Intelligence Flashcards
What is one of the main objectives of intelligence in counterterrorism?
To find out information about the next terrorist attack and enable authorities to prevent it.
Why is it difficult for intelligence to discover details about an impending terrorist attack?
Terrorist plots usually involve a small number of people who are highly secretive and careful about their activities.
Besides preventing attacks, what other important function does intelligence serve in counterterrorism?
Providing strategic warning about broader terrorist threats to cities, countries, or specific targets.
What is ‘Strategic Intelligence Warning’?
Intelligence that helps policymakers allocate resources by identifying potential terrorist threats to embassies, military installations, or domestic targets.
How does intelligence assist in disrupting terrorist organizations beyond stopping individual plots?
By collecting information on individuals, such as names, travel patterns, phone numbers, and contacts, to degrade terrorist capabilities.
In what way does intelligence support diplomacy in counterterrorism?
By providing information to U.S. diplomats to secure cooperation from foreign governments in dismantling terrorist groups.
How does intelligence help counterterrorism efforts related to financial investigations?
By tracking financial transactions to disrupt terrorist funding and providing specific financial data to freeze accounts.
What role does intelligence play in military counterterrorism operations?
It provides targeting information for military strikes and operations against terrorists.
How did intelligence-based strategic warning reduce casualties in the 1996 Khobar Towers bombing?
It led to heightened security measures that kept the truck bomb outside the compound, preventing an even greater loss of life.
What is the broader impact of intelligence beyond preventing specific attacks?
It aids in long-term counterterrorism strategies by supporting diplomacy, financial tracking, and military actions.
How does intelligence information enable law enforcement or military to take action against terrorist cells?
By identifying key individuals, their networks, and activities, enabling authorities to arrest or disrupt them.
What is counterterrorism intelligence often referred to as by intelligence officers?
A ‘multi-disciplinary project’ because it relies on multiple methods of information collection.
Why is infiltrating a terrorist group through HUMINT particularly challenging?
Because terrorist groups are small, secretive, and highly distrustful of outsiders.
What is a major risk for intelligence services trying to infiltrate a terrorist group?
The infiltrator may be required to prove loyalty by committing illegal acts or even participating in attacks.
Why is HUMINT difficult when dealing with lone-wolf terrorists?
Because they operate independently and are not part of a known group that can be infiltrated.
How was the Boston Marathon bombing an example of the difficulty in using HUMINT?
The attackers were not part of any known terrorist group, making infiltration impossible.
Can informants provide valuable intelligence even if they are not members of a terrorist group?
Yes, informants on the periphery can provide insights into members, travel patterns, and contacts.
What is one way the U.S. government gathers intelligence from people who are not spies?
By offering reward money for information on known terrorists.
Who was captured due to informants motivated by reward money?
Ramzi Yousef, the mastermind of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.
How can an arrested suspect become a source of intelligence?
Through interrogation and the analysis of seized documents and electronic devices.
What type of intelligence is gathered from seized documents and computers?
Collateral intelligence that can provide additional insights beyond direct interrogation results.
What is the other major intelligence collection discipline besides human intelligence (HUMINT) used in counterterrorism?
Signals Intelligence (SIGINT), which involves intercepting electronic communications.
Which U.S. agency is primarily responsible for SIGINT?
The National Security Agency (NSA), headquartered at Fort Meade.
Why is SIGINT often considered the most conclusive form of intelligence in counterterrorism?
Because it is seen as direct evidence rather than secondhand reporting.
What historical example demonstrated the effectiveness of SIGINT in proving terrorist responsibility?
The 1986 Berlin nightclub bombing, where Libyan government communications were intercepted and provided conclusive proof of Libya’s involvement.
What is one major limitation of SIGINT?
Terrorists often use coded language in electronic communications, making it difficult to interpret their true meaning.
What is an example of how terrorists use coded language to evade SIGINT detection?
They might refer to explosives as ‘tomatoes’ or a terrorist attack as a ‘wedding.’
What is another major limitation of SIGINT besides the use of coded language?
Terrorists may avoid electronic communications altogether, using human couriers or face-to-face meetings instead.
How did Osama bin Laden’s reliance on a courier instead of electronic communication contribute to his discovery?
Intelligence agencies tracked his courier, which led them to bin Laden’s hideout in Abbottabad, Pakistan.
