Methods for Assassination

The term ‘assassin’ originates from the Arabic ‘hashshashin’ which referred to a group of militant Islamic killers in the medieval Middle East. In these historical times, the ‘assassin’ would go alone and commonly kill by gouging victims, including bodyguards with a knife or sword before vanishing into the crowd. As they are by most today, the first assassins were feared by society as a result of their ‘hidden in plain sight’ way of life.

The invention of new advanced and highly effective long-range weapons and firearms means that in current times, it can be difficult to prevent a determined hired killer. In terms of modernization, being able to fire on targets from farther away greatly increases the assassins’ potential survival rate.

So, we begin to construct a picture of the modern derivative of the medieval hashshashin as a lone, expert killer and firearms user. However, wielding a gun is not the only part of being a hitman. Today’s hitman also has to think about exit routes, personal safety and discretion.   
In terms of getaway routes, most modern hitman will not enter a building without scouting the location first to find the most effective exfiltration strategies. Without a doubt, it’s good to be handy at reading maps and blueprints.

When it comes to discretion, bold sniper tactics can offer hitmen concealment and most likely an easy getaway. Being a sniper requires hours of training, however, so some go for a more personal approach which may involve poisoning or suffocation. Some popular tactics, particularly the use of explosives waive discretion and attract a great deal more attention.

A wave of accusations were made against the Russian authorities who, in 2006 were thought to have given a lethal dose of radioactive polonium-210 to Alexander Litvinenko. This poison was possibly passed to him in aerosol and sprayed directly onto his food. Litvinenko was a former KGB agent and had been granted asylum in the UK six years earlier after claiming persecution in Russia. He issued a statement accusing contemporary President of Russia Vladimir Putin of involvement in the poisoning. This shows that poison does not definitely equal discretion.

Finally, personal safety is a massive issue for all hitmen as they can not accept work or may be caught by police if they themselves are injured. Proven techniques for avoiding self damage include wearing protective body armour, choosing good exit lines, strategies and regular PT.