Don't Mess With Old Guy's....

Back in May, as an American Airlines Flight was descending into San Francisco airport a Yemeni passenger, later identified as Rageh Al-Murisi, 28, stood up and charged the cockpit door ramming it with his shoulder, trying to burst through, while shouting "Allahu Akbar," or "God is Great."

A steward struggled to keep Al-Murisi away from the door protecting the plane's pilots.

However what Al- Murisi didn’t factor into his plans was that Bill Neider, 77 years of age and former 1960 Olympic Shot Put Champion and World Shot Put record holder was sitting in the first row of seats by the door. (Pictured after the incident and after winning the Gold at Rome Olympics in 1960).

As the flight steward started yelling for help Big Bill Nieder took off his seat belt, stood up and went into action.

Despite being hampered by an artificial shoulder, two artificial hips, two artificial knees and recent back surgery, there was nothing wrong with big Bill’s heart as he helped take Al-Mursi to the floor and pin him down. Retired San Mateo police Officer Larry Wright and a retired Secret Service agent also quickly responded and used plastic handcuffs and tape to bind Al-Murisi's hands and feet as he continued to shout "God is Great" in Arabic.

Authorities later said that Al-Murisi had no weapon and no known ties to any terrorist organization.

No one knew that, however, when Al-Murisi began shouting and trying to get into the cockpit just minutes before landing

Federal prosecutors say Al-Murisi is erratic and dangerous, and they charged him with one count of interfering with flight crew members and attendants on American Airlines Flight 1561.

"He attempted to enter the cockpit right before a critical part of the flight," Assistant U.S. Attorney Elise Becker said in prosecution arguments to withhold bail for Al-Murisi.

Despite the various artificial joints and back surgery last year, Bill Nieder remains active, and obviously able to help in a scuffle when needed.

Nieder grew up in Kansas, where he played football in high school. He had a football-career-ending injury, however, during his first game on the Kansas University team.

Nieder then switched his focus to track and field, especially shot put. He won the silver medal in the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne, Australia, and then won the gold in the '60 Games in Rome with a throw of 64 feet, 6 3/4 inches.

Nieder said he was glad he could help subdue Al-Murisi.
"It is just fortunate we were able to take him down; that was it."

Security Pro's Employ More Brains Than Brawn...

"Elvis has left the building," is now part of today's pop culture lexicon that alludes to the end of an event or concert. But when the phrase was heard on loudspeakers in the aftermath of the King's comeback shows of the late '60s/early '70s, it usually meant Presley had been rushed into a waiting limo, cocooned inside a circle of men known as the Memphis Mafia -- a squad of childhood friends and cousins who protected the singer's every move. They remained with him from 1954 until his death in 1977.
Today, the job of protecting music celebrities has grown into a multimillion-dollar enterprise that embraces state-of-the-art technology and requires those involved to be highly trained professionals. The average platinum-level pop star employs a half dozen security pros around the clock, whose fees can range from $80,000 to $500,000 annually.

"It's a different age now," says James Andrea of RAD, one of the largest global music celebrity protection firms. "You have to be more in tune with technology; it's much harder, especially with cameras and phones. There's a lot you have to be on top of."

RAD, started by Norman Oosterbroek, a Dutch security expert and former bodyguard to Nelson Mandela, touts a client roster that includes pop divas Beyonce and Lady Gaga; hip-hop superstars Jay Z, Drake and Kanye West; and record executive L.A. Reid. Like most professional security firms that protect music celebrities, RAD is tight-lipped when it comes to the specifics behind its operation. In most cases, artists make their bodyguards sign a confidentiality agreement to protect against tell-all books.

"Adaptability, in physical and psychological terms, is the main characteristic that you must possess," says Julius De Boer, who was assigned by RAD to protect Beyonce and oversee logistics. "It is much more than being a human shield to your customer. You should always think three steps ahead, follow a schedule, and call ahead to destinations and so on." Originally from the Netherlands, De Boer is fluent in five languages, giving him a distinct advantage when being hired by international superstars.

Nearly all who work in the field dislike the term bodyguard, since it implies a large, physical presence with the emphasis on brawn over brains. In reality, most security pros spend less than 20% of their time doing anything physical when protecting celebrities, and boast extensive training and college degrees. The majority of their time is either spent accompanying celebrities, or planning their safe travel, arrivals and exits from public appearances, meetings, performances, or simple, every day tasks such as shopping. Most of all, they protect their music superstars from the prying annoyance of overzealous fans and paparazzi.

"You have to advance every element," says Andrea. "You have to know the precise spot where your vehicle will be parked and the best way to access or exit a building." Pop's biggest stars, such as Paul McCartney, the Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, Madonna and U2, almost exclusively do what is known as "a runner" at the end of their shows. As soon as they finish, they are rushed into a waiting limo and whisked away, both as a security measure and to ensure they will not get stuck in a traffic jam.

