POLICE TARGETED • VIGILANT RESOLVE • LOS ZETAS • FRAUDULENT LIENS
Journal for Law Enforcement, Intelligence & Special Operations Professionals
Counter The
DEC 2010/JAN 2011
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Counter
The Journal for Law Enforcement, Intelligence & Special Operations Professionals DECEMBER 2010/JANUARY 2011
VOLUME 3 • NUMBER 6
COVER STORY:
CONTENTS
32 8
32
44
58
NORTH KOREAN ADVENTURES IN UNCONVENTIONAL WARFARE By Jennifer L. Hesterman
FEATURES:
8
Firsthand: OPERATION VIGILANT RESOLVE By Abu Niza
22
Case Study: HEMET POLICE DEPARTMENT IN THE CROSSHAIRS By Benjamin S. Smith
44
LOS ZETAS: MASSACRES, ASSASSINATIONS, AND INFANTRY TACTICS By John P. Sullivan and Samuel Logan
58
FRAUDULENT LIENS TARGET INVESTIGATORS By Ed Urban
DEPARTMENTS: 6
From the Editor
30
Book Review
69
Innovative Products
72
Training Review
Law Enforcement, Intel and SOF Expeditionary Eagles: Outmanuveuring the Taliban Bogota Entry Tools, ITI Under-door Scope, Mountain House Meals Dutch SOF Visit, Board, Search and Seize
Cover: ROK soldiers watching the border at Panmunjeom in the DMZ between North and South Korea. Photo: Globaljuggler
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Law Enforcement, Intel and SOF By Chris Graham
W
Counter The
FROM THE EDITOR:
Journal for Law Enforcement, Intelligence & Special Operations Professionals
VOLUME 3 • NUMBER 6
elcome back to The Counter Terrorist. We live in interesting
times. The United States, our allies, groups and individuals that
value the freedom and the individual liberties articulated in the Constitution of the United States are under attack from a wide array of adversaries. The Counter Terrorist remains dedicated to supporting and refining the efforts of those who have sworn to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic…”, those who “protect and serve” and our brothers and sisters around the world who serve similar ideals. The Counter Terrorist will continue to cover transnational crime, criminal action of national significance, acts of unconventional warfare and related disciplines. To do so, we are dependent upon you. When the experience of your duties provides insight that will benefit others, share that experience here. I look forward to hearing from you.
DECEMBER 2010 /JANUARY 2011 Editor Chris Graham Director of Operations Sol Bradman Director of Advertizing Carmen Arnaes Director of Production Kelli Richardson Contributing Editors Eeben Barlow Jennifer Hesterman Richard Marquise Steve Young Graphic Design Morrison Creative Company Copy Editor Laura Town Office Manager Lily Valdes Publisher: Security Solutions International 13155 SW 134th St. • STE 204 Miami, Florida 33186
Semper Fidelis,
Chris Graham Editor of The Counter Terrorist
ISSN 1941-8639 The Counter Terrorist Magazine, Journal for Law Enforcement, Intelligence & Special Operations Professionals is published by Security Solutions International LLC, as a service to the nation’s First Responders and Homeland Security Professionals with the aim of deepening understanding of issues related to Terrorism. No part of the publication can be reproduced without permission from the publisher. The opinions expressed herein are the opinions of the authors represented and not necessarily the opinions of the publisher. Please direct all Editorial correspondence related to the magazine to: Security Solutions International SSI, 13155 SW 134th Street, Suite 204, Miami, Florida. 33186 or info@thecounterterroristmag. com The subscription price for 6 issues is $34.99 and the price of the magazine is $5.99. (1-866-573-3999) Fax: 1-786-573-2090. For article reprints, e-prints, posters and plaques please contact: PARS International Corp. Web: www.magreprints.com/quickquote.asp Email: reprints@parsintl.com Phone: 212-221-9595 • Fax: 212-221-9195 Please visit the magazine web site where you can also contact the editorial staff:
www.thecounterterrroristmag.com © 2010 Security Solutions International
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Firsthand:
OPERATION
VIGILANT
RESOLVE By Abu Niza
May 6, 2004, Midnight, Fallujah, Iraq I lay in darkness behind a tree, clutching my rifle and watching silent Marines around me as I tracked the countdown. I checked my watch and closed my eyes. Our breaching charge exploded. I felt the shock and saw the flash through my eyelids.
Counter The
A scout sniper team overwatches Marines in al-Anbar province Iraq. All photos courtesy of the author.
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M
arines were now pouring through the hole in the courtyard wall. I followed them in. Clusters of Marines were stacked on each structure. This unknown compound was one of the first objectives of what was later titled “Operation Vigilant Resolve.” The sounds of breaking glass and “hooligan tools” ripping open locked doors were interspersed with the sounds of flashbangs. It was exhilarating, yet
I knew that each breath could be my last. There was still no gunfire. As I heard Marines issuing instructions and reassurances in Arabic, I kept moving north. Eric P, my 20-year-old radio operator, tagged along. He had experienced problems in the rigid world of the Marine Corps, but in the months to come, his tenacity would prove him to be the equal of our finest predecessors. We linked up with a two-man sniper team and silently made our way through the shadows, stepping over slum debris and navigating an urban maze. We reached the last strip of buildings on the main east-west highway dubbed “Michigan.” Eric and I tucked ourselves into the shadows to provide security for our companions as they crept up a collapsing set of concrete stairs. They signaled down and we moved up to the roof. We had a commanding view of the highway and much of the city to the north. And then the curtain dropped. To our immediate right on the opposite side of the highway a volley of rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) erupted. Green tracers of automatic fire poured from the enemy positions. The noise was thunderous and unmistakable. This was a heavily armed enemy positioned to ambush traffic coming into the city. The enemy had glimpsed Col. Toolan’s element in the direction of the compound our Marines were clearing to the southeast, but it did not detect us. I spoke into my radio to the AC-130 above while “S,” our congenial sniper who looked young enough to be at home in study hall, released his first shot.
There was no longer any conceivable legal or moral justification for sparing terrorist combatants returning to a gunfight.
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Marines clearing rooms in Fallujah. A terrorist in the middle of firing a burst fell lifelessly behind a wall. As the gunship orbited invisibly overhead, the short wall covering the ambushers erupted in a 20-foot shower of sparks. Night turned to day as hundreds of rounds of automatic cannon fire ripped precisely through the ambushers. “S” cycled the bolt on his Remington rifle and cracked off a second shot. A terrorist fell clutching his side. Immediately, a pair of hands dragged him behind cover. Both snipers scanned for targets. Three of the remaining ambushers loaded into a battered white pickup and
made a run to the west. With the rules of engagement we were operating under that day, I did not authorize the gunship to fire on the vehicle as it disappeared into the city, but I instructed it to follow the truck. The pickup drove downtown to one of the mosques and then turned back. There was no longer any conceivable legal or moral justification for sparing terrorist combatants returning to a gunfight. I nodded to the second sniper, a selfassured rancher we called Sgt. E, and spoke the words, “Slayer, clear to engage” to the gunship crew. The cowboy sniper put a thundering
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.50 caliber Raufoss round through the engine block of the pickup. Instantly halted, it exploded with the direct hit of Slayer’s high-explosive round from the night sky. The driver sprinted into the nearest building’s entrance. A second round from the invisible aircraft slammed precisely into the truck and set it ablaze. The flickering light revealed our final ambusher’s haven to be a hospital. He was safe for the moment. The engagement had been won. No Marines were injured, and all but one of the ambushers appeared to have been killed. My radio operator whispered “holy shit,’’ and I grinned back and nodded, pretending this was just another day at the office. The remaining hours of darkness passed uneventfully. Sunrise revealed a line of Marines standing as
far as I could see along the roofline with bayonets fixed and weapons at the alert. On our third day in the city, I found myself peering from behind the decaying hulk of a junked car. I looked across the rooftops of Fallujah. Even with the abundant squalor I couldn’t guess why people had moved trashed cars and auto parts to the rooftops. With my radio operator and twoman sniper team, I watched the sunrise, looking forward to the warmth of daylight. I savored the moment, reflecting on the fact that this might be the last sunrise I would experience. Since our initial exchange with the terrorists, we had moved our position frequently and exchanged occasional shots with enemy harassers. As the cold night gave way to a
comfortable day, I was given a folded note. I was passed the congratulations of battalion staff members for a comparatively minor previous engagement and apprised of the aircraft that would be supporting us for the rest of the day. In addition, I was reattaching to the element that would be taking over the battalion’s main effort in the attack. The adrenaline flow that came from walking into the violent unknown kicked in again. Eric and I climbed into the back of 1st Lt. Josh G’s Hummer. Lt. G., a very professional young officer who went by the call sign of Red Cloud, was going to lead this part of the attack. Riding in the third Hummer from the front, we raced westward on Michigan toward the center of town. I forced myself to breathe deeply and overcome the hollow feeling
August Mission: August 21-29, 2009 November Mission: November 6-14, 2009
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Jesse Thiry, Matthew Serio, Chris Ramos, and Shane Goldman: four brave Marines killed in action in al-Anbar province, Iraq on 5 April 2004. in my stomach as we all waited for the first shots. Mobs we had seen earlier had dispersed. The city appeared to be a ghost town again. We paused briefly as Marines dismantled a barricade of cinder blocks that had been placed in our way. At the
center of Fallujah, we passed an enormous blue-tiled mosque. We had been familiar with the mosque because of its incessant speaker messages promising paradise for anyone who killed an American. Two tanks that were supposed to rendezvous with us were nowhere to be seen, but Red Cloud refused to slow our momentum. In front of the mosque, we turned south on a road dubbed “Violet.” The silence was broken. Rifle and RPG fire cut through the air. I attempted to reach our helicopters on my radio. For all the incoming rounds, targets were elusive. The two lead Hummers opened up with disciplined bursts of machine-gun fire. My engine was instantly killed by enemy gunfire. The terrorists were firing from hidden positions. The volume of enemy fire increased and we needed to back off the street. The two lead Hummers were reversing, while we sat dead in the road. The second hummer slammed into us
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With small arms and RPG rounds flying everywhere, we were stationary in the middle of the road.
