Canadian Terror

In March 2004 al-Qaeda released the seventh issue in a series of articles for “members” and other jihadis around the world entitled “The Targets Inside the Cities.” From its pages jump a basic explanation as to why cities are good targets, a prioritized list of targets (religious, economic and human) and a detailed compendium of steps to take to fulfill total destructive terror. The first two sentences of the document read, “Targets inside cities are considered a sort of military diplomacy. Normally, this kind of diplomacy is written in blood and decorated with body parts and the smell of guns.” Under the section entitled, “Human Targets” it reads, “We have to target Jews and Christians. We have to let anybody that fights God, his prophet, or the believers, know that we will be killing them. There should be no limits and no geographical borders. We have to turn the land of the infidels into hell as they have done to the land of Muslims.” In the same section it lists targets in order of priority namely, “Americans, British, Spanish, Australians, Canadians, Italians.”

These extremists have proven many times that they are willing to put words into action. Their threats are not idle. Canadians must take these threats seriously and implement precautions to protect against, and plan for attacks of terror.

TAKING ON TERROR

There are many different levels of preparedness required. All levels of government need to prepare by increasing intelligence and security as well as by providing individuals and businesses with the information and tools they need to be prepared. Countries such as the United States, Britain and Israel have implemented some of the best security measures in the world to both prevent and respond to attacks. Even in Canada CSIS, the RCMP and other government and non-government organizations have information available to help us mitigate this threat.

Planning for terrorism has many challenges. The first is convincing management and staff that this is a real risk. The second, unlike fires, floods or blackouts, terrorism is relatively new territory and there is virtually no way to preempt an attacks location, date or even foresee its definitive launch. This makes planning difficult. The third problem, depending on the type of attack and its location and date, there could be a variety of impacts and this means reaction is blind.

FOILING THE GAME PLAN

The main goals of terrorism are to: create fear and panic; make people loose faith in their government’s ability to keep them safe; tie up and expend law enforcement resources; negatively impact economies; and, lift morale and gain support among the perpetrator’s members and potential recruits. These results can be facilitated by terror of many forms such as: commercial airliners used as missiles; car bombs; suicide bombers; weapons of mass destruction such as nuclear, biological and chemical weapons; dirty bombs – which are conventional explosives that spread nuclear, biological or chemical agents into the immediate area – cyber terrorism; and, kidnapping. Targets chosen are those that will have the greatest impact on the previously stated goals. The types of potential targets are vast including public transit (airports, trains, busses and subways), nuclear power plants, oil wells, densely populated areas and symbols of western values such as financial centers, government buildings and landmarks.

In spite of the uncertainty, there are predefined steps to plan for risk. Some examples of common considerations are physical security, occupational health and safety, emergency response and business continuity.

It is important to realize that you don’t have to be a target to be affected. Your employees, customers and suppliers can be lost or injured, or your property can be adjacent to a target and be damaged, quarantined or cordoned off indefinitely. Electricity could be disrupted, public transit could be shut down or significantly slowed, controls on movement could disrupt trade and consumer behavior could be significantly altered.

MANAGING THE RISK

Risk management for this risk should start with a threat assessment. Are you a likely target? If so, then prevention and security should be your first priority. Policies, procedures and physical security should be reviewed in the context of this risk. Emergency plans should be updated, employees trained in its application, and drills conducted. Also, attention should be given to mitigation techniques such as segregation, duplication and back-ups.

Whether or not you are a direct target, continuity plans should be updated and tested. Planning must be implemented to determine: how to communicate with staff and other stakeholders; what to do if employees are affected; what to do if your buildings are affected; how you will continue your business without power that will disable the internet, phones and cell phones; and, how to facilitate monetary compensation for losses and business interruption.

Many businesses already have excellent plans, policies and procedures in place for mitigating and responding to disasters. The risk of terrorism should be seriously considered and factored into existing plans.

Anne McLellan, the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister responsible for public safety, says Canadians need to take the terrorism threat seriously. She is not alone in her thinking, Rick Hillier, the Chief of Defence Staff, General, CSIS and the RCMP, concur. Hopefully they are all wrong and in reality al Qaeda’s threats are idle and any of their planned attacks will be thwarted. For professionals in the business of identifying, measuring and mitigating potential risks, hope is imperative but it is not something that should ever be relied upon.

“Canadians, now more than ever, are potential victims and Canada a potential venue for terrorist attacks,” or so the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) claims in its 2000 Public Report – a report eerily compiled prior to 9/11 as well as the Bali bar, Madrid train and London transit bombings and, not to mention, before Osama Bin Laden threatened Canada as a legitimate target for terrorist attacks, twice. The risk of terror persists, thus the risk on financial security is inevitably growing. The carnage and destructive reality of terrorism is at hand for Canadians.