The Counter Terrorist Magazine Asia Pacific issue April -May 2016 by The Counter Terrorist Asia Pacific Edition

EVERY DAY IS ARMAGEDDON • DEEP CONCEALMENT • TERRORIST HUNTER • ISIS PROPAGANDA

Journal for Law Enforcement, Intelligence & Special Operations Professionals

APRIL/MAY 2016

VOLUME 9 • NUMBER 2

POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DEFEATING THE ISLAMIC STATE

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Counter

The Journal for Law Enforcement, Intelligence & Special Operations Professionals APRIL/MAY 2016 VOLUME 9 • NUMBER 2

COVER STORY: 32

POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DEFEATING THE ISLAMIC STATE by David W. Wallace

CONTENTS

FEATURES: 32

EVERY DAY IS ARMAGEDDON by Stuart Bryant

22 48

DEEP CONCEALMENT by Garret Machine

A MARKETERS PERSPECTIVE: ISIS PROPAGANDA AND WHY IT WORKS by Forest Rain

TERRORIST HUNTER: WHAT HAPPENS WHEN OFF-DUTY SOLDIERS AUGMENT POLICE FORCES FOR DOMESTIC TERRORISM RESPONSE by Daniel

CHINESE PRIVATE SECURITY: A NEW PARADIGM FOR PRIVATE MILITARY AND COUNTER-TERRORISM? by Dr. Alessandro Arduino

DEPARTMENTS:

From the Editor

Book Review

Innovative Products

Hostage Rescue Versus Selective Fire Life or Death: Your Life, Your Safety, Your Responsibility

Patriot3, Fairleigh Dickinson University, The Phantom Warrior MT™ Multitask Flashlight, MGM Target's New Steel Challenge Silhouette Series, Eye Safety Systems, The Gen1 Patriot Collection

Training Review Developing Assets

Cover Photo: Flowers and inscriptions after the March 2016 Brussels attacks. Photo by: Zinneke

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Counter The

FROM THE EDITOR:

Hostage Rescue Versus Selective Fire

by Garret Machine

Journal for Law Enforcement, Intelligence & Special Operations Professionals

VOLUME 9 • NUMBER 2 APRIL/MAY 2016

ftentimes in training scenarios, we face targets that represent a hostage situation. Think about that for a second: a single target represents the most high-risk operation a tactical team can deploy to. You know the targets I am talking about, the ones that show someone being used as a human shield with an assailant holding a gun to their head, a knife to their throat, or something similar. These targets can be manipulated to transform the gun into flowers or a camera, etc. That is not a hostage situation, but what else can we call it? Imagine that you’re a police patrolman outside of a shopping center/theater/school or any downtown structure. You hear shots fired close by, you hear screams, so you sprint towards the sound of the gunfire and you open the door to a structure people are running out of. You come to a flight of stairs and run up. You then enter a hallway and people are yelling and moving past you. Finally, you enter a room and backed into a corner is a man holding another person in front of him as a shield while holding a gun to their head. He is screaming demands: “Drop your weapon,” “Back the f@&ck up or she’s dead.” You’re eight meters away and have your pistol already deployed. Who is the very best person to solve this problem? Is this situation going to get better for the hostage if you comply with the demands? This is a decision you have a duty to make, a responsibility. If you don’t think you can handle it, then you need to get right by yourself. After all, if not you, then who? This is not a hostage situation. This is what you call selective fire, and the mentioned target is called a selective fire target. More importantly, you are the very best person to take action and solve the problem. A hostage situation has five critical elements: • Terrorist (Catalyst for the situation) • Hostages (Highest Value Asset for negotiation) • Weapons (Means of perpetrating the ends) • Demands (Bargaining chip for crisis resolution) • Separation (Physical barrier preventing instant neutralization) You see, in this scenario there is one critical element missing, the separation. Without it, first responders can resolve the situation and prevent this from becoming an actual hostage situation, meaning the above scenario plus separation. When there is that separation or that physical barrier, things evolve in the terrorists’ favor. Remember that a hostage situation erupts in two ways, a fight gone bad or a planned siege. Consider all the logistics, the manpower, selection, training, the intelligence. All of those resources come to a pivotal moment that determines their value, and it’s all or nothing. It all comes down to the warrior entering the room and being put to the test at that critical instant. It’s a zero sum game and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make a decision under pressure that will define the rest of your life and the value of all leading up to it.

Garret Machine Editor, The Counter Terrorist

Editor Garret Machine Director of Operations Carmen Arnaes Director of Advertizing Sol Bradman Administrative Ashley Villegas Contributing Editors David Wallace Forest Rain Stuart Bryant Daniel ASIAN PACIFIC EDITION Director of Operations Yaniv Peretz Graphic Design Morrison Creative Company Copy Editor Laura Town Advertising Sales Maria Efremova Maria@loringlobal.com +65 90 266 571 Publisher: Security Solutions International 13155 SW 134th St. • STE 103 Miami, Florida 33186 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 103, 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: Security Solutions International at villegas@homelandsecurityssi.com or call 786-573-3999 Please visit the magazine web site where you can also contact the editorial staff:

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EVERY DAY IS ARMAGEDDON

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A sailor with 2nd Dental Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group practices bayonet techniques during a Marine Corps Martial Arts Program course at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., Sept. 11, 2015. The MCMAP course was part of a week-long training event where the sailors also conducted combat lifesaving and tactical casualty care training. Photo by: Cpl. Chelsea Toombs

by Stuart Bryant

In the heartland of Pennsylvania’s Amish country, just a few miles from one of our nation’s beloved landmarks, we drove to lunch after a grueling counter terrorism firearm training session.

n the car with me was a former U.S. Marine (now a homeland security operative), and two IDF Special Forces veterans. We drove through the small town near the training range, passing storefront businesses and citified ruralstyle homes. A traffic light halted us directly next to an Army-Navy store

that displayed a sign that read “Zombie Apocalypse Headquarters.” Translating English words to our Israeli friends is a common occurrence, and when queried on the meaning of “apocalypse” I said, “You know, like Armageddon.” To which I heard, “What is Armageddon?” And I replied, “When everything blows up

and your loved ones get killed and there’s destruction everywhere.” The reply to that was, “That’s every day in Israel.” And in a lot of ways, it is. Very different from our American cultural experience of bedroom communities, shopping malls, major sporting events, and a leisure-land cornucopia of pastimes. The

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Israelis have a very different mentality, one that’s always vigilant and always ready for attack. And it strikes me as one that echoes our American spirit, as not so long ago we were once the oppressed; we were once the American colonies of David fighting the Goliath of Great Britain. We shouldered great responsibility as individuals and as a

country. Our work ethic was our cultural identity and we took collective pride in ourselves for our achievements, not in only our inheritance. Please don’t get me wrong, folks. I don’t mean to sermonize, but merely to state that Israeli martial arts reflect the time, philosophy, and mindset in which they are created. And they’re created for actual combative situations. Not sporting events or fantasy practice, but real life and death scenarios that are lived and died every day. In America, we don’t have next-door neighbors that create generations of death-crazed suicidal maniacs, but we have learned that we are not exempt from terrorism’s deadly touch. And sadly, we are also becoming immune to school

Students of Shorin Ryu Karate demonstrate martial arts during the 17th annual Kids First Fair hosted by the Children Youth and Teen Programs at the Paige Fieldhouse parking lot on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. The students also demonstrated their various weapon techniques takedowns and sparred with each other. Photo by: Lance Cpl. Michael Iams

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shootings and active shooter events as they are becoming more common in our society, perpetrated by lonely-heart misfits and radicalized jihadists.

MARTIAL ARTS IN AMERICA Are martial arts relevant in American culture today? Do most Americans practice some form of self-protection? The answer is no. Most Americans prefer to view martial arts as entertainment on TV and movies, or something for little kids to do after school. And they prefer to rely on law enforcement for protection. A fraction of our great population practices (or has practiced) some form of martial art for divergent reasons: exercise, improving focus, socializing, creating a cultural link for heritage reasons, and more. But very few actually train for combative situations, and even fewer really want to learn how to fight in life and death, worstcase scenarios. And maybe the reasons are simple. Maybe because we have a civilized society that provides a blanket of denial for all to snuggle under until something bad occurs. All of the martial arts we know and practice here in the USA have been brought to us from other countries and other cultures, by people immigrating here and bringing their cultures with them. And by service personnel who learned these arts while stationed overseas. It wasn’t until the ‘70s that martial arts became a popular American leisure activity after Bruce Lee’s movies and superstars like Elvis promoted them. The box office booms of The Karate Kid, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and a score of others in the ‘80s and ‘90s did a lot to perpetuate the entertainment value of martial arts, but not so much to promote the real-deal heart and soul of them.

We are truly a melting pot of martial technology. In most cases, we have Americanized these systems or at the very least the way they are presented to our citizen-consumers. Marketing has played a huge role in their proliferation. To reach a greater market, we have simplified them, greatly reduced their martial aspects, and turned them into pacified “art” forms. In America, we have lots and lots of martial arts schools that teach systems that are mostly either sport or fantasy, and few that deal with what’s happening currently in the world today

UFC 103: Franklin vs. Belfort, held at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas on September 19, 2009. Photo by: Mark Richardson

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There’s no unified platform for firearm training in our great America.

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in relation to terrorism and crime. What we need is real fighting skills, not fantasy. What is America’s martial art? Does the U.S. of A. have a system of its own? The answer is simple. Yes: guns. That is America’s martial art, guns. The U.S. Constitution provides every citizen with the right to bear arms, and we’ve got them by the truckload. And mostly these guns are used as a leisure activity, like martial arts. Hunters might take exception to that statement, but unless folks are hunting for sustenance, all the camo wearing, scent masking, tree standing, and stalking make hunting a pastime just like target shooting, or water skiing and ping-pong. Add to that number a great many Americans who own handguns for self-defense purposes. These are the point-and-shoot-sprayand-pray multitude. I guarantee you that most of these good Americans have never trained in a counter terrorism course or a realistic self-defense shooting program. And for most of us in America, we haven’t needed those counter terrorism skills in our civilized society. It’s not the Wild West anymore, and we’ve come to appreciate not having to shoot our way out of town every time we go in for supplies. Let’s add to the equation by discussing the myriad of firearm training platforms in our country. Military and law enforcement train differently. Federal, state, and local law enforcement train differently, not to mention transportation officers, security personnel, guards, etc. That’s a lot of different platforms, and understandably they all have similar but somewhat different objectives. The solution to that problem is a relatively simple one. All service personnel should receive the identical platform as a base training, then they should get specialized training for individual departmental objectives. Does this happen now? No,

there are different platforms and different training observed by all. There’s no unified platform for firearm training in our great America. As far as our citizens are concerned, I imagine if you own and/or carry a firearm (whether duty or personal), you would be required to receive a cohesive, effective, counter terrorism training. Very much like our driving requirements: you can’t drive without a license. With guns it could be very similar. Now I hesitate to cross over into the rights vs. responsibility issue, which is a quagmire of points of view. This article is my point of view regarding martial arts, and specifically guns. Here’s just one solution: every citizen who wants to own a firearm would have to pass a required safety course for the type of firearm they are buying. And, if a citizen wishes to carry a firearm, they would be required to pass a counter terrorism/active shooter/self protection course prior being approved for concealed carry. These courses would be nationalized and our citizens would then have a unified platform for safety and defense. Having stated the previous, I know that it will never occur in America—we are too litigious—and too resistant to governmental legislation. For better or worse, that’s also part of our collective culture.

THE NEW NORM What is the new norm? It’s what we see in the media and accept as being part of our modern culture. Active shooters in schools, suicide bombers, radicalized jihadists shooting on-duty law enforcement officers, and many more such events and activities that just a few years ago would have seemed outrageous. These things are outrageous and the fact we have accepted them is even more so. I would prefer to live in

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a world and in an America where these things don’t occur, but they do. History teaches us that violent actors become more violent until their objectives are realized or the victim is dead. Do any of our citizens want to live in a victimized America? I don’t think so.

