Those who have been attacked or threatened with attack belong to two target classifications, these are primary targets and indirect targets. With singer Joss Stone being in the news this week for all the wrong reasons I wanted to highlight indirect targets.
For those not familiar with the close protection industry I would be surprised if you have heard this term before and I would think there are a few within the close protection industry that are also not familiar with the term or it's meaning.
So what is an indirect target or an indirect threat?
A person can become an indirect target becuse of a number of factors, for example through their beliefs, associations, environment and employment. As an indirect target you are not the primary (main) target, but by attacking you the primary target can be hurt, either physically, emotionally or financially. In some circumstances it may be impossible to attack the primary target directly and an indirect target is the next best thing.
Here are some examples of past and present indirect targets:
L.A bank manager kidnapped, a bomb strapped to her body and then told to take all the money out of the bank. The bomb turned out to be a dummy. Here the bank was the primary target the bank manger was the indirect target.
Bank managers family kidnapped in Lancashire UK. The bank manager was forced to open the bank safe and take out over £250,000.00 here again the bank was the primary target with the bank managers family being the indirect target.
Securitas Depot robbed. The manager and his family were kidnapped at different times, he was forced to open up the safe and the kidnappers escaped with over £53,000.00. The depot was the primary target and the managers family the indirect target.
For those not familiar with the close protection industry I would be surprised if you have heard this term before and I would think there are a few within the close protection industry that are also not familiar with the term or it's meaning.
So what is an indirect target or an indirect threat?
A person can become an indirect target becuse of a number of factors, for example through their beliefs, associations, environment and employment. As an indirect target you are not the primary (main) target, but by attacking you the primary target can be hurt, either physically, emotionally or financially. In some circumstances it may be impossible to attack the primary target directly and an indirect target is the next best thing.
Here are some examples of past and present indirect targets:
L.A bank manager kidnapped, a bomb strapped to her body and then told to take all the money out of the bank. The bomb turned out to be a dummy. Here the bank was the primary target the bank manger was the indirect target.
Bank managers family kidnapped in Lancashire UK. The bank manager was forced to open the bank safe and take out over £250,000.00 here again the bank was the primary target with the bank managers family being the indirect target.
Securitas Depot robbed. The manager and his family were kidnapped at different times, he was forced to open up the safe and the kidnappers escaped with over £53,000.00. The depot was the primary target and the managers family the indirect target.
Britons and Europeans kidnapped and then killed in Nigeria by Boko Haram. The construction workers were working for a construction company. Here the State and the construction company were the primary targets and the construction workers were the indirect targets and seen as an easy form of money through ransom, which sadly never happened.
British and American scientists targeted by A.L.F and other animal right extremists. Primary targets such as a company like Huntingdon Life Sciences (HLS) are just to big to take on by small cells operated by these extremists. scientists and their families living nearby without security become indirect targets and an easy option to attack, threaten and disrupt work at plants such as these.
Jill Dando who's murder is still unsolved was possibly killed by Eastern Block assassins because of her work with the Crime Watch program and her work with the Kosovan-Albanian refugee appeal. The primary target was her work and through her work she became an indirect target.
A fan alledgedly threatened to highjack a passenger jet and crash it into a Miley Cirus concert. His primary target was either Miss Cirus or the stadium she was going to perform in. How many indirect targets would have been killed at this concert?
Joss Stone was targeted because of her freindship with members of the British Royal Family. An attack on the Royals was never in question so Miss Stone became an indirect threat because of this friendship and her death would be seen as a way of getting at the Royals.
Jill Dando who's murder is still unsolved was possibly killed by Eastern Block assassins because of her work with the Crime Watch program and her work with the Kosovan-Albanian refugee appeal. The primary target was her work and through her work she became an indirect target.
A fan alledgedly threatened to highjack a passenger jet and crash it into a Miley Cirus concert. His primary target was either Miss Cirus or the stadium she was going to perform in. How many indirect targets would have been killed at this concert?
Joss Stone was targeted because of her freindship with members of the British Royal Family. An attack on the Royals was never in question so Miss Stone became an indirect threat because of this friendship and her death would be seen as a way of getting at the Royals.
For most people it is of course much harder to know if you are an indirect target and not a primary target. In the close protection environment part of an advance duty is to gather information on places and people the principal will visit and meet. One of the things we need to know is, is there a threat against the place, building or person being met. Bomb threats, assassination threats, demonstration etc all constitute a direct threat to the other party but are an indirect threat to us and the principal and by definition we become an indirect target.
For the civilian you must be able to disect your life, here you are running a threat assessment on yourself, family members, friends, the place where you live, your employment and the vehicle you drive for example. Everything in your life must be looked at to see if there are any hidden threats that may make you an indirect target. Remember complacency kills.
Stay Dangerous
Rock
For the civilian you must be able to disect your life, here you are running a threat assessment on yourself, family members, friends, the place where you live, your employment and the vehicle you drive for example. Everything in your life must be looked at to see if there are any hidden threats that may make you an indirect target. Remember complacency kills.
Stay Dangerous
Rock
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