How to Rescue a Hostage

Hostage situations are very unstable. In many cases, the perpetrators never wanted to take a hostage but felt forced to during an escape attempt, or decided their kidnap victim would help them make a political point. For both sides, hostage situations are hard to control. Anything can happen at any time.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

1. Clear the surrounding area. Rescue personnel, spectators and reporters need to be kept well back. The more noise and activity, the higher the stress level for everyone and the less controlled the environment.
2. Identify a negotiator and prevent anyone except that person from communicating with or gaining access to the perpetrators.
3. Attempt to establish communication with the perpetrators. They undoubtedly have demands and are anxious to talk. At a minimum they should recognize that communication is the only way out. If a political group planned the hostage taking, expect exorbitant demands and a request for maximum media coverage.
4. Ascertain exactly how many perpetrators there are. This may be easy to do if they are making demands for transportation, as you can reasonably ask what capacity vehicle they need. If shooting starts, you need to know how many targets to track.
5. Establish the number of hostages taken. Determine if there is a way to evacuate all of them quickly.
6. Get a list of demands. Concede to some of them if possible in exchange for the release of some hostages.
7. Utilize high-tech tools to track the perpetrators' movements. Infrared sensors and listening devices can yield clues about perpetrators' numbers and plans. These devices need to be deployed in positions of close proximity, depending on the layout and architecture of the location and the technical limitations of the equipment.
8. Position sharpshooters in as many locations as possible. If there's only one perp and you get a good shot, take it.
9. Proceed slowly and recognize that the perpetrators don't hold all the cards. A perpetrator's threat of violence is therefore somewhat muted by his need to keep the negotiation moving.
10. Plan any intervention to occur at a transition point. If hostages and perpetrators are being driven to the airport, the move from car to airplane may offer an opportunity. The perpetrators have the least control at this time and are on terrain chosen by you.
11. Station additional sharpshooters and personnel at the intervention site. Assign targets to your team members and instruct them to shoot at your signal.

Tips & Warnings

• Seek assistance from people respected by the perpetrators. Parents, religious figures or political leaders may be helpful. These people can be put in touch with the perpetrators once you're assured of their support.
• Check the phone book or the Internet for private firms that offer training in hostage rescue, as well as for security or bodyguard training.
• Agreeing to a terrorist's demands may be tempting, but it is, perhaps literally, a dead end. You are almost guaranteed to be targeted by additional groups.
• Use extreme caution when placing tracking equipment, to avoid infuriating the perpetrators. A good time for your personnel to move is when the perpetrators are engaged in conversation with the official negotiator.

Who Can Help: