Friday 4 December 2009

Hostage Survival

Being kidnapped and kept as a hostage is a terrorist act that has been used the world over and continues to be used in an effort to get the authorities to succumb to the kidnapper’s demands. The problem is the authorities will not meet the demands. To do so would show weakness and prove to the terrorists that kidnapping works. Contrary to popular belief negotiations do go on and hostage negotiators work alongside the intelligence services to try to bring a peaceful solution without giving in to the demands. At the same time special forces seek and find teams are deployed to track down the whereabouts of the hostages and prepare for a rescue attempt.Hostage situations vary and anyone one of us could be taken at any time. If it’s you, the fact that you have not been killed in the first place suggests that the kidnappers have some reason to keep you alive, for the time being at least. This fact is the key to your early survival. Because they have a reason to keep you alive they will hesitate before taking your life. From the second you are aware of your kidnap you should be looking for a way to escape. The longer you are held captive, the more difficult it is to escape. In the first moments of capture you will probably be in an area where there is an element of normality, so if you can effect your escape at this early stage the chances are that you can find salvation and help locally, however, once you are taken away from the area you will probably not know where you are or who you can trust if you do escape.Once the kidnappers have detained you it is normal practice for them to restrain you by tying you up and gagging you. Even when this has been done there is the chance of a quick escape. The way you do this is to present parts of your body to be bound in such a way that the binding can be loosened afterwards. Present your hands in front of your body by keeping the heels of your hands together and slightly cupping them. At the same time keep your hands close to your body with your elbows pushed out. This action causes your wrists to part. Binding you in this position allows you to straighten your arms later, which will push your wrists together, loosening the bindings. Flattening your hands, palm to palm will further loosen them until you can wriggle free. If a mouth gag is being used push your chin on your chest and puff your cheeks out. If it is at all possible, keep your teeth tightly closed. These positions will again allow you to loosen your bindings when you draw your chin, open your teeth and stretch your neck to its full extent. If your hands are being tied behind your back present them thumb to thumb with your palms facing outwards and your arms slightly bent. Once again try to ensure that there is a good gap between your wrists. Turning your hands palm to palm and drawing them up your back will loosen the binding and allow you to slip out. Having loosened your bindings you may be in a position to surprise your captors by escaping from them when they are complacent. Running out of a building into a street full of local people will bring immediate attention to your problem. It would be unlikely that your kidnappers would dare to re-take you in full view of the general public.If you have not had a chance to escape in the very early stages of your captivity the chances are that you will be moved from the initial kidnap site in the back of a vehicle, quite often this will be a car. If you have a mouth gag you will probably be made to lie in the well between the front and rear seats and covered over so that you cannot be seen. If you are not gagged you may be sat in the rear of the vehicle with a guard. In both cases think about escaping by loosening your bindings and quickly opening the door and jumping out as the vehicle moving. Clearly you would be foolish to attempt this if the vehicle is travelling at speed. But, in the middle of a city or town, the chances are that the vehicle will often have to slow down to compensate for other road users. An ideal time to jump is when the vehicle is pulling away from a set of traffic lights. Force the door open and throw yourself out of the near-side, making sure you don’t throw yourself under a passing vehicle. You will certainly suffer cuts and bruises but this will be much better than the problems you will encounter from becoming a hostage. Once the vehicle has left the city etc. it will probably be travelling at great speed and in areas where there are few people. If you miss the early opportunity to escape then the chances are that you will have to wait a very long time before you can spot another window of opportunity.Surviving until the window of opportunity presents itself or you are released will be your priority. In the early stages hostages are often very confused and obviously have trouble coming to terms with their predicament. They are bewildered and feel exceptionally vulnerable. They obviously mistrust their captors and, in group hostage situations there are periods when there is a mistrust of ones self and colleagues. Keeping the mind positively active is a very important part of hostage survival. To allow the mind to dwell on negative thoughts