WHAT’S REALITY GOT TO DO WITH IT?

U.S Marine Sgt. Russell Bloxsom, right, sprints with an ammo can during the combat conditioning portion of a Marine Corps Martial Arts Program black belt course aboard the USS Rushmore. Photo by: Sgt. Emmanuel Ramos

Throughout human history, there has been some form of fighting and subsequently organized training in every culture. That’s a historical fact, and it’s still true today. Every culture creates ways to fight. The most common for all humans is the empty hand and handheld weapons.

Marines demonstrate how to defend and attack with a rifle for Japan Ground Self-Defense Force officer candidates on Camp Kinser, Okinawa, Japan, Jan. 15, 2016. Three hundred and sixty officer candidates visited Combat Logistics Regiment 35 to complete joint and combined operation requirements. The cadets watched Marine Corps Martial Art Program demonstrations, learned the capabilities of various machine guns the Marine Corps uses, and observed a static display of motor transportation vehicles. Photo By: Cpl. Robert D. Williams Jr.

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U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Ralph Johnson 822nd Base Defense Squadron security forces Moody Air Force Base Ga. and British Royal Air Force Senior Aircraftsman Tevita Ratuvuki No. 1 Squadron Regiment 4 Force Protection Wing security forces practice Krav Maga martial arts during exercise Desert Eagle March 10 2011. Photo by: Airman 1st Class George Goslin

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The Counter ~ February/March The Terrorist Counter Terrorist ~ April/May2015 2016 73 17

Although there are many styles, in actuality there are only three types of martial arts: traditional, sport, and combative. Within these categories there is great range of systems and applications, which creates a lot of confusion. And because these systems are personality-driven by the owners and instructors, they are inconsistent from system to system and subsequently inconsistent from training facility to dojo to gym, etc. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s take a quick look at these three types: Traditional: These arts are predominantly of Asian origin and provide a cultural link to the location and time where they were created and used, i.e. karate, kung fu, tâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ai chi. These were practical somewhere at some time but provide fantasy-based training that could prove more hurtful than helpful in reallife combat.

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Sport: Boxing, kickboxing, taekwondo, judo, Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ), and more. These are sports and each has competitions, rules, referees, etc. Although they offer great training and foundational skill-based learning, they are not practical for reality fighting. Combative: Krav Maga, Marine Corps Martial Arts Program (MCMAP), Haganah, Special Operations Combatives Program (SOCP). These are designed and used by military/law enforcement/ civilians for use in actual combative situations. Aside from hand-to-hand combat offered to military personnel, there are no other combative systems like these. Krav Maga was created in Israel and is the basic platform of training for all citizen warriors. Haganah is an American-Israeli hybrid combative system utilizing tactical training in addition to empty hand.

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be found. After searching homes, yards, and bomb shelters, I stuck closely to a group of police officers who had a radio, so I could listen in to possible locations where I would need to sprint off to. I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have my own radio, so all intelligence and communications had to come from them. I was super determined to find the terrorist and deal with the situation. It was all that

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PRACTICAL AND TACTICAL What is practical? When was the last time you heard of an active shooter using a bow and arrow, or a horse and buggy ambush. Completely facile analogies, right? Silly isn’t it?! But what’s even sillier is that most Americans practice traditional and sport-based martial arts systems that are antiquated, obsolete, fantasy-based, and not practical for any modern societal requirements. And as far as tactical goes, this is the stuff you want in your martial arts “toolbox.” Tactical in that context refers to the actual skills, the techniques, the tools of the trade in combat. Not to forget methods and mindset, as those are important aspects for any warrior or combat situation, and should be represented in any combative training system. Also, for the advanced practitioner, “tactical” refers to the modern warriors’ weapons and their use in combative situations: extensions of their hands, guns and knives, etc.

WHAT DO WE DO FROM HERE? Why the disconnect in our society between empty-hand training and tactical weapons training? If it’s okay for kids to do karate, then why is it when you sign up for a tactical firearm course you’ve got to be careful how you talk about

it so you’re not viewed by society as a radical mercenary or a vigilante? We are not yet accepting a paradigm shift in our collective culture that would accept and approve of its citizens receiving the types of knowledge, skills, and abilities that would actually prevent those who will us harm from planning and carrying out their nefarious objectives. Our being trained and ready to defend ourselves would greatly reduce these terroristic threats and attacks, and in addition reduce violent crime in our own backyards and greater society at large. Our enemies are plotting our downfall everyday. And every day their resolve grows stronger. The question remains: what event will have to occur before America wakes up and takes a drink from the well of not-being-in-denial? I’m not necessarily referring to the professionals, our service personnel, and our law enforcement officers. I mean the citizens of this great country, you and me. We the people must take 100% ownership of our destiny as a country or culture, as well as our future heritage. Each one of us must take the responsibility of being the solution. What I’m suggesting is that every citizen be prepared to become 100% of the solution to terrorism and crime by being trained in a combative system that will actually help in a worst-case scenario.

•

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Stuart Bryant is owner/chief Instructor of Philadelphia Haganah Regional Training Center. He is a professional martial arts educator with 35+ years of active experience in combative, full contact fighting and weapons training. Contact: msmahaganah@gmail.com

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DEEP CONCEALMENT

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by Garret Machine

Concealing your weapon gives you an advantage over the enemy: the element of surprise.

hen I think of concealment, the first thing I think of is low visibility operations overseas, but obviously there is a lot more to the subject than that application (which few will relate to). More commonly, over the last few years I have been certifying students for their concealed weapons permits. Over that time period, I have adapted, adjusted, and modified an ever-evolving curriculum to suit the needs of the myriad of students who come through several diverse classes. I always like to ask students why they are there for the class in the first place, and

here are some answers I have heard over the years: • I just got my citizenship and now I want a gun. • I carry large sums of cash with me across state lines for work. • I am in the U.S. military and want to carry a weapon. • I was robbed last week and police said I should have one. • I want to get it before it’s too late and I can’t own a gun anymore. • I am a single woman alone with a child. • I am a retired police officer and I want a civilian permit.

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• I am a federal investigator but I am not issued a firearm. Now, let’s look at this from a professional perspective. Any type of security operation should have a covert as well as an overt element. Meaning that when reacting to the threat, a plain-clothed person will have the element of surprise on the assailant. In the investigative and intelligence side of the house, the weapon is concealed and should be used in a self-defense scenario or target elimination. In a law enforcement scenario, plain-clothed officers will often not be too concerned with “concealment,” and the gun and badge are readily available upon immediate inspection. In the military, and specifically when conducting low visibility and shallow cover operations, a concealed firearm is often user-discretion and its concealment can be as creative and innovative as it is practical. Over the span of my career, I have seen some very creative ways of concealing an M4 in plain sight, as well as various interesting pistols and improvised weapons. That experience coupled with the typical concealment questions I am asked in the permit class motivated me to put this article together and address some of the specific options out there.

TRAINING AND EVALUATION SETUP Strangely, most gun ranges will not allow their shooters to practice drawing from concealment because they think it’s too dangerous. Ironically, this is how it must be carried in most states. So it’s safe to use it like that in real life under stress, but not to train like that in a controlled environment? In my classes, we train exactly the way the scenario would play out in reality, concealed. To help expand on this topic:

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I held a class in South Florida at the Okeechobee Shooting Sports Range on January 1st, 2016, and asked all the participants to come with various holster options: bags, purses, backpacks, laptop bags, etc. We would then spend the entire day testing and evaluating each and every concealment option out there and see what worked best in each scenario. I made sure to choose my class participants from a random sample of intermediate level to advanced level shooters to mitigate safety concerns right off the bat. I did have one guy who was completely new to firearms to see how he would take to some of the options. Lesson number one is that no one set up will work for all people. We have so many options in weapons, holsters, bags, and garments that no system or single product is a catch-all. To mitigate this issue, I gave each of the course participants a Glock 19 Generation 3 for consistency. I had all the participants use a DeSantis Scabbard holster externally on their strong side as a safety holster for when adjusting or organizing their equipment. I decided not to even bother testing out the traditional in the waistband (IWB) or even over the waistband holsters because there are so many on the market and everyone makes almost the same thing with little original innovation. However, that is how most people will carry their weapons and that’s how I carry daily, IWB. First, our priorities: • Safety for day-to-day carry • Ease of access in a crisis • It can not look like a holster or indicate a weapon may be present Option one was appendix carry, in which the pistol is carried below or right at the waistline, centered to the front of the body. This is great for speed on the draw and makes the pistol almost

completely invisible. I had one test subject wearing basketball shorts and one other in hospital scrubs, while most of the others had jeans and slacks. One person had on a suit. The downside to this method is that comfort is sacrificed when seated in a car or at a desk. Also, the obvious danger of covering yourself with the pistol, but thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a user responsibility. We used a product called Thunderwear and that seemed to work well. The two subjects mentioned both carry their pistols in condition three because, while extremely versatile, the product does not offer even passive retention and is

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universal for all weapons. So this is a great way to conceal in that the belt is built into the product so it can be worn with scrubs, but it does take some time to draw out and is not condition one safe in my opinion. Perhaps a J-frame S&W would be great for this product. A second option we tested out was a clip that slides over the front rail of the Glock and then can clip inside the waistband or any other item, for that matter. Again, the issue was protecting the trigger guard. Our solution to both issues was a VanGuard 2 lanyard kit in conjunction with either appendix option. I especially liked this idea because by tethering the trigger guard

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cover (VanGuard) to the Thunderwear or belt in the case of DeSantis, I was able to protect the trigger and keep the weapon well hidden safely in condition one. Upon drawing of the pistol the VanGuard was pulled free of the weapon by the tether and I was able to shoot as normal. Using the DeSantis clip with the VanGuard, I was able to go from concealment to rounds on target in 1.6 seconds with a Glock 19 at ten meters, consistently for the class. This option worked excellently.

OTHER METHODS AND PRODUCTS Several guys brought bags that looked

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much like gun bags that attach to your belt and are slung over your shoulder, or something similar. They screamed “I have a gun in my bag” so we ditched those and went for the laptop bag option. Here is the issue with these: there are so many laptop shoulder bags out there that people have had for years or love and work for them, that they don’t want to buy one designed for a pistol that may suck at carrying their laptop. There is no perfect product in this market, so the solution is to modify one that’s damn good already. Enter Goruck, probably the best U.S.-made bag manufacturer in the world. The bag in question was the Goruck laptop shoulder bag, which is a nondescript bag, suited for executive use. It has no external markings or labels and will fit a 17" MacBook securely and firmly in its main compartment, which is closest to the wearer’s body.

