top of page

Search dyami insights

474 results found with an empty search

  • Intel Brief on Northern Ireland

    Date: 21/08/2023 Location: Northern Ireland, United Kingdom Parties involved: Northern Irish Paramilitary Groups (IRA, UDA, UVF), the Northern Ireland Assembly (Stormont), the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), the UK Government. The Events: The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) is experiencing a deepening data security crisis over the mishandling of personal information that could be used to target employees. On 08/08/2023 a spreadsheet was mistakenly published online containing the surnames, initials, ranks or grades, location, and departments of all current PSNI officers and civilian staff members. The data breach happened after the information was included in error in response to a Freedom of Information Request. It is understood to be the worst data breach in the organization’s history since its creation following the Good Friday Agreement. The data in the spreadsheet included information about officers based in the PSNI’s organized crime unit, officers based at ports and airports, and staff based at MI5 offices in Holywood, County Down. This is the second data breach in weeks after a police-issued laptop, radio and documents were stolen from a car in Northern Ireland on 06/07/2023. A third data breach occurred on 14/08/2023 after a document was posted online with details of 11 PSNI officers. The information remained online for 2 days before being taken down. The PSNI data is in the hands of dissident Republicans. On 14/08/2023 the PSNI leaked document was posted on a wall opposite a Sinn Fein office on Falls Road, West Belfast along with a threatening message. On 17/08/2023 a man was arrested in County Armagh on suspicion of collection of information likely to be useful to terrorists. The man was subsequently released on bail. On 19/08/2023 a second man was arrested and charged in County Derry/Londonderry under the Terrorism Act for being in possession of articles for use in terrorism. The investigation of criminality linked to last week’s PSNI data breach continues. Several PSNI members have applied for personal protection weapons due to the increased risk to their lives and property as a result of the data breaches. The Northern Irish Secretary announced that the UK government will be providing specialist support to the PSNI in order to mitigate the repercussions of the data breach crisis. Northern Ireland’s terrorism threat level is listed as severe by the MI5, meaning that a terrorist attack is highly likely. Political violence has been on the rise in Northern Ireland over the past year as the PSNI has come under attack from dissident Republicans. The Arm na Poblachta (Army of the Republic) said police officers' families would also be considered targets. On 22/02/2023, a senior police officer was shot whilst off-duty by masked gunmen of the New IRA in Omagh, County Tyrone. Loyalist paramilitaries also continue to be active in Northern Ireland. Paramilitary umbrella group, the Loyalist Communities Council (LCC), reported that Loyalist paramilitaries have withdrawn their support for the Good Friday Agreement. Violence related to drug feuds as well as other types of organized crime perpetrated by factions of the UVF and UDA (Loyalist) groups are almost a daily occurrence in Northern Ireland. Context: The Troubles were an ethno-nationalist conflict in Northern Ireland between Irish Republicans and British Unionists lasting for around 30 years since the late 1960s until 1998. The conflict ended with the signing of the (Belfast) Good Friday Agreement in 1998 stipulating the creation of a devolved Northern Irish government and the removal of British security installations which include those on the border. Renewed tensions in Northern Ireland can be linked to Brexit. The Northern Ireland Protocol with the EU came into force on 01/01/2021, where checks on goods and people traveling from Great Britain take place at Northern Ireland’s ports instead of at the Irish border. The Democratic Unionist Party argued that this places a de facto border in the Irish Sea, separating Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s new Brexit Northern Ireland deal was passed in the UK Parliament on 23/03/2023. This deal consists of 2 parts: the Westminster Framework and the Stormont Brake. The Westminster Framework intends to split goods traveling from the UK into two different lanes where only goods destined for Ireland and the rest of the EU would have to be checked. Moreover, the Stormont Brake would give the Northern Ireland Assembly powers to object to new EU rules. However, the European Court of Justice would still have a final say on whether Northern Ireland must follow certain EU single market rules. The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) has voted against the deal with Unionists arguing that Northern Ireland would remain imprisoned by the EU legal order, placing a barrier between them and the rest of the UK as Northern Ireland would not be able to properly diverge and take advantage of Brexit. The Northern Ireland Assembly has been suspended since February 2022, meaning that Northern Ireland continues to be without a functioning government. The power-sharing agreement which allows a government to be established has not been reached as the DUP, Northern Ireland’s largest Unionist party, has been boycotting Stormont over the Northern Ireland Protocol. Analysis and Implications: Considering that most