and launched us rearward. We made it back around the corner onto Michigan. Shielded from fire, our two tanks joined us. They hesitated to lead, so with our Hummer towed by chains and Red Cloud directing the tanks on foot, we led the way back onto Violet. With small arms and RPG rounds flying everywhere, we were stationary in the middle of the road. Every Marine was firing at the muzzle flashes of concealed terrorists. I paused from firing to try the radio again. I thought through everything I was going to say and then deliberately spoke slowly so as not to give the impression to the Marines around me that the hundreds of rounds passing between us were cause for concern. There was no way anyone could hear me over the barrage of machine-gun fire and explosions. I threw down my radio and went
back to firing my rifle. I watched three RPG rounds explode on a telephone pole diagonally in front of me. A distant part of my mind was amused, thinking that the enemy gunner would have been unlikely to be able to deliberately perform that feat, and that a platoon of Marines had been given cover by a single telephone pole. I picked up the radio and the Cobras informed me that they would not be flying downtown. A Marine M203 gunner fired a 40-mm grenade in a softball-like arc at the open window of an enemy gunner. It looked like it would go low; our fire tapered off, and we collectively inhaled. The round made the window and we cheered like spectators and resumed firing. One of the tanks moved forward to our right and fired a round that raised a dust cloud where that enemy position
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had been. According to the plan, “A” Company was racing to clear the remainder of the city to our southeast and catch up to us. Eric and I ran to a nearby building and scaled the outside of it. With rounds still flying, I positioned myself on an awning on the protected side of the structure, able to see over the top, but retaining two walls of protection. Eric jumped on the roof and I ordered him back. As he joined me, machine-gun fire ripped through his previous position. With Eric next to me on the awning, we found an AK-47 round embedded in the accessory rail on his rifle. I convinced the Cobras to come in and threw a smoke grenade to mark our position. It rolled into a hole and fell inside the building doing no good. I directed the helicopters in for one pass. With the terrorists spread throughout the city, the gunships had limited value. They faced a volley of RPG airbursts as they flew through, but the Marines were grateful for the assistance. Eventually, the enemy fire died out. Shortly after we had begun our push through the terrorist haven we were told that “city fathers” had approached the Iraqi governing council and coalition forces to negotiate on behalf of the terrorists. Our offense was suspended and we simply held our positions. The cool weather became scorching and a daily monotony set in. We slept on piles of debris on rooftops and feasted on Meals Ready to Eat (MREs). Marines began rotating to a forward operating base (FOB) for a shower and a meal. After the Marines had the opportunity for rejuvenation, the officers began rotating to the FOB also. I was able to replace a tooth filling I had lost a couple of weeks earlier and check my e-mail. I was ecstatic. My girlfriend was in love with me at that time and my inbox was full of her sexy plans for my
return to the United States. I returned to the city with a smile on my face. The daily tedium was intermittently broken by bizarre events. We grew accustomed to shooting snipers and others who attacked us during the “cessation of hostilities,” and we occasionally shifted positions to dodge
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I observed an armed terrorist crawl up to our position in the dark and yell “Help me, help me” in English in an attempt to draw us into an ambush.
mortar and RPG attacks. We were ordered to shoot only terrorists who were displaying “hostile intent.” Terrorists began to move openly with AK-47s in hand. We regularly observed armed terrorists emerging from their favorite taxi: the Red Crescent ambulances. We continued to plan and stand by for the resumption of the offensive. We received reports that the terrorists were using the time to fortify their positions and booby trap the remaining portions of the city. We were told that the terrorists agreed to surrender their weapons and in return a small number of families would initially be allowed to return to the city the following morning. When almost no functioning weapons were turned in, we were surprised to see the stream of people passing our position back into the
city. Fifty families at a time consisting of up to 50 people each were allowed back into the city anyway. Many of the families I observed consisted solely of males in their 20s and 30s. Each day more were allowed in. Mosques were abundant enough in Fallujah that one was never deprived of their almost continuous speaker messages. “Allah Akhbar,” ”God is greatest,” was common and we all grew to recognize the regular calls to prayer. We listened with interest as exhortations to murder those who supported the new Iraqi government were translated to us. On one occasion, when Marines were forced to defend themselves against a terrorist attack, our translator shared the mosque’s immediate message, “Thank you for your sacrifice. Come to me. Come to me”— the results of a gunfight being a foregone
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conclusion, even for the supporters of the terrorists. I observed an armed terrorist crawl up to our position in the dark and yell “Help me, help me” in English in an attempt to draw us into an ambush. The daily heat and monotony contrasted sharply with the surreal qualities of bizarre events. I was told that the news of the two bridges on the west of Fallujah being dropped to prevent terrorist escape was premature and that had not been approved. I was updated daily on our newest plans for the offensive until the end of the month approached. I was on the roof of a hotel just south of the Blue Mosque at the center of Fallujah. Eric and two, two-man sniper teams scanned the darkness for our next attackers. As I lay on my stomach looking through a thermal scope, a Marine called to me from inside the ladder well. I crawled over to him. He told me we
were withdrawing. There was a Hummer waiting for us behind the building. I couldn’t believe it. In a matter of minutes the Marines left Fallujah. First Marine Expeditionary Force Commander (later promoted to commandant) Lt. Gen. James Conway publicly expressed regret that we were ordered to leave the city to the terrorists. I may be alive today because of that order. Some lives were certainly spared for the short term because of it, but our commander’s sentiment coursed through our veins. After the Battle of Fallujah, I reattached to an element raiding and patrolling against Abu Musab al-Zarqawi’s organization and other terrorists in the surrounding areas. I submitted Eric for the Navy Commendation Medal for valor for his cumulative acts of bravery during this Iraq tour. He received it and immediately volunteered for
another deployment. I rotated to a new assignment, returning for a third tour in Iraq commanding an Anti-Terrorism Task Force in Diyala province. My Iraq tours taught me many lessons. Those involved in counter-terrorism work must understand that we face a determined enemy. This enemy makes great use of deception. This enemy exploits vulnerabilities in our cultural, religious, and moral presuppositions. I will never forget the Marines we lost. Every day, I think of our brothers who came home with wounds far greater than my own. I am proud to have served with men willing to risk all to oppose evil.
•
About the Author Abu Niza (pseudonym) is the former commander of a US military antiterrorism unit.
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Case Study:
Hemet Police Department
IN THE CROSSHAIRS By Benjamin S. Smith
The City of Hemet. Photo: Jstroudr
Counter The
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Hemet is a city of 75,000 people located in Riverside County, California. The Hemet police force has 68 officers, some of whom are assigned to the Hemet-San Jacinto Valley Gang Task Force. This is one of eight gang enforcement teams located throughout the county. 1
2
3
4
T
he gang task force headquarters was located in an unmarked building. On December 29, 2009, about 100 members of the Vagos motorcycle gang attended a funeral that happened to be across the street from the headquarters. Officers did not attend the service, but they did monitor it.6 On December 31, 2009, a gas line was unhooked from a roof-mounted heating system. A hole was drilled into the attic and the gas was turned on, filling the building.7 Officers noticed the gas odor and called the fire department. There was no explosion. On February 23, 2010, a zip gun-type device in handgun caliber was attached to the sliding metal pedestrian gate going into the headquarters. The booby trap fired a bullet, missing a police officer.
The gang task force headquarters was moved to a new, unmarked location where extra security precautions were reportedly implemented.8 On February 25, 2010, Riverside County District Attorney Rod Pacheco and California Attorney General Edmund G. Brown, Jr., announced a $200,000 reward in hopes of gaining useful assistance with the cases.9 Police believed the threat involved area gang members and placed several under investigation. Pacheco said gangs had become more aggressive in carrying out attacks on law enforcement, which he compared to attacks on Mexican authorities in Mexico’s ongoing drug wars.10 On March 5, 2010, a bomb11 was discovered attached to an unmarked police car. The device was described as a
While many details of the targeting of the Hemet Police Department are still undisclosed, it is an instructional series of events.