Ringo Starr is usually being ferried by limo, accompanied by a police escort, to a waiting private jet while his band is still onstage performing the final stanzas of his signature encore, the Beatles classic "With a Little Help From My Friends."

If Elvis was the first rock star to employ full-time bodyguards, the Beatles, during their touring years of 1962-66, were certainly the first group to demonstrate the need for professional security. Throughout this period, the Fab Four only had two security people, Mal Evans and Neil Aspinall, who also acted as the band's roadies.

"It was a big thrill being young kids and being loved, or chased, by so many people," said George Harrison, in a 1987 interview about the years of Beatlemania. "But, it became much more than any of us had ever dreamed of. … It just got to the point where it was making us crazy, so we had to draw the line somewhere. That's when we decided to stop touring."

Ironically, Harrison and John Lennon rarely used bodyguards after the band's break-up; Harrison was nearly killed when attacked inside his home by a deranged, knife-yielding fan and Lennon was shot dead in 1980 outside the Dakota by stalker Mark David Chapman. McCartney, who still goes out in public without his bodyguards on occasion, was the target of Islamic extremists' threats while touring Israel in September 2008. In order to ensure his protection, more than 5,000 security pros were hired for his visit.

Michael Francis -- who has written a book about his years as a celebrity bodyguard for Frank Sinatra, Cher, Led Zeppelin, Bon Jovi and McCartney -- says quality not quantity is rule when it comes to protection: "It's an accessory now (when) you have to have four or five guys who weigh 400 pounds," he says. "The big stars should have one good one that they trust."

Francis handled incidents that included a gun being pulled on Bon Jovi in South America, and a deranged fan who entered the home of Cher at 4 a.m. wielding a samurai sword.

The rise in popularity of rap music also paralleled the rise of the modern security expert. Many of hip-hop's biggest stars cultivated rap sheets in their rise to fame, which has led to a number of violent altercations at public appearances.

Many security pros have military or police backgrounds. Others, especially in the hip-hop community, have come from the streets, such as Jeff "Stretch" Williams, who confessed that, as a youth, had run numbers in Harlem. Williams cleaned up his act, joined the NYPD, and eventually worked security for P Diddy.

Kevin Hackie, former bodyguard of the late Tupac Shakur, recently admitted he was an undercover FBI agent while working for the rapper. Because of knowledge he reports to have, Hackie has been questioned in the murder investigations of Shakur and Notorious B.I.G.

A 2009 video shoot for rapper Busta Rhymes at a Brooklyn film studio ended in a hail of gunfire killing the rapper's bodyguard, Israel Ramirez, when he attempted to escort extras and hangers-on off the soundstage.

"(Carrying a gun) is not a requirement, but many in this field do," says Andrea. "Some of us are retired federal officers or police officers and they are already licensed to carry a gun. It is the preference of the client. It depends on the risk factor -- if armed personnel are required, you get armed personnel."

The topic remains timely. Warner Bros. Pictures recently announced it is doing a remake of the 1992 Kevin Coster-Whitney Houston film, "The Bodyguard." Rihanna turned down the Houston role; but Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift are reportedly still in the running.

One thing remains consistent: security pros believe diplomacy and restraint, above all else, are the keys to success in their business. "Physical force is never used or is always the last resort," says Andrea. "Most of the time it is just a fan that wants to hug their superstar."

By Bruce Pilato.

The Attempted Kidnapping Of Joss Stone...

According to British authorities, singer Joss Stone was the intended target of a recent kidnapping plot, which was discovered after two men were arrested with swords, a body bag, and detailed maps of the singer’s home.
Although this incident has sent shock waves through the Entertainment Industry, Stone is only the most recent high-profile victim of such a plot.Other famous individuals who have been targeted for kidnapping in recent years include:

David Letterman became a father in 2003. Fifteen months later, a house painter at his Montana ranch was arrested for plotting to kidnap the child as well as the boy’s nanny. Kelly Frank plead guilty to lessor charges, and was sentenced to 10 years. However, he briefly escaped in 2007, before being apprehended a few days later.

During the 2001 Oscar season, Russell Crowe should have been enjoying all the attention fawned upon him over "Gladiator," but instead he was worried sick over a plot to kidnap him. At the time, the news reports seemed like a joke, but it was no laughing matter. The FBI confirmed that it was investigating a serious threat to kidnap the New Zealand-born star, and tuxedo-clad security agents accompanied a glum-looking Crowe to the awards shows for protection. This month, Crowe named Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda terror network as the source of the kidnap plot. In an interview published in Australia's GQ magazine, Crowe said FBI agents told him about it. "That was the first (time) I'd ever heard the phrase 'al Qaeda,' " Crowe said. "It was about -- and here's another little touch of irony -- taking iconographic Americans out of the picture as sort of a cultural destabilization plot."

