Partners in security:

Picking your sweep team: As the threat from covert surveillance has grown, so too has the number of companies offering technical surveillance counter measure (TSCM) sweep services. But Gerry Hall argues equipment and experience are vital when corporate secrecy is at stake

Digital Fortress: Seth Berman offers first-hand insight into how organisations can counter the escalating threat of cybercrime

Ready for anything?:

Narco wars: Part 1: In the first of a two-part interview, Anthony Tucker-Jones discusses ongoing efforts to combat illegal narcotics with Benoît Gomis and Dr Claudia Hofmann of The Royal Institute of International Affairs

Crisis in the desert:

Mali’s warlords: Anthony Tucker-Jones reports on Mali’s defeated rebel groups and finds the situation is far more complex than Western leaders have portrayed it

Tough enough?:

Ground Zero: Anthony Tucker-Jones, reporting from New York and the 9/11 Memorial, considers the highs and lows of the US’s “war on terror”

Exporting Security:

Assad's last resort: As the Syrian civil war escalates, John Chisholm analyses the security of Assad’s chemical weapon stockpiles and warns that, should the regime collapse suddenly, they could be deployed or find their way into terrorist hands

Radiological response:

Keeping tabs: With the risk of kidnap and attack growing in many countries, Chris Nyland examines the latest tracking technologies which can help close protection teams to mitigate and even prevent incidents

Priority: counter espionage (Inside TSCM part 1): Emma Shaw looks at the growing role of technical surveillance countermeasures (TSCM) within corporate information security, and calls for a more holistic and strategic approach to counter-surveillance

Death and Injury Hotspots:

The diseased heart of Africa: As feuding militias and corporate interests continue to shape the Democratic Republic of Congo, John Chisholm asks whether political stability can ever be restored

Networked Resilience: Brett Lovegrove, Chief Executive of CSARN, discusses the threats facing UK businesses, whether terrorist or naturally occurring, and argues they have never been better prepared to respond

Critical Integration: Stephan Ziegert explores the challenges of integrating security systems at critical infrastructure facilities and finds there are both security and financial benefits

Creating Temporary Perimeters: Paul Painter explains how the ever-present threat of international terrorism is driving product development in perimeter protection overlay for major events like the Olympic Games

Cyber Armageddon?:

Asia Risk Outlook:

Terrorism Hotspots:

Network Protection: Railway networks are often poorly protected, but criminals and other trespassers on the lines can cause serious delays and even fatal incidents. Robert de la Poer explores a new detection technology which could make trespass on the lines a thing of the past

On-track security:

The protection equation:

Bound for America: John Leach discusses the threat of explosive devices hidden inside international air freight, and analyses the latest screening technology designed to ensure cargo can be transported safely and efficiently

Shutting down cyber threats: Tom Burton, Head of Cyber for Defence at BAE Systems Detica, assesses the growing threat faced by UK businesses from cyber criminals

Trouble in Timbuktu: As the Tuareg rebellion in northern Mali turns into full-blown civil war, John Chisholm warns that, without international intervention, Islamist extremist groups could seize power and threaten the stability of the whole region

The rage of Islam:

Prepare for Turbulence: As the UK aviation industry braces itself for a shakeup of it security policy, Robert Siddall, Policy Director for the UK’s Airport Operators Association, explains the importance of adopting an outcomes-based approach

Carry-on Screening: The risk of a terrorist attack on passenger or cargo aircraft remains high, and terrorists continue to innovate new attack methods. Robert de la Poer examines the threat and asks what the screening industry is doing to meet it

Defence of the Realm: Anthony Tucker-Jones reports on the controversial British Communications Data Bill, and asks whether big brother has finally gone too far in the war against crime and terror

Keeping Secrets: Jason Dibley investigates the new and emerging technical surveillance threats and examines the equipment and methods used by high-end TSCM teams and corporations to defeat these attacks

International Bungling:

The travelling circus of Jihad:

Gold Standard Screening:

The quality of Mursi:

Onboard protection:

Sinking Somali piracy: Commander Stein Hagalid, Head of the Nato Shipping Centre, explains how the threat of Somali piracy has been reduced by a combination of military force and best management practices onboard ships

Olympic guardians:

Securing data: Mark Mooney examines the growing threat of cyber crime and data theft which faces companies around the world, and discusses the importance of integrating physical building security and IT security measures to ensure a rapid response to such activities

Mexico: the price of drugs: Six years after the Mexican government declared war on the drug cartels, Taro-kun analyses the progress they have made and argues Mexico is far from becoming a failed state

Portside security: A terrorist attack on a busy port facility could have devastating economic consequences. But Robert de la Poer finds ports are also facing a growing threat from organised criminal groups, and asks what steps the leading security providers are taking to protect against them

Inside the Perimeter: With the terrorist threat to critical infrastructure continuing to evolve. Robert de la Poer argues that high-security perimeter protection systems have come a long way in recent years

Aiming for Integration: Stephen Horner explains how advanced information management systems can help protect transportation networks against terrorism and other serious security threats

Al Quaeda 2012: an unstable base?: A year after Osama bin Laden’s death, Anthony Tucker-Jones assesses the threat posed by al-Qaeda to Western interests and asks whether it is a spent force

