April 2005           www.isca.org.il

Dear subscriber,

We hope you'll enjoy the first edition of our "monthly magazine".

Every month we will publish professional articles dealing with various issues which made the headlines, and the latest development within the academy.

Based on ISCA's rich experience and knowledge we hope to contribute to struggle against global terror and organized crime.

Stay safe

You can sense it. There's an air of extreme confidence exuded by Ran Cohen and Gabriel Shai. Cohen, a former Israel security forces specialist in tracking, intelligence gathering, and security around the world, knows exactly how evil-doers weave their webs, and where to find them. Shai, a General Security Services (GSS) former officer, who has dealt in security training and implementation, and is an expert in Operational Krav Maga, the Israeli system of unarmed combat,  knows just how to destroy those evil-doers, once they're found. The two have had illustrious careers in the Israeli defense forces. Shai acted on behalf of Israel 's government in security services and in fighting terror, both as a trainer and an active combatant, in Israel and around the world. Cohen served in an Israel Police special operations unit, and then as a GSS security officer, where he worked for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' worldwide security network.

Gabriel (Gabi) Shai		Ran Cohen

 

After retiring from public service, Cohen and Shai each made the decision to found companies specialized in defense and security planning for strategic facilities at high-tech companies, mines, oil wells,  and electric power providers, and in training government agencies and units  specializing in personal security, counterterrorism, drug enforcement and battling  organized crime. When the two met, they decided to merge their complementary abilities and experience to provide a one- stop answer to the worldwide increase in security needs in the public, private and business sectors.

Together, they set up the International Security and Counter Terrorism Academy (ISCA). Through this institution, which provides consulting and training services to customers in Israel and abroad, Cohen and Shai convey a wealth of knowledge gleaned from the best instructors in the business, about how to provide security and defend against terror.

Shai says that advanced technology has created a tendency in many organizations to discount the importance of the human element, which is actually the central factor in any security network. ISCA'sconcept of counter-terrorism puts an emphasis on that human element. When fighting terror, Cohen explains, there are three traditional main elements:  Deterrence, Identification and Reaction.

This hierarchy was true until suicide bombers appeared on the scene,” Shai says. “Between you and me, there is no deterring a fundamentalist who's decided kill himself for a cause, and take as many people as possible with him. That's why the emphasis in counter-terrorism has shifted to identification. And that's where our school of thought comes into play”.

The methodology created by Shai and Cohen rests on the basic assumption that every act of violence requires prior collection of data. Says Cohen: “Even if a drug addict wants to snatch an old lady's purse as she's exiting the bank, he has to gather information. In his case, it may only take one minute, while in other cases, such as planning a terror attack, it may take many months. But in any case, with the proper training, it's possible to detect unusual behavior patterns.”

The idea, therefore, is to provide the security person in the field with all the tools and skills necessary. This way, they can combine a variety of elements -- sociological, cultural, and geographical and others -- to detect the enemy's possible plans, and take action accordingly. Shai: “You don't have to be a master strategist, or a seasoned warrior. After our training, all a security person has to do, if they Suspect someone, is ask a few banal questions, and that person, that data-collector, and may perceive this as undue attention or even exposure. This may deter them from pursuing their activity”.

According to Cohen, the security person can't always prevent a suicide bomber from acting, but they can assist by catching data-gatherers in the act, and turning this useful information over to the authorities. This information may help by putting the defense system on a higher alert level, discouraging the planners, reducing the amount of collateral damage by early detection of the bomber, and taking appropriate measures during the planning stages of an attack.

ISCA's concept of having field personnel conduct early detection forms the basis of Cohen and Shai's planned presentation for providing security to the 2008 Olympic games in Beijing . “Our concept reduces the cost of defense, on one hand, but makes it more effective, on the other”, Shai explains

According to the ISCA school of thought, counter-terrorism based on the human element must be implemented in the commercial sector as well, say Cohen and Shai. Cohen: “You can invest $50 million in the world's most advanced data security system, but if your cleaning staff throws out your trash in the wrong place, or intentionally puts it into unfriendly hands in exchange for some sort of favor, your organization's level of security will be horribly compromised, and no computer program or technology will be able to tell that any damage was done”.

“That's why enterprise security must be, first and foremost, based on handling the human element”, Cohen continues. “We analyze an enterprise, locate the weak points, and simulate possible actions the enemy might take using a plan of attack.  After we discover all possible points of entry, we submit a plan of action to complement the technology.”

ISCA has made its concepts and services available to enterprises interested in plugging security leaks at the highest level, as well as crime fighting and anti-terror organizations, such as the various homeland security initiatives in different countries, as well as police, security and rescue forces. Cohen and a team of ISCA lecturers are currently preparing to attend a conference on the subject of suicide bombers hosted by the Pennsylvania State Police Academy .

 Do you feel that being Israeli gives you an advantage?

Shai: “Of course, our unfortunate experience dealing with terrorism gives us an significant advantage. But it's important to note that even though Israel has a wealth of knowledge that is very much  in demand, what works in Israel may not always work somewhere else. Other places have a different way of thinking, pace of life, and level of awareness. That's why our deployment -- which stresses the human element -- has to take all of these factors into account, and be tailored to local problems and mind-sets”.

Privacy Policy