Keywords

17.1 Introduction

With soft targets, many problems are currently associated, from the inability to create a single internationally valid definition to creation and the application of appropriate security systems [1]. In principle, however, soft target are people. Current security situation in North African and Middle East countries is very unstable.

Violent clashes (between the Tarhuna-based seventh Infantry Kani Brigade and the Salah Badi Somoud brigade) in Libyan capital, Tripoli, that broke out on August 27, resulted in 117 dead, more than 400 injured and over 25,000 displaced people. There is ongoing military operation in North Sinai in Egypt, almost every-days murders and stabbings in Jordan, Palestinian protests and Israeli shootings. Syrian civil war that started seven and half years ago in which more than 470,000 people were killed and approximately 7.6 million displaced. It means that people are trying to find ways to protect themselves during the stay in this areas. The best way how to take care in this situations is to hire a professional company that specializes in protecting people. One of the biggest and well-known company is ICESERVE24.

17.2 ICESERVE24

ICESERVE24, a private security company focusing on risk management, intelligence solutions, security services and mostly protection of individuals (as soft targets) in countries with challenging environment, with weak and undependable infrastructure, especially countries of the Middle East and North Africa. Company has three main operation centers, one on Cyprus, local 24/7 in Egypt in Cairo, global 24/7 in Slovakia and personnel spread around our countries of interest [2].

Company was founded specifically for the purpose of protection of people, which is very requested nowadays. People as soft targets are the most valuable and that is the reason, why they become a number one interest in terrorist’s sight.

ICEWEEKLY & ICEMONTHLY solutions which can provide people with a framework of reference that allows for deeper insights in countries into a longer period of time. Data are compiled and reviewed by analysts and made into technical reports, forecasts, predictive reports between a week or a month-long period of time.

Analysts and researchers can also customize content per request to make sure that all client needs are met in the most efficient way. Dear Traveler Advisory provides important security and safety information for the traveler (client), regarding his country of interest’s security situation. This document reminds all the standard procedures to be followed when visiting some countries and provides additional relevant information to consider when travelling to some particular country. For actual protection of clients, company uses trained personnel, professionals and modern sophisticated software technologies.

17.3 Applications Used for Help

After person will decide to buy services this company can provide him with, each new client is given the access to two special applications. First is the ICEALERTS that provides incident alerts reporting collected from a fusion of on-the-ground, local, news and social media sources. An alert feed to client’s mobile phone with critical security emergency notifications. Through this alert platform, clients are able to view the risks within their own geographical location and assess potential threats within their own operating environment (Fig. 17.1).

Fig. 17.1
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View on ICEALERTS mobile application

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Second is the ICETRACK, which is a web based integrated satellite and GSM tracking system, capable of real-time GPS tracking and two-way chat messaging. It is an app for iOS/Android smartphones and the client can track any asset on earth with it, whether people, vehicles, containers, or any moving objects. Company’s operators are available 24/7and are monitoring all trackers at all time (Fig. 17.2).

Fig. 17.2
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ICETRACK viewed by operation centre officer on a client

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17.4 Human Resources

It is very important to highlight the fact that this company does not employ bouncers or body guards but only security minded operatives; people who have a “controlled/balanced ego, to anticipate threats and incidents. Most of the Close Protection Officers (CPO) have history in military forces, they served in Presidential Guard, Special Forces Detach, Government VVIP Units etc. It has no reason to hire people with big muscles to protect people against attackers when the most of attacks are taking place remotely. It is important to find people mentally on high level, able to think as potential invader, avoid dangerous situations and to conform their clients.

Team leaders in missions are multi bilingual, speak Swahili, English, Arabic, local Arabic dialects, fully conversant with the local environment, roads, tribes, conflict, human behaviors and customs in the areas to deal with any possible threat.

The main goals are anticipating a threat, an incident, road disruption and minimizing the impact of an adverse event that can directly or – most of the times – indirectly affect or cause harm, embarrassment to the client.

The aim is not just to protect the client “body on body”. Company takes care also at securing the environment and detect any source of threat at the earliest opportunity possible. This is why the CPOs are just part of a larger sophisticated layered system of prevention/protection.

During the mission the Basic tactics on VIP protection by UN Peacekeeping PDT Standards for Formed Police Units, first edition 2015 must be followed. For example, during movement. The Foot formation – the choice of foot formation will depend on the threat, the number of officers assigned, and also the visual impact desired. Box- good all round defence, good visual impact but leads to gaps between officers. Diamond- will filter crowds around the client but can appear very aggressive V- will filter crowds around the client but widens the individual arcs of responsibility for officers. But Low Profile Formations is more requested as they draw less attention to the client.

