Delivering two keynote speeches, I focussed on the tactics used by the Afghan Taliban in the kidnap for ransom business and on the lessons learned from the Lindt Café Siege, Australia where, consistent with the current threat, police were faced with a lone terrorist – Islamist extremist radicalised online taking staff and customers hostage inside a city centre café.
Perhaps the most important part of any decision-making model is our ability to access good quality information and intelligence. Shared Situational Awareness is achieved by sharing information and understanding between the involved organisations to build a stronger, multi-dimensional understanding of events, their implications, associated risks, and potential outcomes.
Where to begin…I cannot begin to understand the anguish, trauma, and fear that the lightening Taliban insurgency in recapturing the many provinces across Afghanistan brought to many of my friends and staff that have continuously served the people since 2005; it must have been terrifying. Throughout, I have vicariously lived this experience with them to literally move mountains to keep them safe from harm and help those most at risk, flee their homeland to begin a new journey in life.