Vicente Solis - Mini-Manual of The Clandestine Cell
Vicente Solis - Mini-Manual of The Clandestine Cell
Vicente Solis - Mini-Manual of The Clandestine Cell
The goal of this book is to inform the public on how a small clandestine cell can
help its people resist an oppressive invader.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or stored in any
form whatsoever without the prior written consent of the publisher. Reviews
may quote brief passages without the written consent of the publisher as long
as proper credit is given.
1. Introduction
Introduction to the resistance
Efficiency of Terrorism
2. Security
Security
Remaining anonymous online
3. Recruitment
Recruiting one on one
Background checks
Managing a member leaving
4. Training
Training
Weapon fundamentals
Firing positions
Marksmanship fundamentals
Weapon drills and maintenance
Physiological response
5. Intelligence gathering
Surveillance
Open-source intelligence
6. Operations
Operation fundamentals
Prisoners management
Deliberate ambush
Urban sniper
Kidnap and ransom
7. Conclusion
Chapter 1
Introduction to the resistance
A resistance is simply political activism on the extreme of the spectrum. The main task of the
resistance is political activism, winning over the population.
Clandestine cell: A small independent group which operates under cover to perform clandestine
activities.
2 wings of a resistance
A successful resistance needs a political wing and an armed wing, a legal front and an illicit front.
Its objectives:
· Petitions
· Amassing funds
· Boycotts
· Popular demonstrations
· Spreading propaganda
The illicit front: It consists of anyone who wishes to fight for the cause
The objectives:
· Gain credibility/influence
· Sabotage
· Successful attacks
· Propaganda
· Building cells
· Recruiting members
· Infiltrating organizations
· Spreading propaganda
· Kidnappings
· Attacks
· Sabotage
· Raids
· Ambushes
· Regular formations and maneuvers to capture key geographical and political objectives
Principles of combat
· Surprise
· Being in command of the situation and be decisive so that the resistance’s side is inspired and
won't hesitate to act and the enemy will be stunned and incapable of responding.
Initiative: The member needs to be highly autonomous and keep the initiative to also be ahead of the
enemy in the fight. He needs to be a self-starter and take control of any operation or situation.
Good at decision-making: The member must be able to make a decision at the speed of lightning to
be able to survive in a constantly changing world and when meeting unexpected obstacles.
Intelligent: The member must constantly learn and adapt. He must also possess a vast number of
skills and knowledge. He must be able to learn by himself and be self-reliant.
Good morals and humility: The member must know that arrogance leads to disaster. He must also
understand that his life is temporary and must be happy to sacrifice it for the cause. He must be just
and incorruptible.
Discreet: The member must be able to keep a secret to avoid detection. He must be able to blend
with the population and withhold his views to himself.
Efficiency of terrorism
Why the enemy’s government does not care about civilians suffering
The enemy's government is simply a coalition of individuals who want to stay in power at all cost.
Its leader simply wants to improve the power and wealth of his coalition. The coalition supporting
the leader wants the leader to stay in power so they can be showered with wealth and power by the
leader. The coalition does not need expendable civilians to survive or thrive. For this reason,
attacks against civilian targets simply reinforce the power of the government by letting it create more
restrictive laws and legitimize extreme actions.
To follow the Geneva Convention a member needs to respect the following criteria:
· having a fixed distinctive emblem recognizable at a distance (which can simply be a brassard,
and this applies only during an operation)
Respecting these criteria is easy and will not hinder efficiency during operations. Respecting these
will demonstrate a superior morality compared the enemy's tyranny who does not respect any laws.
It will also give the members legitimacy in the international sphere while diminishing the enemy's
legitimacy.
Chapter 2
Security
Security is crucial for a successful operation and for the survival of the cell and its members.
Individual safety should always come before an operation. Operations can be delayed and other
opportunities in the future will arise. Individuals are harder to replace and their loss could have a
devastating effect on the cell. It is a fight of a thousand battles and none of them are decisive.
Security is dynamic and changes fast, being aware of the latest techniques or innovation is
mandatory. Being aware of what is going locally and abroad, following the news, keeping updated
on current events and trends is a necessity.
Personal security
The cell member needs to remain unknown to the public and to the enemy. He must not talk in public
places. Must not tell anyone he is part of a movement, not his friends, family, coworkers or wife. He
must avoid expressing political opinions. He must not be seen at public marches, demonstrations or
protests. He must not be seen in company of others who support the cause. The member must avoid
intoxicants, they can loosen his lips and secret might slip out of his mouth. He needs to find a
balance between negligence and paranoia as both are a nuisance.
The cell member must mix with the local population. He must dress like them, talk like them, live
like them and not express opinions which go against the general population thoughts. He must not
suddenly change as this too will bring attention to himself.
Only the cell leader should know the other cell members unless other members need to know for an
operation or other purposes.
Electronics
Cellphones, laptops, computers and other electronics are recording all the information on the
members’ devices including their trips, their life, whom they contact, what they search online, what
they say, hear and see. Their electronic devices are being tracked even when they are not turned on,
as long as the battery is inside the device. The members must keep in mind that even if they use a
payphone, the enemy has software to detect who is talking over the phone and they will record their
conversations, it will not matter which phone or device they are using. Also, their fingerprints will
be registered when they use their fingers on a touch-screen device. If they use such device with their
bare hands in the future, the security forces will be able to identify the members no matter which
device they use. The enemy is able to intercept the members’ communication when it is being sent
and to change its content.
If one member of the cell is being tracked by the enemy, the enemy will try to find the other
members. If the member's cellphone is on him during a meeting with other members and that these
members have their cellphones on themselves as well, the enemy will detect that these persons are
in contact with the member being targeted. The other members will then become targets themselves
afterwards.
