ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews the main processes of responding to critical incidents, before recommending a nine-step process: isolate the local hostage-takers from any remote controllers, assess the situation, manage publicity, manage time and contingencies. It explicates the first four steps that recommend as immediate responses to the incident, and throughout the crisis. The chapter recommends that the official side blocks or jams communications between the remote controllers and the local hostage-takers, probably by shutting down the local infrastructure supporting cellular communications or Internet communications. It acknowledges the useful intelligence gathered by secretly listening on terrorist channels, but this intelligence is unlikely to be useful to the negotiator in time to influence the crisis. The chapter prescribes an assessment of the immediate situation, estimates of the current material situation, and the material structure of the space in which the attackers and hostages are contained. It emphasizes how more challenging, and more diverse, are the contingencies when dealing with new terrorists.
