In recent years, Islamist terrorist groups worldwide have discovered kidnapping as a highly effective tool for financing their operations and pressuring target governments into conceding to their demands. Furthermore, in locations such as Iraq and Saudi Arabia, graphic video executions of kidnap victims have been used as powerful psychological weapons against expatriate Westerners and the American public. In this three-hour distance learning course, former Iraq Hostage Working Group Coordinator Daniel O'Shea explores the growing problem of jihadist kidnappings, kidnapping prevention, and advice for surviving kidnapping situations.

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This Internet-based training program includes the following S2 Online Academy lessons:

The final exam for this course is administered online as a 10-question multiple-choice test. Upon completion of the test, the score is automatically graded and documented in the student's "My Courses" transcript (accessible from the "My Account" page). In accordance with S2 Online course policy, the student must complete the online test with a passing score of 80% or better to receive a Certificate of Training. If the student does not pass the test the first time, the student has one opportunity to re-test.