In May 2004, Madonna canceled a series of concerts in Israel after she received letters, reportedly from some unnamed Palestinian group, in which her two young children, Rocco and Lourdes, were threatened. The material mommy, who already had one hulking bodyguard on the payroll to guard the kids, "freaked out" after reading the letters, which contained intimate details about her kids and her personal staff, and she took the danger seriously.






Director Steven Spielberg was the target of a bizarre kidnap attempt by an obsessed fan in 1997. The fan, Jonathan Norman, had reportedly been stalking Spielberg for some time when he trespassed onto the fantasy film guru's Malibu estate and was nabbed by a guard. Police later found pictures of Spielberg and his family, duct tape, curtain rods, handcuffs and a utility knife in Norman's possession, and determined that he was planning to kidnap and rape the director. Norman, as it turned out, was a paranoid schizophrenic.

Victoria Beckham, a.k.a. Posh Spice, was the target of a 2002 kidnap-and-ransom plot that was foiled by British law enforcement, resulting in the arrest of five men. This was the second time Posh was targeted by kidnappers: another attempt to nab her, along with her son, Brooklyn, was foiled in 1999.

In 2001, Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones hired ex-members of the U.S. and British special forces as bodyguards to protect their baby from a kidnapping threat. Douglas himself says that he was the intended victim in a kidnapping plot back in the 1950s, when he was just six years old. He told a British newspaper in 2001 that a couple of thugs once tried to nab him outside the New York apartment where he lived with dad Kirk Douglas, but he hid in the basement til the coast was clear.

Before the era of modern security, kidnappers actually succeeded in taking hostages once in a while-- sometimes with disastrous results.

Aviator Charles Lindbergh wasn't exactly a Hollywood star, but as the first guy to fly across the Atlantic, he was famous nonetheless, and the 1932 kidnapping of his infant son is one of the most infamous crimes in American history. The family paid the kidnappers a $70,000 ransom, but the kid was never returned as promised, and his dead body was later found about five miles from Lindbergh's New Jersey home.

Frank Sinatra Jr. was eating dinner in a Lake Tahoe hotel room when drug-crazed men kidnapped him at gunpoint, stuck him in the trunk of a car and then drove him to Los Angeles. Sinatra Sr. paid a $240,000 ransom and his son was freed, but the bumbling crooks were later caught and the money recovered. In court, the kidnappers claimed that Frank Jr. concocted the kidnap plan as a publicity stunt to boost his singing career; although the story was proven false, it dogged the son of the Chairman of the Board for years.

In 1973, 17-year-old Eugene Paul Getty II, son of billionaire Paul Getty and actress Gail Harris, was swiped by kidnappers while vacationing in Rome. At first, the boy's father refused to pay any ransom, not wanting to give in to extortionists. That changed when the crooks cut off one of the kid's ears and sent it to an Italian newspaper. Dad eventually paid an estimated $2 million ransom and the boy was returned, one ear missing.

Country music legend Tammy Wynette's kidnapping story has been doubted by even some of her fans. In 1978, Wynette was mysteriously abducted by a masked man outside a shopping center in Nashville. According to her version of events, she was locked in the trunk of her own car, driven 80 miles to some remote place, where she was beaten up and released. Some people speculate that the story was just a cover-up for a black eye that Wynette received from one of her many abusive husbands.

The Beast & Murphy's Law...

Vice President of Intelligence for STRATFOR and former protective agent Fred Burton describes what it's like in the moments something goes wrong with a VIP's motorcade as it did for U.S. President Barack Obama in Ireland.



"On his recent trip to Ireland, President Obama's limousine known as "The Beast" got stuck trying to depart the U.S. Embassy Dublin. In this week's Above the Tearline, I'm going to discuss what goes through an agent's mind working a protective detail when the unexpected happens.

I've had the opportunity to have worked for two of the best protective units in the world in my assessment, and that is the U.S. Secret Service as well as the State Department Diplomatic Security Service and spend a tremendous amount of time protecting presidents, vice presidents, visiting heads of state.

Now back to the incident when the presidential protection division known as PPD attempts to depart the U.S. Embassy Dublin. It appears that the limousine bottomed out on a apex of a little hill, in essence grounding the limousine and sticking it right on the X in between the two embassy gates. At that moment in time, you‚re stuck. You have the President of the United States or it can be any other high-value target inside the car. You know the car is a safe haven but there's going to be a few moments of chaos as you're listening to the radio traffic in your ear as the agents are trying to explain what occurred.

I think it's also important for those of you watching this video to understand that the agent inside the car also knows that he has a tremendous amount of resources in concentric rings of security: other agents, surveillance teams, counter snipers, Irish national police, Irish protection agents looking out for him.

