Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
security precautions that you should take to reduce your chance of being
targeted by terrorists are also effective in deterring common street crime.
America's corporate interests can no longer afford to be negligent with
respect to security matters. The same is true for companies from the Euro-
pean Union. Their employees and facilities are becoming increasingly
attractive targets to terrorists and criminals. Furthermore, all Western cit-
izens, even students or tourists, must understand that they are very desir-
able targets to those seeking to use terror to advance their political agenda
or to vent their misguided rage at the United States, Europe, or Israel.
And unfortunately for high-profile executives, government officials or
employees, and celebrities, the level of this particular threat increases
along with the level of the status or notoriety of the individual. However,
even ordinary citizens are facing risks. They are also often the first choice
to the local criminal element seeking an easy target for a robbery.
Each year hundreds of Americans and Europeans are injured or killed
overseas. Traffic accidents, terrorism, street crime, and disease cause most
of those incidents. The events of September 11 have only made matters
worse. As we complete the final editing of this topic, we have just heard
word of the assassination in Amman, Jordan, of Lawrence Foley, a senior
U.S. Diplomat working for USAID. Mr. Foley was shot to death outside his
home. Thus far, no claims of responsibility have been made nor has any
assailant been identified. It seems beyond question, however, that this
senseless murder was an act of political terrorism by an Islamic terrorist
group. It is also too early to have received an analysis of the act and
whether any security precautions could have prevented his death. On this
same date, we are reading a news account published by the Jewish press
entitled “How to Kidnap American Citizens.” The article describes how an
extremist Islamic online forum recently posted a guide describing in detail
the manner in which Americans can be kidnapped. The guide discusses
how potential kidnappers can choose the best location to effect kidnap-
ping, various methods to use, and how to gather intelligence about the
intended victim. Inexplicably, although it can be found in other news
sources on the Internet, this story has not been given any exposure in the
mainstream media. In November 2001 nearly 200 people, mostly Aus-
tralian nationals, were killed in a bombing of a night spot in Bali.
This year, hundreds more Western citizens will be robbed, assaulted,
raped, kidnapped, or murdered. Most of these incidents could be pre-
vented by adherence to basic rules of personal safety. Lives are lost need-
lessly because individuals do not know what to do during a fire or in a
