SPECIAL PROJECTS DIVISION- SpaceTech

OPERATION MOON DUST:

Manufacturing useful products out of space materials such as moon dust,  lunar basalt and martian rocks.

OPERATION ASTERIOD DEFENCE:

Designing systems to prevent an Asteriod Apocalypse. 

SHOULD THE UK STRENGTHEN ITS PRIVATE INTELLIGENCE NETWORK

The UK government-led Intelligence Community is well established and well respected throughout the world with the Home Office, Foreign Office, National Security Council, Joint Intelligence Committee, Defence Intelligence, MI5 (Security Service), MI6 (Secret Intelligence Service), GCHQ, and the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre all working together to keep the UK, its interests and citizens safe and secure from a number of threats.  Not mentioning any specific case, it is apparent that the threats are constantly evolving and it is always a cat and mouse game against the good and the bad.

Whilst this Intelligence Network is adequately effective at managing such threats, it could easily be overwhelmed if numerous threats are targeted at the same time. The UK Private Intelligence Community is limited in size and effectiveness in assisting the UK government in combating the terrorist related threats to society on UK soil and foreign interests and could easily be expanded. There is a small number of large private intelligence agencies operating in the UK and a number of smaller private investigation agencies and sole private investigators but the contracting is business to business or specific to private individual cases.  

In comparison, the US private intelligence model is much more privately dominated where according to Shorrock. T., (2008), Spies for Hire, in the US more than half of the people working in the intelligence community are private sector contract employees, working not for the government but for dozens of private companies. Most of them are employees of large defence contractors that dominate the intelligence landscape, such as Booze Allen Hamilton, Science Applications International Corporation, (SAIC), CACI, BAE Systems, and Lockheed Martin.

The UK could follow a similar model whereby the top tier intelligence agencies contract some of the specific cases and assignments related to terror threats and risk analysis to the private sector operating in the field of private intelligence.

CAN [AND SHOULD] BUSINESSES DO MORE TO HELP TACKLE TERRORISM?

In today’s high-paced world no person is living in isolation undetected, not even terrorists, more importantly wannabe terrorists. Everyone is related to businesses in one form or another, either through employment, retail, social clubs, gyms, places of education, and even local neighbourhood watch schemes.  So, can businesses do more to monitor activities or behaviour from individuals or groups in their sphere of influence? OSINT research suggests they can.

The unemployment rates are at the lowest level since 1975 in the UK alone therefore it is more than likely that wannabe terrorists are employed by one business or another and therefore businesses could monitor suspicious behaviour or extremist views or thoughts and opinions from their employees and other stakeholders. Moreover, social clubs such as gyms, sports clubs, pubs, shops etc can likewise monitor any terror related activity from their members, clients, and customers and/or suppliers.

A Business-based Counter-Terrorist Strategy could include both overt and covert methods of approach whereby through techniques such as annual counter-terror workshops within the workplace, presentations or annual appraisals, employees are provided with a framework to periodically focus attention on the subject of terrorist activity and counter-terrorism in and out of the workplace. This should encourage employers and employees to be vigilant and inquisitive of fellow peers, colleagues or others. Communication channels can be established through the businesses to the appropriate authorities such as the local police terrorist taskforce and the counter-terrorism hotline 0800789321 which are well established at the highest level where in the UK alone nine large scale terrorist attacks have been foiled in the past 12 months (MI5, Telegraph) and the number of terror arrests have risen by 70% in a year to a record high at 379 (Independent). Surely some of the people involved in these incidences were employed or associated with business or a company in one form or another.   

It is apparent the HR department of businesses can play a key role in this business-based counter-terrorism strategy whereby potential or current employees could be vetted against terror-based activities, subversive opinions or extremist views through a simply background checklist questionnaire. As part of the business annual appraisals, every employee can be quickly assessed and private intelligence agencies such as Inquizit to help with any overt strategies regarding a specific case.  Businesses can work more closely with the private intelligence agency industry to further monitor and gather background information on potential suspects through a private intelligence counter terrorism strategy. 

HOW DO WE POLICE FALSE INTELLIGENCE AND FAKE NEWS

Fake news on social media platforms has been a hot topic in the ‘real’ news of late and there is no end in sight. It requires inquisitive analysis with human intelligence techniques to separate what is real and what is fake and it is highly irritating. We are all aware fake news can affect opinions and decisions at high levels, both politically and in business. It is unethical to distribute fake news and should taken more seriously; particularly when the impact of the influencing issues can be strategically damaging.

In the business markets fake news could result in investors buying shares and politically people could vote on an issue that otherwise they would not choose to. It is time consuming analysing what is correct and what is false intelligence. There are laws on false products and low quality services that at not to as advertised as per specification and there are counterfeit goods on sale therefore there needs to be a similar framework for managing fake news, and false intelligence. Sharing what is false information will help. For example there are LinkedIn accounts and Facebook pages claiming to be MI6 with thousands for followers and these are false and should be highlighted as fake. With regards to high impact issues the government led intelligence agencies should work together to establish a department to police this and verifying what it true should be considered with the assistance from the private intelligence community. Globally, intelligence sharing networks such as the Five Eyes Intelligence Alliance should work together to tackle this issue. Verifying the trustworthiness of intelligence from a number of sources and particularly local to the specific case is a good method to use.

STRATEGIC INTELLIGENCE REVIEW (SIR)

A Strategic Intelligence Review (SIR) is a comprehensive assessment of the strategic issues surrounding a specific case. The specific case can be anything from a business, business idea, product idea or problem, department or team, a business sector or an entire industry, a specific risk or a private investigation assignment. 

The SIR is conducted in three stages:

1. Gather Intelligence, 2. Analyse Evidence, 3. Report Findings.

1.     Gather Intelligence.

The method of gathering intelligence can be through open source means, interviews, monitoring as an overt or covert operation.

2.     Analyse Evidence.

The analysis of the evidence is carried out as part of a systematic approach using structured guidelines suitable for a profession investigation.

3.     Report Findings.

The methods of communicating the findings include written reports, meeting presentations or as any other means deemed appropriate. 

The SIR document consists of three sections:

1. Strategic Position, 2. Strategic Options/ Suggestions, 3. Strategic Implementation Plan.

1.     Strategic Position.

The Strategic Position investigates the associated environment surrounding the case. The purpose of the specific case is investigated including mission, vision, capabilities and limitations, goals and specific objectives. The key elements of the environment are analysed with regards to the drivers such as competitive forces and any causes for concern.

2.     Strategic Options/ Suggestions.

Once the Strategic Position is determined, the Strategic Options open to the specific case are identified and scored against the determinants of the strategic position.

3.     Strategic Implementation Plan.

The Strategy Implementation Plan details the recommended course of action based on the analysis of the intelligence investigation.