Etymologically, the phrase ‘assassin’ comes from the Arabic ‘hashshashin’ which referred to a group of militant Islamic killers in the medieval Middle East. In these older times, the ‘assassin’ would go alone and commonly kill by gouging victims, including bodyguards with a sword or short blade before vanishing into the crowd. As they are by many people today, the first assassins were loathed by society as a result of their ‘hidden in plain sight’ way of life.
In contemporary times, the invention of new advanced and highly effective long-range weapons and firearms means that it can be difficult to prevent a determined hired killer. In terms of modernization, being able to shoot at targets from farther away dramatically increases the assassins’ potential survival rate.
So, we can start to build a picture of the modern derivative of the medieval hashshashin as an expert killer, loner and user of firearms. Yet, wielding a gun is not the only part of being a hired gun. Today’s hired gun also has to think about discretion and personal safety as well as exit routes.
In terms of escape routes, most modern hired gun 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 architectural schematics.
When it comes to discretion, some cleaners prefer to go for bold sniper tactics which allow them concealment and most likely an easy getaway. However, being a sniper requires hours of practice so some prefer a more personal approach which may involve poisoning or suffocation. Still some popular methods waive discretion and attract a great deal more public attention, particularly the use of explosives.
The Russian authorities who were thought to have passed a lethal dose of radioactive polonium-210 to Alexander Litvinenko had to face a a wave of accusations were made against them in 2006. This poison was apparently passed to him in aerosol and sprayed directly onto his food. After claiming persecution in Russia, Litvinenko, a former KGB agent had been granted asylum in the UK six years earlier. He gave a statement accusing contemporary President of Russia Vladimir Putin of involvement in the poisoning. Therefore, poison does not always equal discretion.
Finally, personal safety is an important issue for all hitmen as they can not accept work or may be caught by police if they themselves are injured. Basic techniques for avoiding self damage include regular training, choosing good exit lines and strategies and wearing protective body armour.