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pipe bomb and had not exploded. It was apparently attached to the vehicle when the officer stopped at a store.12 On March 17, 2010, local, state, and federal officers raided Vagos members suspected of parole violations.13 On March 21, 2010, an unidentified caller phoned 911 and stated that a police car would be blown up in the next 48 hours.14 The threat was believed to be retaliation for the raid on the Vagos gang members.15 No police vehicles seemed to have been targeted in relation to the call. On March 24, 2010, four code enforcement trucks with the city seal and amber lights were set on fire.15 On April 13, 2010, fire damaged a Hemet police training building.17 Capt. Dave Brown wrote in a staff report to the city council, “Intelligence reports indicate that the police facility is the likely focus of future criminal acts.” In April 2010 one arrestee proved to be
notable. Patrick Mike Nugent, 40, was charged with two counts of possession or manufacture of zip guns, and one count of participating in the C.O.O.R.S. Skins, a white supremacist group in Hemet.22 “The people we ended up arresting are not necessarily responsible for the attacks,” Hemet police Capt. Brown said, though “some of them may have been involved.”23 On June 4, 2010, a stack of pallets across the street from an area police station were set ablaze by a device that the police did not openly describe. On June 8, 2010, a WWII-era bazooka training round was placed on top of a building aimed at the police station. According to reports, there was an attempt to light the rocket motor that failed. The M-29A2 bazooka round was a nonexplosive practice round. The motor is designed to be electrically initiated, but the attempted ignition was reportedly pyrotechnic and
ineffective. On June 28, 2010, unknown subjects set fire to a local police evidence facility. Some evidence was reportedly lost in the fire. On July 3, 2010, Nicholas John Smit of Hemet was arrested in association with at least one of the attacks. Smit was previously convicted of cultivating marijuana. Steven Hansen of Homeland, California, was taken into custody and charged with Smit in this case. Smit was arrested again on charges of growing and distributing marijuana. He may have believed that if he could destroy evidence, then the case against him would not be prosecuted. While many details of the targeting of the Hemet Police Department are still undisclosed, it is an instructional series of events. The apparent gang war against that department may have demonstrated a low level of operational competence, but it also demonstrated the willingness
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of a criminal organization to mount an offensive campaign against an American law enforcement agency. Unfortunately, this campaign against the Hemet Police Department is not the only example of a criminal insurgency against law enforcement personnel. Future campaigns may be likely, and some may be much more sophisticated. Mexican crime groups deliberately engage police in combat and terrorist groups routinely ambush government personnel. Has this sort of trouble found your community? It did in mine. There were fewer incidents, however, one was fatal. On April, 4, 1978, my friend, Patrolman J. W. “Billy” Nunalee, was ambushed and murdered in Wilmington, North Carolina. He had gone into a convenience store. Two criminals with rifles dressed in hoods, masks, gloves, heavy clothing, and boots gunned him down as he left. A few days later, law enforcement officers attended his funeral. There was a protocol for the funeral service: if you go into the church, your sidearm and holster do not. The church was big, but not big enough for all who attended the service. That day I felt better outside. Thankfully, I wasn’t the only one. A loose perimeter was formed. We wondered: when will this happen again? There were no suspects and few leads. Over time, the fear went away. The “it just doesn’t happen here” thought process was back in evidence. Four officers were gunned down while drinking coffee in Parkland, Washington, on November 29, 2009. Officers have been given false calls and then ambushed from St. Paul, Minnesota, to Hoonah, Alaska. No location is immune to this type of violence. Many officers in the United States have an offensive perspective and overlook the possibility of being targeted. Some may believe, “It only happens in big cities.” Is Hemet a big city? A member of the Marxist-Leninist
Baader-Meinhof terrorist organization is believed to have said, “It is foolish to hunt tigers, when there are so many sheep to be had.” The greatest peril to officers may be mind-set. The failure to recognize a threat or to take measures to improve security makes an easy target. Security is an individual responsibility that is DT 5008 CT copy.pdf 1 7/27/10
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challenging, but not impossible. Those officers who choose not to consider personal security increase not only their risk, but add risk to their colleagues. Anti-terrorism techniques are easily learned and with a little effort incorporated into daily life, on and off duty. Your goal is to be aware of your environment and act without an externally noticeable pattern or routine that could become the basis for an ambush. US Marines operating in Iraq borrowed a concept called “guardian angel” from British forces that had operated in Northern Ireland. When Marines were visible, there
Police hunt criminals who also have the ability to hunt.
would be at least one armed Marine not visible providing security. Is this something you practice at incidents, at crime scenes, or meeting for a cup of coffee? Police hunt criminals who also have the ability to hunt. Have you ever looked for a GPS locator on your car? Would you know where to look? Would you know what you were looking for if you did? A relaxed vigilance may be your best defense. USMC Lt. Col. “Jeff” Cooper’s color codes of awareness is the basis for protection. • Officers in condition WHITE are unaware of their environment and are easily surprised.
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• Condition YELLOW is a state of relaxed, constant awareness of conditions all around. If officers perceive trouble, their condition can be quickly upgraded. • A threat or an unusual situation brings the officer to condition ORANGE. It can be maintained for short periods. Your thinking becomes tactical, and you consciously maintain 360-degree awareness. • Condition RED means a lethal threat is encountered or imminent. The focus is on the threat. Handle the threat or imminent action and scan for additional threats. Now reset to Orange and maintain awareness. Never underestimate the threat. Accept reality—you may be violently targeted. It can happen to you and it can happen here; mentally prepare. You must decide now if you will use violence in accordance with the law. It is a requirement of the job for both law
enforcement and military personnel. Taking individual precautions can reduce the risk of being attacked. Potential attackers do not play by your rules.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mr. Smith is a college law enforcement instructor in North Carolina and is a 26year veteran of the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office. He is a former US Army civil affairs officer.
ENDNOTES The New York Times 28MAR10 Rebecca Cathcart. 2 Hemet Police Department Website. 3 The Post Chronicle 01JAN10. 4 The Press Enterprise 03MAR10 John Asbury. 5 The Post Chronicle 01JAN10. 6 The Associated Press 18MAR10 Thomas Watkins 7 KCAL 9 NEWS 25FEB10 8 CNN 22APR10 1
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•
The Guardian 21MAR10 Thomas Watkins 10 The Press Enterprise 03MAR10 John Asbury 11 CNN 22APR10 12 The Press Enterprise 05MAR10 John Asbury 13 The New York Times 28MAR10 Rebecca Cathcart 14 The Guardian 21MAR10 Thomas Watkins 15 The New York Times 28MAR10 Rebecca Cathcart 16 The Press Enterprise 25MAR10 John Asbury 17 City News Service 13APR10 18 City News Service 13APR10 19 The Press Enterprise 15APR10 20 The Press Enterprise 25MAR10 John Asbury 21 CNN 22APR10 22 KESQ.COM 23APR10 23 KESQ.COM 23APR10 24 The Press Enterprise 03MAY10 John Asbury 9
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BOOK REVIEW
Expeditionary Eagles: Outmaneuvering the Taliban By H. John Poole
A
fter making war against the United States for nearly a decade, al-Qaeda sponsored the September 11, 2001, suicide attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people in the United States. Al- Qaeda, a Salafist Sunni terrorist network then centered largely in Afghanistan, succeeded in provoking the war that it sought. Shortly after the 9/11 attacks, CIA officers and allied special operations troops (aided by close-air-support) launched a brilliant campaign to recruit indigenous assistance and annihilate al-Qaeda in Afghanistan. Nearly 10 years later, that bold, clever, unconventional warfare campaign has apparently been eclipsed by a massive conventional force attempt to build a functioning central Afghan government, suppress the various “Taliban” factions, and assassinate senior al-Qaeda personnel with unmanned aerial vehicles. Expeditionary Eagles: Outmaneuvering the Taliban is the latest in John Poole’s series of books on tactics and strategy. Poole, a veteran of combat operations in Vietnam and criminal investigations in Chicago, shares the insights of a lifelong student of foreign, unconventional warfare tactics and current events. His works are identifiable by deceptively simple covers and copious endnotes drawn from exhaustive opensource research and extensive regional travel. In his latest book, Poole provides a
Reviewed by: Chris Graham more specific area familiarization than most troops receive in pre-deployment training. The author divided this work into three parts. In part one, Poole describes the value of Afghanistan to the transit of oil and
the production of opium. He details the various Taliban factions, their presence in Pakistan, and al-Qaeda’s continuing influence. Finally, he discusses the drug trade and its practitioners, and argues that this is a primary strategic concern. In part two, Poole discusses some of the key tribes of Afghanistan and what
they may have to gain in an unstable country. The author discusses Pakistani intelligence affiliation with drug networks and al-Qaeda. He describes the Soviet defeat in Afghanistan and evaluates whether the Taliban are using the same havens and routes that were used to defeat the Soviets. In part three, Poole evaluates the evolution of Taliban tactics, and the objectives of the criminal groups and their allies. The author analyzes recent US strategy, discusses drug interdiction tactics, and finally, advocates a tailored series of offensive tactics. Is America’s expenditure of lives and resources in Afghanistan the result of the manipulations of strategically advanced adversaries? Do the US military’s efforts in Afghanistan constitute an effective campaign against a patchwork of terrorist, insurgent and criminal forces with external support despite being waged primarily by conventionally trained officers and forces that do not speak the local languages? If favorable circumstances are to be miraculously created in Afghanistan prior to President Barack Obama’s promised July 2011 withdrawal date, soldiers, Marines, and their leaders will have to mine every gem of insight possible from Expeditionary Eagles: Outmaneuvering the Taliban.