But, there is that moment when you really don't know what occurred and it could be anything. You're worried about whether or not this could be some sort of attack unfolding and there is that brief moment in time and it may last a few seconds until you're waiting for the worse thing that could possibly occur, whether that be an attack, some sort of device that is thrown in your direction or a rocket-propelled grenade fired. In essence, you know and you feel like a sitting duck and as an agent in the car when something like that occurs, there is sheer fright for a moment until your training kicks in. You keep the VIP in the car because that's your safe haven. You realize you‚re not coming under attack. You safely move the VIP to your backup limousine and you take the secondary route of egress from the location.

From a protective security perspective, in closing, the U.S. Secret Service will diagnose what occurred here and fix it going forward. In reality, this was probably an oversight from the advance agent failing to let the driver of the limo know of the bump as you are exiting the U.S. Embassy Dublin. I know the Secret Service, who is very good at correcting these kinds of mistakes, who'll put process and protocol in place to ensure that all site advance agents will look for that going forward".

Talking H2H With Damon Paine...

A Bodyguards raison d’etre is to prevent an attack on their Principal. This may take the form of an armed or un-armed attack. Due to jurisdictional requirements, safety concerns for others, exigent circumstances or weapon malfunction, the Bodyguard may have to resort to responding with hand-to-hand combat techniques.

EP work is of course fundamentally a cerebral activity and if one does their job properly, physical violence should never be an issue. A Bodyguards main priority is not to win a fight but to avoid it in the first place. The ultimate success in protective operations is when nothing happens. Surveillance detection, counter surveillance, layered security and situational awareness all assist in the avoidance of an AOP. However if an assailant has defeated these strategies and procedures, a Bodyguards un-armed combat skill may be the last line of defense for the Principal.

There are many within the security industry that cannot see the necessity of being prepared to deal with physical violence with empty hand solutions. They think of it as archaic or unnecessary. I’ve never been one of those. Much like CPR, Hand-to-Hand self-defense techniques may be rarely implemented in EP work, but when they are, they are a matter of life or death and one had better be highly proficient in them.

A Bodyguards background often defines their ideology in relation to Protection work. LEO’s, Military personnel or martial artists usually have very defined experiences and perspectives and this often forms the basis of their philosophical approach to providing Protection.

As a former power athlete, boxer and bouncer who started my protection career under the mentorship of some very accomplished ‘street fighters’ I know I’ve always had a bias towards Protection Agents who are fit, powerful and proficient exponents of un-armed combat.

I’m sure this explains my affinity with Damon Paine.

Damon, apart from being a highly intelligent and analytical student of all matters pertaining to providing Personal Protection, has come from a background of mixed martial arts and has been a participant in countless incidents of real world physical conflict and violence.

Damon, like most fighters, has a physicality and presence that sends other men definite signals, an obvious reminder that manners and politeness can be illusory and that the ‘rule of the cave’ is still highly relevant.

As I am frequently asked what is the best form of self-defense training/techniques for EP work I thought a discussion on H2H combat with Damon would be enlightening.

Being an old school guy I’ve always made boxing the foundation of my H2H training. I believe there is simply nothing else out there that gives you the KO power, speed of hands, head defense and ability to deal with multiple attackers that boxing gives you.
Whilst not perfect I believe it’s the most important pillar in a fighter or BG’s un-armed combat skill set. However, Damon with his far more contemporary viewpoint may have a different opion…








Damon, a lot of people don’t seem to realize the difference between ‘Sports Related Violence’, Choreographed martial arts nonsense, “Hollywood Violence” and REAL world violence.

“Learning martial arts in a dojo or school is a great way of being exposed to controlled aggression in a sterile environment. You are able to learn, practice and apply techniques in a repetitive systematic approach with fully and semi compliant opponents there for the same reason, to learn. Problems begin with Instructors imparting knowledge with little or no real word application preaching it as gospel to a class full of eager students captivated but the mysticism of their ancient art. These same students then walk from their class over confidant and under skilled for a real world scenario.

The next level of learning and applying your chosen skill set is in a combative sport setting like boxing, Muay Thai and so on. Even though this is a great platform to test not only your ability to apply your knowledge you are also able to test your endurance, ability to take punishment and heart. However In the ring you have a known quantity, the techniques that will be used, the style of your opponent, length of the fight and the knowledge that you will only be allowed to sustain so much damage before you will have the fight stopped and professional medical attention applied. This is not so when facing real world violence.

We all know that flashing lights, fast movement, big noises and shiny things attract our attention. This is the same with the fighting techniques portrayed in the movie industry with the main concern being box-office ratings and selling theatre tickets. Techniques used are choreographed, shot over and over until the director is satisfied and presented by stunt actors with decades of training in the presence of professional fight choreographers. This gives the audience the illusion of seamless technique and sensational action.

