Turkish Bodyguards Scuffle With UN Security

The story of scuffles between the Close Protection Team for Diplomats and the Security Detail of the Host have been a topic of recent discussion on the public message boards of the North American Bodyguard Association.  Add another example into a long list, this time occurring at the United Nations.  

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan‘s security detail got into a violent brawl on Friday with U.N. security guards outside the General Assembly hall, leaving at least two U.N. personnel injured, including one who was taken to the hospital, possibly with broken ribs, according to U.N. diplomats and officials.

The Turkish leader tried to rush to get into the U.N. chamber to take his seat.

He and his entourage, however, were stopped at an exit near the meeting room and told they could not enter the hall from that exit. The Turkish guards demanded that their prime minister be allowed to pass, and allegedly pushed the U.N. security guards. The U.N. guards pushed back, and the Turks apparently began swinging. One diplomat who was working on the floor two stories below said he could hear the fighting.

Read the full story HERE.

* UPDATED * Now includes the (shaky) video between the Turkish Protection Detail and the Uniformed UN Security Staff

Caption This 17

“Caption This” makes a long overdue appearance as readers  supply their own witty comments to our humorous selection of Executive Protection/ Law Enforcement / Military related photos.

Today’s photo comes by way of the very umm… subtle appearance of a security team in South Africa that raised more than a few eyebrows.

So , let’s turn this into a teachable moment and “Caption This…”

Please read below, as some readers have have some great comments in the past but have not met the eligibility requirements to win the prize:

*To participate, leave your comment below AND on our Facebook Page at www.Facebook.com/IconServices. (just do a simple cut and paste)

The one with the most “likes” next to their comment will win a surprise gift.  (also remember, even if you are not leaving a comment, give yourself some good karma and vote for the one you think is the most humorous.)

**Check out previous edition of Caption This by clicking HERE

ICON Executive Protection Themed Targets

Click here to learn more about the ICON VIP Protection Target Line.

Caption This 16

“Caption This” makes a return appearance as we ask  readers of Bodyguard Blog to supply their own witty comments to humorous Executive Protection/ Law Enforcement / Military related photos.

This weeks photo gives new meaning to “watch your step”.

So , let’s “Caption This…”

NOTICE, as some people have have some great comments but were ineligible to win the prize:

*To participate, leave your comment on AND on our Facebook Page at www.Facebook.com/IconServices.  The one with the most “likes” next to their comment will win a surprise gift.  (also remember, even if you are not leaving a comment, vote for the one you think is the most humorous.)

**Check out previous edition of Caption This by clicking HERE

Armored Men Author Tom Taylor Inteview

The upcoming issue of the Circuit Magazine – The Magazine for the Executive Protection Agent takes a moment to speak with noted author Tom Taylor regarding his newest book “Armored Men”.  Having worked on other titles such as the novel “Mortal Shield” and the excellent work “Just 2 Seconds” (with Gavin de Becker), Mr. Taylor has the distinction of being not just an accomplished writer, but also a seasoned Security Operator, having spent many years as part of the security detail for a US Governor.  Below is a excerpt from the interview.

You have had an internationally recognized career protecting the likes of President Ford to Mikhail Gorbachev, what was the motivation behind your career as a Protector?

I saw Steve McQueen in the movie Bullitt in 1968 in which he and his team had to protect a mob witness. It planted a seed in me about doing protection work. In 1973, I began working as a road trooper in Kansas City for the Missouri Highway Patrol. Four months later, the Patrol began the first full-time security detail for a Missouri governor, called the Executive Security Unit (ESU), with a sergeant and six troopers. At that time, most states had a full-time detail for their governors. In 1974, ESU had their first vacancy when one of the members transferred out. They asked my training officer if he wanted the slot since he had assisted the detail several times and done a good job. He declined, but recommended me. Within two weeks — at 23 and with no protective experience or training – I was protecting the governor. It would be two years before I got any formal training, when I attended the Secret Service’s week long ”Protective Operations Briefing” in Washington, DC. I’ve loved EP work since that first detail.

With such a successful career as a Protection Agent, where did the idea of becoming a novel writer come from?

I’ve always been an avid reader and my favorite authors are Tom Clancy, Vince Flynn, and Alex Berenson. I’ve always had an interest in writing, as well. In 1991, I wrote a series of articles about EP work for the Missouri Trooper magazine. I was commanding the division at that time, protecting my fourth governor, and wrote the series because so many officers had misconceptions about protection work. The series won the Article of the Year Award. I began toying with the idea of writing a novel in the mid-1980s. I had worked around all of the other governor’s details for years and heard many great stories. So in the late 1990s, I began writing my first novel. In Mortal Shield, many of the situations in the book were inspired by true events that happened to some protective detail.

Armored Men, seems to have made a splash in the Executive Protection industry as well as the mainstream public, was it your intent to create these “hero-like” character who reach all walks of life?