•
30 The Counter Terrorist ~ December 2010/January 2011
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On September 15, 1996, a North Korean Sang-O mini-submarine overloaded with 26 military infiltrators lingered off the coast of Gangneung, South Korea, about 74 miles south of the demilitarized zone (DMZ). A team of three left the sub and went ashore to observe nearby naval installations. Upon their return two days later, the operatives attempted to swim out to the sub, but were deterred by large waves. In its attempts to collect the crew, the Sang-O ran aground and became disabled.
Counter The
A semi-submersible used by North Korean SOF infiltrating near Dadaepo, Busan, on December 3, 1983. Photo: Feth
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NORTH KOREAN ADVENTURES IN
A
By Jennifer L. Hesterman
fter a taxi driver spotted the operatives and the Sang-O, he informed authorities. The Republic of Korea (ROK) mobilized 40,000 soldiers in response, and a 49-day manhunt ensued. After days of violent confrontation, 13 operatives were killed in firefights and 11 operatives fought, but ultimately committed suicide to avoid capture. One infiltrator was captured and one escaped across the border. The captured man, Lee Kwang Soo, was allowed to stay in South Korea and assimilated peacefully with society. He recently made his first comments to the
press regarding the 1996 incident, and shed great light on the North Korean mini-sub program, capability, and goals.1 Nearly two years later, in June 1998, South Korea captured a Yeono minisub after it became entangled in South Korean fishing nets near Sokcho, just north of the Sang-O incident. After the sub was brought to shore, it was reported that the nine crew members aboard had committed suicide. In March 2010 a Yeono mini-sub sank a South Korean ship carrying 104 crew members. The 1,200-ton ROKS Cheonan was operating off the west coast
Two North Korean soldiers march along the North Korean side of the defense line at the Demilitarized Zone. Photo: Anthony W. Holmes
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U.S.-ROK Amphibious Task Force conducts combined amphibious landing during exercise Foal Eagle 07. Photo: USFK
ROK Defense Ministry sources announced the development of a stealthy North Korean boat that might approach a coastline undetected by modern surveillance and radar systems.
of the peninsula, near an island southwest of the Northern Line Limit, the maritime DMZ. A torpedo launched from the sub apparently hit the hull of the Cheonan, killing 46 sailors. Investigators were able to raise the ship and recover a rocket motor from the torpedo and explosive residue from the charge. When presented with the evidence, the United Nations rebuked North Korea for the incident and demanded a confession and an apology. The North has yet to respond. The infiltrators of the Korean Peoples Army (KPA) have other seacraft at their disposal as well. In December 1998 the South Korean navy fired on a semisubmersible high-speed boat off the far southern coast near Pusan. The boat was able to get away, however, the body of a North Korean diver was later recovered
near the site. The modernization of the North Korean surface fleet is ongoing. ROK Defense Ministry sources announced the development of a stealthy North Korean boat that might approach a coastline undetected by modern surveillance and radar systems. The armed vessel is reportedly 100 feet long, with radarabsorbing paint and faceted surfaces.2 In addition, some believe North Korean infiltrators employ specially designed high-speed boats resembling civilian fishing craft, and a small contingent of hovercraft. North Korea reportedly maintains more than 30 of the largest mini-sub, the Sang-O, which accommodates 20 sailors. The smaller mini-sub, the Yeono, can hold nine crew members and passengers.
34 The Counter Terrorist ~ December 2010/January 2011
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ASSASSINATION SQUADS KPA infiltrators carried out several assassination attempts against the South Korean president on and off the peninsula. In January 1968 a 31-man team successfully crossed the DMZ to Seoul nearing the Blue House, home of then-South Korean President Park Chung-Hee. The infiltrators were dressed as South Korean soldiers and civilians; however, they were confronted by suspicious South Korean citizens who notified the police. A gun battle and chase north to the DMZ ensued. Twenty-eight infiltrators were killed, one was captured, and two were unaccounted for. 68 South Koreans were killed and 66 were wounded, the majority of whom were soldiers and police officers. Three American soldiers were also killed in the fight, and three others were wounded.
In October 1983 a KPA assassination team arrived in Rangoon, Burma (now Myanmar), and harbored at the North Korean ambassador’s complex. They placed a bomb at the Martyrs’ Mausoleum, the location of a wreathlaying ceremony. The bomb exploded a few minutes before the arrival of then-South Korean President Chun Doo-hwan, killing 17 senior South Korean officials and injuring 14 others. The explosion also killed four Burmese nationals and wounded 32 others. Two North Korean operatives were arrested and tried in a Burma court. They provided confessions and were executed.
TUNNELING SOUTH The North Koreans are masters at tunneling. The DMZ is 151 miles long and about half of the territory is mountainous. Plenty of fortifications, troops, mines, and other defensive measures are in place along the DMZ; therefore, the North has prepared approaches from underground. The first tunnels under the DMZ were discovered
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Antonov An-2. Photo: MilborneOne in the late 1970s. The largest was of great concern because it ended just a mile southwest of a US Army base. Reports estimate 30,000 armed men accompanied by light artillery could pass through this tunnel, which included an operational railroad track, every hour. Based on the testimony from North Korean defectors, some estimates allege that there could be at least 35 tunnels under the DMZ.3 Whether gaining access through tunnels, hiking the mountains, or swimming the Imjin River, which flows across the DMZ, infiltrators from the North have been discovered in South Korea on numerous occasions throughout the years. In the 1990s several of these incursions ended in gunfights. Three KPA soldiers wearing South Korean uniforms were killed in May 1992 in the border town of Cholwon by ROK army forces. In 1995 armed operatives were found and killed south of the DMZ in the Imjin River. The body of a KPA operative was found on a southern shore in July 1998, apparently equipped as an intelligence collector.
The Air Option Although the KPA has a fleet of aircraft designed for troop movements, the job of infiltrating South Korea would likely be accomplished with the Russian Antonov AN-2. The AN-2 is a propeller-driven biplane that KPA special operations personnel reportedly use. It is a special, light-weight model with wings made from cloth and wood; thus, it provides a very low radar cross section. The AN-2 can transport 10 fully loaded passengers and serve as a platform for paratroopers. It is a short takeoff and landing (STOL) aircraft with range such that it can reach the southern part of the peninsula without refueling. These aircraft likely have South Korean markings in an attempt to make infiltration easier. It is estimated that there are 200 AN-2s in inventory dedicated to supporting special operations forces (SOF), but there are reports that the fleet was grounded in 2007 because of rising fuel costs in the country.4 Although there are no publicly documented instances of aerial incursions by these craft, it is worth noting that they play a role in SOF battle plans. Circle 106 on Reader Service Card
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Reception Center at Cheongwadae or “Blue House”, the South Korean presidential residence in Seoul South Korea. Photo: Steve46814
North Korean SOF
A North Korean soldier performing maintenance work on a Korean People’s Army jeep (BJ2020). Photo: Mark Scott Johnson
North Korea seems to be favoring two military angles: the use of shortand long-range missiles, and the KPA SOF. Analysts suggest that the special operations program has trained more than 30,000 members in the last few years, and now consists of approximately 121,500 soldiers. Under the leadership of the Training Unit Guidance Bureau, the SOF is organized into at least 22 light infantry-type brigades and seven independent, light infantry battalions. Embedded in the structure are airborne assault, amphibious, reconnaissance, and sniper units.5 The KPA SOF has five basic missions: conducting reconnaissance, performing combat operations in conjunction with conventional operations, establishing a second front in South Korea’s rear areas, countering ROK/US special operations
forces in North Korea’s rear area, and maintaining internal security.6 Strategic goals include disabling ROK and US command, control, communications, and intelligence; kidnapping/killing senior leaders of opposing forces; destroying sensitive facilities by disabling control towers at airfields and destroying POL (petroleum, oil and lubricant) supplies; and neutralizing enemy nuclear, chemical, or biological capabilities. Analysts believe that during a conflict, KPA SOF would breach the DMZ en mass by sea, land, and air with the overarching goal of creating chaos. KPA SOF may work in small teams of three to five, and are often armed with knives, suppressed pistols, AK and AR style rifles, hand grenades, RPG type rocket launchers, and light mortars. Demonstrated tactics for infiltrating the South include wearing ROK and US uniforms to access military installations,
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infiltrating Seoul in civilian clothes, and entering South Korea by commercial airliner from other countries. KPA SOF is one of the best-resourced military programs in North Korea, and its members are zealously loyal to their president.