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W W W. D I S T R I B U T E D L E T H A L I T Y. C O M 28 The Counter Terrorist ~ April/May 2016

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The secondary compartment is a little wider and has zippered pockets inside for other essential gear, like your pistol. After messing around with several options on the market, I found an over the waistband (OWB) holster made of Kydex by Front Line of Israel. This option worked for this occasion because I took the OWB paddle and slid it into one of the zipper pockets within that second main compartment and then used the button snap system on the bottom of the holster to secure it into place. I had to make a small incision in the mesh inner compartment for the button to pass through. I then closed the zipper against the top and safety pinned it in place. It actually fit perfectly and sat right at the top front of the bag when you opened it up. In other compartments I was able to secure magazines securely by the use of another Kydex paddle magazine holster. Drawing the weapon can be done with one hand if the bag’s zipper is left about a quarter open and still hides the gun. If it’s completely closed, you may need to use two hands for speed. Either way, I was able to utilize this method on the range and in daily life as well. One of the coolest things I was able to do with this combination was sit the bag upright on the floor in front of the passenger seat in my car. Then I could take the shoulder strap and buckle it through the seatbelt. Now I had a car holster that would stay in place, not moving when stopping or turning (yes, we tested that as well), and make drawing and concealing easy. Next, we went on to fanny packs and similar items. There are several of these on the market. Some of the best look too much like holsters and don’t hold a specific weapon and are generic in nature. The best thing I have found has been to modify an existing model with a specific holster. We found our best option to be a DeSantis fanny pack with a Front Line

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The Counter Terrorist ~ April/May 2016 29

Ready and Safe model holster made for a Glock 19. It Velcroed into the pack on a perfect cant and angle for a quick draw, yet it protected and secured the weapon well in place. There are other similar models people brought, but I liked the idea that this one opened up with Velcro, which made it easier to use overall. Finally I found another holster that fit as well, a DeSantis SOF-TUCK, which is also pictured. I found the best way to carry this system is actually across the body over the right shoulder for a righthanded shooter. Finally, we tried several backpack options and once again went to modification. Our best option by far was a Goruck GR0 with a modified IWB holster attached to the inner MOLLE in the ruck. This system worked so well that I then carried the ruck with the system in place with all my gear for the next 24 hours at a rucking event overnight through downtown Miami. This setup allowed the weapon to ride high against the back panel of the ruck and stayed out of the way of the other gear I had to carry. This was not my original intention but it seemed to be the best option overall. A secondary

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option was a Shelby brand holster that has a similar design to the DeSantis Intruder. However, it is designed for over the waistband carry. I modified the DeSantis by switching the belt clips around to the backside of the holster and it fit the MOLLE in the ruck perfectly. To conclude, you need to have a primary mode of carry, and mine is a Front Line Ready And Safe IWB at four o’clock. You also need a few secondary modes of carry and mine will be the DeSantis on the MOLLE webbing inside my GR0/SK20. As a tertiary option, I like the Goruck shoulder bag for when I need to go business attire. All were excellent products. See what works for you.

•

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32 The Counter Terrorist ~ April/May 2016

by David W. Wallace

POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DEFEATING THE ISLAMIC STATE

nsurgency groups with agile tactics and ambitious geographic goals have proven difficult to contain, much less defeat on a global scale. Leadership decapitation methods (which typically grant a 25-30% momentary advantage), air strikes, and fighting forces on the ground have their place in the counter terrorist toolbox, but why is it not

Flag of Islamic State graffiti, St.Romain-au-Mont-d'Or, Rhone-Alpes, France. Photo by: thierry ehrmann

enough? Using more complex strategies combined with an exploitation of the insurgencyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s weaknesses will obtain the most decisive victories. Feared as the most well-funded, wellrecruited insurgency organization in the world, the Islamic State seems to have had no problem growing its foundations, deepening its innovative strategies and

The Counter Terrorist ~ April/May 2016 33

leaving its landmark of terror on the world. Over 40 militant groups have now pledged allegiance to the Islamic State (Eleftheriou-Smith 2015). But has the terrorist organization gone too far? Has its aggressive strategies backfired? Left unchecked in its destructive ways, the Islamic State may have done much more than damage its own constituency: it may have sliced open a major artery in regional belief and acceptance of the religion of Islam and its tendencies towards extremism. If so, strategic opportunities have been provided to the United States and coalition forces to intercept and disrupt the Islamic State’s operations and drive it to an early end. This study will look at the Islamic State as a form of insurgency, its tactics, supply lines, and exposed weakness. The data will be compiled from 29 June 2014, when the Islamic State launched its latest iteration of itself (the announcement of its caliphate and its official separation from al-Qaeda), to the end of November 2015. It is important to note that the Islamic State is the direct descendant of Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaeda, whose ultimate vision was to establish a global caliphate, but the organization itself remained more in the realm of terrorism and never fully acted on this vision. The Islamic State, however, no longer refrains from the idea of a caliphate but pushes to clench it from the realm of the ethereal. The means and enactment of aggressive attacks have escalated the organization from a guerilla warfare type of terrorism only (strike and run incursions at the larger occupying army) to a much stronger insurgency model, one that seeks a legitimate state. These defining factors include combining violence and the infliction of fear and

34 The Counter Terrorist ~ April/May 2016

terror, with a political agenda that redefines territory from North Africa to the Far East (Merari 1993, 214). In a general fashion, it can also be difficult for larger governments to take fast enough action against an agile and sporty insurgency organizations. The RAND Corporation asserts the following failures from opposing governments facing heavy-handed insurgent groups such as the Islamic State. • Governments ignore the insurgency until it develops into a credible threat. • Governments fail to address root causes. • Governments address root causes half-heartedly or too late, stoking discontent. • Governments fail to identify major shifts in strategic momentum. • Governments fail to extend credible control into rural areas. • Governments become dependent on a fickle sponsor (Connable 2010, 152). The questions then become: are decapitation models and Special Forces raids enough to bring the Islamic State to its demise? If not, what additional steps need to be taken? How can the Islamic State’s extreme tactics be exploited?

OVERVIEW OF TACTICS TERROR TACTICS OR WAR MACHINE A comparative snapshot look at the progression of Islamic State tactics between 2014 and 2015 (Tables A and B) reveals the truly insurgent methods the group has used in their initial attempt to overthrow the Iraqi and Syrian governments. Although the tactics of guerrilla warfare are primarily used, the expression of warfare broadens

as their scope of territory expands into the mission of a global caliphate. See tables below. They are on pages 35 and 36. Such advances can only be made through significant supply lines of new recruits, finances, and weapons. In order to defeat the Islamic State and their illegitimate regime, efforts must be made at dismantling all forms of supply lines. The conventional strategy of disrupting supply lines was expressed in the November 13th re-capture of Highway 47 and the Sinjar, as it served as a primary supply route from the Iraqi city of Mosul to Syria, for the Islamic State. Active measures must be taken at all facets of “supply routes” the Islamic State uses in order to exercise a decisive win against them. Every counterinsurgent force since the end of World War II that won managed to substantially reduce the ability of the insurgents to maintain needed levels of recruits, weapons and materiel, funding, intelligence and sanctuary (Paul 2014).

SUPPLY LINE OF NEW RECRUITS Original intelligence estimated IS fighters at around 10,000, but last February the Director of National Intelligence, James Clapper, pushed that number to more than double at a range of 20,000 to 31,500 (Applewhite 2015). This number has been broadly disputed and has ranged as high as 70,000 in Syria alone to as many 200,000 by Faud Hussein, Chief of Staff to the Kurdish President, Massoud Barzani. A number of 200,000 is more likely to include supportive infrastructure positions, along with security forces, border guards, and those who hold much lower positions than active fighting forces. However, based on population estimates and considering elite fighting

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Table A Tactics

Islamic State Tactics 2014 Anti-‐Aircraft 1

Artillery 16

Bladed Weapons 1 Boat IED 1

Chemical Agent 4

Coordinated Assault 8 Execution

Fire 2

Guerrilla Warfare

IED

Kidnapping

58 339

MANPADS 1 Mortar

Rocket 10

Small Arms 8 Sniper 4

Suicide Bombing 7 Theft 1

Unknown 11 VBIED

VBIED (Armored) 2 0

33 50

100

150

200

Number of Events

250

300

350

Data Collected from the Intel Center Database (ICD) 2014

36 The Counter Terrorist ~ April/May 2016

Table B

Islamic State Tactics 2015

Tactics Accidental IED Detonation 2 Anti-‐Aircraft 1

Anti-‐Tank Missle 5 Artillery 50 Bladed Weapons 2 Boat IED 2

Chemical Agent 4 Coordinated Assault 6 Escape 2

Execution

Fire 2 Grenade 1

119 853

Guerrilla Warfare

Hostage Taking 1 House IED 2 IED

Kidnapping 27 Mass Kidnapping 13

Mortar 32

Motorcycle Gunmen

Motorcycle VBIED 1 Ransacked 3

Rocket 14 Small Arms 18

Sniper 4 Suicide Bombing 42 Tunnel IED 4 Unknown 6

104

VBIED

VBIED (Armored) 2 0

100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 Number of Events

Data Collected from the Intel Center Database (ICD) 2015

38 The Counter Terrorist ~ April/May 2016

forces and execution squads, the number may be closer to 100,000 than 30,000 (Gartenstein-Ross 2015). U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Tony Blinken told France Inter Radio that from the beginning of the coalitions air strikes on September 23, 2014 until February 28, 2015, an estimate 10,000 IS fighters have been killed in Iraq and Syria (SmithSpark and Martel 2015). If this number was a direct 50% impact on the IS fighting forces, a much deeper reduction would have be been in advance. How can an army sustain such significant losses? As of June 2015, U.S. intelligence estimates 15,000 foreign fighters from 80 countries have journeyed to the region to join the Islamic State, at the rate of around 1,000 per month (Cronin 2015). This points to an amazing supply line of recruits the Islamic State is able to muster for itself. The following graphic (upper right) by the Financial Action Task Force, published in February 2015, depicts the breakout of foreign terrorist fighters by country. The United States and The U.S. State Department’s Center for Strategic Counterterrorism Communications the United Kingdom have both been the motto: “Media is more than half battle.” Alongside of this motto, war of navies, napalm, and knives” has the carefully documented their war impacted by the recruitment efforts,(CSCC) uses they also quote from the memoir of the American jihadist Omar Hammami, who until his (Bishop 2015). campaigns, and by giving the world a while Tunisia ranks at the top of the carts death in 2013 was a leader in the Somali Islamist militant group al-Shabab: “The war of The Counter Extremism Project sites front-row seat, this recruitment tool with over 3,000 recruits (“Financing of narratives has become even more important than the war of navies, napalm, and knives.” that between 46,000 and 70,000 Twitter has garnered an appeal to young minds the Terrorist Organization Islamic State (Bishop 2015) accounts are dedicated to promoting who are looking for something to believe in Iraq and the Levant” 2015). ISIS atrocities, ideology and propaganda” in, and those who are vulnerable to The U.S. State Department’s The Counter Extremism Project sites that between 46,000 and 70,000 Twitter accounts (“CEP Applauds Twitter Action on their message from past grievances Center for Strategic Counterterrorism are dedicated to promoting ISIS atrocities, ideology and propaganda.” (‘CEP Applauds Extremist Accounts but Broader (FATF 2015). Communications (CSCC) uses the Twitter Action on Extremist Accounts but Broader Problems Ignored’ 2015). Problems Ignored” 2015). Furthermore, The gist of the IS narrative targeted motto: “Media is more than half the Furthermore, Anonymous hacktivist “Mikro” who is also the operations officer for Anonymous hacktivist “Mikro,” who is against those who feel disenfranchised by battle.” Alongside of this motto, they GhostSec, sites more than 46,000 accounts of IS supporters reside on Twitter with around also the operations officer for GhostSec, Western democracy is summed up in an also quote from the memoir of the 1,000 followers each. (Cottee 2015) sites more than 46,000 accounts of IS article by Evan Nickolas: American jihadist Omar Hammami, supporters reside on Twitter with around “…you can empower yourself to who until his death in 2013 was a leader The Islamic State’s Hollywood-style production group called Al-Hayat has carefully 1,000 followers each (Cottee 2015). greatness that you have not yet achieved. in the Somali Islamist militant group documented their war campaigns, and by giving the world a front-row seat, this The Islamic State’s Hollywood-style By joining ISIS you will be sharing al-Shabab: “The war of narratives has recruitment tool has garnered an appeal to young minds who are looking for something to production group called al-Hayat the greatness of standing up for a become even more important than the

believe in, and those who are vulnerable to their message from past grievances. (FATF 2015) The gist of the IS narrative targeted against those who feel disenfranchised by western Counter Terrorist ~ April/May 2016 39 democracy is summed up in an article by Evan The Nickolas:

counter culture, that needs you to be its champion.” (Nickolas 2015)