Absolutely. I’ve had many people who know nothing about protection tell me they loved the book and now have more respect for protective agents. Over the years, one question I heard more often than any other from members of the general public was: “What’s your job like?” They watch Hollywood’s portrayal of protectors and use that as their reference. There is plenty of fiction that portrays realistic situations for military or law enforcement figures. But it’s rare to find a novel that accurately captures a story about EP operations. You’ll find protectors accurately mentioned in the storyline of a Clancy or Flynn novel, but the book isn’t about those characters. So I decided to write that book.

What has been your reaction to how well this book has been received by protection agents worldwide?

As I say in the Author’s Note, the most meaningful feedback has been from other protectors. Especially from other top experts, like Bob Duggan at ESI, Hans van Beuge at Savior Protective Services, and Elijah Shaw at Icon.  The positive feedback from protectors all over the world shows we all face the same challenges.

For the full interview conducted by Derrick “Bear” Collins, watch for the Summer 2011 issue of The Circuit – The Magazine for Bodyguards.

What Happened to Lara Logans Security?

Security Professionals always look at incidents of violence perpetrated against public figures with a slightly different perspective than the general public.  Such was the case when I heard about the tragic story of CBS News Corespondent Laura Logan.  The journalist was a victim first of detention by the Egyptian authorities and following her release and return to the region a brutal assault by a mob.

The offical account goes as such:  The evening of the attack, Ms. Logan, 39, the network’s chief foreign affairs correspondent, was covering the celebrations in Tahrir Square in central Cairo with a camera crew and an unknown number of security staff members. The CBS team was enveloped by “a dangerous element” within the crowd, CBS said, that numbered more than 200 people. That mob separated Ms. Logan from her team and then attacked her.

I, as well as scores of my peers, have had first hand experience dealing with massive crows that are whipped into such a frenzy that you can feel the threat looming, so much so that it’s almost a tangible thing.  At that point, independent of even the clients wishes, a decision must be made to leave the area for the safety of the Protectee.  You might get chewed out or even fired later, but your client will live to tell the tale.  After initially hearing this story, the obvious question to me was, exactly how did her secuirty team become seperated from her?

While researching I stumbled upon outtakes of an interview Ms. Logan conducted with Esquire Magazine, conducted after the detention, but before the assault, that appeared to shed a little more light on the incident:

Esquire:  On whom she was traveling with:

Laura: “I’m not the only one going back, my producer is coming with me. And with my husband. We made this decision together. And with my boss.”

Esquire: On the precautions they’d be taking:

Laura: “We’ve made sure that the Egyptian embassy in the U.S. knows we’re going. They’re fully aware of it. They know what our purpose is, that we’re journalists. We’ve made every effort to try and get media accreditation before we left, but the embassy said because of the backup they couldn’t [get it to us], so they’re trying to help us on the ground. There are no surprises here this time. It is a better plan. Again, it’s not foolproof, you know?”

Esquire: On worrying about a repeat scenario:

Laura: “Sure, of course you can never discount [that], it would be foolish to discount that possibility.”

Esquire: On traveling with private security:

Laura: “No. We are not. It’s been so chaotic. I think we do have a security person on with us now, on our team, but I haven’t had a chance to even address that.” (emphasis mine ~ES)

While in no way placing the blame of the assault on Laura Logan herself, I do think at least at the time of the interview, security was an afterthought.   There may or may not have been a trained agent from the states with her, and if there was, his available resources may have been minimal.  It is also likely that a local(s) could have been used, at which point the vetting process could have been anywhere on the scale of “bad” to “very bad’.  It is also possible that none of this was the case and the network provided Mrs. Logan with an equipped team of seasoned security professionals qualified to go into a potential hot spot with their primary responsibility of protecting their client — not of making sure she got an award winning news story.  It’s possible, but based off of my personal experiences, unlikely.

This is a story i’ll be following with great interest, and it is my hope that corporations placing their employees in hostile situations overseas begin to recognize the value of being proactive with security.  Sadly, Laura Logan has paid a high price for that lesson.

~Elijah Shaw

Judge Dismisses Shooting Case Against Blackwater

A federal judge dismissed charges against five Blackwater Worldwide security guards accused of killing 14 Iraqi civilians in a controversial shooting in a busy Baghdad square two years ago in a ruling that sharply criticized the tactics of Justice Department prosecutors handling the case.

The judge, Ricardo M. Urbina of the District’s federal court, found that prosecutors and agents had improperly used statements that the guards provided to the State Department in the hours and days after the shooting. The statements had been given with the understanding that they would not be used against the guards in court, the judge found, and federal prosecutors should not have used them to help guide their investigation. Urbina said other Justice Department lawyers had warned the prosecutors to tread carefully around the incriminating statements.

The five Blackwater guards — a sixth has pleaded guilty — were indicted in December 2008 on manslaughter and weapons charges accusing them of killing and injuring unarmed civilians.

Federal prosecutors have said the guards killed 14 Iraqis and wounded 20 in an unprovoked blaze of bullets and grenade explosions. The guards’ attorneys have said their clients fired in self-defense after being shot at by insurgents.

The incident, which badly strained U.S.-Iraqi relations, was the most serious one involving private security contractors in recent years, and it raised questions about using such guards in war zones. It so badly stigmatized Blackwater that the company renamed itself Xe Services.