Conclusion Sixty years after the Korean conflict simmered down, the North and South remain at war. A peace accord was never signed. Tensions are high with the sinking of the Chenoan and the alarming nuclear capabilities of an inscrutable, provocative government. The growth of the KPA SOF during austere economic times may indicate a shift in ideology, from reliance on conventional forces to the asymmetric advantage offered by a light, stealthy, more highly skilled force. As the world continues to focus on its nuclear program and naval attacks on the South, North Korea has slowly and deliberately built a special operations behemoth. Part of the KPA, this professional SOF is trained in unconventional tactics, can operate in harsh terrain, and has successfully penetrated the border numerous times in the last decade.
•
military-balance/the-military-balancearchive/ http://www.fas.org/irp/dia/product/ knfms/knfms_chp5a.html http://www.rense.com/general37/ nkorr.htm http://www.policyarchive.org/ handle/10207/bitstreams/884.pdf http://www.chosun.com/w2Idata/html/ news/199812/199812200240.html http://www.kmimediagroup.com/ sotech-archives/180-sotech-2008-volume5-issue-7/1670-qaa-brigadier-generalsimeon-g-trombitas.html
Endnotes http://www.dailynk.com/english/read. php?cataId=nk02500&num=6445 2 http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/ acsc/99-102.pdf 3 http://www.military.com/NewCon tent/0,13190,Defensewatch_090803_ Tunnel,00.html 4 Air Forces Monthly, December 2007 issue, p.27 5 Illustrated Directory of Special Forces , Ray Bonds and David Miller, 2003 6 http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/ library/news/dprk/1996/kpa-guide/ part03.htm 1
Analysts believe that during a conflict, KPA SOF would breach the DMZ en mass by sea, land, and air with the overarching goal of creating chaos.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Ms. Hesterman is a retired US Air Force colonel and is currently an analyst for the MASY Group, and Vice President of Academic Research and Development for the 5th Generation Warfare Educational Institute. She is a professor of counterterrorism studies at American Military University, author of Transnational Crime and the Criminal-Terrorist Nexus, and authors the blog counterterrorforum.com.
Other Sources http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ world/dprk/army.htm http://www.iiss.org/publications/
Republic of Korea (ROK) and United States (U.S.) soldiers monitor the Korean Demilitarized Zone. Photo: Edward N. Johnson, U.S. Army Public Affairs Officer The Counter Terrorist ~ December 2010/January 2011 41
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LOS ZETAS: Massacres, Assassinations, and Infantry Tactics
Mexican soldiers render salutes in Mexico City. Photo: Master Sgt. Adam M. Stump, USAF
By John P. Sullivan and Samuel Logan
Counter The
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Los Zetas are arguably Mexico’s most ruthless and tactically proficient criminal gang. Essentially enforcers turned multipurpose cartel, they are waging a brutal war against competing cartels and the Mexican state alike. The Zetas’ current situation is one of flux. They are under immense pressure from both the state and criminal competitors. As a result, they are waging an increasingly brutal campaign to retain relevancy and expand their power base.
T
hey could emerge from their current situation stronger by consolidating power and expanding their reach, or, the backlash to their campaign could force them off the table. Either way, Los Zetas have changed the game forever in Mexico.
ORIGINS: DESERTERS AND ENFORCERS Los Zetas were initially established as an enforcement/protection arm for the Gulf Cartel (Cartel del Golfo/ CDG) in the late 1990s. Deserters from the Mexican special operations force,
known as GAFES (Grupo Aeromóvil de Fuerzas Especiales), they became the close protection detail for Gulf cartel kingpin Osiel Cardenas Guillen. Under the command of “Z1” Arturo Guzman Decenas, the original 31 Zetas brought their skills and combat tradecraft to bear for the Gulf cartel’s business interests. Their mercenary mastery of intelligence and operational tactics served their new masters well.1 Once in place, the original Zetas each trained a cadre of soldiers, recruited from state and municipal police forces
Tower of Our Lady of Refuge Cathedral; Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas. Photo: Efrain Klerigan
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Osiel Cardenas Guillen, convicted Mexican drug lord. Photo: DEA
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“The result of the Gulf-Zeta split is a new battle for primacy among Mexico’s criminal enterprises. The Zetas, formerly enforcers, muscle or a ‘praetorian guard,’ turned on their masters.”
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and, in some cases, the rank and file of Mexico’s army. This initial group of elite bodyguards catalyzed an evolution of lethal force and tactics used within Mexico’s criminal underworld. Latemodel SUVs with tinted windows and no license plates became the normal method of transport. Tight shot groups in Los Zetas’ victims indicated a highlevel of proficiency, though this particular high-skill level has diluted over the years. Los Zetas brought ambushes, defensive positions, and small-unit tactics—all long-employed by military forces—to Mexico’s criminal syndicates. They remain one of the few criminal groups in the Americas willing to deliberately take head on a military checkpoint or patrol. When Los Zetas arrived, they catalyzed an evolution of tactical knowledge and strategic intelligence gathering that over the past 10 years has become the norm. From that initial foundation the Zetas grew, bringing in Guatemalan Kaibiles to expand their depth,2 reaching into other aspects of the cartel business, and ultimately merging with the Gulf leadership to form the Company (La Compania). They then threw off their master to form their own cartel cum private army. Along the way, the Zetas created a brutal mystique, and developed a brutally protected criminal brand, today synonymous with violence and fear across the Americas. Their core strengths include well-honed intelligence capabilities, exploiting grassroots networks, precision small-unit attacks, ambushes and raids, and symbolic violence and brutality.3 As a result, they are a dangerous force across Mexico, where they have a concentration of force, including the Mexican states of Quintana Roo, Campeche, Tabasco, Veracruz, Tamaulipas, and Nuevo León. In addition, they now pose a significant threat to the solvency of state organs where they operate, especially
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in the northeastern Mexican state of Tamaulipas. Notable incidents allegedly tied to Los Zetas include the December 2008 execution of Mexican soldiers in Guerrero, a “violence-torn, impoverished southern state where a ‘dual sovereignty’ exists between the elected government and narco-criminals;”4 the February
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2009 assassination of retired Brigadier Mauro Enrique Tello Quinones to ward off government interference; and their alleged participation in a September 2008 grenade attack in Morelia that killed eight and wounded more than 100.5 Los Zetas’ weaponry includes rocket and grenade launchers, assault rifles (including the AK-47 and its variants known as the cuerno de chivo as well as modified AR-15s and M-16s), and .50 caliber Barrett sniper rifles. Their allies include the Barrio Azteca, Texas Syndicate, Mexican Mafia, and Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) street gangs, remnants of the Beltrán-Leyva organization and the Vicente Carrillo-Fuentes organization, as well as a number of smaller drug trafficking organizations in Colombia and Venezuela.
Praetorian Revolt: Gaining Independence By early spring of 2010, the Zetas split from the Gulf cartel’s control, triggering a tectonic shift in Mexican cartel alliances. The Gulf-Zeta split broke the duopoly known as the Company, which had been maintained by both factions to pursue drug trafficking and distribution, human trafficking, product piracy, kidnapping, and petroleum theft. This shift—announced by posting banners known as narcomantas in several Mexican states—is currently fueling the high levels of violence throughout much of Mexico, especially those areas (plazas and corridors) being contested by the Zetas.6 The result was a war of “all against all”—cartels vs. Zetas vs. the police, military, and increasingly, the state itself. “The result of the Gulf-Zeta split is a new battle for primacy among Mexico’s criminal enterprises. The Zetas, formerly enforcers, muscle or a ‘praetorian guard,’ turned on their masters.”7
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Mexican gas station, operated by PEMEX.
Raiding PEMEX: Kidnapping and Diversification The Zetas are known to have pilfered large quantities of oil from PEMEX (Petroleos Mexicanos) to fund their enterprises. Gangsters have siphoned more than $1 billion worth of oil from Mexico’s pipelines over the past two years. Much of this clandestine oil business has been linked to the Zetas who now dominate criminal enterprises in the oilrich states of Veracruz and Tamaulipas. In Veracruz alone, the Mexican Justice Department has opened investigations into 70 different companies suspected of having purchased stolen diesel from Los Zetas’ representatives, concentrated in the Veracruz city of Poza Rica.
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Meanwhile, a firefight between Los Zetas’ gunmen and the Mexican military left five dead on July 27, when Los Zetas fought to retain control over a PEMEX well near Ciudad Mier, Tamaulipas. The petro theft constitutes a symbolic and a financial threat to the Mexican government while providing a vast stream of income, perhaps as much as $715 million a year, that gangsters use to buy weapons, bribe officials, and bankroll their brutal assault against the Mexican government.
On Tuesday August 24, 2010, the worst massacre in Mexico’s drug wars to date was reported in San Fernando, Tamaulipas.
