January 2006

2006-02-28T18:49:00.000-08:00

Covert Surveillance in Italy
Western and Eastern Christmas observances over; the training year started with a joint ILETA and IBA course in Italy, close to the resort area of Lake Garda. The course was under the direction, and taught by Derek ******, who is a 25 year veteran of MI5's A4 (Surveillance Department). During his time with A4 Derek graduated from a surveillance operator to team leader of one of A4's then 3 teams and then planning officer. He was a surveillance instructor not only for A4 but for intelligence and security officers of friendly nations to UK. Another aspect of his work was teaching counter surveillance to intelligence officers from MI6 deployed to hostile nations during the period of the Warsaw Pact. A number of members of IBA Italy including law
enforcement officers gathered at the stylish Hotel Corte in Desenzano di Garda. Derek assisted by the DG (more often or not the 'watchers' target) put the trainees through the standard follow foot drills using the A-B-C method developed by A4. At the close of the course ILETA diplomas were awarded at the IBA Italy Annual Christmas Party.
(left) Derek passes to students the tradecraft of covert pedestrian surveillance.
Basic in Ukraine - Kiev
In temperatures of Minus 40 and more and in a week that recorded at least 50 persons freeze to death in Ukraine the DG returned to Kiev to teach a Bodyguard Masterclass for State and Private structures. The course under the sponsorships of the Ukrainian veterans of United Nations Police operations was conducted at the headquarters of the UN Police Veterans in Kiev. Catering for the course was provided at TITAN Special Forces Base with Berkyt Interior Ministry Special Forces providing the gymnasium for Defence and Restraint training (DART) and the Ministry of Defence Headquarters providing the firearms training facility.The Ministry of Internal Affairs HQ provided the driving skidpan for winter Protective Driving training. Specially converted SUVs and Mercedes enabled the class to perform both forward and reverse 180 degree turns in the extreme minus temperatures. However the cold was matched by the warmth of the reception from the IBA Ukraine on the return of the Director General. The course was a great success and received growing reports in both government and independent newspapers. The IBA Ukraine National Dirtector Lt Colonel Boris Shapovalov (the tallest policeman in Ukraine) hosts the DG with Ukrainian Samogonka (moonshine vodka). Colonel Yuriy Kozlenko was appointed as Deputy National Director of IBA Ukraine which will include the territory of the Crimea.
Basic and Instructor course in Budapest (Jan-Feb 2006)
A prelude to the course was the annual Vitez Rend (Hungarian Order of Knights) Ball at the Palace in Budapest attended by the Director General and his partner.The Director General was awarded the Order of the Vitez Rend in 2004 for his active role in the dismantling of communism government in Easteran and Central Europe. The DG was an invited guest at the the Vitez Rend dinner in 1999 held at the Carlton Club in London. Laslo Vitez Hunyadi , Captain General of the Vitez Rend during the ball made the appointment of The Baron Castleshort as the Order's representative to International Commissions of Chivalry.Following a restful interlude in Budapest the week commenced with a Masterclass in Bodyguard Skills conducted by the DG, and then an Instructor's requalification course attended by 4 hungarian instructors led by Hungarian National Director Josif Elek who were joined by IBA Sweden National Director Håkan Nilsson following which all 5 instructors were requalified as IBA instructors for a further 3 years.Each evening the DG a senior instructor of the koryu jujutsu style Ryoi Shinto Ryu (sic.: Fukuno Ryu) taught at the koryu jujutsu dojo of the style which is part of the IBA Hungary headquarters building on the central Pest side of Budapest.
The photograph shows the DG (marked with a red X) with instructors and graduates of the courses against the Back ground of St Istvan Cathedral in the Fortress of Buda.

September 2005

2005-11-06T00:28:00.000-08:00

Mongolian Central Intelligence Agency.
At the invitation of the Mongolian Government, the Director General returned to Mongolia to train members of the Mongolian CIA, the State Special Security Agency, Army Special Forces , Police SWAT and registered security personnel protecting foreign diplomatic missions. The government provided the closed government facility of Ikh Tenger, 8 kms outside of Ulaanbaatar for training. The 120 hectare site lies in the Bogd Khan mountains protected area. The area also houses the official residences of the President and Prime Minister of Mongolia and that of the Speaker of the Parliament. Lectures were conducted in the Government Palace in the centre of Ulaanbaatar.

At the graduation banquet, the DG was awarded the Medal of Honour (1st Class) of the Intelligence Agency in recognition of his work since January 2000, on behalf of Mongolian national security, by the Director of the Agency (seen next to the DG above) . The Chief of the State Special Security Agency, Colonel Tsog Uugangerel presented the DG with a certificate of honour from the Mongolian State. (seen left). The students presented the DG with a traditional mongolian field archery bow.

IBA National Director, Batzaya Baasandorj (IBA Badge No 13) was reconfirmed as an IBA Instructor for Mongolia and the immediate regions Batzaya is contactable at dg@detect.mn his website is www.detect.mn

DG's Diary

January 2006

September 2005