SUPPLY LINE OF FINANCE Disrupting the monetary supply line is just as vital as bombing the weapons supply routes. Up to $50 million per month in oil revenues is realized by the Islamic State. With crude oil now dipping below $42 per barrel, the Islamic State discounted prices only need to fall lower than the market demand in order to keep churning out revenue. They have typically sold for $35 per barrel, but occasionally dip as low as $10 a barrel, according to multiple Associated Press interviews with Iraqi intelligence officials (Hendawi, Abdul-Zahra, and Press 2015). The oil is frequently smuggled to middlemen in Turkey via larger tanker trucks, but the recent Russian airstrikes have put pressure on the insurgency and forced them to use smaller vehicles, causing them to be less productive and profitable. The Iraqi oilfields produce on average about 10,000 to 20,000 barrels per day and almost 30,000 per day from Syria. Ibrahim Bahr al-Oloum, former oil minister in Iraq, cites that much of the oil is not sold, but instead sent to Syria to be refined for fuel, presumably for use by the Islamic State (Hendawi, Abdul-Zahra, and Press 2015). Supporting the oilfield infrastructure also comes at a price. Iraqi oil engineers are paid a daily rate of $300. However, when issues arise, that number can push closer to $1,000 per day. Currently the Islamic State’s “Diwan al-Rakaaez” (the IS Finance Ministry) reports control over 253 oil wells in Syria and that about 161 of them are operational. Supporting this effort takes 275 engineers and 1107

40 The Counter Terrorist ~ April/May 2016

workers (Hendawi, Abdul-Zahra, and Press 2015). Oil operations alone easily cost the organization $250,000 per day, or $7.5 million per month. Although there are other expenditures that place a financial demand on the Islamic State, one worthy of notation here is the cost of munitions. On average, the Islamic State spends $1 million per month on the purchase of munitions. Ammo, suicide vests, and bomb-making materials are in constant demand and also give transparency into the types of common tactics they are using in their strikes. During a weeklong offensive conducted on an airport last December, it is estimated they spent an additional one million dollars (Solomon and Mhidi 2015). Other incomes include an estimated $500 million to $1 billion that was seized from the central banks in Mosul. On the heels of the bank heists, the Islamic State even considered minting its own gold Dinar currency for trade. (“Why Islamic State’s Gold Coins Won’t Replace the Global Banking System” 2015). Tens of millions in black market antiquities sales were also garnered (FATF 2015), and another $1 billion per year in drug trafficking from North Africa into Europe (Telesur 2015). These infrastructure and military demands require the constant heartbeat of revenue. If the revenue dries up, so will much of the Islamic State operations.

ISLAMIC STATE’S OVER-PLAYED HAND More than 1.4 million Iraqis and 4 million Syrians have fled their homes in search of refuge from the Islamic State. These numbers also include in-country refugees (“Iraq” 2015). Many of them

the revenue dries up, so will much of the Islamic State operations. Islamic State’s Over-Played Hand

have little more1.4 than the shirts on and 4 million The Pew Research Center the validity of bringing in refugees More than million Iraqis Syrians have fledchart theirbelow homes inabout search of their backs and athe cellIslamic phone. Finding an incredible shift in in-country Middle who may(‘Iraq’ be unverifiable or vetted as to refuge from State. Thesereveals numbers also include refugees. themselves at the mercy of humanity in East public opinion regarding suicide their past history or possible involvement 2015) Many of them have little more than the shirts on their backs and a cell phone. foreign lands and being forced to mercy start of humanity bombings. in Notice the initial acceptance with regional Finding themselves at the foreign lands and being forced to startterrorist organization or again, they are looking for answers. in 2002 following the September 11th insurgencies. The United Kingdom’s again they are looking for answers. Decade after decade, terrorist leadership and Islamic Decade after decade, terroristthem. leadership attacks, when foreign armies were Prevent Strategy highlights that extremism have failed and Islamic extremism have failed them. occupying the territory. The more radicalization is more likely to occur Many of of these livedlived in areasin areasthat suicide bombing used in near among refugee groups Many theserefugees refugees such as the Sinjarwasmountain region with virtually no that are isolated, such as the Sinjar mountain region with proximity to their own region, and even or especially if individuals feel ostracized access to a different narrative from the “outside world”. With the violent and merciless virtually to a different narrative against neighboring clansonce or their own facing apparent or real discrimination tactics no of access the Islamic State, these people who could have remained asand civil from the “outside With thereach to help families, reality terror hitchange home in in a theorMiddle socio-economic supporters areworld.” now within be athe force ofofpositive East. disadvantage. In violent and merciless tactics of the Islamic much more tangible way. such cases, terrorism can even be viewed State, who could havechart once below (“Levels for Suicide a “value system” with an apparent The these Pew people Research Center revealsofanSupport incredible shift in MiddleasEast public remained civil supporters are now opinionasregarding suicide bombings. Bombing Notice over the Time” initial2014) acceptance in 2002community followingand thecause. “Identity and th within reach to11 help be a forcewhen of positive Many concerns have risen throughout community September attacks foreign armies were occupying the territory. The more are thatessential factors in change in bombing the Middle East. Europe and in own the United States (“Prevent Strategy” 2011). suicide was used in near proximity tonow their region, and even radicalization” against

neighboring clans or their own families, the reality of terror hit home in a much more tangible way.

(‘Levels of Support for Suicide Bombing over Time’ 2014)

The Counter Terrorist ~ April/May 2016 41

A line of Syrian refugees crossing the border of Hungary and Austria on their way to Germany. Photo by: Mstyslav Chernov

42 The Counter Terrorist ~ April/May 2016

POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS RECOMMENDATION #1 Create narratives by using imagery just a strong as the Islamic State to appeal to a deeper level of emotions and long-term values of family, faith, and country. Although the CSCC can make statements about how gruesome and wrong the atrocities are being committed by the Islamic State, at their current level of counter terrorist communications in online chat rooms, they are just going to fall short of the base-level appeal of graphic videos made by the Islamic State. Strong video production in a true effort of counter-propaganda must enter the immediate timeline. The nearly six million people who have fled Iraq and Syria alone, having seen and experienced the atrocities, are the ones who should be interviewed and have their stories played, as they are the true victims. Additionally, adequate funds should be made available to support a small army of writers to direct this counter-narrative. This should include grants being made available to the private sector that may be able to accomplish these objectives in a faster and â&#x20AC;&#x153;edgierâ&#x20AC;? fashion, in alignment with the CSCC vision and governance.

RECOMMENDATION #2 Commence strikes that diminish all oil supply routes, taking as much care as possible to keep the physical machinery intact. It should be understood that any Islamic State transport or smuggling of oil will be fair game for air strikes, even if civilians are being coerced into action. The same should be held true for the illegal smuggling of crops, drugs, antiquities, munitions, or other items deemed as contraband under these war conditions.

The Counter Terrorist ~ April/May 2016 43

Additionally, just as weapons depots are considered targets by the coalition, so should any other storage of contraband items, including cash or gold stolen from the central banks, as is the case in Mosul. When these monetary supply lines are cut, the death of the Islamic State will be imminent.

RECOMMENDATION #3 Commission strong support systems for immediate physical needs, and subsequently emotional and spiritual needs in a re-entry program to help rebuild Iraq and Syrian society on core family levels with a sense of hope and belief for the future. With an appropriate armed accompaniment, humanitarian and faith-based organizations should be released to lead the world in these efforts.

44 The Counter Terrorist ~ April/May 2016

In the true interest of national security and counter insurgency, the humanitarian, social and spiritual needs of these distressed people must be attended to and will additionally deepen the soft power of the United States, impressing upon the nations of the Middle East that violence and the promotion of oppressive religion will not produce quality of life, favorable economic conditions, or a healthy nation. Moving into these refuge camps (as opposed to traditional abandonment models by default or reaction) over the next several decades can heavily influence outcomes and change the course of history.

CONCLUSION These policy recommendations are not meant to oversimplify the deep issues that have been long rooted in the affected

regions, but are meant as a savvy oversight and simple alternative to the encumbered bureaucracy that inhibits forward progress. The current crisis has been influenced by decades of disruptive influences and it would be shortsighted to perceive the resolutions as taking any less time. Roller coaster fixes in the cycles of election terms will do more to further damage generational hurts than heal them, and these policy recommendations should be seen in the light of both immediate implementation and long-term deployment. Furthermore, since the Islamic State strategy is one of insurgency by unseating a broad stroke of governments, it should be treated more as a rogue state seeking legitimacy in the same vein of Nazi Germany of WWII than that of al-Qaeda in 2006.

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The narrative of healthy society and healthy government with a wartimestyle propaganda campaign against the Islamic State is of urgent priority. The conventional strategy of disrupting supply lines of all types is compulsory if containment and defeat are to be made. And finally, the care for humanity must overcome fear of past ethnic, religious, and cultural differences.

•

ABOUT THE AUTHOR David is a pioneer in the convergence of physical and cyber security intelligence systems. He has almost two decades of experience in the deployment of surveillance technologies to secure critical infrastructure, people, property and assets. He can be reached at: david. wallace@survone.com http://www. SurveillanceOne.com

REFERENCES Applewhite, J. Scott. 2015. “Clapper Says People in Mosul May Be Getting Sick of ISIS.” Defense One. Accessed November 30, 2015. http://www. defenseone.com/threats/2015/02/ clapper-says-people-mosul-may-begetting-sick-isis/106266/ Bishop, Donald M. 2015. “Center for Strategic Counterterrorism Communications.” Public Diplomacy Council. Accessed November 30, 2015. http://www.publicdiplomacycouncil. org/topics/center-strategiccounterterrorism-communications “CEP Applauds Twitter Action on Extremist Accounts but Broader Problems Ignored.” 2015. Counter Extremism Project. Accessed November 30, 2015. http://www. counterextremism.com/press/cepapplauds-twitter- action-extremist-

accounts-broader-problems-ignored Connable, Ben, and Martin C. Libicki. 2010. “How Insurgencies End.” Santa Monica, CA: RAND. http:// www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/ monographs/2010/RAND_MG965.pdf. (2010) Cottee, Simon. 2015. “Can Cyber Activists Chase ISIS off Twitter?” The Atlantic. Accessed November 30, 2015. http://www.theatlantic. com/international/archive/2015/10/ anonymous-activists-isis- twitter/409312 /?ncid=txtlnkusaolp00000618 Cronin, Audrey. 2015. “ISIS Is Not a Terrorist Group.” Foreign Affairs. https:// www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/middleeast/isis-not-terrorist-group (2015). Eleftheriou-Smith, Loulla-Mae. 2015. “Global Terrorism Index: Map Shows Where 42 Different Militant Groups Have Pledged Isis Support.” Homeland Security Network Blog. Accessed December 15, 2015. http://www. homelandsecuritynet.com/blog/entry/ global-terrorism-index-map-showswhere-42- different-militant-groupshave-pledged-isis-support “Financing of the Terrorist Organization Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant.” 2015. FATF - Financial Action Task Force. Accessed December 1, 2015. http://www.fatf- gafi.org/ publications/methodsandtrends/ documents/financing-of-terroristorganisation-isil.html Gartenstein-Ross, D. 2015. “How many fighters does the Islamic state really have?” War on the Rocks. Accessed November 30, 2015. http:// warontherocks.com/2015/02/howmany-fighters-does-the-islamic-statereally-have/ Hendawi, Hamza, Qassim Abdul-

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Zahra, and Associated Press. 2015. “ISIS Is Making up to $50 Million a Month from Oil Sales.” Business Insider. Accessed November 30, 2015. http://www.businessinsider.com/isismaking- 50-million-a-month-from-oilsales-2015-10 “Iraq.” 2015. The UN Refugee Agency. Accessed December 2, 2015. http:// www.unhcr.org/pages/49e486426.html Johnston, Patrick B. 2012. “Does Decapitation Work?” International Security Spring 2012 36.4 (2012): 47-79. Accessed November 20, 2015. ‘Levels of Support for Suicide Bombing over Time.’ 2014. Pew Research Center. Accessed December 2, 2015. http://www.pewglobal.org/2014/07/01/ concerns-about-islamic-extremism-onthe-rise-in-middleeast/pg-2014-07-01islamic-extremism-11/

