In our last article, we discussed the geography of kidnapping, investigating the regions of the world with the highest incidence of the crime. In this article, we will be examining the potential targets of kidnapping and determine the types of individuals who stand the highest risk of abduction.
The Rich
It should come as no surprise that those capable of generating a large ransom payment are those that stand a higher risk of becoming targets. This is why the wealthy and affluent tend to be the most popular targets of economic kidnapping. However, it is not only the super-rich who are victims of this type of crime. Many middle-class professionals and businessmen have been targeted as well. In many cases, however, it is not the principle income earner who is the victim. Rather, it is those closest to them, such as their wives or children. Continue reading
In our last article, we presented a brief introduction to kidnapping and described the different variants of the crime. In this article, we will be investigating where the incidence of kidnapping is greatest. It is important to note that kidnapping tends to be highly concentrated by region and by country. For example, almost half of all kidnapping on the globe occurs in Latin America. However, Somalia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nigeria and Iraq account for much of the remaining half. Moreover, kidnapping tends to be concentrated in particular areas within any given country. Continue reading
When most people think about kidnapping they think of high-profile events such as the Lindbergh baby or Patty Hearst kidnapping. In general, people seem to believe that kidnapping is something that only happens in the movies or to the incredibly wealthy. To be sure, kidnapping is not a common crime. However, it is more widespread than many suspect. In fact, there are 20,000 to 30,000 reported kidnappings-for-ransom in the world each year. However, the actual number of cases is probably much larger, as the crime goes unreported about 80% of the time. Continue reading
It doesn’t take an expert in international relations to know that tensions are high in the Persian Gulf. There is a lot of speculation over the possibility of war, and how such a war may break out. Some believe that the United States or Israel will strike first in attempt to knock out Iran’s nuclear facilities. Others think that Iran might act preemptively if it believes Israeli or American action to be imminent. According to InTrade*, an online prediction market, there is a 40% chance that Israel or the United States will strike Iran’s nuclear facilities by year’s end. Moreover, Iran has indicated that a strike against its nuclear facilities would provoke a massive retaliation that could engulf the entire region in war. As such, the risk of war in the region is very real and perhaps, very near. Continue reading
Most media outlets have covered the increasing violence in Mexico that has resulted from the Mexican government’s decision to assertively confront the drug lords. Since 2006, almost 50,000 people in the country have died in drug-related violence. In fact, 120 American citizens were murdered in Mexico in 2011 alone. As a result of this violence, many tourists have postponed or canceled their trips to Mexico.
Although the danger in Mexico is very real, there are still many safe tourist destinations in the country. After all, Mexico is a large nation. It has over 100 million citizens and is about a fifth the size of the United States in land area. In a country this immense, it would be wrong to assume that the entire nation is wracked with violence. In fact, fewer than 5% of Mexico’s municipalities have been affected by the drug war. While areas of Mexico’s north and southwest coast tend to be violent, many tourist destinations continue to be safe. Moreover, there is no evidence that narco-traffickers are targeting American citizens or other travelers. In fact, most violence seems to be directed at the Mexican government and competing criminal elements. Continue reading
Part I: The Threat
From July 18th to August 12th millions of tourists from all over the world will converge on London to tour the city’s sites and take in the 2012 Summer Olympic Games. In addition to athletes, prominent foreign leaders, and members of the media, the games are also expected to attract hundreds of thousands of spectators. In all, it is projected that 8 million Olympic tickets will be sold to visitors wanting to glimpse one of the 39 athletic disciplines on show.
Unfortunately, large sporting events such as this tend to attract violence, terrorism, and crime. The London Olympics may prove an especially tempting target to terrorists due to Britain’s participation in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is believed that there are many radical Muslims sympathetic to Al Qaeda living in England. After all, it was homegrown terrorists who perpetrated the July 2005 terrorist attacks that killed 52 London commuters. Continue reading
In our last article, we discussed travel safety for those attending the European Football Championship (Euro 2012) in Poland. However, only about half of the Championship will take place there. The rest of the matches will be played in the Ukrainian cities of Donetsk, Kharkiv, Lviv, and Kiev. This article will address the challenges facing visitors to the Ukraine, which is a considerably more daunting country than Poland. Continue reading
On June 8th of this year, soccer¹ fans from all over the world will gather around television sets, neighborhood pubs, and sports stadiums to watch the UEFA European Football Championship, popularly known as Euro 2012. This year the Championship will be hosted jointly by Poland and Ukraine. The competition has traditionally been one of the world’s most popular sporting events. Teams representing 16 European nations will be playing a total of 31 games over four weeks in order to decide which country has the best football team in Europe. Approximately half of these games will be played in stadiums across Poland in cities such as Warsaw, Gdansk, Wroclaw and Poznan, while the rest will be hosted in Ukraine. Continue reading