Explosive Legacy: Bruce Cochrane argues that the lessons of past improvised explosive device (IED) campaigns such as Northern Ireland and Afghanistan can influence current and future military operations

Reality Training: Dr Jon Cole assesses the shortcomings of current UK police tactical training for Mumbai-style attacks and calls for more high-quality reality-based training

Temporary Security:

Radiological Rethink:

Yemen: the next domino?:

The Future of CBRN PPE:

The Right Threat: Anthony Tucker-Jones reports on the trial of Anders Breivik who inflicted the worst terror atrocity on Norway since the Second World War, and explores the growth of far right extremism is Europe

Sonar Protection: Steve Campbell discusses how advanced sonar technologies can be used to protect ports, ships and divers from underwater threats from terrorists, drug smugglers and criminals

Keep calm and carry on: With the Olympic Games only months away, Chris Holt explains why businesses must ensure they can be prepared for and resilient to a terrorist attack. Interview with Robert de la Poer

Sudan versus Sudan:

Extreme Surveillance: Surveillance can be challenging in harsh environments such as ports and offshore oil rigs where equipment can easily be damaged and lighting can be poor. Andreas Hoelscher explains how next-generation technologies are overcoming these problems to provide robust and detailed security

A step ahead of the terrorists:

Total Perimeter Package: Robert de la Poer assesses the latest developments in the perimeter security market for critical infrastructure, and finds that closer co-operation between vendors could lead to better protected sites

Out of Luck: Nigeria faces rising Islamist militancy in the north, resumed unrest in the south and burgeoning piracy in its coastal waters. John Chisholm assesses the uncertain future facing president Goodluck Jonathan

The Digital Battlefield:

Afghanistan: going it alone:

Breaking and Entering: Peter Stolwerk assess the challenges faced by police Special Forces units during situations whether they must force entry to a building, such as hostage situations, and argues that the latest hydraulic breaching tools can save lives

The Future of Terror:

Hands-on Detection:

Thinking the Unthinkable:

Biometrics and aviation: a failed marriage?: Following the news that two UK airports have axed biometric ID systems, Jim Slevin analyses the deployment of biometrics in the aviation industry is perceived

Less-Lethal Protection: David Smith presents an end-user’s perspective on the non-lethal and less-than-lethal protective measures which can save lives during operations in hostile environments

Fast Track to Security:

Securing the Future of Aviation: Ken Mann explores the latest advancements in airport screening and security technology, and asks what the future of aviation security is likely to hold

Protecting Port Perimeters:

Egypt's generals fear democracy: Anthony Tucker-Jones warns the Egyptian military is likely to cling to power for at least another year regardless of the forthcoming elections The year commenced with the sight of a frail former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak being wheeled into court. Too ill to stand and face his accusers and cutting a forlorn figure he lay upon a trolley, his authority already a distant memory. Prosecutors are demanding the death penalty after more than 800 protestors were killed during the 18-day revolt that brought him down. His two sons, Gamal and Alaa, also face corruption charges at the same trial. Many of Egypt’s generals fear they will join them. Former Defence Minister Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, head of the ruling military council, claims that Mubarak never gave orders for the security forces to fire on their own people. Nonetheless, prosecutors are of the view that, as former head of state, Mubarak is not in a position to argue he did not know what

Operation Protect Kenya:

Online Alliance:

Outsourcing Borders: Tony Kingham examines the increasing use of private companies to fulfill border control functions, and argues such arrangements deliver more flexible capabilities and a better deal for taxpayers

Field Inspection: IED technology has continued to evolve and proliferate around the world, leading to a surge in demand for field inspection capabilities. Vince Deery discusses how industry is responding with innovative, flexible and mobile X-ray screening solutions

Intruder Alert:

Two Minutes to Midnight: With tensions continuing to rise over Iran’s nuclear ambitions, John Chisholm assesses the regional and global consequences which arise when unstable states get the bomb

Nano Surveillance Takes Off:

Iran's Flottenpolitik:

Hostile Environments:

Farewell Baghdad, Hello Chaos: Anthony Tucker- Jones reports on the uncertain future facing Iraq following the US withdrawal Washington officially said farewell to its military commitment to Baghdad on 31 December 2011. Operation Iraqi Freedom, launched in 2003 to oust President Saddam Hussein, was finally put to rest. The tale of how the Coalition swiftly defeated the Iraqi Army in a matter of weeks, subsequently allowed the country to become ungovernable and then spent almost a decade trying to put it back together again is well trod. Ultimately, however, Washington and its allies were never in a position to truly remedy Iraq’s ills. Like Yugoslavia, it had taken a brutal dictator to hold all the disparate feuding

Scanning for Security: Joe Charlaff looks at the latest state-of-the-art scanning systems for passengers and cargoThe threat to global civil aviation continues to grow, and the sophistication of threats from unforeseen sources continues to rise and challenge the capabilities of conventional individual screening systems. Disrupted plots, incidents that appear to be tests of aviation security systems and actual attempts of various types on civil aviation have occurred persistently since 9/11. Most of these incidents involved the use or planned use of contraband items smuggled on board by passengers. Intelligence sources consider that aviation continues to be a terrorist targetSecurity screening procedures at airports, ports of entry and border crossings have escalated in an attempt to keep pace with the constantly evolving tactics of terrorists – from box cutters to shoe bombs, from liquid explosives to bombs implanted in the human body. But terrorists

