Posts Tagged ‘Capability’

We have been publishing since this time last year (2009) that Britain was at risk of a Mumbai style attack. Back in 2009 a report appeared that suggested that Police were concerned that there was a Terror Cell in or around London that had the capability and resources to carry out such an attack. The threat never went away during 2010 but its only now that so much emphasis has been given to this topic with plans afoot to up arm and train the Police in offensive tactics. Giving them fully automatic weapons and training them to fire and manoeuvre.

In the past few days security forums and websites have been saying its a matter of “when and not if” there is a Mumbai style attack in Europe. Lets not be complacent about this threat. Any City is at risk. It doesn’t have to be London, Paris or Berlin. There is on constant in all of this and that is how long is it going to take to respond? In Mumbai over 160 people were killed in the first minutes. Could officers get to the scene and find fix and contact the Terrorist in minutes? this is the big unanswered question.

We reported at the end of 2009 that there was concern over an active cell in London with the capability and resources to carry out an attack on the Capital. This seems to have hit the news over the last days and weeks and it has now been reported that the Police are to be trained in offensive firearms tactics.

We have reported that the Police and Military had no answer to such an attack and we still believe that reaction to an attack wont be quick enough. In Mumbai over 160 people were killed in the first minutes. The widespread panic that will ensue if such an attack takes place will make driving to the area of an attack slow to say the least. The instigators will have the upper hand and the casualty toll would be immense.

How will the Police be trained? having a gun battle with terrorists (if they get there in time) in Central London will undoubtedly mean innocent casualties. The Police currently have single shot facility on their weapons. If they were given fully automatic weapons or burst automatic capability then in a moving battle how will they carry ammunition?

These are indeed worrying times and we hope that there is multi agency consultation and not a half hearted attempt to counter the threat.

The Threat level is decided by JTAC (Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre) JTAC was created in 2003 as the UK leading body for the analysis and assessment of international terrorism. In setting the threat level JTAC look at a number of things including:

Available intelligence

Terrorist capability

Terrorist intention

Timescale

The threat levels and their meaning are:

Low – an attack is unlikely

Moderate – an attack is possible, but not likely

Substantial – an attack is a strong possibility

Severe – an attack is highly likely

Critical - an attack is expected imminently

The threat levels relate to the threat to the Country. There are response levels which are then set by individual security practitioners and can vary from location to location the response levels are:

Normal:

Routine protective security measures appropriate to the business concerned
(Low and Moderate)

Heightened:

Additional and sustainable protective security measures reflecting the broad nature of the threat combined with specific business and geographical vulnerabilities and judgements on acceptable risk. (Substantial and Severe)

Exceptional:

Maximum protective security measures to meet specific threats and to minimise vulnerability and risk (Critical)

Although the threat level changes as it did on the 20 July 2009 it doesn’t mean an automatic reduction in security measures in place at individual locations. If a building or location is high profile and a prime target then the response level may well be further enhanced to take into account terrorist belief that there guard may be relaxed due to a reduction in threat.

Intelligence chiefs have warned that China may have gained the capability to shut down Britain by crippling its telecoms and utilities.

They have told ministers of their fears that equipment installed by Huawei, the Chinese telecoms giant, in BT’s new communications network could be used to halt critical services such as power, food and water supplies.

The warnings coincide with growing cyberwarfare attacks on Britain by foreign governments, particularly Russia and China.

The Threat level is decided by JTAC (Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre) JTAC was created in 2003 as the UK leading body for the analysis and assessment of international terrorism. In setting the threat level JTAC look at a number of things including:

Available intelligence

Terrorist capability

Terrorist intention

Timescale

The threat levels and their meaning are:

Low – an attack is unlikely

Moderate – an attack is possible, but not likely

Substantial – an attack is a strong possibility

Severe – an attack is highly likely

Critical – an attack is expected imminently

The threat levels relate to the threat to the Country. There are response levels which are then set by individual security practitioners and can vary from location to location the response levels are:

Normal:

Routine protective security measures appropriate to the business concerned
(Low and Moderate)

Heightened:

Additional and sustainable protective security measures reflecting the broad nature of the threat combined with specific business and geographical vulnerabilities and judgements on acceptable risk. (Substantial and Severe)

Exceptional:

Maximum protective security measures to meet specific threats and to minimise vulnerability and risk (Critical)

Although the threat level changes as it did on the 20 July 2009 it doesn’t mean an automatic reduction in security measures in place at individual locations. If a building or location is high profile and a prime target then the response level may well be further enhanced to take into account terrorist belief that there guard may be relaxed due to a reduction in threat.

The current UK Threat level is Severe.

The response to the threat is Heightened.

Terrorism can be far more than just physical attack – it can take the form of electronic attacks on vital information or communication systems. The US and UK Governments have both recently recognised the threat from electronic attack and plan to prepare accordingly. Both governments have also admitted they have the capability and resources to be able to conduct attacks on their enemies, electronically. If we can do it then so can a host of well motivated funded and resourced organisations and security agencies. Physical and electronic attacks can be carried out, directly or indirectly. Having your premises secure does not totally manage the risk and very often the weakest point in business is its electronic security. Its no good having the best physical security if a potential source of threat does not need to be anywhere near your premises, but in a Foreign Country. With absurd ease, Asperger’s victim Gary McKinnon hacked into Pentagon computers in a bid to prove the existence of little green men. The Americans are attempting extradition to the US to face charges of Cyber Terrorism. If found guilty he could face 60 years in Gaol. This case highlights how easy it can be to gain access to systems that you would assume are impregnable.