Mao Tse-Tung. 1961. “On Guerilla Warfare.” U.S. Marine Corps. A Document of the Navy: Revised. April 5, 1989. Washington D.C. Merari, Ariel. 1993. “Terrorism As a Strategy of Insurgency.” Terrorism and Political Violence 5(4): 213–51. Accessed 2015. http://bdi.mfa.government. bg/info/module 04 - diplomacia i sigurnost/dopalnitelna literatura/ opsatelnoterrorism as a strategy.pdf Nickolas, Evan. 2015. “Why Is ISIS so Successful with Social Media? (with Images, Tweets) · Efexxs.” Accessed November 30, 2015. https://storify.com/ efexxs/is-online-dating-the-new-norm Paul, Christopher, and Colin Clarke. 2014. “A Broad Approach To Countering the Islamic State.” A Broad Approach to Countering the Islamic State. Accessed 2015. http://www.rand.org/

www.jntactical.com 46 The Counter Terrorist ~ April/May 2016

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blog/2014/09/a-broad- approach-tocountering-the-islamic-state.html “Prevent Strategy.” 2011. United Kingdom Gov. Accessed December 2, 2015.https://www.gov.uk/government/ uploads/system/uploads/attachment_ data/file/97976/prevent- strategy-review. pdf Smith-Spark, Laura, and Noisette Martel. 2015. “U.S. Official: 10,000-plus ISIS Fighters Killed in 9-Month Campaign.” CNN. Accessed November 30, 2015. http://www. cnn.com/2015/06/03/middleeast/isisconflict/ Solomon, Erika, and Ahmed Mhidi. 2015. “Isis: The Munitions Trail.” The Financial Times. Accessed December 1, 2015. http://www.ft.com/ cms/s/2/baad34e4-973c-11e5-922887e603d47bdc.html#axzz3t523Kr4a Swanson, Ana. 2015. “How the Islamic State Makes Its Money.” Washington Post. Accessed November 30, 2015. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ news/wonk/wp/2015/11/18/how-isismakes-its-money/ Telesur. 2015. “Islamic State Group Now Controls Key Drug Trafficking Routes.” Accessed November 30, 2015. http://www.globalresearch.ca/islamicstate-group-now-controls-key-drugtrafficking- routes/5477129 “Why Islamic State’s Gold Coins Won’t Replace the Global Banking System.” 2015. The Economist. Accessed December 1, 2015. http://www. economist.com/blogs/economistexplains/2015/09/economist-explains-1

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The Counter Terrorist ~ April/May 2016 47

BOOK REVIEW

Life or Death: Your Life, Your Safety, Your Responsibility Reviewed by Editorial Staff by Orlando Wilson Glenbridge Publishing Ltd. (November 16, 2015)

his book is for the beginner to intermediate or recreational shooter. The book starts out covering all the basics and goes into advanced skill sets using the crawl, walk, run method. Each section of the book includes a case study from recent history that is used as a springboard lesson for the next subject covered. Most of the case studies are about close range gun fighting and contract killings done by professionals in European nations. Wilson makes some excellent points and has some unique training methods. I read a lot of books and periodicals and I take classes as a student all the time. Forever the student. Choosing a teacher who you will trust to give you the tools on which life and death are based is a serious undertaking. How do you choose the right one? There are many ways to go about this, and after you have been around a while you can tell just by the way a person conducts him- or herself if they are running a class per a manual and can’t really do much beyond that curriculum’s scope or environment. What you want is a teacher who is speaking from experience. I appreciated Orlando’s book because it is clear that he is speaking from a place of experience, which is something everyone can appreciate. He is not afraid to say

48 The Counter Terrorist ~ April/May 2016

Ballistic testing of the authors preferred ammo configuration on a windshield. (A staggered magazine of FMJ and HP 9mm ammo). The first round always went a little high. FMJ had less of a deviation then HP and ideally you would use the initial hole for followup shots.

things that are unconventional or outside the box of your local firearms instructor’s repertoire. This was made evident by a few insightful tips and points he made in the book. Here are a few of those excerpts. In combat shooting, you will not know the exact circumstances that will affect your terminal ballistics on target. Wilson suggests staggering rounds in your magazine between full metal jacket (FMJ) and hollow points (HP) rounds, thereby getting the penetration of FMJ with the

cavitation of HP. This will also help when having to penetrate points of enemy cover. I decided to test this idea by shooting through some windshields and comparing the ballistic trajectory going out and in with various types of ammunition. The Wilson technique worked. Most combat shooting situations you will find yourself in will be at conversational distance. Especially in the EP world. With that in mind, Wilson advocates practicing instinctive point shooting. This is something I do anyway, but he presents some good drills and ideas about making it more efficient. No one is saying not to use the sites on the pistol. What he is saying is that inwards of seven meters and closing, there are no time for sites. With practice, this is very useful. Most instructor courses are not even courses at all, because there is virtually no chance of failing. Wilson refers to these as “No-fail Seminars” used to collect a certificate. This is unfortunately true most of the time. Take a course that has some standards and puts you outside your comfort zone. To sum it up, I would recommend this read. You can learn something from everyone, even if you are seasoned. I finished this book on my flight to the Shot Show, so I was in the right frame of mind. Enjoy.

•

The Counter Terrorist ~ April/May 2016 49

A MARKETER’S PERSPECTIVE: ISIS PROPAGANDA AND WHY IT WORKS

50 The Counter Terrorist ~ April/May 2016

Screenshot from the “No Respite" video.

by Forest Rain Marcia

It is shocking that so many young Westerners leave their homes to join the Islamic State. Why would they want to belong to such an obviously murderous and vicious group of people?!

rom a marketing perspective it makes sense. The answer is simple: advertising. Advertising works. We all know that. We also know that advertising often lies or “sells” based on half-truths. And it is how one can sell a damaged product. The fundamental rules of advertising are: know your message,

know your audience, and speak your message clearly, in a way your audience can understand. The Islamic State does exactly that, following all the rules of psychology, selling ideas from over a thousand years ago in slick multi-media packaging. The Islamic State spreads its message over the Internet in the form of videos,

The Counter Terrorist ~ April/May 2016 51

not. Now, as a professional marketer, I see the techniques used to build this ad and recognize its potential impact and the danger in ignoring, dismissing or not understanding the power in IS propaganda-ads. “No Respite” is intended to hold up a mirror to the American people, explaining why Islamic State values will triumph over America and the West. It is an invitation and a warning to choose the “right” side in this ultimate, prophesied battle. Many will laugh off the scare tactics of the video, saying: “I don’t believe in their prophecies and the computer game style of the video doesn’t impress me.” Big mistake. If that was your reaction the video isn’t directed at you. There is a different target audience that the messaging will reach, with great impact.

ADVERTISING RULE 1: KNOW YOUR MESSAGE. In the video, IS sets the scene, explains its actions and details its future goal, based on the message of Islamic prophecy. They know their message very well, say what they mean and take actions that embody their intentions. They are completely congruent in their messaging. Congruency is important because it creates credibility, even when the subject matter is negative. social media such as Twitter, and their publication Dabiq. Remember that name; it will come up again. The most recent video, titled “No Respite,” was released November 24th. It is a stunning, highly-produced commercial, targeted specifically for America. Ever since I was a child, I have analyzed advertisements. I always thought it interesting to see what was being sold, if it worked, how, and if didn’t work, why

52 The Counter Terrorist ~ April/May 2016

ADVERTISING RULE 2: KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE The style of the video is designed for a very specific demographic: sixteen- to thirty-year-olds, mostly male Americans. Millennials. The same audience Hollywood targets. Catch that audience and you have a blockbuster hit. Visual style: To someone older, the video might look cartoonish and a bit

ridiculous. But when you have grown up playing computer games, Mortal Combat, World of Warcraft, and Call of Duty, your perspective is different. Given the style and the now common video game phenomenon where the player can choose to be the “good” or the “bad” character, the criminal or law enforcement, it is easier to disconnect from the real world, seeing IS not for the actions we have seen on the news but as the heroes in their own story, the heroes of the story detailed in “No Respite.” Content presentation: The content is directed at both believers (Muslims) and non-believers willing to listen. This is much more than a “scare tactics” video. It’s a recruitment ad. And there are just enough truths presented to be highly compelling to the target audience. “This is our Caliphate,” begins the video, showing a gigantic IS flag flying over an unnamed city, probably in Iraq or Syria. The message is clear: it was prophesied that Muslims would conquer and create a Caliphate and now IS is doing it. Their territory is greater than Great Britain, eight times the size of Belgium, and 30 times the size of Qatar. Success breeds success. The very fact that IS has succeeded thus far will bring them more followers. The Islamic State video states with pride that it is entirely about Islam: “It is a state built on prophetic methodology, striving to follow the Koran and Sunna.” This is a clear message to all who have said “it’s not about Islam.” The narration then changes to a derisive tone: “It’s not a secular state built on man-made laws whose soldiers fight for the interests of legislators, liars, fornicators, corporations, and for the freedoms of Sodomites.” These messages are directed at young people who understand that the world doesn’t work right, that governments are corrupt, politicians lie, and politics are

played for power rather than based on values and universal truths. The message is for the young who understand that the system is broken—and it offers a way to fix all the problems, i.e. living in the Caliphate under sharia law. In contrast to the moral corruption and divisiveness of Western society, the Islamic State puts forth the idea of a group united in one goal (Jihad), upholding values dictated by God (Allah). “We are the soldiers that demolished the idols of Nationalism,” IS explains. They know that people around the world were horrified at their demolition of ancient artifacts and relics. Here they explain that they did so not because they are barbarians, but because they are upholding a noble cause: unifying nations under one banner. They made the Sykes-Picot boundaries irrelevant because the borders that artificially divided the Middle East into separate countries never

Congruency is important because it creates credibility, even when the subject matter is negative.

The Counter Terrorist ~ April/May 2016 53

should have been drawn: there is only one nation, the Nation of Islam. America’s own president has been explaining for years that there is no such thing as American exceptionalism. For the young people of America, that is the only president they have ever known, and they don’t know the America older people remember. If there is no exceptionalism, it isn’t a far stretch to agree that there is no pride in nationalism. The ad builds on the power of the Black Lives Matter movement: “There is no difference between an Arab and a nonArab, a black man and a white, except through piety.” That, they explain, is what is so wonderful about Islam: all can be united. To an America divided on race issues, this is an appealing message. It’s essentially what Dr. Martin Luther King preached: “Judge a man by the content of his character, not the color of his skin.” Again the message is correct; it is the solution offered that is the problem. The Islamic State is portrayed as a place that is just (sharia law), a good place to raise children, and a place where soldiers who join will benefit from the war. Spoils of war include sex slaves, but that is only implied, because that is not palatable to the American people. IS knows the audience very well. The video goes on to explain that there is no way that America will be victorious over them, as American soldiers cannot stomach the war (referring in graphic detail to the numerous deaths and suicides of U.S. soldiers). They refer to facts being “cooked” regarding American success (another example of the government lying to you), going on to explain that America cannot afford the war: America pours enormous amounts of money into sophisticated weapons, missiles, etc., while the Islamic State is using cheap bullets and winning.

54 The Counter Terrorist ~ April/May 2016

The implication is obvious—give up now. Join the winning side. And to those who don’t, they issue the taunt: “Bring it on! The flames of war will finally burn you on the hills of Dabiq.” Remember that name? Dabiq is a small village in Syria where Islamic prophesy says there will be the final battle that results in Islam conquering the West. It was in Dabiq that the Islamic State beheaded the American aid worker Peter Kassig. Here they show that all IS actions are done for a reason, according to a very specific plan. THEY have a plan. “Bring it on! Plot against us and show us no respite. Our ally is the greatest. He is Allah and all glory belongs to him.” The closing verse from the Koran gives the same message: the time when the non-Muslims call together their allies and show “no respite” will be the time when Islam and Allah will triumph. Simon Sinek explained in his milestone TED Talk: “People buy not because they need what you make but because they believe what you believe.” The Islamic State knows their “why” very well and they present it to the audience as an invitation to also believe their “why.” Many will not, but some will. In a world that is shallow and empty of greater purpose, the appeal of uniting for a greater cause is highly attractive. Unity, equality, and a high standard of unwavering moral values is a compelling promise. It doesn’t matter that this is not the reality offered in the Islamic State. This is advertising. There are enough grains of truth within this ad to be effective. We all know advertising works. Even when the product being sold is damaged. I suggest waging a counter-campaign, not against the Islamic State but rather to reach the audience they are competing for, to prevent their “customers” from buying the damaged goods, the way of life, IS is selling.

