Intro terrorism

Objectives
 (1.1) Describe phases and characteristics of
terrorist operations and potential indicators of
terrorist activity
 (1.2) Identify Iraqi Insurgent Groups
 (1.3) Explore the Foreign Jihadist in Iraq
 (1.4) Review lessons learned from past terrorist
operations.

Terrorist Operations
Intended to coerce or intimidate
governments or societies in the pursuit of
goals that are generally:
Political
Religious
Ideological

Characteristics
Dynamic
 Instantaneous media events
 Hit and run tactics
 Impeccable OPSEC
 Multiple targets may be hit
 Detailed Planning
 Detailed Surveillance
Simple
 Relatively easy to command, control, and support
 Limit numbers to a small group of well trained and
dedicated individuals

Types of Cells
Operational
Intelligence
Auxiliary

Potential Indicators
 Unusual or prolonged interest in security measures
 Starring or quickly looking away from personnel or
motorcades entering or leaving
 Observation of security drills
 Use of cameras, video recorders or note-taking
 Attempts to penetrate or test security and response
 Rehearsal and dry runs
 Mapping out routes
 Timing traffic flow or signals
 Monitoring key facilities

Iraqi Insurgent Groups
Al- Faraq Brigades
 Operate in the Al- Anbar province and Ramadi
region
 Incredibly resourceful, continually evolving tactics
Operations
 Responsible for numerous attacks on US personnel
 Destroyed three armored vehicles in Ramadi, killing ten us
personnel
 Claimed to have infiltrated port city of Al- Bakr and fired
French made missiles at us vessels

“The Jihadi resistance in Iraq is able to use
means that do not occur to the Americans.
The future holds yet more surprises.”

Armed Vanguards of Mohammad’s Second Army
Mission: To wage holy war on coalition forces in order to force
foreigners from their land
Goals: “To fight every foreigner until victory or martyrdom and to
make every American regret their occupation of Mohammad’s
land.”
OPS
 Claimed responsibility for attack on UN HQ in Baghdad,
killing 23 and wounding 100
 Multiple attacks on US and Coalition forces

Iraqi Resistance Islamic Front
 Formed by smaller Sunni resistance groups brought
together by common political goals
OPS
 Numerous martyrdom operations
 Shelling of coalition commands
 Shelling of Mosul Airport
 Specifically targeting US Intel members
Promised to “Break America’s Back”

Army of Ansar al –Sunna
Sunni Muslim militant group fighting the US led occupation
and declared war on Iyad Allawi.
OPS
 Responsible for beheading of Nepali civilian and
shooting death of eleven of his countryman. The deaths
were videotaped and sparked Anti-Muslim riots in
Nepal
 Beheading of Iraqi security force personnel
 Responsible for an attack on US dining hall in Mosul
which killed 14 US personnel

Army of Ansar al –Sunna (Continued)
 Jan 22, 05 bombing of Shiite wedding, killing 11
 Beheaded Iraqi national guardsman in broad daylight and
left warning attached to the body in the middle of the road
“Emir of the group’ has warned Iraqis not to
deal with US forces, and threatens to kill and
send to hell all who disobey”

Ansar al Islam
Goal: To seek to transform Iraq’s Kurdish land into an Islamic State
 Receives logistic support from Iran and Syria. Provides route
into Iraq for foreign jihadist to join Ansar
OPS
 Seized control of several villages in Northern Iraq and
governed according to Sharia Law.
 Aug. 7, 2003 bombing of Jordanian Embassy in Baghdad.
 Bombing of UN HQ in Baghdad.
 Suicide bombings of Shiite Shrines in Baghdad and Karbala.
 VBIED Mount Lebanon hotel in Baghdad
 Continues to operate as part of Zurqawi network

Al – Mahdi Army
“Americans invaded
Iraq to seize and kill the Mahdi”
 Little or no formal religious standing
 Advised by Iran based cleric

Al – Mahdi Army (Continued)
Goals: To replace the more traditional faction as the voice of
Iraq’s Shiite majority
 Redress decades of suppression by Sunni Muslims under
Saddam’s rule

OPS
 Mob killings of rival clerics
 Surrounded the house of Grand Ayatollah Al – Sistani
 Target US, British, Italian, and Polish troops
 Has occupied police stations and government buildings
 Anyone who captured female soldiers could keep them as
slaves
“ The Army belongs to the Mahdi, and
therefore cannot be disbanded ”

Jamaat al – Tawhid wa’l Jihad
Abu Musab Al – Zarqawi
 Jordanian citizen, who
joined Islamic Mujaheedin in
AFG in 1980’s
 Contacted AQ to train his Jordanian
operatives in AFG in 1990’s

