Terrorists: can we really nullify them?

Like the majority of Security

Management Today's readers, I can remember exactly where I was when the terror attacks on London's bus and Underground networks took place on 7 July last year - at a meeting convened by the BSIA.

That meeting was interrupted quite early on as most of us received telephone calls from our respective companies, with initial reports suggesting that a serious incident had occurred on the Underground system. We were told that trains had collided, and that there were problems with the rail network. We continued with the meeting for no more than 30 minutes, when further communications confirmed that bombs had been detonated.

As you might expect, the news brought a solemn tone to proceedings which then ended, as the members present - the proprietors and senior managers of several security businesses - were concerned to contact their organisations and find out what was happening.

At Secom we have regimented contingency plans in place, and I was delighted to discover that those plans had immediately swung into action. It involved contacting every employee who was thought to be working or travelling near the areas of the bomb blasts. That included me. It was reassuring to know that the organisation cared about my safety, and that I could report back that I was OK.

Caught out in an emergency

In the hours, days and weeks that followed, news reports told of missing people and loved ones unaccounted for. It made me ask the question: "Do companies, families and individuals have an action plan that they can follow should they be caught up in an emergency situation?"

For the most part, the answer is probably ‘No'. Most people just react to situations as and when they arise. Since the 7/7 attacks, we have given much thought and consideration to the need for emergency planning. We've spoken with our customers about this to gauge their reactions and opinions about what happened, and discussed the general lack of preparation. We then produced a brochure entitled ‘Combating Terrorism Together'.

At Secom, we strongly believe that all companies should have an emergency plan in place. If they haven't already done so, they should now be reviewing their security measures. Emergency planning needs to be driven from the top of the organisation. The people in charge have to believe that they need such plans in place. Depending on the size of the organisation, an individual (or even an entire department) has to be responsible for seeing this through.

It is only when events like 7/7 occur that you realise how vulnerable organisations are, and how vulnerable you are as a member of the public. We should not forget there were many people who left for work that day who never thought for one moment that they would be caught up in something so terrible. Tragically, many of them never returned home. Some of those who did were in a terrible state. Mentally and physically scarred. An experience that will haunt them for the rest of their lives.

We need to ask ourselves how these people became embroiled in terror organisations in the first place? Under our very noses, our own sons and daughters could be targeted as fresh recruits for these political and religious movements

Formalising emergency procedures

In drafting an emergency plan, most of the factors that demand consideration are based on common sense. However, under closer scrutiny, do we actually follow the common sense guidelines? For example, do you really know who is entering and leaving your company's building(s)? Is it easy for someone to gain access? Is every visitor challenged and identified? Do you have a plan in place to challenge any stranger you don't know who you see in your building?

Quite often, a person can enter an office building before they say who they are. A terrorist only needs to get past the main entrance to be able to cause mass destruction. Perhaps you should prevent visitors from gaining access to your building(s) until they are identified? As part of the risk assessment plan, always consider how easy it is for people to enter your building(s).

Have you an emergency plan in place should your building(s) be damaged or affected in some way (for example, if the telephone systems are rendered inoperable or the IT network goes down)?

Recently, I attended a meeting to discuss contingency planning for our Alarm Receiving Centre. In many respects, that's no different to having a plan for IT systems. We are all very dependent on the latter. If they are taken out due to an act of terrorism, could the company continue trading? In the short term, do you have a contingency plan that will allow the company to continue doing business?

There are different approaches that may be taken here. One may include moving into back-up premises. There are simpler measures, too, like ensuring that regular back-ups of all company files are made and stored off-site. That way, if there is an incident all files are instantly retrievable and the company may resume trading.

Do you have an evacuation procedure? If so, when was the last time you practised its contents? If an incident did occur, how would you know everyone was out of the building and safe - staff and visitors alike? Do people follow the procedures for signing in as well as out of the building? As part of your evacuation planning, conduct a room-by-room assessment to see if anything of value or importance should be stored at another location. You absolutely must identify all of the areas crucial to your day-to-day operation, and put a contingency plan in place that will keep these running in the event of an incident.

The ‘invisible threat' stalks us

Shortly after the suicide bombings in London, I was back in the Capital and back on the Underground system. Before the journey I'll admit to feeling pretty blasé, and certain that I would not be affected. Actually, once on the Underground it was a different experience. I found myself looking around with some trepidation, fully aware of other passengers - particularly those carrying rucksacks.

It is human nature to want to put memories of tragedy to the back of our minds and carry on with everyday life
as best we can. While that is crucial,
we must not become too complacent. We should all remain vigilant 100% of
the time because events like 7/7
happen when we least expect them

Eight months on and, for most of us, life has returned to normal, but have we already forgotten that there is an invisible threat stalking our society? Are we taking for granted that it will not happen again?

None of us ever imagined that young British citizens would blow themselves up in the name of their cause. Our society is still in shock about this realisation. What can we do to mitigate any future attacks? Vigilance is the key. Society must be prepared to challenge people and situations that arouse suspicion.

It is reassuring to know that police officers were able to locate and use CCTV images in their investigations on 7/7. Vital clues were provided as to the movements of the suicide bombers. In many other countries, where CCTV isn't prevalent on the transport systems, the law enforcement agencies would not have had anything like the amount of evidence available to the Metropolitan Police.

Indeed, reports suggest that many other countries' security forces were amazed at the speed with which the police service was able to pinpoint and identify the attackers. They are now examining our road and railway CCTV networks as models to be copied.

Terrorists act indiscriminately

The terrorists paid no heed to who their targets were. They just decided to blow up the trains and the bus and whomever was in proximity at the time would feel the full force of their actions. We need to ask ourselves how these people became embroiled in terror organisations in the first place? Under our very noses, our own sons and daughters could be targeted as fresh recruits for these political and religious movements.

There is a need for greater vigilance in the home so that we protect members of our families from becoming involved with terror groups. It sounds extreme, and you'll probably say to yourself: "That couldn't happen to us. Not in this country". Well it has happened, and could well occur again.

Business leaders have a responsibility to look after the people in their organisation. Contingency plans must be in place to ensure that, first and foremost, all employees are safe and, thereafter, that the company can continue to do business.

Consider also what you would do for those injured in an attack. I saw a TV documentary on the aftermath of 7/7. Two young men were interviewed. Both had lost limbs and now had artificial replacements. They were coping well, but on seeing their plight I asked myself: "If these guys had been working for our organisation, how would we be supporting them?" The victims of terrorism need to know that we do care, and have a Duty of Care.