Posts By: Jacob Charles

Hezbollah’s Syrian jihad

The civil war in Syria could spark renewed war in Lebanon, warns Anthony Tucker-Jones, with Hezbollah poised to escalate its involvement The recent Battle of Qusair served to highlight Lebanese Hezbollah’s expanding role in the Syrian crisis. There have been rumours of Hezbollah fighters in Syria since the start of the uprising, and they are… Read more »

Prepared for piracy

Timothy Compston considers how the threat of piracy has changed in recent years and asks how naval forces and ship owners are protecting vessels and crews   While naval efforts such as the EU’s Operation Atalanta seem to be having some success in reducing pirate attacks, there is no room for complacency. Piracy remains an… Read more »

Feeling the heat

Christiaan Maras examines why power plants, industrial facilities and other critical infrastructure organisations are increasingly using thermal imaging cameras to improve their security   Trans-national terrorists, insurgent groups and violent activists will continue to become more sophisticated in the years ahead, and one of the key areas most at risk is critical infrastructure: systems or… Read more »

Death of the Pharaoh

Egypt’s President Morsi has been toppled by a military coup. John Chisholm asks how order will be restored in a deeply divided country   It is not often that an army gives seven days’ notice of a coup. Decisions like that are usually taken behind closed doors, to create maximum surprise. Not so in Egypt…. Read more »

Everybody’s business

Company chief executives have a responsibility to protect their staff against terrorism and should not just leave it to the government, argues Richard Kemp   The brutal murder of Lee Rigby on the streets of London in May, allegedly by two men with links to radical jihadists, was a shocking reminder to us all of… Read more »

High-profile screening

Ian Hutcheson, the former security director for LHR Airports (previously BAA), tells Robert de la Poer why a fundamental change is needed in the industry’s approach to airport security   RP: What are LHR Airports’ responsibilities with regards to aviation security and how does the company work with the government and other stakeholders to develop… Read more »

Terminal integration

With airport security becoming increasingly complex, control rooms are often struggling to manage the information being collected. Robert de la Poer asks whether the latest PSIM systems can finally tap the benefits of more integrated systems   As the threats to airports have grown over the years, security managers have been forced to add ever-deepening… Read more »

Building on shifting sands

With the nature of security in hostile environments undergoing wholesale change, Richard Lovell-Knight examines the new skills needed by staff in the industry   The security industry in hostile environments is changing. Man-with-gun might not carry a gun any more, and unless he can carry a risk assessment brief he could find himself man-without-portfolio. Security… Read more »

Beating the bugs

Devices used to detect unauthorised covert surveillance are becoming increasingly sophisticated. Iain McGhie reveals how to bridge the gap between performance and affordability   Although it doesn’t often make the headlines, unauthorised covert surveillance or bugging can have a very serious effect on both state and commercial security. Constant vigilance is required and regular sweeping… Read more »

Kingdom under siege

  Anthony Tucker-Jones examines how Saudi Arabia is taking ever more drastic security measures on its borders to keep out its troublesome neighbours   It is sometimes argued that good fences make good neighbours, and certainly enhanced border protection is becoming increasingly popular worldwide. Indeed, it seems it is bonanza time for the perimeter security… Read more »