05/05/2021
No event like a targeted kidnapping is ever a random act. Kidnapping is a labor intense-resource draining activity that has some rather extreme risk to reward ratios. However, that does not mean that kidnappings are not used around the world by criminal organizations and or regional/transnational terror groups. This is especially true if you are working in Post-Conflict zones. Experience and familiarity in a region can lead to complacency. Whether you are there as part of a private sector assignment or working on behalf of a government organization, the risks are real and require heightened attention to your daily behaviors and digital exhaust. Certain routine behaviors can and will make you a target for these groups. You may know that your work requires certain risks in order to achieve organizational or personal goals, but that doesn't mean you cannot be proactive regarding your personal protection strategies. You can significantly lower the risks by adjusting your schedules, behaviors and activities so that you randomize your physical and digital footprints. AP
Dubois was kidnapped in early April, but the French government held off announcing it in hopes of securing his release.