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Terrorist groups and organized crime cartels pose an increasing threat of kidnapping throughout many regions in the word. At the same time, international travel has become more commonplace for both business and leisure purposes. Kidnapping and Abduction: Minimizing the Threat and Lessons in Survival provides a practical guide on the precautions travelers can take to avoid being kidnapped or derail a kidnapping attempt in progress. In the event this cannot be avoided, the book supplies advice on how to ensure survival during captivity.
Readers will learn:
The basic elements of kidnapping and abduction
The motivations and mechanisms of kidnappers
The hotspots where kidnapping/hostage taking is prevalent
Vehicles best suited for avoidance of kidnap threat and proposals for up-armoring an existing vehicle
How to recognize immediate threats and precautions to be taken in assessing threat level
The types of weapons most favored by kidnappers and their threat level
Available bullet-resistant materials and their use in stab- and bullet-resistant vests
Resistance methodologies and weapons for self-defense
Legislation in various countries pertaining to the carrying of weapons
How to survive long-term abduction if kidnapped
How to best assist the authorities once released
Essential reading for anyone living, doing business, or traveling abroad or at sea, this practical handbook reveals tactics that best enable those vulnerable to protect against an attack-or in the worse-case scenario, increase their chances for survival.
List of contents
Introduction. Abduction or Kidnapping, the Legal Definition. Intent. The Money Factor. Varying Laws. Demographic Distribution of Kidnap Incidents. Latin America. Asia. Africa. The Middle East. The United States of America. Other Western Countries. Kidnapping by Terrorists. Attack Recognition and Personal Security Strategies. General Security Tips. Vehicle Selection. Tipper Truck. 4 × 4. SUV. Pickup Truck. Saloon. Armoring a Vehicle against Small Arms Fire. History. Mechanism of Bullet-Resistant Materials. Up-Armoring the Bodywork of a Vehicle. Bullet-Resistant Transparent Materials. Modern Developments in Transparent Bullet-Resistant Materials. Up-Armoring the Glass in a Vehicle. Fully Armored Vehicles. Defensive Driving. Basics. Additional Precautions. Tactical Driving. Three Basic Rules of Defensive Driving. Using the Vehicle as a Battering Ram. General Tips for Driving Awareness and Safety. Specialized Driving Techniques. Self-Defense Strategies. Self-Defense Concepts. Universal Flinch Theory. Strategies for Self-Protection. Abduction by Car. Restraints. Be Observant. Escape and Recapture. Dealing with an Abductor’s Weapon. Kidnapping from Ships, Oil Rigs, and Industrial Plants. Kidnapping from Tankers, Ships, and Yachts. Nonlethal Countermeasures to Deter Pirates. Lethal Countermeasures. Ammunition Selection for Shotguns. Oil and Gas Rigs. Personal Protection: Body Armor. Bullet-Resistant Vests. History. Mechanism of Bullet-Resistant Materials. Standards for BRV Threat Levels. Considerations to Be Taken When Choosing a BRV. Personal Protection: Weapons. Personal (Rape) Alarm. Telescopic Steel Baton. Tear Gas. Tear Gas Sprays. Tear Gas Guns. Stun Guns. Firearms. Weapon Type Selection. Selection of Caliber and Weapon. Weapons Likely to Be Used by Kidnappers and Terrorists. Small Arms. Other Weapons Likely to Be Utilized in a Kidnap Situation. Survival on Being Kidnapped. Obse
About the author
Brian J. Heard is an internationally chartered chemist with a degree in analytical chemistry and a post-graduate diploma in forensic science from the British Forensic Science Society. He is a former deputy head of the New Scotland Yard Forensic Firearms Examination Laboratory where he was part of the armed response and hostage team and trained as a negotiator for hostage, suicide, and other armed and unarmed incidents. He spent 20 years as a Royal Hong Kong Police Force ballistics officer prior to serving as the Director of the Hong Kong Police Forensic Firearms Examination Bureau. Awarded numerous medals for his work in Hong Kong, he has also published seven books on ballistics, firearms, and other topics.
Summary
This book reveals the precautions travelers can take to avoid being kidnapped or derail a kidnapping attempt in progress.