The Catastrophic Outcomes of Terror: Dr Dave Sloggett discusses the rapidly evolving international terrorist threats, and argues European governments and agencies must do more to prepare for “catastrophic outcomes”. Interview with Robert de la PoerRP: There is a general feeling among many in the intelligence community that, following continuing Coalition actions and the death of Osama bin Laden, al-Qaeda now has a vastly reduced capability to plan and incite terrorism globally. To what extent do you think that is the case? Do you think al-Zawahiri will make as potent a leader as bin Laden? DS: While the loss of bin Laden has had a short-term disruptive effect upon al-Qaeda, it may turn out somewhat differently in the medium term as people motivated by the death of bin Laden organise themselves to take

Disarming from a Distance: As remotely operated unmanned ground vehicles become increasingly useful in the fight against IEDs in Afghanistan, Bob Quinn discusses the technology which is helping to safely defuse the threat Unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) have had to evolve to keep pace with the changing tactics used by insurgents in rugged Afghan terrain, which includes a large number of drainage culverts, poor roads and numerous victim-activated improvised explosive devices (IEDs). The lack of a widespread cell phone network in Afghanistan minimises the number of cell phone-detonated IEDs – the most frequent method of detonating IEDs in Iraq. In Afghanistan, pressure plates lightly buried in the ground are often used to initiate the IED attack when the victim steps on the buried plate, closing an electrical circuit. These lethal devices are immune to radio jammers, which have often created a protective shield for warfighters operating in Iraq. The small amount of metal in these crude, homemade devices also makes them particularly hard to find with conventional mine detectors.UGVs used by US and Coalition forces in Afghanistan have often been modified and adapted to address these critical operational and terrain-based realities. QinetiQ North America’s TALON UGVs operating in Afghanistan today have often been outfitted with

TEST: Keeping pirates at bay: Jona

Real Phone Hacking:

A Dangerous Education: EOD technicians are required to risk their lives daily, so it is essential that they receive the best training available. Robert de la Poer asks what ingredients are needed to deliver that training Nato Coalition troops operating in Afghanistan have long become accustomed to facing the constant and increasingly sophisticated threat from improvised explosive devices (IEDs). At all times while on patrol they must maintain a constant lookout for signs that an explosive device might have been laid to catch out the unwary, whether on a roadside, in a building or in a crowded market. At the same time, the use of IEDs has once again emerged in Northern Ireland where Republican terrorist are resorting once more to bombs to draw attention to their cause. And the problem is far from confined to these two areas.

“Arab Spring” fallout:

Islamic Extremism: Threat Watch 2012 - Anna Boyd, Head of Exclusive Analysis’s Global Jihad Analysis, forecasts key terrorism trends for 2012 Pakistan The end of core al-Qaeda spectacular attacks? Core al-Qaeda in Pakistan has already lost most of its function as an operational centre. While jihadist ideology is still likely to inspire many local insurgencies around the world, it is unlikely that any other jihadist group now operating, with the possible exception of Yemen’s al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), has the authority or the appetite to take over the role of acting as ideological lynchpin for the global jihadist movement worldwide, or to spearhead terrorist attack attempts in the Western world

Kidnap Risk: 2012 Threat Watch: Paul McGrath, Director of Violent Risk Forecasting at Exclusive Analysis, discusses the violent hotspots at which there is an increasing kidnap risk in 2012 Mexico “Express” kidnapping expands The risk kidnap has been increasing steadily in Mexico. Victims are predominantly Mexicans, and the risk that they will be murdered is very significant. Between December 2006 and the end of 2010 there were 2,455 reported cases, compared with 2,593 in the whole six-year term of the Fox administration (2000-2006). The drug cartels’ need to finance their turf wars, together with police collusion in many kidnappings, means this trend is unlikely to decline significantly in the next year.

Nigeria's Taliban: Anthony Tucker-Jones reports on the growing menace posed by the Nigerian militant group Boko Haram The car loaded with explosives came crashing through the two exit gates outside the main reception of the United Nation’s four-storey building in the Nigerian capital Abuja. As the vehicle came to a halt, the suicide bomber detonated his deadly cargo. The guards had given chase but it did not good; the blast and resulting shock waves engulfed the front of the building

European Metal: With insurgent-placed IEDs continuing to threaten troops operating in hostile environments, John Chisholm examines the new ranges of armoured vehicles designed in Europe to keep soldiers safe from blasts The nature and use of armoured vehicles has changed dramatically over the past 20 years. Older designs, built with the Cold War in mind, have given way to designs built around a different and more flexible mission profile to match the demands and emerging threat of militaries in the 21st Century. The need for flexibility is manifold; the type of mission can vary from traditional white-helmet peacekeeping, through peace enforcement, counter-terrorism and low-intensity warfare to the most