avoid kidnapping

AVOID
KIDNAPPING
Guidance for Danes Abroad
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Companies and individuals can find advice and
guidance related to security during travels and
visits abroad in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of
Denmark’s travel guidance at www.um.dk.
Information regarding the political situation in
specific countries can also be found on
www.um.dk (Danish only).
During the past 10 years, Danish companies have become increasingly international. A growing number of companies are engaged in new
markets where they face new risks – for instance, kidnapping inspired by economical or ideological motives. The same is true for Danish
authorities and non-governmental organizations present in high risk
areas.
This reality provides new challenges, especially in countries where local authorities are not capable of maintaining law and order.
Threats against Danes
The reprinting of the cartoons of the prophet Mohammed and to some
extent Denmark’s ongoing military involvement in Afghanistan has led
terror groups to increase their focus on Denmark, Danes, and Danish
interests abroad. This applies in particular to countries were al-Qaeda-related groups are active (e.g. North and East Africa, the Middle
East, Pakistan, and Afghanistan).
Extortion
The risk of kidnapping is not always motivated by ideologies. In high
risk countries, such as Mexico or Colombia, kidnapping represents a
relatively easy and quick way to obtain large amounts of money.
One somewhat new type of kidnapping is the Express- or ATM-kidnappings, where over a period of days, the victim is forced to withdraw
cash from ATMs, until the daily limit is reached or the victim is forced
to hand over credit card and PIN-code.
Kidnapping
Potential victims of kidnapping include expat employees, local employees, journalists or tourists.
In response to the threat, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark
has advised some of the Danish embassies to increase their security
profile.
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Safe posting abroad
As an employee abroad, you would be prepared for language-barriers,
new cultures and customs, and different ways of doing business.
However, you are not necessarily prepared for handling your own security.
Companies, organizations or authorities are not always able to predict
the consequences of political change or uprising in countries where
their employees are located.
!
Have you considered not to use the company
logo, nor the employee or company name
when collecting a person in the airport in risk
countries? As an alternative you can arrange
a neutral characteristic, which does not reveal
nationality or identity.
Concrete security guidelines and travel security plans – including advice on how to avoid kidnapping – are therefore valuable to all Danish
companies and organizations that work in high risk areas.
Travel safely
A travel security plan covers the practical preparations that any
company and organization needs to have in place. All companies
should review their travel security procedures with their employees.
With a travel security plan, companies and organizations can ensure
that crisis situations are prevented or handled in the most competent
and effective way, in order to avoid panic and delayed response time.
This strengthens both the kidnapped and the company’s or organization’s position.
>>A travel security plan should contain procedures on avoiding unnecessary risks when travelling, and guidance on dealing with
security threats before, during and after an incident.
>>You may want to limit the use of Danish symbols, including the
Danish flag, at places in high risk areas and during tense political
situations.
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! What does the situation look like? Where are
the employees? What time are they supposed
to arrive at the next destination? How and when
do you know that something might be wrong?
Good preparation = Responsible management
It takes thorough preparation to minimize the risk of kidnapping, as
well as to limit the consequences. The management will have to invest time and money in preparing the company or the organization
The benefit of such preparations is more security conscious employees, who are confident that their security is being taken seriously. A
responsible management should also be well prepared because of the
immense human costs involved in kidnappings. Finally, such preparations are a good investment, as they protect against loss of income,
loss of know-how, and damage to the company’s reputation.
>>Good preparations start with obtaining knowledge about the
country and culture in question.
>>The company can decide to obtain advice from security companies with experience on security in the specific country or area.
Based on this knowledge, the company can prepare a risk assessment.
>>Advice regarding risk assessments and the planning of the
company’s travel security plan can be found on the Danish Emergency Management Agency’s homepage: www.brs.dk (some information in English).
All-round preparedness
A comprehensive travel security plan should also include procedures
for dealing with unplanned events such as theft of luggage, illegal
check-points, fire, theft, or anything that could be part of a kidnapping plot.
Companies can prepare the company and its employees by having
written procedures on how to handle the situation, who to inform, and
how to communicate.
