COUNTERTERRORISM IN THE PAST AND PRESENT: Q&A WITH KEY PLAYERS

"A person, whether an HVE or a DVE, who has a grievance, feels disenfranchised, and is looking for something—they can find like-minded individuals on the internet....You can pick and choose from what’s out there to support your particular ideology and yet never have to leave your computer to communicate, plan, and target individuals."

In the Special 9/11 Edition of the IACP Police Chief Magazine, the FBI National Security Branch conducted interviews of FBI leaders, special agents, and other law enforcement partners who played key roles in the evolving counterterrorism mission before, during, and after 9/11, including Global Guardian Vice President of Global Risk Services Mike McGarrity. In this feature, McGarrity—former assistant director of the FBI Counterterrorism Division—discusses the evolution of terrorist threats, in particular how the internet and social media play a role and the challenges they create.

THREAT REPORT

On Saturday, 18 September, 2021, upwards of 700 people will return to the U.S. Capitol to rally in support of defendants charged in connection with the January 6 storming of the Capitol building following the pro-Trump "Stop the Steal" rally. The demonstration is planned for noon at Union Square, which encompasses the U.S. Capitol. Multiple road closures will be in effect.

Latest DEVELOPMENTS

• The European Union removed the United States from its "Safe List", causing several European nations to alter their entry restrictions on American travelers. For example, Spain now requires unvaccinated Americans to provide proof of a negative test, while Switzerland removed the U.S. from its own list of approved traveler countries. 
• Pfizer expects to report data needed for vaccine approval in five to 11-year-olds later in September and could potentially submit an application for emergency use shortly after. It said data for kids aged two to under five could arrive soon after. For children between six months and two years, Pfizer has said it could have safety and immunogenicity data as early as October or November. It is likely all children in the U.S. 6mo and older will be able to receive Pfizer's vaccine by the start of 2022.
• Hospitalizations in the U.S. appear to be flattening as the Delta variant wave looks to have peaked in much of the South. Hotspots are now in Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Virginia. Daily deaths now average nearly 2,000/day and will likely peak in the next 10-14 days.
  
  

FROM AFGHANISTAN TO LOUISIANA, GLOBAL GUARDIAN GETS CLIENTS OUT OF HARM'S WAY

“Whether responding to the 2015 Paris attacks, the 2016 Turkey coup, the back-to-back hurricanes in the Western Hemisphere in 2017, COVID-19 pandemic border closures of 2020, the collapse of India’s healthcare system in May of 2021 — or the fall of Kabul, Afghanistan, Global Guardian’s ability to move and respond in minutes and hours, delivers positive outcomes and real results to our client base during their greatest time of need,” Buckner said.

Global Guardian was featured in Fairfax County EDA's E-Bird Newsletter with CEO Dale Buckner discussing recent evacuation and emergency response efforts from Afghanistan to Louisiana. Buckner also shares how Global Guardian differs from other providers and why he chose to base the company's headquarters in Fairfax County. 

BLOOMBERG QUICKTAKE "TAKE THE LEAD" FEATURED INTERVIEW AT 27:55

“In this day and age, there is an expectation that your brand, your company, is going to take a vote and a stand on these positions, and now this is going to change how CEOs manage their firms and their brand and the outlook in the market.”

Global Guardian CEO Dale Buckner was featured on Bloomberg Quicktake “Take the Lead” series discussing the societal shift causing corporations and their CEOs to take a stance on political, social, and environmental issues—and the resulting rise in physical and digital threats against today’s business leaders.

Click below to watch the full video. If interested in skipping ahead, Global Guardian segment begins at 27:55.

SITUATIONAL UPDATE

Hurricane Ida hit the Louisiana coast on Sunday as a Category 4 storm, bringing sustained 150 mph winds, massive storm surge, and torrential rains. As a result, more than one million customers remain without power in southeastern Louisiana, including in New Orleans, where all eight major transmission lines into the city have failed. Similarly, nearly 450,000 people are without running water in Louisiana. Several people have died as a result of the storm, and further fatalities are expected. 

The impact was felt in Mississippi as well, where multiple ports are at "Status Zulu", meaning no vessels may enter or transit the port without approval from the Coast Guard. Those under Port Status Zulu include the ports of Biloxi, Gulfport, Pascagoula, and Bienville. 

Damage to oil and gas infrastructure both on and offshore is being assessed, while prolonged disruptions to production, refining, and transportation of petroleum products could see a temporary spike in gasoline prices and long lines at gas stations.

The Global Guardian team is looking forward to attending ASIS International’s Global Security Exchange Conference in Orlando, September 27-29, 2021.

HURRICANE IDA LEAVES CRISIS MANAGEMENT LESSONS BEHIND AS RECOVERY BEGINS

"In disasters like this, employers have a ‘duty of care’ to their employees, meaning that they should take all steps within reason to promote the health, safety and wellbeing of their employees."

In a recent Forbes article by Edward Segal, Global Guardian CEO Dale Buckner weighs in on the need for businesses to provide emergency response to keep their employees safe after—and even before—a natural disaster, like Hurricane Ida, strikes.

Latest DEVELOPMENTS

• The U.S. FDA gave full approval to the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID vaccine, named Comirnaty. The decision set off a wave of vaccine mandates by various organizations, corporations, and institutions, including LSU, Ohio State, New York City school system, the Pentagon, and CVS, among others. Delta Airlines has announced they will charge unvaccinated employees an extra $200 per month for health insurance. 
• The FDA has authorized vaccine booster shots for immunocompromised or other at-risk individuals. 

In Afghanistan, the value of Global Guardian’s in-country security network quickly became evident as Duty of Care clients were evacuated to safety.

SITUATIONAL UPDATE

Over the weekend, the Afghan government collapsed, and the capital Kabul fell to the Taliban. The Taliban is now in full control of Kabul, 32 out of 34 of Afghanistan’s provincial capitals, and all border crossings. This comes after a week in which the Taliban made rapid advances across the nation, seizing Afghanistan’s second and third-largest cities with little resistance. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has now fled to the UAE and most Western embassies have shuttered their embassies and evacuated foreign staff. The Taliban has erected security checkpoints across Kabul and are limiting access to the airport. According to U.S. estimates, there are still over 11,000 third-country nationals present in Afghanistan awaiting evacuation. So far, there have been no hostilities between the Taliban and the U.S. forces who are securing the Kabul airport.