Counter Terror Arabia international conference and exhibition will be held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), from 30 October to 2 November 2011.

Organized by Clarion Events Middle East, Counter Terror Arabia is an extension of the London and Washington D.C. editions and will be co-located with Fire and Rescue Abu Dhabi.

The three-day conference will start with a series of discussions on technologies and plans to tackle current and future threats. They will address issues in the cyber domain and public-private protection and the threats these pose to critical national infrastructure, as well as cross-examine cutting-edge cyber security strategies to protect the region’s critical networks and installations.

Counter-terror strategies and technologies to safeguard high-profile and economically important critical infrastructures in the Middle East will be presented on day two of the conference. Speakers will discuss the need for intelligence and information sharing across the region to deter, detect and defeat threats in aerial attacks, the maritime zone, as well as provide solutions for countering terror activities related to compromising vital resources, including water and power.

With 15-16 billion barrels of oil transiting the Strait of Hormuz every year, and with numerous offshore oil installations, the maritime domain is one of the highest areas of risk to terrorist attacks. With new technologies, including mini-UAVs, Maritime Patrol Aircraft and space-based ISR systems, investment in the right mix of technologies will be critical to control and counter terrorism.

In addition, as the region grows in importance as a hub for business, sea and air transport and tourism, the conference will discuss methods of protecting mass gatherings of people at the increasing number of religious, sporting and entertainment events. It will also deliberate on how to maximize intelligence to monitor emerging threats and to protect against conventional and unconventional attacks.

The final day will bring together delegates from the Counter Terror Arabia conference and the Fire & Rescue Abu Dhabi conference to discuss issues related to developing comprehensive multi-agency emergency plans, all-hazards emergency response plans and define Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRNE) and Hazardous Materials (HazMat) strategies.

Delegates will examine the technological needs for all-hazards emergency response planning while considering the critical elements of a comprehensive CBRNE strategy - protection, detection, response and recovery to minimize the impact of any CBRNE or HazMat incident.

The session will also explore innovative training and exercising methods, including full-scale exercises, virtual reality and table-top scenario-based training. It will also consider strategies and technologies needed to effectively decontaminate people and infrastructure and prevent the spread of CBRNE/HazMat substances causing massive disaster.

Over 30 international and regional speakers will take part in this conference, including: Rear Admiral Chris Parry CBE, Former Director General DCDC, UK MoD and Strategic Military and Security Advisor Clarion Events; Richard Smith, Head of Force Information Management, British Transport Police Company; Illyas Kooliyankal, Chief Information Security Officer, Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange; Lt. Colonel Tamir Maayta, Director of Special Branch Training Center, Public Security Directorate/Special Branch, Jordan; Ali Asad, Emergency Response Coordinator, Kuwait Oil Company; Guy Thomas, Head of Global Maritime Awareness Program, National Office of Global Maritime Situational Awareness (OGMSA), US Coastguard; and Anthony Thompson LLB (Hons) MSc FInstLM, Specialist Consultant (CNIA), Al Shaheen Group.

Visitors will include personnel from the intelligence services, armed forces, police and law enforcement, protectors of critical national infrastructure, central/regional and local government representatives, private sector companies, systems integrators, and personnel from the building and facilities protection, airports and ports, emergency response, border control, customs and immigration, transport security, training and consultancy.