie Hebdo attacks earlier in the year, the number of suspect bags reported has proliferated due to an escalation in security levels and heightened alertness from the general public. Although incidents… Read more »

Proliferation Games

Timothy Compston assesses the fallout from the negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme and asks whether current efforts to curb nuclear proliferation are working With a resolution to the issue of Iran’s nuclear programme apparently more likely thanks to the recently announced framework agreement, this is a good time to reflect the current state of international… Read more »

The power of delusion

As the number of fighters heading to Syria to join ISIS continues to grow, John Chisholm explores the group’s allure and asks whether their success is a sign that liberal democracy is failing   What is it that makes people in liberal democracies want to move to become part of ISIS? What is so wrong… Read more »