However, in real world situations, you, unlike your favorite action star are not going to be able to wear a baseball bat to the body then proceed to pull of the perfect jumping spinning back kick.

Uncontrolled violence with the threat of serious injury or even death causes the Amygdala or primal part of the brain to take charge. This has a number of physiological effects the dictate the actual techniques that you are physically able to use. Gone in most part are your fine motor skills and ability to pull of complex multi step techniques. What you are left with is a dump of adrenaline, blood rushing from all non-necessary body functions to major muscles and a primal urge to fight, flee or freeze. With training and exposure to this type of violence you are able to control and channel these effects as well as gain back some control of finer motor skills, peripheral vision and breathing thus allowing you to take advantage of all the weapons in your arsenal.

Unlike in the dojo opponents are not semi compliant, predictable or will to slow down their attack to let you get that technique of you have been dying to try. There is no referee to step, no limit to the amount physical harm you face or professional medical attention standing close by to assist. They are an unknown quantity out to inflict untold damage to you so as to achieve an objective. The only known components are you are there and have to be a participant in the events that are about to unfold so as to be able to survive and hopefully take control of the outcome”.

Those that haven’t been involved in real world violent encounters often aren’t aware of the ARIES (Autonomic Response In Extreme Stress) concept. Could you further explain the problems associated with this and ways to minimize the effect?

“The extreme stress of an imminent threat of injury or death, or the stress of being tasked with protecting another party from imminent serious injury or death, can have some profound effects on an operative. These affects are both physical and emotional, ranging in severity dependent on a number of factors. These include the operative’s perception of the seriousness of the threat, their exposure to and experience with violence as well as their confidence in their preparation to deal with it. Understanding what may occur when faced with extremely stressful situations will help combat self-doubt and more importantly recognize key indicators and not hesitate in the moment of need.
The activation of the Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS) distinguishes this type of stress, resulting in an immediate discharge of stress hormones. This "mass discharge" is designed to prepare the body for fight-or-flight by directing energy and resources for action. This activation is automatic and virtually uncontrollable, the autonomic nervous system (ANS) operates below the level of consciousness controlling visceral (internal organ) functions. Therefore you can expect such responses as: Increased blood pressure and flow to larger muscles (enhanced gross motor skills) tunnel vision, auditory exclusion, loss of fine and complex motor control, irrational behaviour, the inability to think clearly and in more extreme situations the loss of bladder and bowl control.
Remember these are all ARIES and not a result of you being a coward or scared because for example you lost bladder control. It’s your ANS redirecting resources and energy from your digestive system to your muscles thus causing the bladder release. An excellent book that goes into far more depth on this subject is On Combat by LT Col Dave Grossman which I highly recommend reading.
I believe the only way to truly minimize the effects of ARIES is through conditioning and stress inoculation. You need to step out of the comfort zone and get exposed to some real world violence. How you ever noticed how paramedics remain calm and work efficiently at a horrific traffic accident when others are going into shock or have lost all ability to be useful. This is because it is their job; they constantly train for it and are exposed to the horrors of this type of carnage on a regular basis. The same can be said for EP operatives, it my job to deal with violence and threats to safety and life I need to understand it, anticipate it, and be able to operate effectively when confronted by it.
I was fortunate enough many years ago to come across a book by Geoff Thompson called “Watch My Back”. All the stories aside the one part of the book that stuck in the back of my mind was his reason for getting into bouncing. Having been humiliated in front of his children in a random act of violence and having a bleak existence he decides to fight back. He puts himself in the one place he knows he will be exposed to violence “Clubs” thus gains the experience and confidence to stand his ground. Ever since I have tried to do the same”.

In your experience what are the techniques and styles that are most effective for real world violence and also the most time efficient for an EP agent that has many different skills and disciplines to maintain?

“One of the most important skills to have in this industry is the ability to take an objective look at your abilities and build on your weaknesses. The biggest problem I see with a lot of people entering violent situations is the gap between perception and reality. Is the perception of your abilities anywhere close to the actual reality of your abilities and are you about to find out the hard way. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but that fight you had with the school bully or 6 months of boxing training you had 10yrs ago is just not going to cut it. The most important skill you can have going into a violent situation is the realistic confidence in you abilities and preparation to be able to survive what you are about to endure.

I never go into a situation with the misguided notion I am going to come out of it unscathed and uninjured. I do however go in knowing I have done everything I could to face the challenge, do my job to the best of my abilities and do whatever it takes to ensure mine, and the survival of whoever I am protecting. In my experience real world violence can only effectively be faced with preparation, conditioning and the efficient use of whatever resource is at hand to cause the maximum damage with the minimum effort.