17.4.1 In Case of Danger

The Close Protection Officers must analyze nature of the danger (fire arms, explosives, cold weapons etc.) and the direction where it is coming from. When the danger is announced, the protection team splits into two modules. The first module “Fixation module” is in charge to response to the threat by neutralizing the aggressor when necessary and if possible. The second module called “Evacuation module” is in charge of the extraction/evacuation of the client.

Mobile protection- during movements – Eliminate or reduce the opportunity for attack during movement by vehicle by using defensive skills and vehicle formations avoid any interaction with the attacker. High profile mobile protection operations- overt mobile protection operations with uniformed officers and marked vehicles provide high visibility presence intended to deter attack.

Low profile mobile protection operations- covert mobile protection operations by maintaining secrecy before the event and drawing the least attention to a movement in transit, mineralize the risk to the client.

There are only a few possibilities for static protection because most of clients are accommodated in luxury hotels with their own security.

17.5 Mission Planning

Before any mission can be started, ICESERVE24 will collect all necessary information about potential client.

Some of basic but needful rules:

  1. 1.

    Client must provide a service provider with all information such as – flight schedules, places to visit, time schedule, locations, accommodation;

  2. 2.

    After receiving all the necessary information, provider/company will evaluate the current security situation in location and will plan the safest routes for movements and check them together with locations, safe heavens if necessary. Provider will locate nearest police stations, hospitals, embassies etc. in case of emergency, etc.;

  3. 3.

    The team is chosen specifically for each mission – armed/unarmed CPO’s, drivers, TL, resources as car, tracker;

  4. 4.

    Client will be provided with mission team information, icetrack and icealerts accounts if needed;

  5. 5.

    During the mission, team will provide information to an officer in SOC who will check it on tracker and constantly over watch movement of icetrack and compare it with information received from mission team. Then he will send updated information to client’s contact person;

The communication between on-the-ground team and GSOC must be clear and all time functional. That is the main reason why is used coded internet communication backed with radio and GSM communication and satellite phones. Coded because it is important to keep information classified, if potential attacker don’t know where and when the client is located, he can’t harm the client.

  1. 6.

    The mission will end after successful departure of client (Fig. 17.3).

Fig. 17.3
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Executive Journey Management at Al Thuraya holdings

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17.6 Conclusion

Soft Targets. There are many perspectives we can see soft targets. Mostly, we can identify them as human lives or as assets, where people like to gather. But it is also not unusual to misconstrued their meaning. This issue can be find in [3]. Recently, one of the most popular way to attack soft targets is using explosives. More about the protection and studies of its effect on soft targets can be find in [4, 5]. Research conducted by Štoller and Zezulová in [6] is also focused on the use of the ultrasound method used for diagnostic of protective structures specifically under the blast load. In [7] the non-destructive testing method of quality control and the search for defects in composites, ultrasonic control system – Laser ultrasonic structuroscopy, is discussed in the context of examination of structural members of aerial vehicles. Laser ultrasonic testing is also discussed in [8]. Most of these researches are focused on protection of critical infrastructure, but as mentioned in [3], there is just small line between understanding of critical infrastructure and soft target as something different. Human life and objects as targets demand very different ways of their protection. If speaking of objects as buildings, various methodologies and alarm systems can be used. In [9] is e.g. defined the possibility of a more complex calculation of probability of detecting an intruder. Research conducted by Mózer and al. in [10] is dealing with fire safety and security measures and their mutual interaction, while Leitner and Figuli in [11] are dealing with fatigue life prediction of materials and structures.

As mentioned above, there are many approaches in the context of soft target protection. The main mission of this company is not to create a Hard Target out of so called Soft Targets by increasing their level of security system, but try to protect them on the most effective way. Company ICESERVE24 focuses its services especially on human protection and no objects as buildings, in areas when terrorist attacks and other violent crime increased dangerously during last few years. It is very important to spread information about companies like this and to get people know, that there is the ways to be and feel safer even though the security situation shows us otherwise.

The ICESERVE24 deliver progressive operational risk and threat assessments, robust due diligence capabilities, tailored travel threat assessments, alerts, and analytic publications specific to client’s organization’s needs and interests. When it comes to safety risk elimination the fusion of intelligence measures and actual physical protection of clients is necessary to maintain the highest standard of protection.