recent attacks perpetrated by the New IRA have been targeted against members of the PSNI, the current data breaches are cause for serious concern. The fact that the IRA is now in the possession of very sensitive information has put staff members of the PSNI and their families in a very vulnerable position with many fearing for their safety. A number of PSNI officers and civilian workers have had to resign or relocate immediately, with some choosing to leave Northern Ireland altogether as a result of the heightened security risk. The PSNI is very likely to struggle with staff retention and recruitment, particularly among the Catholic community, at a time when numbers are already stretched. Therefore, the repercussions of the PSNI data security crisis are likely to be severe as the organization is in disarray and grappling with past wounds of the Troubles. The data breaches are likely to undermine the PSNI’s ability to combat terrorism and dissidence from paramilitary groups opposed to the peace process. The intelligence operations of the PSNI have especially been compromised with the identity of undercover operatives infiltrating extremist organizations being revealed. A robust intelligence apparatus is vital in order to identify and assess potential terrorist operations and targets, thus the disruption to the PSNI’s intelligence system is probable to cause a window of opportunity for political dissidents and criminal gangs. The current PSNI intelligence operatives, particularly those responding to the MI5, are expected to be replaced, which will pose more difficulties as new staff will need training and adjustment to the local security landscape. Moreover, the grave effect the data breaches have had on individual police morale may further disrupt policing efforts. As previously concluded by Dyami, terrorist attacks are likely to be small-scale and targeted at members of the PSNI. The data breaches, however, have increased the likelihood that such attacks will occur as it has armed the New IRA with priceless intelligence on desired targets. With the PSNI currently operating at a disadvantage, such attacks may also be harder to pre-empt. Consequently, there is a greater risk to the general public as any attack may produce collateral damage. Whilst there have been no reports of significant incidents thus far, dissidents may be trying to organize on how to best leverage their advantage considering their limited capability. Northern Ireland’s paramilitary organizations have little support among its various communities and no backing among any major political parties. Therefore, paramilitary groups will probably use the data breaches to spread fear and intimidate communities in hope to stoke up tensions. On the other hand, the PSNI has chosen to meet the present data security crisis with strength and resilience. Its prompt investigation into the criminality surrounding the data breaches and subsequent arrests show an organization that is up and running despite the ensuing struggles. The PSNI will be receiving specialist support and expertise from the UK government which should aid in the mitigation of the security risks the Northern Irish police force is facing today. It is vital that the general public is reassured that the PSNI will not allow itself to be intimidated or prevented from performing vital work by paramilitary groups. Undoubtedly, the current situation in Northern Ireland has called attention to the importance of data security for government institutions which could be misused by criminal organizations. The mitigation of the crisis will depend on devising new and secure databases where personnel data is spread across multiple access tiers. Furthermore, the PSNI data security crisis may have consequences for the UK’s Brexit process. The security threats presented by the data breaches call for the immediate reactivation of Northern Ireland’s power-sharing institutions in order to mitigate the impacts of the crisis and allocate resources and budgets for law enforcement. But the DUP, who originally collapsed the Northern Ireland Assembly in February 2022, may use the data security crisis to extract concessions from the UK government on the Northern Ireland Brexit Protocol. Northern Ireland’s tentative and incomplete post-Troubles cohesion presents a fragile peace that could have sectarian politics spill onto the streets if the delicate balance is disturbed. Westminster will be dealing with a complex challenge in pushing for the restoration of power-sharing, but so far it has neglected the developing crisis. The stability of Northern Ireland has security ramifications for the whole of the UK, and any push in any direction or the other could foment violence or support for paramilitaries. The PSNI data breach will have serious repercussions extending far into the future. This particularly involves the personal security of PSNI staff members who will have to take exceptional measures to protect themselves and their families. The data security crisis in Northern Ireland has provided terrorists with a window of opportunity to conduct small-scale targeted attacks against members of the PSNI. Presently, there is still a committed minority of political extremists in Northern Ireland who are prepared to use any opportunity to meet their political agenda through fear and intimidation. Lastly, the data security crisis may also be exploited by the DUP to reshape the Brexit balance due to the urgent need for Westminster to restore the Northern Ireland Assembly to working order.