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Screenshots from the â&#x20AC;&#x153;No Respite" video. 56 The Counter Terrorist ~ April/May 2016

The Counter Terrorist ~ April/May 2016 57

Screenshot from the “No Respite" video. Watch the young people, particularly the men, in America or any other Western country. Watch the young people in your home, in your community. Are they angry? Are they drifting? Now is the time to take action. Help them find a better “product.” Help them find something greater than themselves they can identify with. Gather together like-minded people and take action to bring positive change to your community. The results need to be obvious and immediate so that they can be felt. The young people need to feel their purpose, otherwise they are in danger of drifting to a negative purpose. If you can, create a church or synagogue group that takes action to

58 The Counter Terrorist ~ April/May 2016

better the community. Take them to serve the elderly—bring them their groceries, fix things in their homes—take them to mentor younger children, giving them role models. If you can, join a faithbased group. If not, create a group based on humanity, on healing the planet. Volunteer at the Humane Society. Create road protection societies that keep the streets and parks clean. Purpose is key. Committing to something greater than oneself is fundamental to feeling value. I suggest a swift, hard-hitting counter-campaign to the propaganda marketing sweeping the world, before the competition converts our young people to being their “customers.”

•

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Forest Rain served in the IDF Northern Command as an Ordnance Corps Personnel Coordination Sgt. After her service Rain co-developed and co-directed a project to aid victims of terrorism and war giving her extensive first-hand experience with the emotional and psychological processes of civilians, soldiers and their families, wounded and/ or bereaved and traumatized by terrorism and war (grief, guilt, PTSD, etc.). Connect with Forest Rain Inspiration from Zion: forestrain.wordpress.com/ Twitter: @frisrael Email: lionheart.e@gmail.com

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RAVENSCHALLENGE.ORG

CHINESE PRIVATE SECURITY:

A NEW PARADIGM FOR PRIVATE MILITARY AND COUNTER-TERRORISM? Dr. Alessandro Arduino

SCENARIO The last two decades have witnessed significant shifts in the balance of geopolitical power, and the evolution of the Road and Belt initiative is forcing China “banking diplomacy” to embrace a broader political and security engagement. Unfortunately “throwing money at the problem” is not going to shield China from the evolving security risks. Unlike traditional security threats, those posed by stateless groups offer a more dynamic and dangerous peril for states to counter. In this respect, the negative spillover effects from unstable countries provide a fertile ground for transnational crime and shadow economic activities linked to terrorist training and financing. Furthermore, several areas close to China, ranging from Central

Asia to Afghanistan are going to produce ripple effects on overall China. In this respect, fragile states that acquire Chinese technology and infrastructure, granting exploitation rights of natural resources to Chinese State Owned Enterprises SOEs, do not have the capacity to assure adequate protection. Therefore, Chinese infrastructure and personnel could be an easy target for terrorists, politically motivated rebel groups or even criminal gangs who perceive Chinese citizens as wealthy targets. Focusing on Afghanistan, Russian and American security responses have underlined how traditional strategies and tactics no longer apply in a fast changing asymmetrical scenario. The Afghanistan jihadist threat of spreading instability in China is too often overestimate while

the drug trade, as a source of illegal financing for local terrorist activities, is –unfortunately- too often neglected. At the same time, the increase of Chinese overseas investments in the region could spark violence against Chinese workers and Chinese interests. An example is the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a vital part of the One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative. The 46 billion USD investments in the corridor, pledged by Beijing to the “all-weather friendship” with Islamabad, could be tested not on the economic ground but in the security one. In Central Asia, Moscow might be willing to oversee security operations under the aegis of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), while the regional economic sphere of influence belongs to

The Counter Terrorist ~ April/May 2016 61

Beijing. However, while Russia is showing the latest military hardware and tactical capabilities in the Syrian conflict, it is doubtful that the Russian Federation Armed Forces are going to re-enter Afghanistan. In this regard, the growing Chinese economic predominance in Central and South Asia and the new power vacuum might force China to become an “unwilling” security provider in the regional security arena. The expansion of Chinese outbound investments has increased the chances

emphasizes the necessity for a limited number of highly trained professionals able to provide efficient security services. Consequently, the future role of Chinese SOEs and private security companies in hot areas are affected not only by the volatile political contexts but also by the increasing need for corporations capable of estimating special risks. The role of insurance providers capable of stipulating a comprehensive set of risk assessments and solutions in unstable areas is a priority for the Chinese State Owned

of the international crisis that Beijing is going to face. Therefore Chinese workers and infrastructures based on foreign soil are subject to threats of kidnapping and violence. Already several Chinese PSCs provide security services to Chinese oil and mining corporations in partnership with international security companies in hot areas such as Iraq. Today’s economic globalization and the increasingly multipolar world are leading back to smaller conflicts and the perception of the need for specialized contractors. The new hybrid war model

Enterprises (SOEs). Mature Chinese PSCs will be able to provide not only local security but also enable synergies in information gathering against the spread of terrorists. At the same time, it is imperative to take in to consideration how the action of several international PSCs has increased the host countries’ distrust in employing foreign security personnel. The “Blackwater syndrome” has led to the ban of international private military forces in several countries such as Afghanistan or Ethiopia. On the same wavelength, the Chinese Ministry

62 The Counter Terrorist ~ April/May 2016

of Foreign Affairs forbids the Chinese citizen leaving abroad to carry weapons. Specifically, in the Afghan context, the Chinese SOEs have to rely on several layers of protection guaranteed by local tribal militia and the Afghan national army while the PLA ensures the Chinese diplomatic personnel safety. Both framework of law still gives space to Chinese PSCs that could be employed as a bridge between local security forces and Chinese enterprises in need of risk and crisis management, security planning and basic training for the personnel that is going to be sent to work in potentially dangerous areas. Furthermore the evolution of the Chinese PSC could also promote intelligence sharing and increased joint capabilities with Chinese diplomatic missions and future overseas bases such as the one in Djibouti. On this respect the new Chinese anti-terror law, for the first time, allow the PLA to carry anti-terror operation abroad with the consent of the host country. Therefore the presence in loco of Chinese PSC could increase the mission awareness and threat assessment. In this regard, the kidnapping of 29 Chinese nationals by Sudanese rebels (2012), the explosion of violence against Chinese workers in Vietnam (2014), the killing of three Chinese engineers in Pakistan (2006), the kidnapping of a citizen Chinese by the Taliban (2014), the beheading of a overseas Chinese in Iraq by IS (2015) and the recent killing in the Ivory Cost of a Chinese tourist (2016), clearly shows a trend that Beijing has begun to consider seriously. Contrary to the US, China is not engaged in large-scale conflicts and does need to privatize the service support in war zones. However, the need to ensure protection and evacuation of its citizen during a crisis could stimulate Beijing to employ formally Chinese

PSCs that already have had exposure to international best practices. Several high-risk areas where Chinese interests are localized do not include only Afghanistan but also Egypt, Ethiopia, Libya, Pakistan, Iraq, Sudan, and the current mix of Chinese investment and political instability is posed to facilitate explosive reactions. While the new law against terrorism enables Beijing to conduct anti-terrorism operations abroad, with the approval of the hosting country, there still a present need to address operational capabilities and possible negative spillovers. Hence, a possible PSCs role in filling operational gaps and rapid deployment.

FROM AFGHANISTAN TO ETHIOPIA, A ROLE FOR CHINESE PSC? With the 2014 withdrawal of US and ISAF collation forces from Afghanistan, several neighboring states will have to formulate new policies for regional stability. In geopolitical terms, Afghanistan is the linchpin between Central Asia and South Asia. Therefore, the Afghan nexus involves China and Central Asia but also the core interests of several regional powers including India, Pakistan, Iran, and Turkey. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)- or CSTO-led stabilization force is not established to fill immediately

the strategic vacuum created by the withdrawal of US and allied troops. While Russia seems more focused on a “hard” peacekeeping model, China can play a mediating role in supporting local economic development. China’s economic diplomacy, more than the active involvement of the PLA, could be the nexus between Afghanistan stabilization and regional economic integration with Central Asia. Chinese leading commitment to building the OBOR logistic and economic infrastructures and trade integration in South and Central Asia could start an effective stabilization process. In this respect, Afghanistan represents a linchpin in the OBOR transit lines linking

The Counter Terrorist ~ April/May 2016 63

directly the North-South axis involving Pakistan and India and influencing the Eurasian land bridge. While Chinese investments in military modernization will enable Beijing in the mid- to longterm to increase PLA missions’ scope and range, in the short-term, China’s chief instrument to influence regional outcomes still involves economic tools. As the Chinese economic footprint increase in different areas characterized by fragile states, it is possible to estimate a balanced growth of activities by various terrorists, extremist and criminal organizations that are going to amplify the risks to Chinese workers and infrastructures. Beijing will have to address these threats at three different levels:1 • The first level encompasses kidnapping and extortion by non-political actors that perceive Chinese businessmen or SOEs top management as a natural source of profit. • The second level is associate with the same threats but the actors involved are political and/or religiously motivated, and ransom may not be the sole driver. • The third level is related to the escalation of undifferentiated violence against Chinese migrant workers and it could be sparked by a negative spillover of the Chinese Overseas Direct Investments (ODIs) or by the use of the “Chinese fear” as a scapegoat to avoid internal demonstrations. The challenges posed by sub-state actors are increased not only by the blurring borderlines among fragile states but also by the complexity that the financial globalization and cyberspace instruments offer to the drug trade, money laundering,

and weapons smuggling. Whereas religious and independents’ themes will still play a critical role in the justification of violence and extremism, it will be the increase in available funds that will lead to a surge of security threats. Chinese workers and Chinese infrastructure are going to be a terrorist’s and criminal organizations favorite target both for financial and political returns. Well-established crisis management policies and guidelines as well as trained personnel in kidnapping and ransom to have to be used in cooperation with international private service providers to maximize effectiveness and minimize the exposure of the Chinese security providers. At the same time, the role of international corporations devoted to special risks insurance analysis is in dire need of the Chinese SOEs counterparts. Without taking in to account the overseas Chinese communities, more than a million Chinese workers are employed all around the globe, and the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs is in charge of the mapping of migrant workers distribution. A daunting task itself without taking into account that large numbers operate in unpredictable zones such as Afghan Mes Aynak copper mine by China Metallurgical Group, China National Petroleum Corporations South Sudan’s oil wells, Ethiopia ITC network by Huawei-ZTE and the future gas pipeline by Poly GCL. The rising numbers of Chinese PSC private actors on the scene well underline the novelty of the phenomenon as well as the current lack of a leading local security provider. Since the beginning of the new millennium, several Chinese firms have evolved their business model from local close protection providers for wealthy clients to international operations. These corporations now have with liaison offices in Beijing not far from the headquarters of the energy sector SOEs and Chinese

Foreign Affairs Ministry. Several Chinese PSCs emerged into the international arena, employing a mix of local and foreign resources. Chinese PSCs — with some rare exceptions related to maritime security — are barred by the FAO to employ Chinese armed contractors. This trend strikes several resemblances with the industrial JVs between Chinese and foreign corporations that have portrayed the last three decades of Chinese GDP double-digit growth. Similarly, Chinese PSCs are utilizing the foreign expertise, and best practices in combination with their preferential access to the state-owned contractors. Among the emerging Chinese PSCs, several actors have already made their name mainly in the protection of the Chinese oil and gas interests from Africa to Iraq: VSS Security Group, Huawei Security, Dingtai Anyuan International Security & Defense, Huaxin Security. Other companies prefer to market their services through companies incorporated in Hong Kong and with offices in Beijing as Frontier Services Group (FSG), that provides logistics services in Sudan benefiting in the experience of its Chairman Erik Prince, founder of Blackwater. One key point is already clear while the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and State’s insurance companies are still debating on the use of Chinese PSCs, the business opportunity for reaping high profits was already perceived by a growing number of local and international security service providers.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dr. Alessandro Arduino is the co–director of the Security & Crisis Management program at the Shanghai Academy of Social Science (SASS – China) and Center for Advanced Studies in Contemporary China (CASCC – Italy).

