Human intelligence activities

Red Cells have recently collected and disseminated information concerning a terrorist group named Al-Sham. This is a specialized military body with unique customs, beliefs and language and also contracted DOD specialists (Byman, 2016). The analysis done by the Red Cells digs deep into the origin of Al-Sham , how it is funded, the current state they are in, the kind of weapons they use and their future. This detailed analysis will help in exposing the enemy for the strategies of stopping terrorists’ acts to be done beforehand. Red cell analysis has coordinated the human intelligence program and the specialists to gather and has analyzed the information about the Al-Sham terror group from various perspectives that shall be detailed (Byman, 2016).

 Al-Sham which is referred as ISIS by the U.S government was formed in 2004 as a division of Al-Qaeda which is located in Iraq. It is part of the overall ISI organization. Al-Sham is known to be quite and this gives a suspicion that they might be collaborating with other groups in committing the terrorist’s attacks. From the research done by the Red Cells, Al-Sham is grounded in the Muslim faith in the denomination of TQJBR which follow the Muslim traditions to the latter. The other strong hold of this group is their funding. Their funding really sustaining which is comes from various illegal activities which include oil smuggling, counterfeiting and getting donations from the most corrupt charity bodies of the Islamic and also kidnapping for ransom. The study also has shown that France and Italy have paid approximately $30 million as a ransom kidnap demands from the Al-Qaeda. This was just an annual payment in 2005. They also earned over 200 million dollars through other corrupt means still in 2005 and their sustenance is hence assured (Byman, 2016).

ISI generally has been gaining momentum since 2013 with very significant expansion of its power into Syria. With the already existing ISI groups in Somalia, Pakistan, Arabian Peninsula and Syria, the terrorists have gained full control over the Islamic community. Still under the systematic leadership of Abu Bakr Baghdadi, the groups have made an expansion of their goals with the main target being the attack of United States of America.

It was wise also for the Red Cells to have an assessment of the current state of the ISI groups which Al-Sham. The recent studies have shown that the year 2014 has be a year of terrorism revolution by being the most unstable year politically over the last decade. Various countries such as Egypt, Syria and Arab Springs have had a drastic fall in their political stability. Cases of rape, kidnap, murder and other forms of harassment have been reported (Byman, 2016). There have been more than 6000 women and children who have been kidnapped and sold in several sex slavery bodies. Muslims also who do not follow the exact beliefs that are followed traditionally are also killed. These terrorist groups have proven ruthless from the step they have recently taken of making a “cultural cleansing”. This is an attempt to erode the cultural heritage of Iraq. This is a movement driven by the Muslim extremists who want to erase the identity of the true Muslim religion (Byman, 2016).

The main weapon used by the ISI terrorist groups is the psychology of terror. They have ensured their omnipresence by setting small cell terror groups majorly in the United States. The members of the cells are actually citizens of U.S. who may not be easily noticed because they are born and brought out here. ISI has become unpredictable in the recent years than in the past because they are thinking and planning globally but act and implement locally. From a recent analysis done, 44% of the terrorists         are more than 30 miles away from their target (Byman, 2016). There have been small but organized groups that have spread across the globe with an aim of spreading the psychology of fear. This is majorly done with suicide bombs, random shooting and taking captives.

The Red Cells also evaluated about the future of the ISI and the Islamic state. It has been found that they don’t have a particular reason why they carry out the terror attacks. The extremists have used a very powerful weapon of fuel sympathizers just as the Al-Qaeda has been doing (Pollack, 2016). The 2013 bombing at Boston Marathon it is evidence that the target of the ISI groups is to cause deaths and suffering of important people. The ISIS has recently walked in the street of Brisbane with an aim of beheading the civilians on camera. Though the plan was foiled, it has worried the government and gatherings have been regarded as dangerous zones for the ISIS attacks (Pollack, 2016).

Red Cells have identified that the human intelligence programs are the best in monitoring the Al-Sham group by having a clear view on surprise attacks beforehand. It would work in identifying the lone-wolf sympathizers and other small cell groups that have been the great weapon for the terrorists. This intelligence body is able to collect a quality his profile information which can best help the arms forces in fighting against the ISIS terrorists (Harman, 2015). The human intelligence program has an important role to play in fighting the Al-Sham terrorists in the following ways. First, they are able to make a connection with the small cells and the sympathetic groups. They are also able obtain primary information that is reliable. It is also able to used specialized methodologies which are developed through sociology, anthropology and psychology (Pollack, 2016). This can best assist the government in understanding the conditions of the terrorists, their plans and any other agenda they might be discussing.

The red cell also has recommended the best IC members in using the human intelligence program. Military occupational specialists, private intelligence specialists and other special a agents. There is also an important docket for Arabic and cryptologist and linguistics (Pollack, 2016). These can work best in reaching the terrorists and through the human program intelligence. There are also other special group o communication signals intelligence specialists who can work in collaboration with the other specialists in operating an undercover in the territory of the enemies (Pollack, 2016).

The human intelligence program operators should be the frontline of the intelligence operations. This is because they are able to collect sensitive information about the Al-Sham. The information is gotten from the Islam refugees, the active members of the Al-Sham and various detainees (Pollack, 2016).

The coordination of the human intelligence programs, the right members to conduct the move and all the other aspects of the undercover needs to be run under the right strategy (Harman, 2015). The proposed strategy involves cross translation of the information by various linguistics, processing of the translated information, after which the analysis can follow. Red cell analysis has provides a strategy that coordinated all these operations so as to ensure that the bodies involved work in harmony. Red cell analysis is an approach that ensures the understanding of the Al-Sham in various ways (Harman, 2015).

First, it makes an attempt to think the way adversaries would think (Harman, 2015). The approach is based on assimilation whereby the members of the IC specialists are required to evaluate the social surroundings, their upbringing, their financial and other economic status religion and their beliefs. This approach also demands that the analysts should study the state of the Islam in an intent way and actually apparently becoming part of them. The Red Cell approach requires the members also to be open minded such that they are able to let go any pre-convinced notions about the Al-Sham (Pollack, 2016). With the procedures that the Red Cells analysis has put in place, misunderstanding, misleading of the information and inaccuracy are no longer a threat to the operations.

The intelligence activities against Al-Sham have to embrace the various recommendations that have been proposed. First, the proposed Homeland Security budget for 2015 should be revised by the concerned agencies to ensure that all the resources that are needed are in place. Secondly, they issue of recruiting more military should be done which should be accompanied by a military training in various occupational specialties. The graduates of the MOS school should also be awarded as a motivation for the new recruits (Harman, 2015). The last recommendation was for the Department of Defense policy to make a consideration on the use of country nationals and the recommendation of its abolishment should be considered. This should seize until the Al-Sham militant groups are totally eradicated to prevent the issue of counter spies of the terrorists from extracting information that would cause the exposure of the state against its enemy (Harman, 2015).

 

 

 

 

References

Byman, D. (2016). ISIS Goes Global. Foreign Affairs, 95(2), 76-85.

Harman, J. (2015). Disrupting the Intelligence Community. Foreign Affairs, 94(2), 99-107.

Pollack, K. M. (2016). Fight or Flight. Foreign Affairs, 95(2), 62-75.