  • Intel Brief on China’s Military Exercises in the Taiwan Strait

    Date: 01/09/2023 Who’s involved: Republic of China (Taiwan), Biden Administration, China People’s Liberation Army (PLA), Communist Party of China. What happened? On 30/08/2023, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry reported several PLA fighter aircraft and naval patrol ships crossing the Strait Median Line between Taiwan and China. Tensions have risen in recent months as incursions violating Taiwanese airspace have picked up since the beginning of August 2023. On 30/08/2023, the Biden administration approved $80 billion in military assistance to Taiwan under a program that grants assistance to independent, sovereign states. Since Taiwan is not recognised as a sovereign state under the US, this reflects a change of policy. The State Department has utilized the funds to improve Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities against China’s emerging military capabilities. China’s Foreign Ministry strongly objected to the further sales of arms to Taiwan and remains firmly opposed to “factors that could lead to tensions in the Taiwan Strait”. On 19/08/2023, Beijing launched extensive military drills following Taiwanese Vice President Lai Ching-te’s visits to New York and San Francisco for meetings with top US political leaders. He is the frontrunner in the presidential race scheduled in January 2024. China is opposed to Lai because he suggested he was working for Taiwan’s Independence, though he has moderated his comments during the campaign to maintain the status quo. The People’s Liberation Army warned that the drills were a response to “Taiwan’s independence’ forces colluding with external forces”. Analysis The military assistance for Taiwan is part of the Biden administration’s strategy to re-arm Taiwan and deter Beijing’s intimidation and military exercises. The strategy is primarily viewed in military terms; to bolster Taiwan’s military capabilities and prepare against an invasion of the island by the PLA. The Biden administration scored a diplomatic win for regional security in East Asia by nudging US allies Japan and South Korea to establish closer security ties after years of frosty relations. While this might prove to deter the PLA from a invasion of the island, China could feel threatened by encirclement. Beijing’s military threats toward the island are intended to put pressure on Taiwan’s public to reject Taiwan’s pro-independence political party, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in the coming presidential January 2024 election. Xi Jinping’s refusal to rule out lethal force in its dealings with Taiwan raises fears of an attempt to invade the island. While analysts do not believe that China’s military, navy and air capabilities are sufficient for a direct confrontation, accidents can happen. With the mutual hostility between the US and China, crises in the Taiwan Straits will require extensive restraint on both sides. The polls show that the DPP candidate, Lai Ching-te is far ahead, but faces a challenge from the Kuomintang party and a third party candidate started. Taiwan’s relationship with China is a major political issue in the upcoming presidential election in January 2024. The Democratic People’s Party is running a new candidate, Lai Ching-te who is seeking closer ties to the US, though he has softened his stance on outright independence for Taiwan. The Kuomintang candidate meets with Chinese Communist Party officials and argues that a more moderate approach toward China can cool down tensions. Voters are broadly in support of maintaining the ‘status quo’. Conclusion The lack of trust between the US and China is threatening democratic Taiwan’s future security. Both sides accuse each other of breaking the status quo established in 1992 to keep Taiwan under the sovereignty of Beijing, while the US could unofficially maintain relations with Taiwan. The Communist Party of China under Xi Jinping has repeatedly made statements that it would not reject the use of force to achieve the “great rejuvenation of the Chinese Nation” by 2049. With Xi’s accession to an unprecedented third term in October 2022, he has surrounded himself with loyalists who are less likely to object to policy catastrophes, such as an invasion of Taiwan. Tensions are rising and the outbreak of conflict would be catastrophic for the region, threatening the lives of millions.

  • Dyami unveils presence in Copenhagen, Denmark!

    Expanding our horizons: We are thrilled to announce a significant milestone in our journey of building our company. Dyami is proud to open its doors to a new office in the vibrant city of Copenhagen, Denmark. Bringing Security Intelligence to the Danish Market We have always been dedicated to providing top security intelligence services. With the establishment of our Copenhagen office, we are excited to extend these services to the Danish market. Why Denmark? Denmark's strategic location and dynamic business environment make it an ideal hub for our bespoke solutions. Our presence here underscores our commitment to meeting the evolving needs of Danish businesses, organizations, & government entities. What to Expect Our Copenhagen office will serve as a local hub for our expert team, ready to provide tailored security solutions to our Danish clients. We are well-equipped to address a wide range of security challenges, from espionage awareness, bespoke security training, security risk & intelligence management to travel risk management services. Join Us in This Exciting Journey We invite you to join us in celebrating this momentous occasion as we embark on a new chapter of growth and service excellence. Whether you are a current client, a potential partner, or a member of the Danish community interested in security intelligence, we look forward to connecting with you and exploring how Dyami can support your needs. Stay tuned for upcoming events and initiatives as we integrate ourselves into the Danish market. For inquiries or to learn more about our services, please feel free to reach out to our Copenhagen office; at sophie@dyami.services or eric@dyami.services. Dyami is honored to become a part of the dynamic Danish landscape and looks forward to contributing to the security and resilience of businesses and organizations across the country. dyami | count on us