Alessandro Arduino “Security Privatisation with Chinese Characteristics: The Role of Chinese Private Security Corporations in Protecting Chinese Outbound Investments and Citizens”, June 2015 IDSS/RSIS https://www.rsis.edu.sg/rsis-publication/idss/security-privatisation/#.Vu7OVhIrKu4 1

64 The Counter Terrorist ~ April/May 2016

The Urban Warfare Training Centre in Tze'elim is the largest of its kind in the world. It simulates fighting in a dense, urban environment, and trains combat soldiers in dealing with the challenges of urban fighting. Photo by: Israel Defense Forces

TERRORIST HUNTER: WHAT HAPPENS WHEN OFF-DUTY SOLDIERS AUGMENT POLICE FORCES FOR DOMESTIC TERRORISM RESPONSE

66 The Counter Terrorist ~ April/May 2016

by Daniel

Living in Israel over the last seven years, I have kept pretty busy between my military service and school. When I first moved to Israel in 2009, I did everything I could to draft into the IDF as quickly as possible.

ome people have a fear of missing out on social situations in todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s world of instant communication and technology, especially in the U.S. Living in Miami, I was constantly bombarded with stimuli from every direction about everything that was happening around me. Land lines at

my house, cell phone calls, Facebook, email, text. It was sensory overload, and unfortunately it was mostly garbage information that made me feel dumber for having read it. I was sucked into a time waste and had to get away from it. Growing up in the U.S., I lived at home and quickly realized I was

The Counter Terrorist ~ April/May 2016 67

Last week, the company commanders of the Kfir Brigade conducted an exercise simulating the takeover of a hostile urban area in which terrorists are hiding. The drill is a part of a larger IDF doctrine: be as efficient as possible while fighting in urban centers by focusing on hostile targets, and hostile targets only. Photo by: Israel Defense Forces

68 The Counter Terrorist ~ April/May 2016

not ready for school and was largely unimpressed by the aspirations of my peers. I remembered Operation Cast Lead, which took place in 2008 in Gaza, and I had a fear of missing out. Fast forward and I was in the IDF in an elite unit specializing in counter terrorism and urban warfare. After a year and a half of training, I was operational and had no fear of missing out. After a few years, I got to go to university and get my bachelor’s degree. What more appropriate major than Counter Terrorism and Homeland Security Studies at an Israeli university, right? I knew that was the only thing I would actually be interested in studying and I felt like I had a better handle on it after a few good years on the front lines. So I am a student by day and a reservist in one of the world’s most relevant and successful counter terrorism units in a military most would consider the modern day Sparta. The fact that I fluently speak four languages doesn’t hurt, either, and I can take home my army-issued Glock 19 so as to respond to acts of violence in the streets. As I was leaving Crossfit Tel Aviv and walking down the street back to my apartment, I heard an ambulance about 150 meters away and disregarded it like normal, just like you would in any country. About twenty seconds later, I saw and heard about ten emergency response vehicles (ambulance and police) flying down Dizengoff Street, which is like Main Street in Tel Aviv. Now when I saw this, I knew what was happening. It was not a bank robbery, not a rape: a terrorist had struck again. So I pulled my jeans out of my gym bag and over my shorts, pulled out my pistol from my bag, put on my police hat (issued to all government first responders for such an event), and sprinted towards the commotion as people were running down the street.

The beauty of the situation was how we could all come together with the same standard operating procedures, tactics, and techniques to accomplish the mission with no formal planning.

Photo by: Israel Defense Forces

I asked a bystander what had happened and he said a terrorist shot up the bar, killing two people and wounding several others. Cops were already on the scene and pointing in the general direction where the terrorist had gone. I quickly spotted two of my fellow brothers from Duvdevan and we quickly grouped together and started running in the direction where the terrorist was going. It was chaotic. We heard over the radio that he was probably in a building that was currently under construction off Ben Gurion Street. Being that we were about 800â&#x20AC;&#x201C;1000 meters away, we quickly commandeered three motorcycles and their drivers to shuttle us, and from that point on they were our personal drivers throughout the terrorist hunt. We didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know them or even really see their faces through their helmets, but in that moment they understood who

we were and what needed to be done. Their priorities shifted from whatever errands or seemingly meaningless tasks to the greater good, and all efforts were mobilized to neutralize the threat. They were honored to assist. Approaching the building, we realized we had our hands full. It was a fivestory building and we were short a few guys, but time was of the essence. A bystander who happened to be in Oketz (another unit of the IDF with the requisite skill set) said he could help us clear the building since we needed a four-man team ideally. Keep in mind he was the only one of us who was unarmed at that time. The cops quickly showed up and they secured the perimeter and locked down the block. After identifying ourselves to the police, they gave the unarmed guy from Oketz a pistol in order to clear the building

of any terrorists. We worked like a well-oiled machine, corner by corner, doorway by doorway, and floor by floor as if we had worked together for years. The beauty of the situation was how we could all come together with the same standard operating procedures, tactics, and techniques to accomplish the mission with no formal planning. It was a beautiful thing, but alas, the terrorist we were looking for had eluded us. After regrouping, we debriefed the police and got an intelligence update that he was possibly in another location, so we returned to our motorcycles and headed to Reines Street, where we believed him to be hiding. A police squad had already been locking down the area and running limited searches. We checked and cleared all the yards and bomb shelters (each building has one in the basement) for the terrorist, and he was still nowhere to

The Counter Terrorist ~ April/May 2016 69

mattered to me in that moment; it was the single most important thing in the world to me; it had to be because failure meant death. After about three hours of running up and down the streets and motoring around, I rendezvous with three other soldiers I had called and given my location to, one from Duvdevan, one from Shayetet and one from the Ministry of Defense. Knowing that they were in the immediate area, they were the best ones to call. The police gave us our own area of operation and structures to search and clear, so we went on our own, clearing streets and abandoned buildings, which we did for about three hours into the night. The terrorist is a sub-human being, a humanoid, and luckily for us he has the anatomy of a man so we can destroy him and rid the world of evil. And so we went on.

The terrorist Nasha’at Melhem after his final encounter with Israeli Police

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ER 4 E 8 • NUMB 2015 2014/JAN DEC VOLUM

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Daniel currently serves as a combat soldier in the Duvdevan unit of the Israeli Defense Force.

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As nightfall approached, I decided to head home due to the fact that the streets were swarming with police units, military personnel, SWAT, and helicopters. And I did not have a flashlight, so I found it really difficult clearing bomb shelters (which are void of ambient light), buildings under construction, and alleyways. One thing I learned from this experience is that one must always have a way of signaling the police that you’re friendly (in my case it was an issued police hat) and another thing is to have a flashlight in your carry bag or on your pistol. Later in the week, the police met the terrorist in a gunfight and he was neutralized, permanently.

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UNDERSTANDING THE GLOBAL JIHAD EBOLA AND BIOLOGICAL WARFARE

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The Counter Terrorist is a peer We are now committed to bring journal, that is read in the USA and in valuable tools to the attention of our ASIA by: First Responders through: • Police • Fire • Emergency Management • Emergency Medicine • The Military • Special Forces

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Innovative Products EYE SAFETY SYSTEMS: ROLLBAR SERIES OF BALLISTIC EYEWEAR From a young age, we all tend to wear eye protection for one reason or another, may it be sports, work, or just for driving. I had never even heard of Eye Safety Systems (ESS) growing up, but always appreciated quality eyewear. In the early 2000s, I was issued my first pair of ESS eye protection by the IDF. I remember I got two pairs of them: one pair were goggles for demolitions, breaching, etc., and a second pair were ballistic sunglasses with an interchangeable lens kit. At the time, we all used the yellow lenses so we could have just one pair that would work for both day and night operations. Those glasses became part of our first-line personal protective equipment, which included fingerless gloves with wrist wraps, knee pads, helmet, ear protection, boots, face mask, etc. I wore the glasses operationally, at the range, and while riding my motorcycle. I used the goggles on some operations and kept them on my helmet when not in use. Surprisingly, I was able to keep the same pair of glasses for almost four years before the lenses got severely damaged by rock fragments. They saved my eye, though. At the end of my service, I turned the glasses back in. Fast forward to the present day. I have two pairs of ESS Rollbar Series Ballistic glasses, which seem to bridge the gap between goggles and glasses. I have one pair I use for operational activity and range work during daylight, and another pair for night ops and range. The daytime pair is outfitted with the copper lenses, which provide just the right amount of tint, glare reduction, and protection for outdoor use, but is also suitable for indoor use. (Think moving from outside to inside a structure.) The other pair is outfitted with the yellow lenses and is ideal for night operations and maintains the same superior level of ballistic protection and has nice wide lenses and a frame that hugs the orbital

socket to overlap the bones around the eye. I like how the arms positively click into the open and closed positions. Meanwhile, they grip firmly to the sides of the head and feel securely in place even when at a full sprint. The Rollbar comes with interchangeable lenses, so I would recommend buying the tactical series, which come with the copper lenses and blacked out logos to meet military requirements. With daily use will come damage. I distorted the frame on mine a year ago and kept wearing them. Finally, I called ESS and told them what happened. They replaced the glasses within ten days. Excellent customer service: they didn’t even ask for a receipt. Further, they will give you the same pricing if you are a member of Oakley Standard Issue (the same company). Trust your eyes to ESS: they work. Garret Machine

MGM TARGETS’ NEW STEEL CHALLENGE SILHOUETTE SERIES MGM Targets, the leader in steel target innovation for over 20 years, introduces better tactical/personal protection training while being mindful of budgets. - MGM Steel Challenge IPSC Series. The USA made sets feature three sizes of IPSC style target silhouettes—Full (17.75x29.5”), ‘C’ Zone (11.762x23.625") and ½ IPSC (9x15"). Each set includes a premium laser cut 3/8" AR-500 target plate, a cap/AR target hook and steel base for 2x4 post. Cut 2x4s to various lengths for challenging and easily reconfigurable courses of fire. The MGM AR-500 target plate can easily handle tens of thousands of rifle or pistol rounds* and delivers the distinctive ring of the steel with each hit. Retailing from $189, the new target series combine the simplicity, reliability and versatility of the well-known Steel Challenge target format with common IPSC type silhouette sizes. mgmtargets.com/steel-challenge-ipsc-target-set mgmtargets.com/steel-challenge-c-zone-target-set mgmtargets.com/steel-challenge-1-2-ipsc-target-set (*Frangible, ball or FMJ handgun ammunition from 15 yards and non-AP, nonsteel or bi-metal core rifle ammunition from 100 yards or more)

The Counter Terrorist ~ April/May 2016 73

FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON UNIVERSITY

Master of Science in Homeland Security

A dramatic rise in terrorist activities around the world has increased awareness of the need to safeguard the United States against terrorism and other threats. The Master of Science in Homeland Security (MSHS) at Fairleigh Dickinson University is a 36-credit program focused on the practical and theoretical aspects of enforcing and ensuring the security of the homeland. Students choose from three areas of specialization: Emergency Management, Leadership, and Terrorism and Security Studies. The curriculum is designed to make your classroom experiences immediately applicable in the workplace. For the convenience of deployed military and other working professionals interested in

THE PHANTOM WARRIOR MT™ MULTITASK FLASHLIGHT Phantom Products is proud to introduce the newest addition to its hand held lighting line: The Phantom Warrior MT™ Multitask Flashlight. This AA battery unit employs all solid state bulbs and has two intensity levels on the primary forward flashlight mode-this saves both your night eyes and your power consumption as you only use the light you need. The high intensity shoots 100 lumens out in a powerful blast to let you see EVERYTHING. But what is truly unique about this light is the side light feature. We make the only flashlight with an integrated side strobe/steady—this keeps you and your team safe in crowds as you will easily locate each other by sight instead of providing locations verbally—just hold up your light and announce your presence. The side lights are available in Amber/White, Red/Blue, or Red/White. The light can mount on your belt for easy access. This is the light that will be on every department’s “required equipment” list. phantomlights.com

PATRIOT3 The XPS-G2’s unique; Patent Pending design incorporates the first ever, Folding Ballistic Wings. These Ballistic Wings are added to the XPS Base Unit to provide a wide area of coverage beyond that of the base unit. With Patriot3’s revolutionary wing-deployment mechanism, the Ballistic Wings can be folded backwards to reduce the width of the shield allowing passage through commercial doorways. In addition, each of the XPS Ballistic Wings can be removed instantly with one hand, allowing the XPS to split into as many as 2 separate hand held shields (NIJ 3 only) allowing team members to break away with ballistic protection to clear additional areas, simultaneously. The XPS Base Unit has several options such as Ballistic Gun Port, Lighting System, Folding Ballistic Wings, Ballistic Wing View Ports and Ballistic Wing Handles (NIJ 3 only). This shield is truly a game changer that will give you and your department or agency the tactical advantage. www.patriot3.com

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advancement in this evolving field, the MSHS may be completed online or on campus. The MSHS program participates in the Order of the Sword & Shield, the only national honor society dedicated to homeland security. To learn more about the MSHS at Fairleigh Dickinson University, visit fdu.edu/mshs or call Paulette Laubsch, program director, at 201-692-6523.