Expansion and Territorial Control The Zetas have steadily expanded their reach across Mexico and beyond. They operate camps (known
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“The result of the Gulf-Zeta split is a new battle for primacy among Mexico’s criminal enterprises. The Zetas, formerly enforcers, muscle or a ‘praetorian guard,’ turned on their masters.”
as narcocampamentos) in Mexico and Guatemala, and perhaps even Honduras. In Mexico they operate in the states of Tamaulipas, Nuevo León, Coahuila, Veracruz, Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatán, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosí, Chiapas, Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, Querétaro, Zacatecas, Guerrero, Oaxaca, Baja California, and Michoacán, as well as Mexico City. In addition, they are believed to operate in Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Colombia, and Venezuela, and in Texas, Georgia, Mississippi, Florida, and California in the United States. Their activities increasingly involve direct confrontation with the state. These confrontations range from bold attacks on security forces (ambushes, raids, assassinations, assaults on army garrisons and police stations) to urban blockades.
Ophir Falk and Henr y Morgenstern have serious about winn compiled a book that should be read ing the war on terro better understan r. By painstakingly by anyone who is d the nature of analyzing the empi our enemies and rical data, they they offer important why they employ help us insights on how these barbaric tacti terrorism can be In so doing, they cs. Most crucially, effectively confr have performed onted and ultim an invaluable servi crucial battle. ately defeated. ce for all those who are committed to winning this —Benjamin Neta nyahu, former Prime Minister of Israe l
falk Morgenstern
SUICIDE TERROR
Understanding
On Tuesday August 24, 2010, the worst massacre in Mexico’s drug wars to date was reported in San Fernando, Tamaulipas. After a shootout between Zeta gunmen and Mexican marines that killed one marine and three suspects, Mexican forces made a chilling discovery: 72 migrants (58 men and 14 women, including one in the last stages of pregnancy) were brutally massacred after refusing to be pressed into service by the Zetas. The migrants—apparently en route to the United States—were seized by the Zeta cadre. According to press reports, the Zetas tried to extort the migrants and when the migrants were unable to make payments, they were offered employment as Zeta operatives. The migrants (from a range of Latin American states: El
edite
ophir falk and hed by nry Morgenstern
Understandin
g and Confro nting the threat
ing the threat
and Confront
U.s. and policymakers, first israeli experiences and detailed interv responders, and threat of suicide students of home iews with frontline personnel, terro Suicide Terror enab land security to understand and for future attacks. r. it analyzes recent suicide attac deal with the grow les ks as well as our following the expe current vulnerabili Moreover, they learn ing rt authors’ advic ties e, readers learn how to prepare possible measures and likely scenarios and losses in the event of an attac for and implement an effective and quick response to prevent an attack. k. following an overv to minimize casua iew and historical lties review of suicide terror, the book cover • Global jihad s: • Israel’s confron tation with suicide te rrorism • America’s expe rience with suicide b ombi ngs • Internationalizat ion of suicide terroris m • High-risk scena rios and future trends • Methods for co nfronting suicide terror • Medical manag ement of suicide terro rism Using eye-witnes s accounts, the text recreates the studies help reade look and feel of rs actua these very dangerousget into the minds of suicide terro rists in order to unde l terrorism incidents. Detailed threats. case rstand how to best This book is a defin prevent and confr itive study of suicide ont experts who have terro r, syn thesizing the experie dealt with it firsth nce of well-known Is devastating threa and. anyone respo t should read this book and consider nsible for understanding, preventing raeli and American its recommendation , and confronting OPHIR FALK, LLB, this s with all serio usness. institute for Coun MBA, is a Partner at the Naveh, K ter terrorism, wher of experience in e he has published antor Even-Har law firm and a Rese vario numerous articles carried out risk asses us security capacities and serve in the field. Mr. falk arch Fellow at the d as a sments for olympic has over a decade venues and critic consultant for the 2004 olympic HENRY MORGEN al games, where he natio nal infrastructure. STERN is the Presi than 500 federal, dent of secu rity solutions intern state ational, a company first responders to Is , and local agencies to effectively that of suicide terror. He rael to study Homeland Security. Mr. confront the threat of terror and regul has trained more radio stations, and has offered expert commentary on tMorgenstern is a widely publishe arly takes groups of d aut Web broadcasts. error-related issu es for NBC, ABC hor on the subject , CBS, Fox, numerous
SUICIDE TERROR
FIRSTHAND AC COUNTS AND FROM FRONTL INE PERSONNE ANALYSES L AND ExPERT IN THE wAR AG S AINS T TERROR Based on
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www.SuicideTerror.com • 866-573-3999 50 The Counter Terrorist ~ December 2010/January 2011
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In the camp, troops found grenade launchers, grenades, 50-caliber machine guns, and AR type rifles, as well as uniforms and SUVs marked with Zetas insignia, and votive candles venerating Santa Muerte, “Holy Death.” Salvador, Honduras, Ecuador, and Brazil) refused, and were executed. In the aftermath of the massacre, the lead investigator and another police officer were reported missing. Car bombs exploded near a police station and a Televisa office; a grenade exploded in a Puerto Vallarta bar; and, the mayor of Hidalgo was assassinated. The Zetas are suspected in those actions, too. Such is the tempo of extreme violence in areas contested by the Zetas: primitive car bombs, grenade attacks, assassinations, and massacres. Tamaulipas, Nuevo
ProtEct your VEhIclE’s battEry
León, and Jalisco—states contested by the Zetas—are deluged by the spate of violence. Urban blockades, or narcobloqueos, are a quasi-political tool recently employed by Los Zetas in Monterrey and Reynosa. For example, on August 14, 2010, members of the Zetas blocked off at least 13 major roads in Monterrey, preventing access to the city’s international airport and major highways entering and exiting the northern industrial city. The narcobloqueos were deployed in the aftermath of a shootout between the military and Los Zetas that killed reputed Monterrey Zeta leader “El Sonrics.” Drivers were carjacked and their cars were used to close the roads. These blockades are a “show of force,” a demonstration of the Zetas’ power. Mass attacks are another favored tactic. Recent attacks in Torreon (Coahuila) left 17 dead, the majority from 5.56mm
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weapons. The aforementioned San Fernando attack left 72 dead. In July 2010 a mass grave with 51 bodies was discovered near Monterrey in Nuevo León. The May 12, 2010, raid by Mexican forces on a Zeta camp in Higueras also helps frame an understanding of Zeta capabilities. In the camp, troops found grenade launchers, grenades, 50-caliber machine guns, and AR type rifles, as well as uniforms and SUVs marked with Zetas insignia, and votive candles venerating Santa Muerte, “Holy Death.” More recently, grenade attacks against Mexican navy headquarters in Matamoros, drive-bys on police stations and prosecutor general of the Republic, Mexico’s attorney general offices, and bombings of Televisa media facilities have joined running gun battles and kidnappings in the Zeta bag of tricks.
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Campeche City, Campeche, Mexico. Photo: El Ágora
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Border Patrol agent reads the Miranda rights to a Mexican national arrested for transporting drugs. Photo: U.S. Customs and Border Protection - United States Department of Homeland Security
CONCLUSION: MASSACRES AND BARBARIZATION Los Zetas have spread from an original 31 mercenaries into a sizable private army and criminal enterprise. On the business side of the house, they specialize in drugs, human trafficking, small arms trafficking, extortion (street taxes), kidnapping (levantones), murder, petroleum theft, and CD/DVD piracy. Indeed, drug trafficking likely comprises less than half their criminal revenue-
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generating portfolio. Their current allies include factions of the Beltrån-Leyva organization, the Juarez and Tijuana cartels, Bolivian drug clans, thirdgeneration (transnational street/prison) gangs, and the Italian ’Ndrangheta. They conduct raids and ambushes, and employ small unit infantry tactics supported by intelligence operations to engage in close quarters battle with state security forces. Assassinations of police and political figures, including mayors and candidates for state office, and threats against journalists and judicial officials, round
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out their violent range of actions. They employ these means to thwart competition from other gangs, to control economic spheres of influence, and increasingly to control territory to avoid interference from the government and determine who runs the state. In short, the Zetas are waging criminal insurgency against their competitors and state institutions. To do so, they increasingly employ threats (in March 2009 they threatened to kill Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom; in August 2010 they killed two Mexican mayors). These violent attacks are also being joined by more and more barbaric means, including a June 6, 2010, torture/mass murder where six victims were found in a Cancun cave with their hearts cut out and “Z” carved in their abdomens, a violent prelude to the recent San Fernando massacre. The Zetas are a violent threat to the state. They have the tactical skills to produce insurgent-style, high-order street violence. They also pose a significant threat to state security forces. It remains to be seen if they can consolidate their reach and sustain their onslaught before meeting a more proficient rival (licit or illicit).
•
About the authors: Mr. Sullivan is a senior research fellow with the Center for the Advanced Studies of Terrorism (CAST). He serves as a lieutenant with the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department. His current research focus is terrorism, transnational gangs, criminal insurgency, and their impact on policing, intelligence, and sovereignty. Mr. Logan is author of This Is for the Mara Salvatrucha (Hyperion, 2009). He is also a Latin American analyst for iJET Intelligent Risk Systems. He is the founding editor of Southern Pulse | Networked
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Mexican soldiers in Michoacán. Photo: Diego Fernández
Intelligence, and has reported on security issues in Latin America since 1999.