Style’s I have concentrated my training around include Muay Thai, Boxing, JiuJitsu, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Arnis (Filipino Knife work). I have found the techniques and styles suited to my needs and body mechanics. All these styles also afford you the opportunity to spar and fight thus testing your abilities all be it in a sterile environment. I would recommend doing as many different martial arts and combinations of, taking what works for you and building upon it through constant repetition and application”.

Jeff Cooper once stated that the WILL to prevail was more important than the SKILL to prevail in combat. Do you agree?

“I agree 100%.

I have faced opponents that have had more skills, more power or the advantage of knowing the environment, strength in numbers or a combination of all of the above. My advantage has always been the will to be the last man standing using whatever I had at my disposal. Be this fitness, power, technique, speed, my surroundings or sheer dominate aggression to ensure maximum damage to my opponent in the quickest time with minimal effort. Unless you come across a seasoned street fighter, most assailants are not prepared to face the same brutality and violence as they inflict on their victim. When confronted with this most assailants are stunned or hesitate and try to process the possible consequences of continuing with their current course of action.

As reacting is never as fast as attacking, you now have the opportunity to place your assailant on the back foot launching your own attack whilst he / she is in the moment of hesitation or shock. Whether this be to facilitate an expedient retreat, buy time until backup arrives or render the assailant no longer a threat depends on you and your situation. The will to prevail is what will keep you going long after you have expended that initial adrenalin dump, used all your favorite techniques and reached the point of exhaustion”.

Over the past 20 years with the growing popularity of grappling and mixed martial arts there has been an increased emphasis on ground fighting techniques in self defense training. The rational given for this is that most fights end up on the ground. However, as most fights start while you are on your feet shouldn’t the emphasis be techniques that prevent the fight from going to the ground, especially in relation to EP work?

“I started my training with boxing and Muay Thai and up until 1993 I would have fully agreed with you on this. However since having trained and fought in Brazil and the USA against some world-class BBJ and Greco Roman wrestlers my view has changed. As an EP operative you don’t want to be rolling on the ground positioning an assailant into triangle choke as your principal is left unprotected. You do however need to understand the ground game and have some skills to be able to defend against it been used on you.

Having experience in grappling will give you the added advantage of being able to read shoots; counter hip throws and arm drags. As well as hopefully reverse any submissions or disadvantageous positions if caught unaware and fighting of your back. I personally try my best not to strike assailants while working preferring to use their momentum to facilitate a throw, takedown or if time and circumstances permits some joint manipulation and pain compliance. My clients don’t pay to watch me fight but keep the principal safe so if need be Ill shield the client and remove them from the area. There is no room in this industry for ego so if all that happens is I wear a few strikes but my client is safe and not splashed all over the media I have done my job”.

Yes, I have to admit that a throw, takedown or a slam into a wall is just as effective a fight stopper as a KO punch. In interpersonal combat, trauma is caused to the human body in two ways; crushing and cutting. Although we tend to think of crushing injuries mainly being caused by movement into contact inflicted by a strike from fists, feet, elbows, knees or cranium, a wall or floor can be even more terminally effective.
How should a 50-year-old EP agent or a less powerful agent prepare to or fight a younger or more powerful, athletic opponent?

“Although youth and strength are valuable assets in violent confrontations they are only two of many. Some of the fittest and most dangerous fighters I know are older and not as strong as myself. What they have lost in age they have gained in experience and skill. What they lack in strength they make up for in efficiency and will power. However this is not the norm, as most people get older they lose drive, power and fitness. Therefore the challenge of facing a younger, stronger assailant is a daunting task.

As an EP operative it is in you and your clients best interest that you maintain a level of fitness and skills to be able to deal with a physical confrontation if need be. It’s a numbers game 99% of the time you will never need to get physical with anyone while providing protection. However banking on the fact that it won’t happen is leaving you and your client open for embarrassment, potential injury and a worst-case scenario of death. You don’t need to be ready for a heavy weight title fight, but you do need to be confident in the knowledge you are in the best physical shape and done everything possible to deal with a violent physical situation”.

What is your usual physical training regime?

“As I am constantly traveling my physical training regime is anything but usual. I take every possible opportunity given to me to train as I may have an extended period in between sessions. All my training however is high intensity with little or no recovery time included. Most of my session range from 45 to 60min nonstop and depending on where I am include weights, running, bag work, grappling, cross fit, pack hikes or a combination of activities.

I am also a firm believer of training in what you will be working in. In say that I do not put on my best suit to do ten rounds on the heavy bag, instead I will wear clothes and a jacket equally as restrictive to movement. Grappling with an assailant takes on a whole new dimension when you not only have to be concerned with being struck but also weapon retention. Therefore I will do all my prior training using the same kit, as I will on the job”.

And what advice would you give to Female BG’s in relation to H2H combat?

