Faith-Based Daily Awareness Post 31 October 2023

These updates are shared to help raise the situational awareness of Faith-Based organizations to best defend against and mitigate the impacts from all-hazards threats including physical security, cybersecurity, and natural disasters. 

FB-ISAO members may want to review a false threat being reported to Jewish organizations shared in FB-ISAO Slack. Image and comments in the #sar channel. Join here. 

Five Things About Protecting Against Mass Attacks | National Institute of Justice (ojp.gov)

The posting by the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) National Institute of Justice (NIJ) goes into detail on the following five protective measures:

1. We can proactively prevent many mass attacks. Public reporting prevented almost two-thirds of the foiled plots highlighted in the toolkit.
2. Communities need multidisciplinary, multi-partner teams to follow up and assess warning signs and determine what to do next.
3. Adequate preparation reduces casualties in the critical beginning stages of an attack before responders arrive to the scene.
4. An effective joint response to a mass attack requires planning and training that includes everyone who will be involved in a response.
5. The recovery plan must include planning and training for the aftermath.

The posting also has a link to the Rand Corporation  Mass Attacks Defense Toolkit.

A PDF is also available.

Analyst Comments:

The threat to communities of faith is constantly evolving. Prevention and protection methods need to also be updated. The above guidance from NIJ and the Rand toolkit can assist Faith-Based Organizations in improving their security and response posture.

Item 1 of the NIJ post describes motivation of and preparation by the possible assailant. Knowledge of a potential assailant’s motives and preparation can prevent a possible attack. More information on an assailant’s actions before, during, and after a hostile event can be found in Gate 15’s white paper on the Hostile Event Attack Cycle. The white paper provides detailed insight into the actions of attackers. Understanding the attack cycle can help potential victims break the cycle. The white paper can be found here.

Weekly Security Sprint EP 40. Maine, expanded conflict, scams, and more!

The Gate 15 Security Sprint is a weekly rundown of the week’s notable all-hazards security news, risks and threats and some of the key focus areas for organizations to consider behind the headlines. Gate 15 team members discuss physical security, cybersecurity, natural hazards, health threats and other issues across our environment.

In this week’s Security Sprint, Dave and Andy discuss:

• Maine Shootings
• FB-ISAO: October 2023 Threat Level Statement Update – Threat Levels Raised to ELEVATED
• Expanded Conflict
• Scams

The above Gate 15 Weekly Security Sprint website also provides links to many security-related items of interest.

Global Antisemitic Incidents In the Wake of Hamas’ War on Israel

• Austria:  According to the Jewish Community of Vienna, from October 7 to October 19, there were 76 antisemitic incidents since Oct. 7, a 300% increase.
• France: According to the Minister of Interior, since October 7 there have been 819 antisemitic incidents and 414 arrests. 
• Germany: According to RIAS, the NGO which records antisemitic incidents in Germany, from October 7 to October 15, there was a 240% increase of antisemitic incidents since Oct 7, compared to the same time last year. 91% of those are anti-Israel related antisemitism. 
• South Africa: According to the South African Jewish Board of Deputies, the number of antisemitic incidents in the month of October increased 720% compared to previous years. 
• UK: According to the Jewish community’s security organization, CST, since October 7 there have been 805 antisemitic incidents, an increase of 689% compared to the same 21 day period in 2022.

Also – A new wave of antisemitism threatens to rock an already unstable world