20070612

Council Recommendation

of 12 June 2007

concerning sharing of information on terrorist kidnappings

(2007/562/EC)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Whereas:

(1) Kidnappings by groups/individuals that can be placed within the spectrum of international terrorism pose a huge challenge to Member States.

(2) To successfully resolve such situations, Member States must gather background information, establish contacts and initiate discussions in a confidential setting.

(3) The capacities of the Member State concerned would be significantly strengthened if it were able to resort to experience which other Member States have gained in comparable situations.

(4) To this end, each Member State should submit a data sheet containing key information on past kidnappings to the other Member States giving only unclassified information after the incident has been resolved and restricted to incidents related to international terrorism,

HEREBY RECOMMENDS,

1. Member States:

(a) to submit, after a kidnapping incident has been resolved, the following data [1]:

- country and region in which the kidnapping took place,

- number and nationality of the hostage(s),

- time and date of the kidnapping,

- time and date of the end of the incident,

- perpetrators/responsible terrorist group,

- modus operandi of the kidnapping,

- motivation for the kidnapping,

- involvement of a mediator yes/no,

- contact person in the Member State concerned.

This information should be submitted in accordance with the format set out in Annex 1.

(b) to also submit the following additional information if appropriate:

- hostages‘�reason for being in the country, language skills, gender of the hostage,

- ideology, nationality, language skills of the perpetrators,

- means used by the perpetrators to address the public,

- details on the perpetrators‘�modus operandi.

This optional information should be submitted in accordance with the format set out in Annex 2.

2. If personal data are to be included, such data are to be submitted in accordance with national law.

3. Member States to compile information on all incidents which have occurred since 1 January 2002 and submit this summary to the other Member States.

4. Member States to share information on the basis of the abovementioned principles through the BdL network for EU-wide information sharing on terrorist incidents.

5. Member States to share, as far as possible, the information also with Europol and on the basis of the amount and type of shared data, after one year, to examine whether it would be advisable to set up a database at Europol.

6. Member States to draw up a list of contact details and exchange this list in order to facilitate direct communication between contact points.

[1] In case of a kidnapping this information could help to quickly identify whether another Member State already has experience with kidnappings of EU citizens in the same region, by the same terrorist group or under comparable circumstances. The Member State concerned can then contact the specified contact person. Further information and experience should be shared bilaterally in accordance with national law.

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20070612

ANNEX 1

Notification of terrorist kidnap

(or suspected terrorist kidnap)

Please complete all fields in this box

National single point of contact/competent authority: |

Name: | Reporting Member State: |

Rank/position: | Dept/section: |

Telephone: | Fax: |

Mobile: | E-mail: |

Motivation for the kidnap: |

Time/date of kidnap/hostage taking: | End of incident time/date: |

Number/nationality of hostage(s): |

Country/Region of the crime: |

Perpetrators/responsible group: |

Summary of modus operandi (more detail can be provided on the next page): |

Involvement of interpreters/mediators: |

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20070612

ANNEX 2

Completion of the following information is optional in accordance with national law

Hostage #1 (optional) |

Name: | Date of birth: | Gender: |

Reason for being in country? | First language: | Second language: |

Telephone: | Nationality: |

Hostage #2 (optional) |

Name: | Date of birth: | Gender: |

Reason for being in country? | First language: | Second language: |

Telephone: | Nationality: |

Hostage #3 (optional) |

Name: | Date of birth: | Gender: |

Reason for being in country? | First language: | Second language: |

Telephone: | Nationality: |

Perpetrators/responsible group #1 (if details known) |

Name: | Ideology: | Nationality: |

Is English spoken? | First language: | Second language: |

Use of publicity: | Means of publicity: |

Perpetrators/responsible group #2 (if details known) |

Name: | Ideology: | Nationality: |

Is English spoken? | First language: | Second language: |

Use of publicity: | Means of publicity: |

Modus operandi Summary of the circumstances of the kidnap. You should consider the following: | |

The nature of the hostage taking, i.e. environment | |

The nature of the demand, i.e. monetary gain, political aim or concession | |

To whom the demand was made, including how the demand was made | |

Language/interpreter | |

Hostage profile (victimological aspects, e.g. residence permit status, professional background) | |

Negotiation strategy | |

Delaying tactics | |

Telephone tactics | |

Technical issues | |

Violence used | |

The outcome of the incident, including details of resolution, was the hostage released, was the hostage rescued, were suspects detained/killed? | |

Any other issues of note | |

Are there any issues that you feel should be considered as ‘榞ood practice‘� | |

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