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"We are going to reinforce the security and we will rely first of all on our own means," Algerian Energy Minister Youcef Yousfi said on Sunday, according to state news agency APS. "There is no question of accepting outside security forces." BP and Royal Dutch Shell, whose employees in Nigeria have been the targets of gangs of kidnappers and militants, would not comment on security arrangements in Algeria. But Ted Jones, the CEO of specialist evacuation company Northcott Global Solutions in London, noted companies alarmed by the attack are scaling up their physical security, moving from unarmed to armed operations, and shifting nonessential staff to safer locations. Companies can become complacent after a period of safe operation, he said, then change course when something terrible occurs. "Suddenly something like this happens and they realize they're much closer to the danger ... and there's a sort of panic response, which is perfectly natural," he said. The energy industry is not a new target. McCredie recalled that significant changes in security followed terror attacks in Saudi Arabia, including a 2004 hostage-taking incident at oil industry compounds at Khobar which ended in the deaths of 22 people. "There have been all sorts of attacks in other places, Yemen, Syria, Iraq. These attacks are not unusual. What's unusual about this one is it was a big surprise. It shouldn't have been," McCredie said. Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb "had been making these threats for a long time. No one thought they had the capacity."
But, he said there are limits to what even extra security forces could accomplish in the battle against terrorists. "They are mobile, it's a huge vast area, very, very difficult to police, and difficult to keep up surveillance, so a small number of people can have the element of surprise," McCredie said. "Security forces can't patrol the whole area."
[Associated
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