  • Intel Brief on Gabon Coup d’Etat

    Date: 31/08/2023 Who’s involved: President Bongo, the military, the gendarmerie, civil society. What happened? On 30/08/2023 a group of military commanders announced a coup d’etat on national television, saying they were not pleased with the results of the elections announced the day before. Gabon held elections on 26/08/2023, but the results were only announced yesterday evening. President Ali Bongo won and was re-elected with 64% of the votes, according to the electoral commission, but the opposition denounced the results as fraudulent. President Bongo is the son of Omar Bongo, who had been president of the country since 1967 and who died in 2009 handing over power to his son, who has been in power since. The coup leaders have since put President Bongo under house arrest and announced that they have support throughout the country and military. The Internet was shut down for a few hours after the election results came in but has since been restored by the coup leaders. Like previous coups in Niger, CAR, Mali and Burkina Faso, the special forces of the army of Gabon seem to be heavily involved in the coup. These forces are all trained and supplied by US special forces. French mining company Eramet has halted all operations in the country, which is a former French colony and has had close ties with France ever since. The US and the EU have condemned the coup d’etat. The US has close military ties to Gabon and uses the country as staging grounds for operations in Africa. Analysis: It is likely that the coup d’etat will be challenged by forces loyal to President Bongo. A coup attempt in 2019 was thwarted by Gendarmerie Special Forces, loyal to President Bongo. At the moment, the Gendarmerie has not yet responded to this coup attempt but in 2019 were very resolute and killed and arrested the then coup leaders. There have been reports of gunfire in the streets of Libreville, but it is uncertain whether this is confrontational or celebratory fire. France seems to be reluctant to get involved with the coups d’etats that have recently happened in former French colonies. However, big French multinational companies like Total and Eramet have a large stake in the Gabon oil and mining industry, which makes French neutrality unlikely in the long-run. France’s support of President Bongo is well known and it is very likely that Paris will push the African Union to denounce the coup and perhaps intervene militarily. The United States will likely take a more neutral stance towards the coup leaders. They will publicly condemn the coup, but they are interested in keeping Gabon as a staging ground for operations in Africa, especially since Niger’s coup d’etat. The US has invested a lot of money and manpower into training and equipping the Gabon army the past years. China and Russia have voiced their concerns over the coup d’etat. China has good economic ties with president Bongo’s government and may noy want to renegotiate deals with the coup leaders. Russia on the other hand is likely to see the coup as another opportunity to send in affiliated mercenaries to support the coup leaders. However, it is not likely that the coup leaders will want to share power with mercenary groups like Wagner, since they claim their coup is to establish a democratic government in Gabon. There are also no terrorist groups in Gabon that are overwhelming the army as is the case for Niger, Mali or Burkina Faso, which reduces the need for calling for an external military intervention. Conclusion As of the time of publication, there is not enough information that could help understanding how this coup attempt will unfold. The coup leaders are from different branches of the army but it is not known how far-reaching their actual influence is. The Gendarmerie’s support (or lack thereof) for Bongo remains the cardinal question mark. Countries like France, the EU, but also Russia and China have denounced the coup publicly. It is, however, unclear what the covert interests of these countries are. The African Union’s reply to the coup d’etat will clarify their stance and the possibility of a military intervention of African nations.

  • Dyami supports the 2021 Kabul Evacuation

    On April 7th, Dyami was featured in a Dutch investigative report by Zembla about the evacuation of Kabul, Afghanistan, in 2021. Have a look at how founder / CEO Eric Schouten and Dyami Operations manager Annick Dingemans, among others, supported over 250 people who needed help in Kabul to get to the Airport in order to catch one of the military evacuation flights. Watch de episode - Zembla: Missie Afghanistan: de hel van Kabul - here (Dutch) Listen to the Zembla Podcast - een reconstructie van de evacuatie uit Kabul (dutch) Interview about the situation in Kabul at the Humberto Tan Talkshow (episode 59) February 18 2022, Dutch Investigative Radioshow Argos had an episode about the ordeal two sisters had to endure while evacuating from Kabul. Since Dingemans supported the sisters, she appears in the item talking about the case. Listen to the episode - Argos Drama bij evacuatie Kabul - here (in Dutch) More information about the efforts in August and September. https://www.dyami.services/post/dyami-s-crisis-navigation-kabul More video clips from news outlets can be found on the Dyami Youtube Channel Dyami Operations Room Kabul Evacuation 2021 (screenshot from Zembla) Dyami supports organisations by keeping their people safe and secure. Are you in need of our emergency response services? > Watch the episode - Zembla: Missie Afghanistan: De hel van Kabul (2/2) - here (in Dutch)