will inevitable sap the will to survive. Never let the mind relax, keep it positively active. This is best accomplished by having a personal project. This may be building an imaginary lavish garden, a luxury home, a rocket, in fact anything that is productive. This doesn’t mean just thinking about the building etc. It means planning every minor detail, the materials needed, the human resources, the actual building of it, brick by brick, plant by plant. In the hostage situation the one thing that the captors cannot take away from you are your thoughts, the inner you. You must keep this part of you totally in your control at all times.In isolation, with minimum human contact there is a feeling of hopelessness that you have to overcome. The only emotional support for you, is you! Living without affection of any kind can eat away at you and it is this that you must always guard against. Political hostages are often forced to make public statements, admitting to a crime against the state or its people, or denouncing a country, its people and/or its politics. Not agreeing with the views of your captors and not wanting to make any statements is in some ways accepted and so the isolation, tiredness and uncertainty are used to wear you down to a stage where you will say and do almost anything. The captors will try everything to domineer. But to completely domineer they have to break you. A way of accomplishing this is to threaten to take your life. Having the courage to accept that they may well kill you and being able to live with that thought without fear takes away the most powerful lever the captors have to force you to conform, to do as they say. Quite often when hostages get to this stage and have come to terms with the possibility of their death they have turned the tables on their captors. It can become a battle of wills. The captor determined to break the hostage, to rule not just the body but the mind as well. The hostage, accepting that there is little he can do to stop the punishments on his body, but resisting every attempt to capture his mind. In these situations the captor losses if he takes the hostage’s life. The result is that the captor will continue to try to break the hostage, making sure he does not die for fear of failure. The chances are that you will be held in a building. Probably not far from a busy street or near to someone who can help you? You must constantly review the best action to take to survive your ordeal. You have to be sure that to escape is in your best interests. It may be the case that you are being held in quite decent surroundings and being treated properly. This may be because there are negotiations going on to secure your release. There certainly will be some action being taken to help you from outside agencies but only you can decide whether or not your life is at risk and that escape is a realistic possibility. Having decided that your survival will depend on your escaping you should prepare and plan your escape if that is possible. If not you will have to play the waiting game until the opportunity arises. Your route out of the building may well include having to drop from a window, low roof or wall. Being able to drop and land properly will lessen the risk of re-capture due to injury. When faced with a high drop, look for the softest place to land, if you can try to cushion your fall with clothing, bedding etc. Where you can, ease yourself over the edge of the drop, making sure you are facing the building, keep one hand holding on until your arm is fully stretched. Look down and pick a safe spot to land. Whilst still holding on, place your free hand on the wall and push away from the as you let go. The push should be enough to keep you clear from hitting the building during the descent. It should also spin you a little so that you face away from the building. Keep looking at the spot you intend to land on. Keep you ankles and knees pressed together and your legs slightly bent at the knees. Push your chin onto your chest and keep your teeth together. Pull both of your hands up to the side of your head. Position yourself to land with the balls of the feet landing first. Do not land heels first. As soon as your feet hit the ground, force your knees to the side. This move combined with the forward force of your body will turn you in such a way that you will roll onto the floor, thereby spreading the impact. By doing this your body will gradually take the force of the landing and greatly reduce the chance of injury. Once you are safely on the ground make good your escape. Tips to avoid becoming a hostage.• Be aware that you could be a target and avoid bringing undue attention to yourself.• If you are in a foreign country dress down and avoid any conflict or debate, especially on the subjects of politics, religion and race.• Do not drive around alone, especially in a local hire car or a car showing foreign license plates.• Only use approved Taxicabs.• When you are on foot face oncoming traffic. This will lessen the risk of a car full of kidnappers coming up from behind you without you knowing, and taking you from behind.• Change your daily routines regularly to make it difficult for anyone to plan your kidnapping.

