Kidnapping is the forceful taking away or transportation of persons against their will, or without the consent of their legal guardian. Kidnapping often includes some form of imprisonment by the captor. Kidnappings are typically associated with crime or political activists; however, they can also include instances where persons give up their freedom to religious groups (if deemed harmful), the detention of a spouse against his or her will, abducting a child during parental disputes, the abduction of a bride to marry the abductor (if against the will of her guardians), or holding hostage a person to force another to commit an act against their will (coercion). This section of the IMP is designed to outline the nature and complexity of a kidnapping and ransom event. The IMP is not designed to manage such a crisis, only to ensure first response measures are taken until the transition to specialist crisis managers can occur.
Kidnapping, detention, and extortion are now some of the fastest‐growing crimes against companies in the developing world, with around 15,000 reported incidents worldwide each year as of 2007. Kidnapping and ransom situations are highly specialized areas; they can be short‐term risk events or may last many years as captives are held for considerable amounts of time. There are two main forms of typical kidnappings: the commercial and the ideological. The commercial kidnapping is conducted purely for monetary gain; the ideological kidnapping is for political or religious reasons. In some instances, commercial and ideological rationales may overlap, with a commercial or criminal kidnapping being conducted as a means to sell captives onward to a religious or political group for financial gain, or where such groups kidnap persons to acquire funding for their cause.
Commercial kidnapping is the most common risk type and comes in various forms—from criminal opportunists who kidnap an individual from the street and make the person withdraw money from a cash machine, to fake kidnappings where families are informed that a member has been kidnapped and money is demanded for their alleged release. More organized kidnappings target wealthy persons; individuals or groups plan the kidnapping in detail, which often results in much larger release costs. It is in the interest of commercial kidnappers to release their captives after ransoms are paid in order to perpetuate the business opportunity within this criminal industry sector. Commercial kidnappings are usually shorter in duration than ideological kidnappings and more frequently result in the release of the victims. Political or religious groups might engage in kidnappings in order to make a public statement, to deter government or commercial activities, to effect the release of persons from detention, or to achieve other political or religious demands. In the worst cases, captives are killed publicly, with media releases to achieve a group's goal. Often demands are made of governments rather than corporations or families. Ideological kidnappings tend to have a longer duration, unless the planned intention is to kill the captive from the outset.
The speed and quality of decision making and the immediate actions taken in the initial stages of a kidnapping incident are likely to have a significant influence on the outcome for both the individual and the associated company. The immediate implementation of the IMP therefore can play a critical role in ensuring the safe return of the captive. A transition from the IMP activities to corporate risk management response will occur at a point when specialist kidnapping and ransom consultants can assume the management responsibilities for the incident. If operating within a hostile location, immediate notification of supporting Western or local military authorities might assist with the immediate recovery of kidnapped persons through roadblocks and quick response intercession, before the victim can be removed from the area. Key initial IMP actions taken after a kidnapping include:
§ Ensure hostage safety.
§ Use external governmental or military agencies (if appropriate).
§ Establish the company's negotiation policy.
§ Understand the ransom policy and parameters.
§ Carry out agreed policies and procedures with local authorities.
§ Ensure family support policies and measures are in place.
Companies should use only a trained specialist to undertake any negotiations with kidnappers, not general managers or corporate executives. It is important to determine a negotiation strategy in terms of whether to negotiate, make payment, or seek alternative solutions. This will be done outside of the IMP parameters. The involvement of external parties is also a factor that requires consideration, in terms of providing time for law enforcement investigation or requesting government or military support. The extent of control permitted by external parties is also an important consideration—some government agencies may impose restrictions on the involvement of other groups in the situation, and such restrictions, or indeed the participation of government, could in some instances undermine the victim's chances of safe release. In addition, often the kidnappers’ initial ransom demand is too high. It is invaluable to have experienced and trained professionals determine whether to negotiate in order to provide the company, and/or family, a measure of future protection by reducing the kidnappers’ expectations and demonstrating that no further funds will be available if the hostage is not released. For commercial kidnappings, the contingency planning policy should set a target settlement figure and the level of an initial offer.
It is important for companies to understand that it is not only the captive individual and family who are affected by a kidnapping and ransom situation; the future safety and welfare of other company employees, the reputation of the company, its ability to continue business within the kidnap environment, and the company's market image and employees’ image of the organization are also at risk. In addition, the manner in which a kidnap and ransom situation is managed may have adverse effects on the company's relationship with the host nation authorities. These requirements and considerations provide an introduction to some elements that the company's leadership should consider during a kidnapping and ransom event:
§ Verify the Kidnapping.: Company management should explore all alternative explanations, including confirming that the individual is not just late or lost and has not been in an accident.