  • Drug Trafficking and Terrorism in the Middle East

    Date: 24/08/2023 Location: the Middle East (Saudi-Arabia, Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, UAE). Parties involved: Syria, Iran, Iraq, the Gulf States, Hezbollah, Bashar Al-Assad, ISIS/L. What happened? The illegal drug called Captagon, an amphetamine pill, is used throughout the Middle-East and mostly in the Gulf States as a recreational drug. It has names like “cocaine for the poor” and the “terrorist drug”, but it is mostly used as a stimulant in the Arabic nightlife. Captagon is produced and sold on a wide-scale in Syria and Lebanon, providing funding for terrorist organizations like Hezbollah and ISIS/L. The connection between the Mexican drug cartel Los Zetas and Hezbollah is well documented. The smuggling of weapons and other materials from Iran to Hezbollah and other militant groups in Syria and Lebanon is done through the same channels as the drug trade. The infrastructure is solid and drugs and weapons are smuggled by air and by land. Rumors were spread after the Paris attacks of 2015, and the rise of ISIS/L in the Middle-East from 2011 on, that Captagon would give the user superhuman powers, a higher pain threshold and the ability to withstand multiple gunshot wounds. It became popular among terrorists to “enhance” their powers in a fight. It is believed that suicide bombers were given doses of up to 30 pills right before detonation. Captagon has recently been found in drug busts in the south of Europe in countries like Greece and Italy, making it the first time that Captagon seems to be headed towards the European market. Jordan is especially hard on the smuggling and dealing of Captagon and recently attacked several drug barons and drug smuggling convoys with fighter jets, killing over 30 smugglers and dealers. Bashar Al-Assad, President of Syria, is known to have acquired millions, if not billions, of dollars thanks to facilitating the Captagon production in Syria. One of the reasons Syria was allowed back into the Arab League on 07/05/2023 was Assad’s promise to tackle Captagon production and smuggling. Analysis: The market for Captagon is growing day by day. With the Middle East, and especially the Gulf-States, being known for their low tolerance of the use of stimulants and addictive drugs due to strict Islamic laws, it is almost hard to believe that there is such a big market for Captagon there. The penalties for dealing and using drugs are high, even as high as the death penalty in some states. But this does not seem to affect the Captagon market. Saudi Arabia has especially seen an increase in Captagon being smuggled into the country in the past years. This increase will likely not go down, even with Assad promising the Arab League that he will clamp down on the production of Captagon in Syria. The money coming in from the production and export of the drug is too enticing to ignore. Even with the Gulf States and surrounding countries engaged in a war on drugs it seems that, like in the West, such wars are not easily won. An increase in the use of the drug brings several issues with it. There is of course the individual hardships of people being addicted to Captagon. But there are other consequences of the rise in drug use in the Middle East. Terrorist organizations are making millions upon millions of dollars by producing and smuggling Captagon. That money is used to buy weapons, fund terrorist cells and keep terrorist infrastructures intact. With Hezbollah trying to lure Israel into an open conflict, it is the drug trade that will be funding the use of missiles and rockets being fired from Lebanon and Syria into Israel. To conclude, the rising popularity of Captagon as a recreational drug in the Middle East means that there is a likelihood that terrorist organizations like Hezbollah and ISIS/L will make even more money from the illegal drug trade. With this money they can buy weapons and even recruit new fighters to their cause.