“Female operatives like any male operative facing a much larger, stronger and more aggressive attacker should focus on inflicting as much damage as possible to soft tissue areas such as the eyes and throat. This can be with strikes, gouges or even biting”!

Bangkok Dangerous....

BANGKOK DANGEROUS
By Terry James

Bangkok, Thailand. 2006.


On the night of September 19th whilst working a protective assignment Hans van Beuge was closely watching his client walk along a darkened street in downtown Bangkok.
All of a sudden, several shadowy figures, all carrying AK 47’s emerged from a laneway and moved rapidly towards his client. As they started to initiate their attack he approvingly watched his Principal draw a Glock pistol, transition into a modified weaver stance and terminate the threat with several rapid, well aimed shots.

Hans was calmly observing the proceedings and not participating because his client, a well known actor, was performing in a scene for an action movie being filmed on location.
Hans was satisfied that through extensive planning and preparation his client was safe and secure.

A few minutes later the presence of many other heavily armed men on the streets of Bangkok would put this confidence to the test.

Protecting a client traveling abroad presents challenges to a security operation. When it is a third world country that is also politically unstable you are faced with additional considerations.

Hans says, “Thomas A. Taylor the author of ‘Dodging Bullets’, the definitive work on Protection methodology and philosophy, recalls in his book an interview with Lewis Merletti the former director of the United States Secret Service. Merletti was asked where the President was safest. His response was “everywhere he goes because of what we do”.
Taylor recounts that Merletti explained that although most people would expect the President to be safest at the White House, by taking a holistic approach to security the Secret Service replicated that security level wherever the President was.

This is the protective philosophy and mindset you have to bring to the planning phase of an operation says Hans. “No matter where your client goes you have to ensure that the environment around the Principal has been made safe for him to travel through.”

“Protecting a famous individual amongst crowds in a third world country does present some unique challenges” says Hans. “After conducting an initial threat assessment, our team put a lot of time into implementing ways to avoid or manage any hazard posed to our client.

In Personal Protection, the Threat/Risk Assessment is the foundation of all aspects of the protective effort. “ We are in the risk reduction business, our objective is to assess all potential risks posed to our client and implement strategies and apply tactics to negate them” says Hans.

“The Threat Assessment takes into consideration political and socio-economic factors from a current and historical context right through to terrorist threats, organized criminal activity, street crime, accommodation, transportation, health, hygiene, emergency medical facilities and the availability of essential goods.”

“We are concerned with anything that may impact the total wellbeing of our client and the smooth running of his daily routine” says Hans.
“The client’s safety is reliant on the decisions you make and the advice you give him, so it’s very important to have done your research. “

In regards to this assignment Hans was particulary concerned about the increasingly frequent terror attacks in the south of Thailand.
Since 2004, separatist in Thailand‘s south had carried out daily attacks including road side bombings and drive by shootings from motorcycles.

“We made the decision that we would definitely not be traveling to the south of Thailand due to the increase in insurgent activity” says Hans.
A decision that proved prudent when in late August, twenty-two banks were bombed in a coordinated attack in the Yala province.

‘Thailand is also regarded as a holiday spot for members of Jemaah Islamiyah. Several high ranking members have been arrested in Bangkok. We felt it would be important for our client to maintain as low a profile as possible so as not to be a target of opportunity” says Hans.


There had also been growing unrest in Bangkok against the perceived corruption of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his ruling Thai Rak Thai party.

“We assessed that given the growing dissent against the Prime Minister and considering that Thailand has had 18 Military coups d’etat (a sudden forced change of government) since 1932, military intervention seemed imminent”.

“When a coup happens there can often be a clash between opposing armed factions and violence can spill out into the community. However, in Thailand, most coups have been non-violent affairs so we felt as long as we had certain contingencies in place the risk was acceptable.”

Hans engaged the Thai Special Branch Police in the protection of his client. The hiring of Police in Thailand for private protection is an accepted part of the system there. “We had three Special Branch officers and two Police Motorcycle officers working with us around the clock. Apart from the obvious help in providing added security layers to motorcade and location security they also greatly facilitated moving us through Bangkok’s congested traffic. This not only saves an enormous amount of traveling time but also reduces the vulnerability that a stationary motorcade poses.”

Hans also developed contacts within the Thai Military Directorate of Intelligence. As in most third world countries real power tends to lie in the hands of the Military rather than the Police. The Police are a valuable asset to have but having contacts within the Military gives greater dimension to your intelligence gathering capabilities.

Hans claims that whilst traveling abroad making contact with friendly Western Embassies will also greatly assist the protective effort. Making contact with the duty officers will reward you with updates on the political situation of the country involved and developments within the region in general.

