The disappearance of the Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi Arabian Consulate on October 2nd, 2018, in Istanbul, Turkey, highlights the issues that can occur when people, who for a wide variety of reasons are targeted for extrajudicial arrest, kidnapping or assassination by government agencies.
The incident with Jamal Khashoggi was preceded earlier in 2018 by the very murky assassination attempt of the former Russian GRU officer and double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter in the UK. The UK government claims it was a political assassination ordered by the Russian Government but there are many inconsistencies and gaps in their story. Whatever the real story is, it can still qualify as a possible political assassination attempt.
When most people think of kidnappers and the like, they will have visions of masked criminals snatching people from cars or off the street, they will not be thinking of police or government agencies; false or extrajudicial arrest is the same as kidnapping and happens regularly.
From a kidnapping and crisis management viewpoint this can be the most difficult type of incident to deal with since your friend, client or associate has been abducted by an organization that has the local law, and for the most part the law of the country, on their side. This is where the “gung-ho” shoot’em up approaches to dealing with kidnap and ransom situations fall further into the realm of complete Hollywood inspired fantasy, as you cannot go around the world shooting the local cops or soldiers if they decide to detain you or your associates. Chances are you would not legally be able to have a gun for self-defense in the first place and any illegal firearms would give those arresting you the justification and means to throw you in jail for a long time or just a reason to put a bullet in your head.
If you, your friends, clients or associates think they could be targeted politically for whatever reason, be it exposing government corruption, calling out corrupt and incompetent local politicians or supporting the opposition to those currently in power you should have a crisis plan in place.
Even in supposed First World countries, it’s very easy for people to be arrested for being vocal about their beliefs. In First World countries if charged and convicted, activists and journalists can still get jail time and hefty fines. In non-First World countries, activists or journalists can end up having major issues ranging from assaults, jail time, sexual assault or assassination.
The basis of all security or crisis plans is the threat assessment and this needs to be very thorough and cover all aspects of the personal security of those that could be targeted. This must include a lifestyle check to identify anything where they could be set up for an arrest.
Police and government agencies planting evidence is a practice that has been around since law enforcement first evolved and must be taken into consideration. The result of such actions can lead to long prison terms for the victims if they are unable to prove they were set up.
Reputable local private investigators, lawyers or trusted people need to be at hand to follow-up on potential arrests or disappearances to confirm what has actually occurred. Most of the time family members, friends or associates will not be in the proper emotional state to do a logical follow-up investigation and could end up getting arrested themselves.
Personally, I have little time for attorneys, most are leaches, but there are a few good ones out there. You need to find the good ones and have their numbers at hand in case of any legal issues or arrests. Over the years I have seen quite a few clients who had supposed high-end attorneys on retainer and when needed these attorneys did absolutely nothing for them. In one case that comes to mind, the attorneys who were on a very large retainer were clearly too scared to take action.
Once the direct physical threat to the client was over, they were happy to spend the retainer by pretending to solve non-issues while manipulating the client into believing they were issues. Use attorneys when required, but do not trust them!
Always have bail or payoff money available. In many countries a quick donation to the right people can solve problems, so, have the donation and know the right people. In more complicated locations know the procedures for bailing someone out of jail if they are arrested, have the money available and have a bail bondsman’s number ready.
You should have a support network outside of your direct network, that in the case of an arrest or political abduction can be alerted to make the relevant people aware of the situation. This could mean alerting Embassies, politicians or other journalists. It’s best for this to be done through a third-party player because, those directly associated with the people arrested or detained could also be targeted and it’s in everyone’s best interest if they remain invisible and avoid antagonizing the situation.
Unlike conventional kidnap for ransom situations, social media can play a major part in preventing a person who has been arrested, from disappearing and being found dead in a ditch somewhere. Police, government agencies and their politically associated groups, for the most part, have a public image to protect. So, they will try to keep this public image as respectable as possible. They can defend themselves for arresting and investigating activists etc. but, if people who were last seen in their custody turn up beaten or dead, it can result in unwanted questions and attention. So, always have a social media crisis response plan in place!
Speaking from experience, the basics of personal security is based on good counter surveillance. Additionally, always be aware of what’s going on around you, always be aware of who is watching or following you and keep your communications and computer security tight. On occasions where you must attend a meeting you must be very careful. Try to choose neutral, public locations and have someone covertly watching your back who is able to video and report any potential threats or hostile incidents.
In a case like Jamal Khashoggi’s, where he went into the Saudi Arabian consulate to pick up a marriage license with absolutely zero personal security, while knowing it was a location where he was not welcome, all I can say is look for other options and don’t place yourself in dangerous situations. Could the marriage license have been posted, could he have sent a courier or attorney, or could he have waited?
It is always best to avoid any potentially hostile situations, but if due to your career path or beliefs you can’t avoid them, then at least have a crisis plan in place.
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