  • Early Warning Brief - Rising US Military Activity in Iraq and Syria

    Date: 24/08/2023 Parties involved: Iraq, Syria, United States, Iran-backed militias The Events: ● In early August, the United States announced new deployments of dozens of combat aircraft, an additional 3,000 marines, two destroyers and an Amphibious Ready Group. ● Over the last week, dozens of convoys of US military vehicles were spotted throughout Iraq igniting widespread rumors about an imminent operation. While this is a recurring trend during unit rotations, the routes and the number of vehicles are inconsistent with a standard rotation period. ● Over the last several days, there has been a significant increase in the number of US and coalition military aircraft above western Iraq and Syria. This increase has also been noted by the daily Russian Defense reports about their operations in Syria. ● Rumors are circulating that the United States is planning to conduct an operation in Syria to clear the area of Iran-backed militias, cut off the Iranian supply route, and reshape the code of conduct with Russia in Syria. ● The spokesperson for the US Department of Defense and an Iraqi general have stated that their offices are unaware of any unusual military movements in Iraq. ● Shiite factions are ‘’aware of an imminent operation, and have been asked to avoid escalation.’’ Three Iraqi military officials have also stated that the US is repositioning in preparation for a military operation outside Iraq ‘’to change the rules of engagement with the Russians in Syria.’’ ‘’The Americans will also try to cut off the Iranian supply route towards Syria and Lebanon, through Iraqi territory (...).’’ Analysis and implications: The increased activities of the US military in Iraq do not seem to be due to an overlap period of unit rotations. A similar increase in activity was noted shortly before the killing of Qasem Soleimani, but the longer duration of the current increase in military movements indicates that a larger operation could be planned. However, details remain limited and most rumors are based on unconfirmed statements. Additionally, there is no notable increase in trackable surveillance flights above Iraq and/or Syria which would be an expected sign of an upcoming large-scale operation. A major operation in the Syria-Iraq border region would likely cause several overspill effects, especially because of growing tensions between major powers in the region which include Israel, Iran, Russia, the US and various militias. Regional groups, including Palestinian factions, will likely seize the opportunity to conduct attacks and the Israeli military could launch an operation in Lebanon or in Palestinian territories as well. The potential US operation is likely to ignite the tensions in and around the Strait of Hormuz which would lead to a direct confrontation between US and Iranian forces in the Persian Gulf. However, because the scope of the potential US operation is unknown, it is practically impossible to predict what effects the potential operation will have on the region. Concluding notes: The increase in US military movements in and above Iraq, together with the reinforcements sent to the region and the Persian Gulf, indicates that something could be planned. The movements are not consistent with the recurring overlap period during unit rotation periods. Widespread rumors suggest that the United States is planning to conduct an operation in the Syria-Iraq border region to combat the influence of Iran-backed militias, cut off the Iranian supply route towards Syria and Lebanon, and possibly reshape the code of conduct with Russia in Syria. However, these possible explanations are based on unconfirmed statements and the real reason for the increased military movements remains unclear.

  • Safeguard your employees

    When it comes to the safety and well-being of your valued business travelers, there's no room for compromise. That's why we're here to emphasize the importance of investing in professional Travel Security Manager services. In today's dynamic world, ensuring the security of your employees while they're on the move is not just a priority; it's a necessity. Here's why: Risk Mitigation: Traveling exposes your employees to a range of unforeseen risks – from natural disasters to political unrest. Our experienced Travel Security experts have their fingers on the pulse of global events, ensuring that your travelers can navigate potential dangers with a solid plan in place. Emergency Support: Our Travel Security team is available for you, providing assistance and guidance when the unexpected occurs. Your employees can feel confident knowing that help is away. Customized Solutions: Every business trip is unique, as are the security needs accompanying it. Our team work closely with you to tailor security plans that align with your specific travel requirements, ensuring the right level of protection for each journey. Local Expertise: Navigating unfamiliar territories can be challenging. Our Travel Security Managers are well-versed in the intricacies of various destinations, providing invaluable local knowledge to help your travelers make informed decisions and stay safe. Peace of Mind: Nothing beats the peace of mind that comes from knowing your business travelers are in capable hands. With our Travel Risk Management Subscription, you can focus on your core business while we take care of the safety concerns. Protect your most valuable assets – your employees. Let us be your partner in ensuring your business travel endeavours' safety, security, and success. Contact us today to discuss how we can tailor our services to meet your needs. 📞 +31 30 207 2120 📧 eric@dyami.services Travel with confidence. dyami | count on us