“A couple of weeks after we arrived there was an assassination attempt against Prime Minister Thaksin. We were still confident there would be no major civil unrest but we certainly increased our options to help facilitate any unscheduled departure”.

“We had obtained Sat phones so that we had communications in case of a breakdown in the telecommunication system. Arrangements had been made for the client to be immediately taken to one of several safe havens (including Embassies) if the situation warranted. We had air, land and water options on standby for an immediate evacuation if needed.

On the night of the 19th September, filming had only just started when Hans received a phone call from a Thai military contact. His contact informed him that tanks and heavy armor were moving out of their barracks and into the city which was a likely precursor to a coup.

Hans immediately briefed his client. He advised him against being out in the streets especially as they were filming scenes that involved firing weapons.

“With a large number of troops and armor descending into the city, all of whom would be apprehensive about encountering opposition, I didn’t want my client running around with a gun in his hand while stuntmen were firing full auto weapons at him .Although I was only concerned about my client’s safety, my client was more concerned about the safety of the film crew and the other actors.”

The client requested that the production cease work for the evening and instructed the crew to return to the safety of their homes.

“After my client was satisfied that the crew were going to be safe, I managed to finally evacuate him back to his accommodation.”

Hans had been utilizing both vehicular and boat transportation whilst in Bangkok, varying the means for security and convenience.

As their Hotel fronted onto the main river in Bangkok, anytime the film set happened to be near a waterway they had a boat on standby as an additional option.
“We were filming on streets adjacent to the river that night so we utilized the boat to avoid the military presence on the streets.”

After consultations with the duty officers at several embassies Hans decided it was prudent for his client to leave the country. Less than three hours after the tanks rolled into Bangkok the client and his family was safely on their way to a politically stable neighboring country.
Hans determined the risk of civil unrest to be low but had other factors to consider including the possible disruption to the client’s and his families future schedule.
We had to consider the possibility of the Military junta shutting down airspace and as my client had commitments in Europe in the next fortnight
it was imperative to have his travel options under our control


As events unfolded over the next 24 hours it seemed that General Sonthi’s coup would be bloodless.
The highly revered constitutional monarch King Bhumibol Adulyadej gave his blessing to the military junta.
“The Kings word carries the weight of divine mandate as far as the Thai people are concerned”, says Hans.’’ Once he endorsed the actions of the coup leaders the chance of violence happening was extremely remote.”

Hans advised his client that it would be safe and convenient to return to Thailand and for the production to resume work. Filming finished uneventfully four weeks later.

Hans advises that a Threat Assessment is not static. It has to be a fluid entity changing and evolving as more information comes to hand and as situations change.

“When in a foreign country it is essential for a protective agent to take the time to cultivate local contacts. The ongoing intelligence gathering and liaison building with local authorities really pay’s off. Good, on the ground human intelligence greatly assists you with monitoring and predicting potential problems within the local environment.”

“As my colleague Paul Jordan, one of the worlds most experienced HRE specialists always emphasizes, when faced with any obstacle, you must adapt and overcome”. Comprehensive planning makes it easier to adapt to any event as you have already anticipated it happening.

Prepare, prevent and protect it’s as simple as that”, say’s Hans

Adaptive Mental Health Theory...

The Tomorrow Man Theory.

Today, you are who you are.

Tomorrow you will be who you will be.

Each and every night we lay down to die, and each and every morning we arise, reborn.

Those who are in good spirits with strong mental health, they look out for their Tomorrow Man.

They eat right today, they drink right today, they go to sleep early today, all for Tomorrow Man, so when he awakes in his bed reborn as Today Man, he thanks Yesterday Man.
He looks upon him fondly as a child might a good parent.
He knows that someone – himself – was looking out for him.
He feels cared for and respected. Loved. And now he has a legacy to pass on to his subsequent selves.

But those who are in a bad way, with poor mental health, they constantly leave messes for Tomorrow Man to clean up. They eat whatever they want, drink like the night will never end and then fall asleep to forget.. They don’t respect Tomorrow Man because they don’t think through the fact that Tomorrow Man will be them. So then they wake up new Today Man, groaning at the disrespect Yesterday Man showed them. Wondering why does that guy – myself – keep punishing me? But they never learn and instead come to settle for that behavior, learning to ask and expect nothing of themselves. They pass along these same bad traits tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow and it becomes psychologically genetic, like a curse. They are constantly trying to fix what Yesterday Man did to them but you can’t fix the mistakes of Yesterday Man. Yesterday Man is dead, he’s gone forever, and blame and atonement aren’t worth a damn. What you can do is help yourself today. Eat fresh food, drink plenty of water, exercise, meditate and go to bed early. Leave Tomorrow man with something more than a headache and a jam-packed colon.

Do for Tomorrow Man what you would have wanted Yesterday Man do for you!

Courtesy to Chuck Hogan.