§ Brief Personnel.: The company should brief all likely recipients of a call from the kidnappers, ensuring that the communicator is ready to ask “proof of life” questions on receipt of the initial call. The company should choose a dedicated telephone to use for communications with the kidnappers.
§ Gather Information.: Companies should consider attaching a recording device to telephones to ensure that all instructions and information are received and evidence is gathered. If no recording equipment is available, the company should ensure that the person receiving or conducting any calls from the kidnappers makes full written notes as soon as possible afterward. Original tapes and letters sent by kidnappers may also be important evidence. Letters and envelopes should be touched only at the extreme corners and should be placed in plastic envelopes for photocopying and then transferred to normal envelopes and secured for eventual handover to police. Tapes should be copied immediately and originals secured. Transcripts and translations should be made as soon as possible.
§ Control Information.: The number of copies made of any information should be kept to a minimum, and strict security control should be applied by delegated company management. Permission should be given by appropriate persons before any material is handed over to local police or other authorities.
§ Initial Negotiations.: The initial response to the kidnappers should not include any commitment to, or comment on, monetary or other demands. The person who is in contact with the kidnappers should indicate that other management elements are en route who have decision‐making authority. At all times this person should be conciliatory with the perpetrators, as this allows the company time to establish an approach plan and also allows experts time to be deployed to the management location in order to best manage the incident. Proof of life will also be required to confirm the well‐being of the kidnapped employee.
§ Media Handling.: If the incident is known to the media, the company must monitor media reporting. Press inquiries should be referred to corporate headquarters for the public relations manager (spokesperson) to handle. If questioned, local managers might be authorized to admit that there is a kidnapping, stating that, because life is at risk, it would be wrong to make any additional comment. Companies should seek the media's understanding and sympathy in the matter, and request that they act responsibly, as it is in the best interests of the hostage and family. No details should be provided on the company's intentions or negotiation activities, contacts, liaison with law enforcement agencies, or the hostage, other than identity and any demands made by the kidnappers.
§ Family Liaison.: The family of any victim will be shocked and in need of advice, information, support, and administrative assistance from the company. Immediate support must be provided wherever they are located. A responsible party from the company must obtain the captive's information, health, and other medical details that may not already be known, as well as recent photographs. In exceptional circumstances, families may need to be relocated to friends or relatives, although the preferred solution is to move a friend or member of the company to stay with the family. The company should ensure that regular liaison and briefings are carried out by a manager trusted by the family. The representative should brief the family on the full facts and the likely sequence of events, while not being overly optimistic. The representative should avoid discussing rumors or speculation, or indicating that the incident is likely to be over in a short time. The company or external kidnap and ransom consultants should also warn family members of possible pressure tactics by kidnappers (e.g., threats or upsetting letters or videotapes from the hostage).
If personnel within a company are exposed to high levels of kidnap threat, some useful guidelines can be provided as part of a hostile environment training program. This can be in the form of risk avoidance measures, such as understanding what levels of threat an individual may be exposed to, knowing where safe locations and routes are to reduce the probability of kidnapping, reporting suspicious activity, varying schedules and routes, maintaining information security, and remaining vigilant when in high‐risk areas or situations. Personnel should be advised that the majority of kidnappers are seeking a reward and only view their captives as a commodity, bearing no personal ill will toward the victim, and that the majority of kidnappings are resolved without injury to the victim. If personnel are unfortunate enough to be kidnapped, some simple guidelines can improve their situation during the event, such as:
§ Hostages should not discuss religious or political matters, but remain neutral at all times.
§ Hostages should seek to personalize themselves by discussing family and loved ones.
§ Hostages should accept any food or water given, and be passive and non‐confrontational.
§ Hostages should rest as much as possible and be aware of their surroundings, noises, sights, and smells in order to provide information to authorities on release.
The IMP will support immediate kidnapping and ransom response needs, provide a critical flow of information to the CRT, trigger a corporate kidnapping and ransom response plan, and initiate the mobilization of specialist groups. The manager should refer to the Business Continuity Management Plan section relating to kidnapping and ransom, or typically contact the head of the corporate or country crisis response team directly if a kidnapping occurs. Incident managers should also consider the implications of the kidnapping in terms of the safety of other employees within the area or region. An increase in the company's overall security posture may be advisable under some circumstances if the kidnapping is potentially a precursor to additional threats.
