Andy McNab's Guide To Surviving Interrogation

Andy McNab is a former SAS commander who left the military as the UK's most highly decorated soldier. An specialist in counter-terrorism, prime target elimination and covert surveillance in hostile environments, he commanded the famous BRAVO TWO ZERO patrol and came through six weeks of brutal torture and interrogation during the first Gulf War.

Step 1: Accept The Situation

You have to accept that you have been captured and will have no physical control, you will be beaten and incarcerated. You have to concentrate all of your efforts on maintaining your mental integrity.

Step 2: "The Grey Man"

It is vital that you don't draw attention to yourself by talking back or being agressive. Try to avoid eye contact and don't react. You stand a better chance of avoiding any special treatment.

Step 3: Psychological Torture

They will use different psychological methods on you. "Fear Up" is where they will try to intimidate you in any way they can to try to break you. "Fear Down" is a technique used to try and gain your trust by appearing to want to help you. In both cases, it is important to stay focused, keep being the Grey Man and don't co-operate.

Step 4: Stress Positions

Your interrogators will place you in stress positions to try to disorientate you and condition you for interrogation. It is important to stay focused and maintain your mental integrity. Don't let them break you.

Step 5: Hold Out

You will suffer extreme forms of physical interrogation. It is important that you hold out. The information you have could be used to kill your friends. Focus on this and never give in. Over-play your reactions to every blow, act like you are stupefied. In this situation you can use eye contact with your torturer to make them see you as a human being and to gain their sympathy.

Step 6: Plan Your Escape

Always plan your escape, always be thinking of how you can exploit any opportunity to get away.