  • One-stop aviation security solution

    Airlines & charter operators operate in an environment of increasing security challenges, including emerging threats and complex regulatory requirements. In this ever-evolving aviation landscape, ensuring the safety and security of passengers, crew, and assets remains paramount. Dyami offers a comprehensive One-Stop Aviation Security Solution to assist aviation security officers & dispatchers in enhancing their capabilities and capacity, streamlining operations, and bolstering security measures. Our solution aims to provide an affordable holistic approach to security risk management that results in more secure and efficient airline or charter operations. Authorities, passengers, aviation underwriters, and aircraft brokers have an increased interest in how aircraft operators implement their security risk management system. We offer specialized access to our expertise in the intricacies of aviation business risk and resilience, to remain constantly aware. We keep you up to date on global events, intelligence, aviation security regulations, and beyond. Our systematic security risk & intelligence management-led approach helps you better anticipate and respond to impacts from actual or potential developments. Therefore you become better in your preventive measures resulting in reducing costs and enabling you to keep your passengers, crew, and aircraft safe. Your challenge Managing aviation operations in a complex world is a challenge. Ensuring the continuity of a safe and secure operation with limited resources can be demanding. What we do We act as your security department supporting your security officer and dispatchers. We help to build an effective security culture tailored to your operational needs, by providing support with: on-call and direct support for all your security-related questions developing security strategies and policies bespoke risk assessments for routes and destinations crew briefings, training, and support implementing and auditing security measures Our first step is sharing knowledge. We provide trusted knowledge experts and trainers from multiple disciplines, including aviation safety and security, airline (cargo) operations, pilots, cabin crew, ground handling, intelligence, foreign affairs, defense, and law enforcement. We maintain our operational mindset. We keep a close eye on people, processes, and culture to ensure that your procedures are both practical and dynamic. Security & Intelligence Risk Management is at the heart of Dyami. We assess the risks involved holistically to ensure that there is the right balance between operational excellence and a safe and secure operation. It’s your license to operate. Dyami is your affordable one-stop solution for secure operations all over the world. Route and Destination Risk Assessments Uncertainty and volatility have become the norm in today's interconnected world. Threats along the flight route, destination, and possible en-route alternates change every day. Stay ahead of geopolitical risks if you conduct global flight operations. At Dyami, we believe in a human-centric approach while making assessments. Our expert team provides the insights you need to proactively address your risks and ensures you stay on top of the geopolitical and aviation risk landscape. Dyami has an experienced team of in-house analysts and experts who monitor (emerging) conflict zones worldwide. We use a mix of closed & open sources and are proud of our network to utilize human intelligence sources in our assessments. We provide support to your security officer, dispatcher, or sales staff to help them anticipate properly and make better critical decisions. We deliver on-demand security risk & threat assessments for any location in the world. With a focus on overflight risks during flight operations. An assessment contains actionable intelligence to ensure a safe and secure operation. While our crew briefings help your crew with their situational awareness so they are better prepared for their trip. Crisis & Emergency Response Dyami is available to clients to provide emergency response action and assistance. ​Emergencies can occur at any time. Dyami action and support can vary from boots on the ground to remote support. We obtain ground truth information about the area before the emergency and disaster mission starts. We offer our aviation security services via a monthly BASIC or FULL membership, billed as a prepaid six-month or annual subscription. Choose a plan that works for you >> When selecting a membership plan for our One-stop Aviation Security Membership, we encourage you to consider the unique needs and priorities of your organization. Our membership plans are designed to cater to a range of requirements, from comprehensive security features to budget-conscious options. If you are seeking a balance between security enhancements and cost-effectiveness, our BASIC Plan provides essential security features and access to our security services, reports, and expert team. Our FULL Plan is ideal if you want to get extended security capabilities including bespoke security manual support or increased use of assessments. Rest assured, regardless of the plan you choose, our commitment to enhancing your security and operational efficiency remains unwavering. We're here to assist you in making an informed decision that aligns perfectly with your objectives. Contact us now for more information on our bespoke membership!

  • Afghanistan, two years of Taliban rule

    From the fall of Kabul to the lack of governance On August 15, 2021, a significant event happened in Afghanistan as the Taliban reclaimed power, ushering in a series of changes that have reverberated throughout the lives of the Afghan people. This moment was marked by an announcement from the Taliban's spokesperson, Zahibullah Mujahid, who conveyed a message of “newfound openness and inclusivity”. At the end of August 2021, the Taliban assured the Afghans of their intention to permit women to engage in employment and pursue education, while also pledging to establish a secure environment for all citizens. These proclamations stood as promises, for the dawn of a new era. However, as the sands of time have settled over the past two years, a disconcerting pattern of contradiction and regression has emerged. Despite the initial assurances, the Taliban's stance on various matters, particularly those concerning the rights of women and girls, has taken an alarming and regressive turn. The once-promised opportunity for girls to access education has eroded, replaced by a prohibition that casts a shadow over the prospects of an entire generation. Similarly, the promise of women's participation in public life has given way to a restrictive mandate, confining them within their households, with a mandatory male guardian acting as their contact to the outside world. Compounding the concern is the ruthless pursuit of former government officials and military personnel associated with the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces. These individuals now find themselves subjected to a relentless campaign of persecution, punishment, and even extrajudicial execution. The record, documented by the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), tallies at least 237 instances of such extrajudicial executions from August 2021 to June 2022, painting a grim picture of the unraveling situation. While certain aspects of the current situation show a modicum of improvement, including a relative reduction in terrorist attacks and a calmer environment compared to two years prior, the reality remains fraught with challenges. Furthermore, Afghanistan finds itself ensnared in a complex web of international isolation and economic turmoil, precipitated by the events of August 2021. These circumstances have pushed the nation further into poverty, exacerbating an already dire humanitarian crisis. Next to that, the relationship between the Taliban and Pakistan has been more unstable lately, because of a surge in armed attacks on Pakistani soil by a Taliban-related terrorist group. This tension has spurred high-ranking Pakistani officials to voice their concerns, attributing the escalation to the perceived lack of decisive action by the ruling Taliban administration in curtailing the movement of armed groups across the border. In response, the Taliban spokesperson rebuffed these assertions, positing that Pakistani authorities are prone to blame Afghans, rather than fortifying their security apparatus. With the Taliban in power, Afghanistan has also become a playground for other terrorist groups like ISIS, because of the freedom that they have in Afghanistan. It is uncertain what the future of Afghanistan will look like. However, it is likely that the Taliban will not remain in power. Their lack of recognition on the international stage, coupled with their limited experience in governance, raises significant doubts about their ability to effectively lead a nation. Furthermore, there are concerns that the already fragile Afghan economy could face further deterioration under their rule. It is not surprising that a military group like the Taliban is not proficient in governing a country. There is a likelihood that Afghanistan will fall back to its tribal roots and conflicts and that the Taliban will lose control of the provinces. Infighting within the Taliban is also not unthinkable as there are individuals who want more power, there is a discussion on how strict the Taliban rules should be and there is uncertainty on how to deal with economic and diplomatic problems.

