HUMINT

• The Tradecraft of Observation

Student Objectives

• Accurately recalling what you see.
• Accurately recalling what you hear.
• Understanding the roles of a field officer
• Understanding the roles of a Surveillance Operator
• Understanding the roles of an Analyst
• Understanding the roles of an Under Cover
• Understanding the roles of an Operative

Human Intelligence

• The most important skill that an Intelligence officer can master is the art of personal contact intelligence gathering.
• Being able to obtain information from anyone that you talk to and observing actions and behavior of those around you.

Beginning Your Personal Observation Training

• The following slides are designed to begin training you in observation and the ability to not only observe but to understand what you have observed and to accurately report what you have observed.

• You should begin to advance your observation skills as well as learn more about what information is valuable and what needs to be reported back to your case officer.

Field Operations

• Intelligence Operatives must learn to not only comprehend what you are seeing and hearing but also be able to see the subtle things that others do not see.
• Notice the body language of the girl in the middle!
• See the man on the right looking around!
• Why does it take 2 people to hold the girls arms while walking on a smooth sidewalk?
• What is happening here?

Developing Inner Skills

• Learn to Heighten your Awareness
• Sharpen Your Senses
• Expand your Memory
• Develop your Recall
• Learn to Listen to your Subconscious
• Learn to Feel your Environment

• Without being noticed

Opportunism

• Learning to Recognize Information that May be Important later even if it is not something that you are looking for at this time.
• Learning to Remember.
• Who is in the park?

Understanding Your Entire Surroundings

• You Must Take In Everything that you See not just Specific Items.
• Do you see anything out of the ordinary?
• Is there a Code Here?
• Is there something different?

What items are out of the ordinary

• Van and Station Wagon are inside the metal vehicle barriers.
• There are no people in a pedestrian walk that is normally busy.
• Bicycle's obstructing the personnel entrance.

Construction Trailer

• Construction trailer has the windows blocked out.
• Newspaper covering one and plywood in the other.
• Doors on trailer are different colors.

What is out of place?

• Notice the man in the hat and heavy coat carrying a heavy bag in is right hand.
• Note the driver in the car with the windows down and wearing a T-Shirt.
• Leaves on trees would indicate that it is spring or summer.
• What is the reason for the had and coat?
• Is he concealing a weapon under his coat or in his bag?
• Is he wearing the hat to conceal his face?

Cell Dish on Roof

• Multiple Antenna and cell dish on roof of building.
• A man looking out of the upstairs window that quickly moved away to keep from being observed.
• This is the Islamic Center on Merrydale in London. Does this make a difference?

Intelligence indicates that information is to be exchanged between an American and a Brit at this location.

• Do you see any nervous or suspicious behavior?

Absorb the Environment

• You need to be able to feel and sense what is happening around you.
• You are not looking for a specific action but letting all of your senses absorb the event.
• What do you hear or not hear?
• What do you smell?
• What is the tension level of the crowd?
• Is the crowd the correct size for the area?
• Have the locals left the area?

Training Your Mind to Observe

• Practice exercises need to be run over and over to train the mind to see everything.
• You must also be able to accurately recall the events and actions.

Analyzing and Evaluating Events to Determine what is Important

• It is said that experience is the best teacher. You must be able to instantly determine what items are significant, prioritize and determine where your time would be best spent in gathering additional data on which subject.

All People are Not Suited for Personal Contact Information Gathering

• Training drills and exercises will help to determine the operatives memory absorption, recall and attention to detail.
• Accuracy and ability to recall details is imperative for success in this field

How Would You Gain Access ”Your only recon is by driving by”

• What do you see?
• What are the Risk?
• What will you need?
• What are the problems?
• What else do you see?

What Do You See?

Report

• No Guard in Guard shack.
• Lock on Vehicle gate is unlocked.
• Vehicle Gate is auto opening electronic.
• Manually Accessible from outside the fence.
• Visible from office to right.
• No Cameras
• Pedestrian Gate is not visible from office.
• Boat just to the right of gate.

You Are Following Two Terror Suspects and Loose them, where did they go.

The Subway?

Taxi, City Bus, Steal a Bike?

Down the Street, In a Store?

Out of Sight and Down the Stairs?

• Armatures tend to go up stairs or toward a roof.
• Taking the subway gets you off the street and out of sight.
• Most Subways will have many places to get “Lost” in the crowd or even down the track or under the platforms.

Street Cameras

• In most cities around the world being on the street means being on video.
• While it makes it harder for our subject to hide keep in mind that you as an intelligence officer are also being video recorded.

Surveillance and Facial Recognition Software

What do You See?

What is:

• A E 3132
• Passat GL
• 4566666
• What color is the nearest van in front of you?
• What is on the dash of the van to your right?
• What stands out about the building to your right?
• Where is the nearest person that could be armed?
• Where is the nearest Police Officer to you??

Review

Where are they going?

What Information is Available?

• Where are they going?
• Who is traveling?
• Where do they live?
• Where do they work?
• Where did they stay?
• Why were they here?
• Who are they calling?
• What did they tell them?
• Will you have surveillance established at arrival?

Party Situations Often Provide You With Opportunities to Photograph People that You Normally Could Not Get Near

Restaurants and Bars Provide Easy access to Obtain Information Without Being Noticed

Recalling Information

• What did you hear?
• Did he use any names while on the phone?
• Where is he staying?
• How long will he be in town.
• Did he use a credit card?
• Did he use his Passport for ID?
• What kind of cell does he use?
• What time did he use the phone?
• Could you get the number?
• What did they talk about?
• Jewelry, Scars, Identifying Marks

Active Listening

• Can you get the subject to talk about himself and provide more information than just what you have observed?
• Can you obtain additional details that may be used later in the investigation?

Address Details

• The name of the hotel and street number is important but more important is the fact that there appears to be an operative standing watch at the door.
• What else is happening on the street.

Further Details

• There are 3 Panel vans parked in front of hotel that could hold Counter Surveillance or Response Teams.
• 4 Men Standing by the Vehicles.