Hostage Rescue.

[Gokusfusion]

I seen a picture of SEALs rescuing a female hostage and they put like some sort of bag over the hostages head,and tied the hostages hands up. One of the SEALs also carried the hostage out. Why do they do this?

I also seen on a SEAL special on Discovery channel that on one rescue mission the SEALs didn't put a bag over the persons head or tie the hostages hands up. I just remeber the SEAL team telling the hostage to remain calm and on the look out,to let them know if they heard any kind of weird noise or seen any odd movement. They didn't carry that hostage out. I was just wondering what the serves the purpose of tieing the hostages hands up and putting a bag over his or her head. (lol) Sorry to say bag I really don't know what else to call it.. Maybe the girl they rescued was extremally ugly.. Just kidding. Any input would be great,thanks..

[Romulus]

rescuing a female hostage and they put like some sort of bag over the hostages head,and tied the hostages hands up. One of the SEALs also carried the hostage out. Why do they do this?


I can´t answer for the SEALs work, but picture this..
You are going in to clear a house with an unknown number of terrorists, no faces are known at the time of entry.
You find and shoot lets say three terrorists, in the far corner of the first room is a "hostage"..
Now how do you know he/she really is a hostage?
What tells you he/she is not one of the terrorists and carrying a concealed wepon and/or a granade on his/her person...
If he/she is infact a terrorist you don´t want him/her seeing anything either
See were I´m getting with this??

The short answer to this question would be: security for you and your teammates
Hope this helps...
Romulus out.

[roula]

The short answer to this question would be: security for you and your teammates
Hope this helps...
Romulus out.


That's what they said on one of the SEAL Documentaries that I was watching too. They secure the "hostage" because they don't know if he/she is really a hostage or not. I believe these "techniques" are probably true for any rescue operation similar to this kind in many military units.

[Gokusfusion]

Yeah I knew that they check the hostage to make sure their not a terrorist,but it stands to reason why the hand tieing and head covering would provided maximum safety for the team.

[roula]

Yeah I knew that they check the hostage to make sure their not a terrorist,but it stands to reason why the hand tieing and head covering would provided maximum safety for the team.



I also remember reading once that since they don't know how a hostage might react meaning he/she might be "uncooperative" or "freaks out" during the rescue operation when everything is going on at ones to subdue him/her the hand tying and head covering is necessary so as to not alert the captors.

[Romulus]

but it stands to reason why the hand tieing and head covering would provided maximum safety for the team.

Roula is on the right track,
I forgott to explain why you need to move the hostages quickly without any fussing, fighting and in some case noises..
When you have rescued the hostages you´ll probably want to get the he*l out of Dodge, you don´t know if there is for example an explosive devise in the building..
Hope i´ve cleared some things out for you..
Romulus out.

[Doug]

I concur with the above reposnses. Just wanted to add that terrorists have and may in the future try to pose as hostages in order to cause dilemma to the resuing team. So treating everyone as a terrorist (without killing them obviously) and sorting it out later is the safest and best way to deal with the situation...

[k9gsd]

Possible it may be a trap, a hostage impersonator.

The "Stockholm Syndrome" would be by far the most likely problem. That is where the Hostage identifies with the captors and will actually aid the Captors, even use of leathel force by the hostage against the would be rescue team.

Head injuries, trauma, shock, hypothermia, dehydraton, medications or lack of and numerous other medical problems can also cause a hostage to resist help.

Some may resist due to religious, ethnic, racial or moral reasons.

Then you get the hostages that are just naturals at freaking out. They just do not have the mental stability to under go the physical and mental stress of a kidnapping by a bunch of camoflaged wild-eyed pistol wavers, then have a different bunch of camoflaged wild-eyed pistol wavers come to the rescue resulting in a very intense all out fire-fight.......they just don't make hostages like they used to ;-)

Robin

[s354026]

The "Stockholm Syndrome" would be by far the most likely problem. That is where the Hostage identifies with the captors and will actually aid the Captors, even use of leathel force by the hostage against the would be rescue team


In excercises it actually happened the hostage picked up a weapon and shot the delta. And the SAS storming the iranian embassy the leader of the terrosist hid among the hostages and tried to leave

[Gokusfusion]

the SAS storming the iranian embassy the leader of the terrosist hid among the hostages and tried to leave


Indeed,I read about that myself..

Good luck

God Bless..

Jason.

[Stoner68]

I agree. That type of training though has been taught for some years.Best to play iy safe.