Oil industry workers can protect themselves against dangerous attacks with training and awareness.

Abu Sayyaf rebels captured 21 hostages, mostly Europeans, during terrorist attack at the Pulao Sipidan Resort in the Philippines. These hostages endured months of captivity until they were released for a reported ransom of US $1 million per hostage.
Due to good intelligence and surveillance, the terrorists kidnapped the hostages and escaped in less than five minutes during the April 23, 2000, raid. That's just one example in a world where terrorist attacks seem almost commonplace.
Terrorist attacks against US citizens rose 43% in 1999, according to the US State Department publication "Patterns of Global Terrorism."
Colombia averages 2,000 kidnappings a year. Last year 91 terrorist attacks took place against US interests in Colombia. The State Department reported 20 attacks occurred against US interests in Greece in 1999. Travel warnings are in place for the Persian Gulf, the Arabian Peninsula and Turkey because the State Department has indications of planned terrorist operations against US interests.
A major oil company operating in West Africa reported more than 300 incidents against contractors and staff in Nigeria. More than 100 of those incidents involved hostage taking, and 20 more were armed robberies. In 1999, the US ambassador to Cameroon was pistol-whipped in Yaounde.
Kidnapping has become a multibillion-dollar business, and even junior employees are potential targets. The following attacks shed light on the need for corporations to improve their security measures and provide their junior and senior executives with professional terrorism prevention training.
Nov. 17, 2000 - A car bomb explodes in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, killing a British engineer and injuring his wife hours before the start of an oil conference led by western oil companies.
May 2000 - A small bomb explodes at the office of a US computer giant in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Dec. 2, 1999 - Terrorists launch a rifle-grenade attack against a major US oil company headquarters in Manila, Philippines.
September 1999 - A US oil company bus is fired upon, and a US-funded health clinic is burned in Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia.
These incidents are important to oil-company representatives because Western interests and executives of Western countries often are targeted for terrorist acts and kidnapping. Most terrorists believe petroleum companies can pay the highest ransoms and are also the leading cause of economic inequality in developing nations. Attacks against US facilities provide terrorist organizations with notoriety and often the support of the local populace.
If a profit is to be made in foreign markets, corporations must create a safe and secure environment to retain quality personnel who are willing to work and travel abroad.
Often corporations feel the best way to prevent terrorism and violent crime is to increase the number of guards and purchase expensive security devices. Although these measures are helpful, costs usually far outweigh the benefits. Most of the time a change in operational procedures is much more cost-effective and far more secure. A good security consultant can assess and improve the operating procedures of the facility's security.
Providing existing guards with more training is more effective than hiring additional guards with inadequate training. This limits the payroll while reducing the potential liability incurred from incidents involving inadequately trained guards. Training a local guard force overseas can prevent a potential attack. Local criminals will be less likely to attack a facility once they learn the local guards have been professionally trained.
In addition, every employee, from the receptionist to the chief executive officer, should receive training that focuses on understanding the overall concept of terrorism and violent crime. When corporations create a security-minded culture within the company, they exponentially increase security while decreasing the potential for incidents. Often this security-minded culture can aid in loss prevention.
Most importantly, junior and senior executives traveling and working abroad should receive formal training in terrorism and kidnapping prevention. The US policy is not to negotiate with terrorists, including kidnappers. This makes it very difficult to recover victims held captive.
Contrary to what one usually sees in the movies, becoming a black belt and an expert shooter is not the best way to avoid becoming a victim. The best way is to incorporate prevention into your daily life. Although these steps are by no means a substitute for a professional course in terrorism prevention, they will aid in the safety of domestic and international travelers.
Preplan travel routes and war-game the "what if." Plan the route you will travel to the office and what route you will use to return to the hotel. Do not take the same route to and from the hotel. Look at your planned routes on a map. Think about what actions you will take if attacked at a traffic light in a busy intersection. Where will you be most vulnerable to attacks from pedestrian aggressors? What actions will you take for such attacks? Always vary your routes.
Refrain from late nights and large amounts of alcohol. Alcohol diminishes one's ability to think and lowers awareness levels. It also impairs coordination and motor skills. Terrorists and common criminals will use this as an opportunity to attack. An intoxicated person is easy prey. Late-night outings afford terrorists an ideal strike because there are few activities on the street that could accidentally foil a well-planned attack. Criminals will strike late at night because there are few witnesses, and those that may witness probably will be intoxicated.