Thursday 12 November 2009

Private I and Tai Chi

I spend most of my life in conflict and fear. On any day I can be working alone, tracing people who do not want to be found, then serving them with Court Orders they do not want. Negotiating the release of abducted children. Carrying out close protection work and investigations for prominent people and companies, mediating in disputes and living in dangerous surrounding gathering evidence against organised crime.

My respite has always been martial arts. I'm in my mid-fifties, my mind is in my early twenties!! To keep myself healthy I practice Tai Chi everyday. Today I will spend the morning with one of my Tai Chi Masters and then later I will teach my Tai Chi Class.

As a former soldier and undercover operator I am sure that I have suffered from post traumatic stress and can honestly say that I believe that I would not have been as content and happy as I am without Tai Chi.

In essence, I realised a long time ago that life is difficult; will always be difficult. Believing that things will be 'better' when the kids leave home, when I leave home etc. etc. does not bring total harmony. There will always be difficulties so I just accept that and carry on enjoying the difficult times as much as the 'good' times. I just live, and I love it.

Thursday 5 November 2009

Anti Social Behaviour

I was one of the first private investigators in the UK to go undercover recording Anti Social Behaviour from kids breaking windows to drug dealing and organised crime.

Last week I was invited to take part in the BBC's coverage of ASBO's (Anti-social Behaviour Orders). Peter Wilson, BBC Midlands Today Home Affairs Correspondent arranged a live interview from a boxing club in Stafford. Typically, the programme ran out of time and my contribution lasted all of 20 seconds. I said nothing! What I wanted to say was that in all the years I have been involved in this type of work both as a PI and social worker I never found any teenager who became ASBO material overnight. There was always a long history. Most cam from dysfunctional families, often from single parents who were struggling themselves, or had been subjected to years of domestic violence. It was obvious virtually from birth that these young people were going to be ASBO fodder. So what exactly does an ASBO do. Well, it gets votes for Government. They put the ASBO up as their demonstration that they are 'dealing' with the problem. They definitely are not! If they were they would have put in appropriate resources at the very first signs of family dysfunction. That is where Anti-Social Behaviour should be tackled. Giving a kid an 'ASBO badge of honour' and expecting that this will have a beneficial effect on behaviour is absolute nonsense. These families have been known to the authorities and professionals for years. They deserved better, These kids were not born with ASBO in their make up they were schooled in it. Many should have been removed from the families. I've spoken to dozens of social workers who have told me that they wanted to removed children who easily met the criteria but were told by their 'masters' not to. Either to keep up the pretence of keeping the numbers of accommodated children low, or saving money. I honestly believe that some of the young people subject to ASBO should sue the government for failing them by not providing them with decent 'pro-active' services for goodness knows how many years.

Wednesday 4 November 2009

5 killed

My day started early, I'd been told that an abducted child I'm trying to locate was going to turn up at the maternal grandparent's home, a cottage in a remote moorland area. I lay in wait, snuggled close to a dry stone wall high above the property to my front and on the edge of a farm field to the rear. KJ and myself took up the FOP (forward observation position) with two of our colleagues some distance away in the LUP (lying up position). It was cold, barely above freezing. It was wet, ground water and drizzling rain. It was grey, slate grey with a pigeon grey sky.

I'd heard on the early news about the soldiers killed by a rogue element in Afghanistan.

My current undercover position and the news merged and forced my thoughts back to the early seventies. I was a soldier then, in a similar position. I was on duty, undercover, watching and gathering evidence on the movements of the IRA. It was a dark wet day as well. I was working with elements of the 2nd Royal Regiment of Fusiliers and UDR (Ulster Defence Regiment). My FOP was within an electric sub-station. scattered around were my colleagues, some covering other FOP's and others in LUP's. As I lay there I was suddenly overwhelmed by silence, it was as though the world had stopped, there really was no sound that I could distinguish. My senses were telling me from within that something was about to happen. Moments later I responded as my ears took in the sound of several high velocity shots. As the echo died the sound of a man in pain flooded into me. More shots rang out. I scanned the area but saw nothing. I moved my position, glanced around a huge piece of electric machinery and viewed the site's entry gate. Unusually it was swinging open in the breeze. It should have been locked. The breeze was blowing as if to keep it shut but it was halted, hitting something, then bouncing back only to be driven again by the breeze. I was in the prone firing position and needed to stretch my neck to view the obstruction. In the opening lay the body of one of the UDR guys, writhing in pain. There was no cover between the two of us. I thought about staying where I was but couldn't. I held my breath with fear, stood up and ran to his side. A shot rang out. I threw myself against the casualty. Looking out of the gate I could see the figure of one of the Fusiliers disappearing into the cover of a housing estate. I was confused, where the hell was he going? The shooting stopped, my colleagues joined me. Within minutes I could see a helicopter making it's way to our position. When it landed medics spilled out ready to care for the casualty. No need, to late!

The drone of the helicopter carrying the dead still fills my head. Today, as I recalled my past,the sound seemed even more deafening, then I realised that the farm tractor was on its way down the field towing a trailer spreading manure. In the shit again, I thought.

The fusilier? He had been recruited by the IRA, trained at great expense by the British tax payer and was every bit as much of a rogue element as today's Afghan killer.