For the full story click HERE.

The Challenges of Protecting the Pope

Catholic.net did a recent interview with retired Swiss Guard Captain roman Fringeli, producing what I feel is a great article on the challenges and preparation needed to protect one of the most recognizable people on the planet.   The duties & risks of  the Executive Protection Agent multiply dramatically when faced with crowds, political & religious tensions, and international travel on this type of scale.

- – -

For 12 years, retired Swiss Guard Captain Roman Fringeli was fully trained and prepared to lay down his life for the Pope.

Between 1987 and 1999, he protected the soon-to-be Blessed John Paul II as one of his five personal bodyguards on papal trips — a period of duty that involved 15 apostolic voyages to Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas.

For three and a half of those years, Fringeli led the Swiss Guard contingent when John Paul travelled abroad. “If the circumstances were such, I would sacrifice myself for the Pope,” he recalled. “This was always my thinking during the trips.”

Originally from Basel in northern Switzerland, Fringeli left the ancient pontifical army over 10 years ago. But his enthusiasm remains and he is eager to share his happy — and sometimes agonising — experiences of those momentous visits.

He vividly recalls struggling to keep back a lunging crowd in Nairobi, shouting at the military in Mozambique to prevent a mass of people from getting too close to the Pope, and facing the daunting task of protecting the Pope in front of a million-strong crowd of faithful in Seoul.

Click HERE for the full story.

2010 – The Year in Review

As 2010 winds down I’d like to thank all of the readers and contributors of Bodyguard Blog for their support.  I’ll admit it was a challenge to run my agency, ICON Services Corporation, be an active Operator, and keep the Blog going on a consistent basis.  One of the things that helped, was constantly pulling in fresh content as well as realizing that I didn’t want Bodyguard Blog to be just about ME.

Some of our most popular post in 2010 were the Industry Spotlights, in which we cover professionals in the world of Executive Protection featuring:  The UK’s Shaun West, Old Soldier: Dave Marris, Sexton’s Jerry MacCauley, Mark James & Benjamin Alozie. (Look for more Female Close Protection Agents in 2011!)

In keeping with our philosophy that the Bodyguard Industry is more than just guns and take downs, we enlisted the aid of Protocol & Etiquette Coach Susanne Dancer to provide some lessons in the “soft skills” that would help us more effectively do our job.  You can find her tips on Protocol & Etiquette HERE.

And lastly, we all know that the job of VIP Protection is serious, but the people that do it, are just that –people, and can even crack a smile once in awhile — we introduced the very well received “Caption This” feature.  if you want to take a break from a stressful day and chuckle at humorous photos (and comments) click HERE.

Once again, thanks for  reading.   Big plans for 2011, so stay tuned!

~ Elijah Shaw

Bodyguard Etiquette for Operating in Muslim Countries

I’m traveling to a Muslim Country to work an assignment, any protocol tips? -Nathan Cummings, CA

When travelling or working in a Muslim country the first rule of thumb is to dress conservatively.  Males, stay away from shorts.  For females, knee length or below for skirts or dresses and at least elbow length sleeves with shirts; your outfit should not be form fitting.  Always carry a headscarf as it may be necessary when entering some buildings (Mosques) or addressing certain officials or royalty.

When meeting and greeting clients or associates do remember that a firm handshake is wise but do not offer one to the opposite sex. Learning a few words in Arabic or the local language can also be very beneficial. A customary greeting is salaam alaykum (Peace be upon you). Shaking hands and saying “kaif halak” (how are you?) to a male or “kaif halik” if greeting a female.

There are several styles of greetings used in the Islamic world; it is best to wait for your counterpart to initiate the greeting. A more traditional greeting between men involves grasping each other’s right hand, placing the left hand on the other’s right shoulder and exchanging kisses on each cheek.

The left hand is considered unclean and reserved for hygiene. Do not point at another person and do not eat with the left hand.  (See HERE)

Try not to cross your legs when sitting and never show the bottom of your feet to others.

When in the presence of a VIP, avoid admiring an item too much, you host may feel obligated to give it to you. When offered a gift, it is generally impolite to refuse.

Arabic names can often be confusing to foreigners. It’s best to get the names of those you will meet, speak to, or correspond with before hand and practice saying them to yourself. Find out both their full names and how they are to be addressed in person.

In political settings, it is proper etiquette to refer to a royal as “Your Highness”, and any members of the government ministries as “Your Excellency”.

In many countries, males will stand closer to each other than many westerners are used to, and members of the same sex will often touch arms when postulating or emphasizing a point. You should not draw away from this, as it would be considered rude and rejecting.

A useful online guide for some simple greetings and basics can be found at http://www.linguanaut.com/english_arabic.htm

Susanne Dancer is a former butler and administrator who has trained with the Guild of Professional English Butlers.  Her work in Etiquette has taken her from Brisbane to London with an emphasis on International Protocol.  She is regularly consulted as an expert in her field on subjects such as how to dress appropriately while working with High Net Worth individuals, and the delicate subject of table manners.

Have an etiquette question for Susan?  Ask it HERE.