Endnotes Logan, Samuel. “Los Zetas: Evolution of a Criminal Organization, ISN Security Watch, ETH Zurich, 11 March 2009 at http://www.isn.ethz. ch/isn/Current-Affairs/Security-Watch/ Detail/?id=97554&lng=en. 2 Grayson, George W. “Los Zetas: the Ruthless Army Spawned by a Mexican Drug Cartel,” E-Notes, Foreign Policy 1
Research Institute, May 2008 at http:// www.fpri.org/enotes/200805.grayson. loszetas.html. 3 See Grayson, 2008 and Manwaring, Max G. A “New” Dynamic in the Western Hemisphere Security Environment: The Mexican Zetas and Other Private Armies, Carlise Barracks: Strategic Studies institute, September 2009 at http://www. strategicstudiesinstitute.army.mil/pubs/ display.cfm?pubID=940. 4 Grayson, George W. “Los Zetas and other Mexican Cartels Target Military
Personnel,” E-Notes, Foreign Policy Research Institute, March 2009 at http:// www.fpri.org/enotes/200903.grayson. loszetasmilitary.html. 5 Grayson, 2009. 6 Logan, Samuel and John P. Sullivan. “The Gulf-Zeta Split and the Praetorian Revolt,” ISN Security Watch, ETH Zurich, 07 April 2010 at http://www. isn.ethz.ch/isn/Current-Affairs/SecurityWatch/Detail/?id=114551&lng=en. 7 Logan and Sullivan, 2010.
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FRAUDULENT LIENS TARGET INVESTIGATORS
Counter The
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By Ed Urban Recently, two police detectives in the Midwest served a search warrant on a suspect implicated in a sexual assault who was also a member of a quasi-Islamic sovereign citizen group. During the contact, the suspect was cooperative and compliant with the detectives’ requests. The next day the police department received a telephone call from a person who identified himself as a leader of the citizen group. He explained that the government of the United States was illegitimate, and, therefore, the suspect was not subject to the jurisdiction of the government or the police.
H
e claimed the detectives had violated the suspect’s rights and that the group would issue an arrest warrant in their own court system for the detectives. He said the investigators would be taken into custody and force would be used if necessary. Finally, the man suggested that liens would be filed against the homes of the detectives, the prosecutor, and the judge who signed the search warrant. The initial reaction of one of the detectives was to laugh at the plausibility of being arrested by the group. His reaction to the news of a lien being filed against
his property was the opposite. The chuckle was replaced by concern, and he explained that he didn’t find the threat of the arrest warrant credible because he was trained to protect himself. The threat of the lien was another story. This was an attack on a family-owned asset, something that he was not familiar with, and he expressed immediate anxiety over the cost and hassle of trying to remove the lien. The tactic of filing bogus liens against the property of police officers and other public officials has been used by adherents of the sovereign citizen movement for
Bogus liens may have first surfaced as a defensive tool to avoid foreclosure and preserve equity in one’s property during the farm crisis of the early 1980s.
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more than two decades. This practice is sometimes called “paper terrorism.” Paper terrorism isn’t committed with bullets, bombs, or gas. The paper terrorist uses documents, often bogus liens filed against an individual’s property. The intended consequence of paper terrorism aimed at government officials is to intimidate or coerce a public employee to not take action within the capacity of his or her official duties against the group or individual filing the lien.1
SOVEREIGN MOVEMENT AND THE HISTORY OF PAPER TERRORISM This product was developed with support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention under cooperative agreement number 5U58DP000606-04.
Sovereign citizen philosophy challenges the authority of government, and the movement apparently sprouted
in the late 1960s from tax protestors who challenged the legitimacy of income tax laws. They argued that the U.S. Constitution was subverted by the federal government and power was usurped from legitimate local levels. The ideology espouses that citizenship and subordination to the state and federal governments are voluntary, and adherents argue that the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution created a new class of citizen. This amendment guarantees citizenship to all people who are born and naturalized in the United States, and it makes them subject to its jurisdiction. The ideology asserts that individuals making application for legal documents, such as a vehicle registration or a driver’s license, and social security numbers, are
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©istockphoto.com/djgunner in essence signing a contract with the government. Sovereign citizens believe that these contracts can be revoked and the individual can release himself or herself from citizenship and the jurisdiction of the government, and be subject only to “common law” and free from other obligation.2 Bogus liens may have first surfaced as a defensive tool to avoid foreclosure and preserve equity in one’s property during the farm crisis of the early 1980s. A person in danger of foreclosure would file a lien in the amount of equity against himself or herself, reasoning that after the property was seized and sold the obligations of the lien would have to be met, and the property owner would recover his or her equity before other
creditors were paid.3 Eventually, bogus liens turned into an offensive tool against public officials. Sovereign citizens contend that liens can be filed against the property of public officials “who do not perform the legal duties of their office.” One individual, after losing a lawsuit over property improvements, filed appeals for a new trial. The Colorado Supreme Court refused to act on the petitions and the man turned to the state’s governor to intervene on his behalf. When the governor failed to act on the request, seven liens were filed against his properties. The citizen group alleged that the governor had violated his oath of office and it wanted to force him to act on the petition.4
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Typically, those who file bogus liens have had previous contacts with the legal system and do not prevail. They argue that they are just exerting their right to be treated fairly; but, when the legal fog lifts, a new picture seems to emerge, one of harassment and intimidation. This fact is exemplified by one Minnesota tax protestor who convened a common law jury from his jail cell. Federal investigators captured a conversation regarding the judge handling his case where the inmate said, “[o]nce I down Ann Montgomery, no judge in the whole court will have anything to do with me.”5
What Is a Lien?
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A lien is legal claim against a person’s property for the satisfaction of a debt.6 When used by legitimate creditors, the lien is a valuable tool; however, it can become a weapon when the claim of debt is fabricated and the process is used to coerce or intimidate a person. Frivolous liens are not legitimate and will not survive the scrutiny of a court but the targeted official will bear the expense in psychological concern, time, and money to have a lien legally removed.7 Liens are attractive because they are easy to file. One practitioner of “guerilla lawfare” who promoted the application of false liens in the 1990s wrote, “… liens can be filed simply by depositing them with a County Clerk—without the sanction or interference of a judge.”8 An Arizona attorney who fell victim to the practice stated that filing a lien is “…easy as hell.”9 Another factor that adds to the simplicity is the low cost. One sovereign citizen in Texas who terrorized his neighbors, a title company, and a homeowners’ association by filing numerous bogus liens paid only seven dollars for the first page and three dollars for additional pages.10
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Implications of Paper Terrorism
Another consequence of paper terrorism is the psychological impact that a lien has on a person.