  • From Kabul to Dyami in Utrecht

    Madina Shinwari is an intern at Dyami Strategic Intelligence Services. During the fall of Afghanistan, she was in Kabul. This event changed a lot for her and everyone around her. And it also connected her with Dyami, she shares some of her personal insights. Today is August 17 2023, Two years ago, marked a turning point for many of us, myself included. It brought a mix of profound sorrow and profound gratitude into my life. Experiencing the fall of Afghanistan firsthand, made me realize that there are still so many people suffering from the consequences of choices made by leaders around the world. Despite having visited Afghanistan every year since my early childhood, the pervasive sense of instability that Afghans have endured throughout their lives struck me even more deeply on this day. Seeing people without documents or passports trying to flee, made me feel guilty and dirty about my passport. Why do I deserve to leave in this chaos, but they don’t? Madina is a 17-year-old high school student in Baarn and a member of the UNICEF youth panel. At school, she is part of the student council and UNESCO workgroup in which they represent the voices of the students and organise diverse activities to contribute to the world around us. Being a part of the debate club at school made her participate in the national debate with NJR. There she debated with the secretary of state of health and had conversations with the Dutch minister of justice and security. Having parents who were born in Afghanistan, and a father working in Afghanistan at the intelligence service, it was mandatory for Madina to visit Afghanistan every year. Two years ago, I found myself in the middle of Hamid Karzai airport, scared and not knowing what would happen to me, and all the other Afghans. Seeing the Taliban in front, behind and next to me hitting people with missiles who were trying to flee, seeing bullets flying everywhere but not hearing them, made me feel like I was in another world and that it was all just a dream. It didn’t feel real. The only thing that we all felt during that moment, was sorrow. Seeing your country, your home, your place, being taken away from you, inflicts a pain that cuts deep. It was then that it truly hit me; Afghans have had to live like this for the last 45 years. It made me realize that the government's approach in an emergency like this, must change. Things happened that weren’t supposed to happen, like a plane returning to the Netherlands without anyone in it. But still in this chaos, there were people trying everything they could to help Afghans leave the country, like Eric and Annick from Dyami. Dyami embarked on an extraordinary mission, sparing no effort to evacuate Afghans from their homeland. In the midst of relentless chaos, Dyami displayed unwavering dedication, maintaining a constant 24/7 connection with everyone involved. Their relentless pursuit of a solution led them to engage with individuals, carefully crafting routes that would go unnoticed by the eyes of the Taliban. Against all odds, Dyami managed to orchestrate the evacuation of a significant number of individuals from Afghanistan. To make sure that they reached the airport so with the help of the military, and a small team from the embassy, the Dutch Air Force was able to return them back home. The success achieved is a testament to Dyami's exceptional crisis management skills. Their ability to remain resolute in this situation showcases what true crisis management entails. Dyami’s team can stand proud, knowing that their efforts during that critical time made an immeasurable difference in the lives of so many. Fast forward to today, and I find myself sitting in Dyami’s office - a twist of fate that almost feels ironic. Two years ago, my interest in conflicts, terrorism and diplomacy grew even more. Dyami is the perfect place for me to extend my knowledge on these subjects and gain experience in practice, they offered me to do a mini-internship here. Having this chance as a 17-year-old is incredible. And Dyami looking at my passion, interests, and future goals, instead of my age, speaks volumes about their commitment to nurturing young talents and fostering a true learning environment. Age is just a number when it comes to pursuing dreams. Kabul Evacuation 2021 Read more about the Kabul Evacuation and Dyami in 2021

bottom of page