WHAT WE DID AT IISSM, 2002 

          “Terrorism of today has no relevance to terrorism of 60s and 70s”, thus said Mr. P.S. Ramamohan Rao, Governor of Tamilnadu, in his inaugural address to the XIIth annual International Seminar of the International Institute of Security and Safety Management (IISSM) at Hotel Taj Coromandel, Chennai, on December 17, 2002.   Underlining that we were often overtaken by the hydra-headed phenomenon of terrorism, he specified three specific points of action as regards the terrorist threat to the industrial front.  First, he observed that a regular and legal framework for the functioning of private security agencies could not any longer be delayed.  He recommended that the IISSM should provide a suitable framework for training of security agencies in the private sector so as to periodically upgrade their skill, knowledge and preparedness.  He then laid stress on the need for intelligence network for tackling the terrorist phenomenon. He also recommended a uniform approach to combat terrorism at the international level.  

           Continuing in the same vein, more or less, Mr. M.K. Narayanan, former Director, Intelligence Bureau (Ministry of Home Affairs), Government of India, stressed in his valedictory address on December 19, 2002, that the 9/11 incident had indeed brought in significant change in the security scenario and techniques to combat terrorism.  He lamented that private security agencies did not, however, fulfill their due role and promises in this respect.  He urged that they should break out from the cocoon of complacency and indulge in strategic thinking and technological innovations.   The terrorist of today would certainly aim at newer targets, particularly the economic field and there in lay the importance of the role of private security agencies. 

           Earlier, in his welcome address, Mr. K.N. Prasad, Chairman, IISSM, contended that the IISSM had indeed realized that the private security industry would have to play a significant role in strengthening the global effort to deal with terrorism, and hence the broad theme of the current year’s Seminar as “Terrorism: Its Threats to Industrial Security and Effective Preventive Measures Needed.”  He further observed, “The private security industry has now travelled a long way.  It has developed in many countries as a supplementary wing of the state security forces.  We now operate in areas which are vulnerable and sensitive.  It, therefore, becomes our obligation to articulate the threat from terrorism, to raise the level of our sensitivity and awareness and to keep updating our operational and technological inputs and the needed response strategies of which the best technical strategy is pre-emption.” 

          A significant aspect of IISSM, 2002, was a series of specialized panel discussion on aspects like Corporate Security, Software Security, Bank Security, Aviation Security and Hotel Security, in which panelists came from their respective fields of specialization, thus lending both qualitative and practical touch to the deliberations in the Seminar.   

          It was quite significant that the first business session of the Seminar was on corporate security, which was chaired by Mr. B.B. Mishra, DG, Central Industrial Security Force, Govt. of India.  The panel on Bank Security included Chiefs of Security from the State Bank of India, United Bank of India, Punjab National Bank, Syndicate Bank besides the Security Advisor of the Reserve Bank of India who was the lead speaker in this panel.  There were interesting presentations on the 9/11 development – retrospective and lessons learnt.   The Disaster Management Response and Strategy for Emergency Response had also evoked considerable interest.  A very interesting presentation on Isomorphic Learning to counter Commercial Terrorism And Human-made Disaster had evoked great response from the participants.  Last but least, the exposition on biometrics solutions to terrorist threats had indeed aroused considerable interest among the delegates to this fast-developing technological aid to security.  A copy of the attached final programme followed will tell the full story. 

          As in the past, the participants in the Seminar had come from different countries like the USA, UK, South Africa, Nepal, Singapore, and Mauritius, besides of course India.  They represented public sector undertakings, private industries, government organizations, private security agencies, financial and banking industries and academic institutions.  

          Thanks to the tight-time schedule which could not be helped, the delegates did not have the opportunity to indulge in sight-seeing of the beautiful city of Chennai, but the usual sight-seeing programme for spouses attracted those who could otherwise join their counterparts for the Seminar. 

          The open feedback session at the end of the business sessions offered opportunities to those who could not join the floor participation to their hearts’ content because of the time constraint in various sessions.  The subsequent feedback reports received, besides reflecting appreciation of the participants of the proceedings of the Seminar, have indeed thrown up interesting suggestions for implementation in the future. 

          The closing session of the Seminar on December 19, 2002, generated particular interest because of the Awards-giving ceremony.  As in the past, Annual Awards included Awards for: “Security Agency of the Year 2002”, “Security Practitioner of the Year 2002”, “Private Investigator of the Year 2002”, “Security Operations Manager of the Year 2002”, “Security Guard of the Year 2002”, and “Safety Man of the Year 2002”. 

          For the information of all friends and friends of friends, the Board of Governors of the IISSM, who had met on December 19, 2002, have decided that the XIIIth Seminar of the IISSM will be held in New Delhi in December 2003.  The exact dates and the venue of the Seminar will be announced later.

XIIth International Seminar on 

Terrorism: Its Threats to Industrial Security and 
Effective Preventive Measures Needed