Safety: This should be the foremost concern of police officers and public officials who become aware of these activities in their jurisdiction. Violence may be rare, but there are some examples. One of the most notorious cases involved Gordon Kahl, who killed two US marshals in a firefight near Medina, North Dakota, in 1983. Several months later, Kahl was killed by law enforcement officers in Smithville, Arkansas, in another shootout that claimed the life of Sheriff Gene Matthews.11 Another example of violence by sovereign citizens is the attack on Karen Matthews, county recorder for Stanislaus County, California. She was beaten with a pistol, stabbed, and had a gun placed against her head and dry fired. During the assault, the attacker told Matthews that, “[t]his is a message to all recorders. If they don’t do their job and record our documents, this will happen to them, too.” Prior to the attack, a group attempted to file a common law lien against the Internal Revenue Service that Matthews refused to record on the grounds that it was bogus.12 Psychological Intimidation: Another consequence of paper terrorism is the psychological impact that a lien has on a person. A former county attorney for Washington County, Wisconsin, who was the target of a bogus filing totaling $23 million, said that the most difficult thing for him was to see “the panic of county employees when they were served with papers demanding millions in damages.” Damage to Personal Credit: In Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, 37 elected county officials were the target of bogus liens filed by a man who had his property taken by the county for failing to pay taxes. The county sheriff received a letter
notifying him that his credit card had been cancelled, and another official was bewildered when a bank stopped a real estate deal involving the sale of his house.13 Cost and Time to Remove the Lien: One South Dakota judge spent months in court removing a false $1 million lien.14 In Illinois, a target of fraudulent liens spent $20,000 on legal expenses to clear his property. In some situations where the bogus lien is less than the legal fees and expenses, the property owner may just settle the claim.15 An example of this occurred in Texas where a man gave up 100 acres of land to settle a bogus lien. He wanted to financially assist his daughter who had cancer, and his grandson who was injured in an automobile accident, but his assets were frozen because of the false liens.16 Solutions Legislation: Many states have passed laws to combat paper terrorism. Some legislation criminalizes the filing of bogus liens, whereas other laws prohibit the claiming of judicial authority. One former Oklahoma legal official observed that “[a]ggressive prosecution and incarceration are very quickly having an effect.”17 Scrutiny During Filing: In Texas, legislation provides county clerks the right to demand additional documents supporting the alleged debt when encountering a lien that they believe is fictitious. The clerk can also forward the lien to the county district attorney for further scrutiny.18 Court Official Training: In Michigan, the Michigan Judicial Institute provides training to court personnel on these tactics. The training includes a list of “red flag” phrases that are commonly used in suspicious paperwork filings.19 Monitoring Filings: In Illinois, the McHenry County recorder offers a free
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Call to register for our next program: November 16-19, 2010 at Camp Blanding, FL Must be an active member in a SRT Team or SWAT Team
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browse-all-issues/2009/spring/return-ofthe-sovereigns. 6 http://public.findlaw.com/abaflg/flg5-1d-1.html , accessed on October 14, 2009. 7 Adam Chamberlain , Lien on Yourself: Stopping Paper Terrorism in the States. 8 Extremism in America: A Guide, Sovereign Citizen Movement, AntiDefamation League, 2001. 9 Yavapai County Daily Courier, Beware of Paper Terrorism, July 29, 1998. 10 Mark Pitcavage, Paper Terrorisms Forgotten Victims: The Use of Bogus Liens Against Private Individuals and Businesses. 11 Extremism in America: A Guide, Sovereign Citizen Movement, AntiDefamation League, 2001. 12 Daniel Levitas, The Terrorist Next Door: The Militia Movement and the Radical Right (New York: Thomas Dunne Books, 2002) 166. 13 Paper Terrorism Gaining Adherents: Anti-government Tactics Scare Targets, Frustrate Authorities, http://www. freerepublic.com/focus/news/744062/postss. 14 Common Law Victims: Paper Terrorism Isn’t Just on Paper, http://www. splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligencereport/browse-all-issues/1998/spring/ common-law-victims. 15 Press Release, Attorney General Madigan, State’s Attorney Alvarez Sue Chicago Lien Filing Service for Fraudulent Practices; December 18, 2008; http:// www.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/ pressroom/2008_12/20081217.html. 16 Mark Pitcavage, Paper Terrorisms Forgotten Victims: The Use of Bogus Liens Against Private Individuals and Businesses. 17 Crackdown: Common Law Reels as 27 States Act, http://www.splcenter.org/getinformed/intelligence-report/browse-allissues/1998/spring/common-law-victims. 18 Greg Abbott, Wiping Out Fraudulent Liens, http://www.oag.state.tx.us/alerts/ alerts_view.php?id=114&type=3
Casey Sanchez, Return of the Sovereigns: Resurgence of Far-Right Movement Reported, http://www.splcenter. org/get-informed/intelligence-report/ browse-all-issues/2009/spring/return-ofthe-sovereigns. 19
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Counter
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The
DECEMBER 2010/JANUARY 2011
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Page 2 3 4 7 11 12 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 24 25 27 27 28 29 31 35 36 37 38 39 42 43 46 47 48 50 51 52 53 55 56 56 60 61 62 62 63 65 66 67 68 71 73 74 75 76
Ad/Company • website and/or email........................................................................................................ RSN Number Ahura Scientific • www.thermoscientific.com/ahura........................................................................................................... 104 Tactical Electronics • www.tacticalelectronics.com.............................................................................................................. 99 Blauer Manufacturing Co • www.blauerhomelanddefender.com...................................................................................... 66 Security Solutions International • www.homelandsecurityssi.com.................................................................................. 295 Line of Fire • www.lineoffire.ca.......................................................................................................................................... 49 Lenco Industries • www.swattrucks.com............................................................................................................................ 13 Corbon • www.corbon.com................................................................................................................................................ 112 Tactical Products Group • www.tacprogroup.com........................................................................................................... 98 Icor Technology • www.icortechnology.com...................................................................................................................... 81 ITI • www.scopes.com.......................................................................................................................................................... 120 2nd Annual Counterterrorism & Security Conference • www.thedefencealliance.com/cts......................................... 144 PoliceOne • www.PoliceOne.com....................................................................................................................................... 3 Macro USA Corporation • www.macrousa.com............................................................................................................... 44 SSI BlastSax • www.blastsaxstore.com............................................................................................................................... 171 University of Saint Andrews Certificate in Terrorism Studies • www.terrorismstudies.com/LR0055AA1N1............. 122 Diamondback Tactical • www.diamondbacktactical.com.................................................................................................. 74 Tripwire Operations Group • www.tripwireops.org........................................................................................................ 100 American Military University • www.amuonline.com/intelligence.................................................................................. 108 Mid-Michigan Kennels • www.midmichigankennels.com.................................................................................................. 124 GovSec • www.govsecinfo.com/CTM.................................................................................................................................. 102 Novatac • www.novatac.com............................................................................................................................................. 128 QinetiQ North America • www.talonrobots.com.............................................................................................................. 52 Next Level Training • www.nextleveltraining.com............................................................................................................. 126 NTOA • www.ntoa.org....................................................................................................................................................... 92 CRC Press • www.crcpress.com.......................................................................................................................................... 116 ALS Technologies Inc • www.lesslethal.com...................................................................................................................... 106 Fast-T • www.fast-tllc.com................................................................................................................................................... 134 ResQ-Pak • www.resq-pak.com......................................................................................................................................... 315 Advanced Training Systems • www.atsusa.biz.............................................................................................................. 64 Adams Industries • www.adamsindustries.com................................................................................................................. 27 Zistos • www.zistos.com..................................................................................................................................................... 139 Suicide Terror - Understanding & confronting the threat • www.suicideterror.com.................................................. 117 SSI’s MVB - Modular Vehicle Barrier • www.homelandsecurityssi.com.......................................................................... 136 Lind Electronics • www.lindelectronics.com........................................................................................................................ 88 SWAT Scope • www.swatscope.com................................................................................................................................... 142 SSI Global Security Workshop in Tel Aviv • www.homelandsecurityssi.com................................................................. 37 Broco Tactical • www.brocoinc.com................................................................................................................................... 110 PoliceTraining.net • www.policetraining.net..................................................................................................................... 191 Epilepsy Foundation • www.epilepsyfoundation.org......................................................................................................... 118 Precision Locker • solutions@precisionlocker.com.............................................................................................................. 130 U.S. Explosive Storage • www.usexplosivestorage.com................................................................................................... 69 MecGar • www.mec-gar.com.............................................................................................................................................. 141 SSI Floodsax • www.floodsaxstore.com............................................................................................................................. 131 SSI SWAT Counter Terrorism Course • www.homelandsecurityssi.com........................................................................... 179 Counter Terror Expo • www.counterterrorexpo.com......................................................................................................... 114 Ridge Footwear • www.ridgeoutdoors.com....................................................................................................................... 4 SRT Supply • www.accuracyinternationalsrt.com................................................................................................................. 30 Homeland Security Network • www.homelandsecuritynet.com...................................................................................... 19 Golden Engineering • www.goldenengineering.com......................................................................................................... 83 Inert Products LLC • www.inertproducts.com..................................................................................................................... 53 Oasis Technology • www.oasys-technology.com/............................................................................................................. 138 Surefire • www.surefire.com/reinventingthesuppresor.......................................................................................................... 140
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Introducing the launch of the country’s newest backbone information source for First Responders.
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TRAINING REVIEW
Dutch SOF Visit, Board, Search, and Seize
T
he milky green water of Port Rotterdam looked almost tropical. Two dark helmets appeared amidship next to an anchored cargo ship. A short tube was lifted out of the water and a blast of compressed air could be heard. A four-pronged hook flew upward and landed behind the ship’s railing. The diver then attached a powered ascender to the line. Moments later, the diver was lifted from the water, while his teammate provided cover for him from below. Once aboard, a caving ladder was dropped over the ship’s side and the
By Andrew Balcombe
Dutch divers prepare to ascend. All photos courtesy of the author. second diver made his way up. On the other side of the freighter operators stormed aboard from a 615-horsepower rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB). At the ship’s stern another element fastroped 50 feet from a hovering Cougar, while a sniper onboard covered their descent. Shots and explosions rang out as the operators encountered and overcame resistance at the entrance to the bridge. Once aboard, team members honed close quarter battle (CQB) skills with FX weapons inside the ship’s narrow passages and engine room. The training focused
on hostage rescue under a variety of scenarios. These three coordinated events were the culmination of a four day exercise to certify members of the 104 Commandotroep Companie (Cotrcie) as deployable counterterrorism (CT) assaulters for the Dutch army’s special operations unit, Korps Commandotroepen (KCT). KCT operates internationally and provides support to the Dutch Marines domestic CT unit, Unit Interventie Mariniers (UIM) and police units, such as the
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Dienst Special Interventie (DSI) and arrest teams. To finish off their CQB workup, the soldiers visit the Direct Action Resource Center (DARC) facility in Arkansas. This gives operators the opportunity to practice explosive breaching (training that is limited by noise pollution laws in the Netherlands) and conduct live fire CQB training in the DARC shoot houses. Only after passing the CT assaulters training are KCT operators deployable for operations such as with Taskforce 55, which conducted operations in southern Afghanistan for four years.
•
About the author Mr. Balcombe is an Australian freelance journalist and cameraman based in the Netherlands. He reports on international justice, defense, and security issues.
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KCT assaulters board target vessel.
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NEVER HAVE 12 OUNCES TIPPED THE SCALES MORE HEAVILY IN YOUR FAVOR.
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