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If the situation occurs
If an employee is kidnapped abroad, it is in principle the local law enforcement which is supposed to assist.
It is therefore important for companies and employees to know
whether an effective local law-enforcement can be expected. If there
is any doubt about this, the company should be prepared to handle the
situation with limited or no assistance from local law-enforcement.
! When working abroad common sense
and attention is the best protection
against trouble.
If a Danish citizen is kidnapped abroad, the Danish authorities are not
able to act as law enforcement in that country.
The assistance from Denmark will be handled in co-operation between the police and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, including Danish embassies/representations abroad. They will assist the
company and relatives with counselling and contact to local authorities etc.
>>If a Danish citizen is kidnapped, you should contact: The Ministry
of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, Asiatisk Plads 2, DK 1448 Copenhagen K, 24 hours telephone service: +45 33 92 11 12
It can prove vital that the Danish police is informed as soon as possible, so that they can assist the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark
in dealing with the local law enforcing authorities.
>>Information about kidnappings abroad should be passed to:
The Danish National Police Communication centre. 24 hours telephone service: +45 45 15 42 00
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Prevent kidnapping
If threats in high risk areas are to be prevented, the right knowledge
and behaviour is essential. Companies, organizations and authorities
can prepare better against the risk of kidnapping by following the advice below:
Before expatriation
>> Appoint a person who is responsible for security in connection with expatriation if the company, the authority or the organization does not have a
Head of Security.
During expatriation
>> Common sense is the best advice.
>> Bring relevant means of communication and a phonebook containing
numbers of relevant local authorities, guards, and the head of security of
the company, allowing the employee fast assistance if needed.
>> Co-operate closely with local partners in relation to security. Often the best
advice is given by people with good local knowledge. Remember to listen
to warnings.
>> Adjust plans when there are changes to security, and know which areas
to avoid.
>> Develop a travel policy and travel procedures. For instance neutral looking luggage, registration with local Danish representation during the stay,
information to family and employer about whether there are changes to
travelling plans, procedures when ordering hotel/flights, requirements to
safe pick-up, and rules concerning hours for travelling.
>> Ask expatriated employees to leave a sealed “proof of life” envelope before departure, containing questions / answers that only the expatriated
employee knows of. During a kidnap the envelope can be used to verify
that the employee is alive and with the kidnappers.
>> Develop guidelines for expatriated personnel on behavior and cultural
standards at the destination. Expatriated personnel can also be trained
in thinking safe behaviour related to, for instance dressing, use of certain
symbols, handling of cash, and transportation between home and work.
Danish companies, authorities and organizations should still be able
to be present in markets and countries where there is a risk of kidnapping. It is therefore important that both employees and employers are
well prepared to deal with the risks.
>> Ensure that all relevant insurances are in place. Insurance should cover
costs for assistance from security companies with the expertise to handle
a kidnapping situation.
>> Establish a crisis management team that has the authority to make quick
and perhaps costly decisions.
Remembering the overall picture when it comes to security and by
following these recommendations, companies, authorities and organizations can ensure that crisis situations are prevented or handled in
the most competent and effective way.
>> Develop an emergency plan for crises and train the employees accordingly.
>> Get information about the country in which employees are expatriated, by
contacting others who have been at the location recently, via local partners, and the webpage of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
>> Make a risk assessment (see www.brs.dk) and decide what it takes to
make the expatriation as safe as possible. This could comprise decisions
on which type of transportation to use locally, assignment of guards and
frequency for reporting to the company.
>> Select employees who are conscious about security issues.
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If you would like to know more:
Confederation of Danish Industry
www.di.dk
Danish Security and Intelligence Service
www.pet.dk
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark
www.um.dk
Confederation of Danish Industry
DK-1787 Copenhagen V
Phone: +45 3377 3377
[email protected] | di.dk
Danish Security and Intelligence Service
Klausdalsbrovej 1
DK-2860 Søborg
Phone: +45 3314 8888
[email protected] | pet.dk
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DI · 0.01.10
Danish Emergency Management Agency
www.brs.dk