THE GEN1 PATRIOT COLLECTION Made for Frogmen. Founded in 2009, RESCO Instruments set out to build a sleek, simple and rugged timepiece. This vision was realized with the production of the Gen1 Patriot model which now graces the wrists of over 100 active duty US Navy SEALs. Our watches are built and tested in Coronado California. The Patriot line is the only watch that has been field tested through every phase of NSW training by actual operators providing feedback and design input. The result is one very rugged timepiece worn by more actual SEALs than any other watch claiming to be the “Official Watch.” While there is no official watch of the U.S. Navy SEALs, if there ever were one, the RESCO Gen1 Patriot would be it. This is the re-edition of the original RESCO Gen1 Patriot, the watch that put us on the map and became a favorite of SEALs of both coasts. Built to Frogman specification and ready for anything, the Gen1 is back in the RESCO lineup. rescoinstruments.com

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Journal for Law Enforcement, Intelligence & Special Operations Professionals To request detailed product information, visit our website http://thecounterterroristmag.com/readerservicecard.php or scan this code. Select the appropriate Reader Service Number (RSN) on the web-form and submit your contact information. Individual advertiser’s websites are also provided below for your convenience.”

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Ad/Company • website and/or email........................................................................................................................................................................... RSN Number

11th Annual Homeland Security Professionals • www.thecounterterroristmag.com/conference......................................... 177

2016 National Homeland Security Conference • www.nationaluasi.com.............................................................................317

2017 Police K-9 Conference & Vendor Show • www.policek9magazine.com....................................................................... 279

2nd Annual Cyber Security for Defense Summit • www.cybersecurityfordefense.com........................................................ 117

Advanced Homeland Security Training in Israel • www.homelandsecurityssi.com...............................................................215

American Public University • www.amuonline.com/counter-terrorist......................................................................................... 25

Armored Vehicles training by SSI • www.homelandsecurityssi.com........................................................................................ 119

Asia Pacific The Counter terrorist • sales@thecounterterroristmag.com.................................................................................. 255

Barrett Firearms Manufacturing • www.barrett.net................................................................................................................121

DeSantis Holster & Leathergoods • www.desantisholster.com............................................................................................... 262

Fairleigh Dickinson University • www.fdu.edu/mas..................................................................................................................10

HSN • www.homelandsecuritynet.com.............................................................................................................................................19

IDGA Directed Energy & Next Generation Munitions • www.distributedlethality.com........................................................113

J & N Tactical • www.jntactical.com............................................................................................................................................ 155

K-9 Cop Magazine • www.k9copmagazine.com........................................................................................................................ 277

MACTAC by SSI • www.homelandsecurityssi.com....................................................................................................................... 228

NTOA • www.ntoa.org/tactical-conference.................................................................................................................................. 329

NYTOA Tactical Conference 2016 • www.tacticalconference.com............................................................................................. 23

Patriot3 • www.patriot3.com....................................................................................................................................................... 301

Phantom Products Inc. • www.phantomlights.com.................................................................................................................... 209

PSE2016 • www.police-security.com............................................................................................................................................. 281

Resco Instruments • www.rescoinstruments.com.......................................................................................................................... 20

Security Awareness for Transit Employees • www.homelandsecurityssi.com......................................................................... 27

Southern Police Equipment • www.southernpoliceequipment.com.......................................................................................... 343

SSI Elevated Tactics • www.homelandsecurityssi.com.................................................................................................................313

SSI Pull kit • bradman@homelandsecurityssi.com....................................................................................................................... 179

SSI PVBs • www.ssipvb.com......................................................................................................................................................... 226

Surveilance One • www.survone.com.........................................................................................................................................319

TacOps West Tactical Training Conference • www.tacopswest.com.........................................................................................21

The Counter Terrorist Magazine • bradman@homelandsecurityssi.com................................................................................... 33

VA Healthcare 2016 • www.veteransaffairshealthcare.com....................................................................................................... 115

ADVERTISER INDEX

VOLUME 9 • NUMBER 2

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MACTAC MULTIPLE-ASSAULT COUNTER TERRORISM ACTION CAPABILITY

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MACTAC is the new tactical philosophy offering your

department and agency training for an extremely flexible and scalable response to any Active Shooter situation while maintaining the ability to respond to additional attacks.

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TRAINING REVIEW

Developing Assets by Editorial Staff

course on dealing with confidential informants is offered by various law enforcement agencies throughout the country. This is considered an advanced level course and is designed for law enforcement personnel entering into the field of intelligence work, investigations, and building cases.

SPY CRAFT 101 James Bond is dead and Deep Cover work is very limited due to social media and the age of communication. The idea of being able to build your back-story, maintain a legacy, and have a double life is extremely complex and difficult in today’s world. I’m not talking about buying or selling drugs or other one-off operations, known as “low visibility” operations, in which you only need to fool your adversary temporarily and when they figure it out it is too late anyway. I have extensive experience in low visibility tactics and infiltration. The fact is that’s about as far as it will go for the individual operator. We do background investigations; so do they.

EXPLOITABLE PERSONS Today the standard is to find a person who already has his own subversive resume within or perhaps even in the outer circle you wish to infiltrate. This individual can never be fully trusted and will most likely never be trusted by the intended target as well. Your job is to do your homework and find a person who fits some criteria. Specifically, they must be exploitable or subject to coercion by

This individual can never be fully trusted and will most likely never be trusted by the intended target as well.

putting leverage on said person. One example of an exploitable angle may be debt, which is most likely financial but not necessarily. Often times you can set up a low level player and bring him in only for the purpose of turning him out to “owe you one.” He may think he is getting some type of protection or favoritism. The debt may be financial to a bookie, other members of the subject organization, or money legally owed to a creditor. Another angle may be health of the person or a close loved one, allegiance to a rival group, or the perception of possible vengeance or the opportunity to get even. Some even do it for selfish reasons and want only to feel valuable and important. The key here is to find that angle on a number of marks and to make the best move. Often times, law enforcement will skip this step altogether and wait for an opportunity within the immediate circle to open up, like a member of the group slipping up or getting caught. Another highly effective technique would be to create a false reality around the intended subject of exploitation, meaning you would center your attention and investigation on them and have a

simultaneous investigation on the true mark. This will do several things: first, it will make the true mark feel safe and insulated; second, it will give the soonto-be informant credibility; and finally, it will give you leverage (though perceived) over their decision to work with you.

TECHNOLOGY Today, technology can make your job very easy when it comes to following the subject to meets and other gatherings of interest. Devices can be put in just about anything, including a person’s flesh. Voice tapping can be done through cell phones, even when turned off, and can eliminate other more overt forms of evidence gathering. Meeting for real time intelligence and collection, updates and dead drops, can be as creative as you can imagine. However, counter surveillance must always be employed so as not to burn your source. Remember that a wellorganized subversive operation will vet potential and even veteran members in some way to maintain loyalty and trust. Always confirm information with another source, whether human intelligence (HUMINT), signals intelligence (SIGINT), etc., to make sure you’re

The Counter Terrorist ~ April/May 2016 77

Israel ®

The experts on training in:

The Advanced Global Security Workshop in

the Homeland Security professionals best resource

Since 2005, SSI has taken nearly 500 First Responders to Israel and shown them the basics of the Israel security concept. Thanks in part to that program, we are better able to defend ourselves in the United States. In response to demand, we are now offering a once-in-a-lifetime experience covering the following advanced subjects: Nov. 11–19

2016

Hezbollah - a threat as deadly as al-Qaeda - Learn about them in their own territory, along Israel’s northern border. Hostage Rescue - Discover how they go wrong. Hospital Response - Find out how Israel’s critical response hospitals handle surge and multi-casualty incidents. Israel Counter Terrorism units - Learn how they operate. Israel National Police - National Academy; See how they train? Sensitive Installations - Participate in a day-long exercise and training program in how to set up a complete security system. Secret Israel Homeland Security Simulator - See how this works at a base south of Tel Aviv.

Stay in Haifa, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem and visit some of the most amazing sites! Register now if you are US Military, a Homeland Security Professional, a Security Professional, an EMS, or an EMT.

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not being fed false information so that the subject can out your informant, or because the informant is working as a double agent.

IN CONCLUSION Having the reference point of actual field experience in low visibility operations and mechanical infiltration, I would say that the most valuable part

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of the course was listening to two completely different informants tell the stories of their twenty-year and five-year careers. It was interesting to hear how the old school way of doing things was virtually technology free. The older informant didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even have a cell phone, while the other was completely submerged in technology. Take the course!

â&#x20AC;˘

The Counter Terrorist ~ April/May 2016 79

Tactical Tools to Achieve The Mission! • Pelican® Brand 1740 case attached to custom hitch that inserts in standard two inch tow receiver. Adaptable to replace push plate on Bear® and Bearcat®. Textured powder coated black • Custom Laser Cut Foam insert for all kit items • 4 Carabiners rated for over 6,000 lbs. each • Two 30 foot custom made “black” tow straps rated at over 10,000 lbs. tensile strength each • Two custom made hooks extra open non-gated for easy insertion – textured powder coated black for non-slip grip • Custom-made 39” long, 1” diameter rolled steel window spear with rounded ends, and 6 foot chain - textured powder coated black for non-slip grip • Custom made elongated Thor hammer 12 pound custom head with 3 foot composite handle

Universal Mounting Options Available! Call now for more information. Pricing dependent on quantity and delivery location. Call Solomon Bradman at: (305) 302-2790 Circle 179 on Reader Service Card or email bradman@homelandsecurityssi.com Circle 179 on Reader Service Card

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New and improved

( portable vehicle barrier ) When Law Enforcement in Dallas wanted a product to protect the greatest sporting event in the US they chose SSI’s PVB. The reason the PVB is used by agencies and militaries across the globe is that it transfers the momentum of the threatening vehicle upwards and stops it in its tracks. Two adults can deploy the barrier in minutes, and there is no need for electricity whatsoever. The Portable Vehicle Barrier comes with several customized configurations: • You can put wheels on it so that it acts as a swing barrier and easily opens a road • You can toughen the line by adding anchoring cables or place the PVB’s in one single row or even three rows to stop anything • Additional safety features can be added PVBs can be folded down quickly –moved and stored with ease – the PVB is reusable and durable. Best of all NO maintenance is required. Made in the USA means jobs in the USA and supporting our national economy. Ordering is quick and easy allowing us to make the PVB available to your agencies immediately. Besides being the most cost effective barrier in the business today, the PVB is a VBIED killer. CALL NOW.

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