Security organizations and counterterrorism
It is explicitly declared in the manual that Muslim religious goals and quests can not be attained except by force though bombings, assassinations, as well as wanton slaughter of human beings. Anti-terror professionals are thus warned that it is almost futile to try to engage such extremists in any from of dialogue since it has been implanted into their conscious selves that only force and aggression can yield fruits. Counterterrorism efforts should thus not have discussion as one of the ways to manage terrorism since the militias are not responsive to dialogue.
The manual declares that Muslims can only resist the alleged condition of unawareness by being united and conforming to Muslim religious ideals. Counterterrorist experts are thus informed to be vigilant and wary of Islamic groupings since such are the ideal places where Islamic militias congregate, strategize, and share ideas. The terrorism guidebook offers three key principles necessary for establishing Islamic military organizations, which include: organization advisory committee and commander; soldiers; and a clearly-defined plan.
This informs counterterrorism experts that Islamic terrorists are well-organized groups with a clear hierarchical power struc6ture. It is thus prudent to carry out a systematic dismantling of such organizations for effective handling of terrorism. Such measures would include firsts identifying the actual persons involved in terror activities, from planners to implementers, and then directly dealing with individual persons (Terrorist Training Manual, 2000).
Several requirements for the Islamic military organizations are listed including: counterfeit money and fake documents; apartments plus hiding quarters; means of communication; means of transport; ammunition and arms; information; and transport. This implies that such Islamists are well prepared and hence counterterrorism personnel ought to have superior preparedness and planning in order to effectively tackle terrorism. Among the missions of Islamic military organizations is to kidnap enemy documents, personnel, arms, and secrets.
Counterterrorism experts are thus required to be vigilant in securing such entities at all times, particularly those belonging to nations which are ideological enemies with Islamic regimes. The assassination of overseas tourists and enemy personnel is another mission of Islamic militias. Counterterrorism should therefore seek to ensure the safety of tourists abroad by either offering guidelines on safe places to visit or issuing travel advisories if there is reason to fear for the safety of tourists while overseas.
Another mission of Muslim jihadists is the spreading of rumors as well as issuing statements that incite the masses against he perceived enemy. Counterterrorism should thus aim to try to prevent the publication of such inciting statements, intercept and destroy them before they reach their target audience or destroy the places where they are produced. The jihadists as well have the mission of bombing and obliterating embassies plus attacking important financial centers.
This calls for heightened and vigilant surveillance on the overseas facilities such as embassies and business premises owned by regimes which the Muslim jihadists consider as enemies. The jihadists also aim to blow up bridges linking cities with neighboring areas as one of their missions. It is vital for counterterrorism personnel to be on the lookout and secure vital bridges to avert any possible strikes. Recruits into the jihadist movement ought to be Muslims. This implies that counterterrorism personnel ought to concentrate on Muslim characters when managing terrorism.
Members as well should be mature, that is of the age of majority. Counterterrorism should thus focus on mature Muslim persons when investigating terror activities. One requirement for membership is the ability and commitment top keep secrets even from the closest persons. Counterterrorism experts ought o be therefore aware that it is hard to extract information from such terrorists and hence devise efficient methods of getting such information (Terrorist Training Manual, 2000).
Regarding operational moneys, it is stated that they are to be split into 2 parts, with one segment going into schemes that provide monetary returns, while the other is kept to be spent only in the course of operations. This informs counterterrorism experts that the jihadists operate decoy projects which they use to earn cash for furthering their military objectives. Therefore, any enterprises having Muslim connections ought to be fully investigated to establish their owners, financiers and beneficiaries.
The jihadists’ photos on traveling documents ought not to have a beard according to the manual. This should inform counterterrorism experts that the old notion that Muslims and jihadists always wear beards should be discarded so as to be able to effectively investigate the activities of suspect Muslims. Agreements are to be rent4ed preferably on ground floors to permit easy escape as well as digging ditches. Counterterrorism experts should thus be on the lookout particularly for suspects who live on ground floors when investigating terrorism activities.
Apartments are to be rented preferably within newly-developed localities because people in such areas generally do not know each other and hence strangers are not as easily identifiable as in older neighborhoods. Counterterrorism experts therefore should particularly carry out surveillance in such neighborhoods for any suspicious characters. Organization members are instructed to offer information that is bound to mislead security agencies when they discover that their telephone conversations are being tapped into.
This further complicates the work of counterterrorism agencies since they ought to be wary of volunteer information that is purported to implicate militants. Proper vetting and scrutiny of any informer-derived information is important to make sure that security agencies do not fall into the tricks of the jihadists and hence end up unnecessarily wasting time and possible resources (Terrorist Training Manual, 2000). The guidebook states that training venues for Islamic military organizations ought t to be located far away from areas with may people.
Counterterrorism agencies therefore have got to conduct searches for such training sites away from major cities and towns preferably in the countryside where there are few people residing therein. The Islamic organization generally avoids overcrowded place such as, train stations, cafes, and recreation places. Security and counterterrorism agencies ought to specifically target less crowded places when carrying out anti-terrorism activities. Members of the organization carrying out strike operations are instructed not to appear Muslim-like and if possible, to completely disguise themselves.
This is a challenge for security and counter-terror agencies since it appears like it is pointless to target and investigate overt Muslims regarding terrorism. Priority should be placed on members of the public who do not have outward Muslim appearances. Fighters in the Muslim military organization are taught beforehand about the answers to provide to security forces in the event that they are intercepted. Security agencies thus ought to be a bit more creative and flexible regarding the questions they field to suspects during interrogations.
Routine, standard, and typical questions ought to be avoided. Questions should be asked depending on the environment so as to gather useful facts and surprise the Islamists into disclosing valuable information. The guidebook contains instructions to the effect that surveillance vehicle number plates and make should be similar to those of target vehicles. This should appropriately inform security agencies to be cautious when trailing or attacking suspicious vehicles as innocent persons, with cars matching the terrorists’ vehicle, may be involved.
The Islamic organization is seemingly using ciphers according to the guidebook. Security organizations and counterterrorism personnel ought to be well versed with the various systems of cipher text currently employed so as to accurately and speedily interpret information when it is intercepted to facilitate quick and appropriate action (Terrorist Training Manual, 2000). Members of the Islamic organization are instructed not to confess of their involvement with the jihadist movement if they get arrested and are brought to trial.
Security agencies should be aware that such characters will not provide any useful information that could lead to the dismantling of the terrorist cells. Other methods of obtaining information, other than interrogation and questioning ought to be developed to ensure effective handling of the terrorists and their activities. Members are as well instructed to be observant, alert, and watchful of the places they are interrogated at, which mostly are security facilities, so as to relay information to the jihadist movement regarding the physical set up of such buildings.
This should ring a bell in security circles and appropriate places of interrogation should be created to avoid letting the Islamic militia get to know the set up of government facilities in case they plan future attacks on the same. Reference Terrorist Training Manual (May 2000). Provided courtesy of the Behavioral Analysis Program, Operational Training Unit, Counterintelligence Division, FBI Headquarters.