Ensure that only a select few have your travel plans. When traveling overseas, the fewer people who know about your itinerary the better. If terrorists know when and where you are traveling, they can begin planning points of attack. The select few should know every travel and meeting detail. Checkpoints should be incorporated, and call-backs should be made. For example, if a flight lands at 7 a.m. and a meeting starts at 8 a.m., a call should be made from the meeting site to inform others that you have arrived at the meeting. This way, if you are attacked or kidnapped en route, authorities can be notified promptly. When a call-back plan is not in place, an attack could occur at 7:35 a.m., and no one would be concerned because your staff would think you are in the meeting. The people you are to meet would assume your flight was delayed or traffic was heavy.
Vary your travel routes and travel times. This cannot be stressed enough. Establish several different routes to all necessary destinations. Choose routes randomly. Don't set a pattern of driving an alternate route on a particular day. For example, don't drive route A on Tuesdays and route C on Thursdays. Vary your travel times also. Don't leave the hotel at 8:30 a.m. every day. Randomly change your work hours to further break your travel pattern.
Enter and exit through different doors at different times. Whether leaving the hotel, office or a usual meeting place, try to avoid a pattern of entering through one door and exiting the same way. Also attempt to alternate the use of a particular entrance or exit. When an individual uses the same entry and exit point, it is much easier for a terrorist to conduct surveillance. An individual can be placed near the entrance and observe all movement and movement times. When a potential victim uses different locations to enter and exit, it requires the terrorist to dedicate more people to surveillance. This increases the chances of detection. The necessity for extra surveillance may be enough to cause a terrorist to choose another target instead of you.
Never travel with business luggage tags or conspicuous documentation containing your professional title or other vital information. This information tells a terrorist or kidnapper that you hold a high position in a company or that you possess a great deal of wealth. Keep in mind a great deal of wealth in many countries is a lot lower than what an oil-company executive might consider to be great wealth. If a kidnapper or terrorist lives in a third-world country with an average income of $1,000 per year, a hostage with the ability to pay even a small sum of $20,000 would be a huge payoff for this terrorist. Leave the Rolex and the expensive briefcase at home as well.
Keep a travel briefcase that doesn't appear expensive or contain vital personal or corporate information. Over time a briefcase tends to gather documents and personal effects not necessary in the daily conduct of business. By using a separate briefcase for travel, the potential to carry vital personal and corporate information not necessary during travel is eliminated. This will protect the company and your loved ones if the briefcase is stolen or you become a hostage.
Travel with a buddy when possible. The old adage "Safety in numbers" also applies to terrorism prevention. When traveling with other members of the company, it is always best to coordinate to dine, shop and travel with a minimum of two people. If a terrorist observes that a kidnap operation will involve two victims, the need for more terrorists becomes an issue. This equates to a greater chance of being detected and more problems in the conduct of the attack. Traveling in pairs could cause a terrorist to seek other targets.
Interact with hotel staff and local restaurant workers. It doesn't require much effort to be respectful, polite and appreciative, but the rewards can be astronomical. Any time a person is perceived as a kind human being instead of just another traveler, it becomes more difficult for hotel staff and others to divulge information about him or her. Just be sure not to divulge personal information when talking with others.
Observe activities, people and vehicles. Keep a log. No terrorist attack is conducted without surveillance. Be aware of your surroundings. Make note of any person or thing that doesn't seem to belong. An entire article could be dedicated to this subject alone, and a professional course is suggested.
Never sit in an aisle seat when traveling by plane or bus. Aisle seats are more comfortable but for international flights they are a greater risk if a plane is skyjacked. When terrorists need a hostage for photo opportunities or executions, they will more than likely pull someone from the aisle instead of trying to drag a hostage from a window seat. Women in aisle seats run a greater risk of being sexually assaulted, as well.
Living by the key word "prevention" will enable you to take precautions while traveling abroad. These precautions will enable you to visit another country and enjoy the scenery and activities it provides. You can limit the risk and enjoy yourself in almost any environment, and attending a professional training course will further decrease the risk.