Jamaat al – Tawhid wa’l Jihad (Continued)
 Eventually established his own cell and
training camps
 Was paid to work with Hizballah to
smuggle JTJ operatives into Palestine
for follow-on operations in Israel
 Additional cells operate in Germany
under JTJ banner

Goals: Originally to overthrow the Jordanian Government
 Force withdrawal of US led forces from Iraq, topple the
interim government and assassinate collaborators.
 Set Iraq’s minority Sunni population against it’s majority
Shiites
Targets
 Beheadings
 Kidnapping
 Suicide bombings
 ISF
 Shiite
 Kurds
 Political / Religious figures
 Targeted Assassinations

Jamaat al – Tawhid wa’l Jihad (Continued)
“We deliver to the nation the news that both Jama’at Al –
Tawhid wa’l Jihad and soldiers have pledged allegiance to
the sheik of the Mujaheedin, Osama bin Laden, and that they
will follow his orders in Jihad for the sake of God”

Foreign Insurgents
“We know that the pathway into Iraq for many
foreign fighters is through Syria. It’s a fact.
We know it. The Syrians know it.”
- General Richard Myers
Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff

Foreign Insurgents
Unsponsored Foreign Jihadist
 Arab nationalist, religious
extremist
 Collapse of Iraqi border controls
 Mentored by Sunni Imams

Foreign Insurgents
Non-State Organizations
 Sent in as package team
 More formidable than individual
foreign jihadist
 Create logistical infrastructure for
smuggling weapons across
borders
 Need the support of Iraq fighters to
be successful

Foreign Insurgents
Salafist in Iraq
 Foreign jihadist who adhere to strict interpretation of Sunni
Islam
 Deliberate campaigns against other muslim communities
 Hatred for Iraqi Christians

Foreign Insurgents
State Support for the Insurgency
 Syria inclined to support former Ba’ath party members
 Iran may support Shi’a insurgents
 Fear ally regime would be formed in Iraq, facilitating US
bases in Iraq
 Both countries openly deny being pathway into Iraq

Past Terrorist Operations
KEY
T
T
Neutral
vehicle
Neutral
person
Terrorist vehicle
Terrorist – Dicker
[lookout]
Terrorist -
gunman
Hostile gunfire
Terrorist -
explosion
Friendly
vehicle
B Bandit
Victim vehicle
(crime)
Victim (crime)
Source: Blackwater, USA, http://www.blackwaterusa.com/ btw2004/articles/ttp1.ppt

2. Gunman fires at passing
vehicle before escaping to
waiting car
1. Dicker gives warning
of approaching vehicles
to gunman
Alley Way Ambush
‘Shoot and Scoot’ style ambush. Dicker warns gun team of
approaching target. The gun team fire a burst at the target before
escaping to waiting get-away vehicle parked nearby. This tactic has
been used in both rural and urban areas.
T
T

T
3. When ordered by the controller,
the crowd parts, allowing gunman to
fire, before escaping to waiting car..
Staged Accident Ambush
2. Crowd controlled by activist
1. Car accident is staged
and a crowd gathers.
The target vehicle is forced to stop by a
staged accident. A crowd gathers, hemming
in the target vehicle - the crowd controlled by
an activist. On command, the crowd parts,
allowing a gunman to fire, before escaping to
a waiting vehicle. This tactic has also been
used against security forces vehicles/
personnel responding to the accident.
T T

T
As target vehicle enters underpass, terrorist waiting on the
overhead parapet drop an IED onto roof of vehicle.
Overhead IED
As an alternative, a dicker on the entry parapet signals that a target vehicle
is approaching to a terrorist waiting at the exit parapet.

Rolling Ambush (choke point) - Assassination
T T
T
T
T
1
2
3
4
1. Gunmen on overlooking vantage
point initiate ambush.
2. Blocking vehicle moves behind
convoy
3. Roadside gunmen rake vehicles
as they pass.
4. Blocking vehicle moves in front
of convoy to prevent escape
from killing area.

Place of Residence – Assassination (Dr. Akila Hashimi)
T T
T
T
1
2
3
4
1. Dickers posing as road
sweepers warn gun-group in
pick up truck that entourage is
leaving residence.
2. Ambush initiated by RPG
(misses target)
3. Pick-up overtakes convoy,
rakes second vehicle with Dr
Hashimi, fatally wounding her.
4. Overtakes second vehicle and
rakes with gunfire before
speeding away
T

Introduction To Terrorism: Review
 Describe phases and characteristics of terrorist
operations and potential indicators of terrorist
activity
 Identify Iraqi Insurgent Groups
 Explore the Foreign Jihadist in Iraq
 Review lessons learned from past terrorist
operations

Introduction To Terrorism
QUESTIONS?

Intro terrorism

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Intro terrorism