Communication by phone
· Phone numbers should be memorized and if they are written down, it should be coded
· The members need a special sentence or words prior to discussing with other members to
make sure you are talking to the right person
· If a phone is being monitored, it can be used to feed the enemy with disinformation
· They must use softwares to encrypt your communication if available
Using a messenger
This technique is about using a member to transmit messages between other members.
Elements to successfully using a messenger:
· A public place or a place that will not raise suspicion must be selected
· The members must know the location where the message will be delivered
Meetings
Meetings are necessary to discuss specific points, share goods or to prepare an operation.
· It is much safer if the leader of the cell meets the members one at a time on different occasions
· All the members must have cover stories for the meeting
· Having documents and clothing supporting the cover stories is always a good idea
· The members must be able to monitor who enters and exit the area
· The members should always have a contingency plan if the security comes to raid the meeting.
Will they fight, escape, surrender? How will they do it?
· Electronics devices at the meeting must be forbidden, it is mandatory to search any members
attending the meeting for electronics
· Members should reach the meeting point one by one and leave one by one to avoid being seen
together
· Routes to the meeting should be planned so the members can detect anyone doing surveillance
on them
· Location where there is a lot of noise, making it hard for someone to record the meeting or to
overhear the conversations is always a good idea. A radio for that purpose or a location with
running water in the background can also be used.
· The meeting should not be in a crowded place to avoid anyone overhearing the conversation
· There must be an alternative meeting location in case it is impossible to meet at the first
location
· The members' meeting should have a signal to show if one is being followed or under
surveillance. The signal should be simple like wearing a scarf or having a jacket
open/closed.
· Nothing related to the matter that was discussed or the identity of the members should be left
behind.
Codewords
The enemy has softwares that look for specific words being used during a phone call or when
someone is using a radio to know if it is of interest for them. If you ever use a phone or a radio, use
codewords to make it seem like you are having a casual conversation.
Operational security
Compartmentalization:
The cell leader should be the only one who knows the identity of other cell members unless
absolutely necessary. The leader is the only one who should know what the final plan is. Other
members should not be told of the final goal until they need to know. Share information only on a
need to know basis.
Aliases:
Each member of the cell should have an alias. For every operation, different aliases should be used.
It will make it harder for the enemy to understand who is really involved and how many members
are really in the cell.
Codewords:
Even when communicating using the security guidelines, codewords should be used. It needs to seem
like a normal conversation. If the enemy security forces find a way to listen to the conversations, he
will not understand what is being said. The codewords should be changed often since the enemy
will eventually understand their meaning. Also, the enemy uses mass surveillance software who
record conversations with specific words related to warfare and criminal activities.
If a member of the organization or a prospect does not understand the need for all the security
measures, he should not be in the organization as he is a liability and you do not need someone like
this in the cell.
Safe house
For most cells, a safe house is not necessary. The safe house is the location that can be used to store
weapons, hold meetings and prepare for an operation.
· A safe house must be rented by providing a fake name and using cash to pay the landlord, like
a storage unit.
· The member should choose an area where there is a dense population to mask the coming and
going from the safe house
· The member should choose a safe house where the entrance and exit are not controlled
· Nobody should know about the safe house except the people in the cell that need to know
· The safe house needs a cover story to tell the owner and the neighbors if necessary.
· The members need to stay in good terms with the neighbors and landlord
· The members must make sure the safe house does not stand out, they can even use a system
where the lights go one and off at specific times to simulate someone living there.
· The members must never leave any traces in the safe house, avoid leaving fingerprints or
food/garbage behind since it could be used to identify them with DNA samples taken from it.
· The members must only use the safe house when absolutely necessary
· The members must always use the same person to interact with the landlord and neighbors to
avoid exposing other members for no reason and to avoid raising suspicion.
· If the members need the safe house to move a lot of material, they must choose one with a
garage to move material from the car/truck to the safe house without being seen carrying
material.
· Incriminating material should be concealed in the safe house when not in use since the landlord
or the police could visit it at any time without you knowing.
· The members must choose a safe house where it would be normal to simply pass by it in case
it is not safe to enter it
· The members must have a way to signal that the safe house is safe or not. e.g. placing a flower
pot in a certain way to indicate it is safe or using the curtains as a sign.
· A safe house can also be a hotel room rented for a day, paid in cash
Public transportation
· The members must select a route that is not subject to frequent checkpoints
· They must not use the main stations or stops since they face the most surveillance
· The members must have a cover story and the clothing and documentation matching it
· The members must place their luggage among other passengers' luggage so that if it's found
with evidence, it will not be linked to the member
· If using a taxi, the members should not start a discussion about politics and not reveal personal
information.
· The members must pay in cash to pay their fare or anything else that they buy along the way
· The members should not travel at night since this will raise suspicion and since there are more
security checks at that time
Private transportation
In overt activities:
· The members must have the proper permit and do not violate traffic rules
· They must make sure the vehicle is in good condition, to check the gasoline level, oil level, etc
· They must have a vehicle that does not attract attention, that is similar to other vehicles used in
the area
· The vehicle should not be used in any covert activities unless absolutely necessary
· The members should not travel at night since this will raise suspicion and since there is more
security checks at that time
In covert activities:
· The members must have the proper permit and do not violate traffic rules
· They must make sure the vehicle is in good condition, to check the gasoline level, oil level, etc
· The color of the vehicle can be changed prior to an operation for an extra security measure
· If transporting equipment, the members must hide it properly to make it hard to find if there is a
search of the vehicle.
· The members should have a forward observer to notify the other members of any security
checkpoints or incidents on the way
Since the member needs to avoid being caught by the security forces, his equipment should be
hidden and in a way that if it's found, it cannot be traced back to him. Nothing should be stored in his
own property or car as it can be found and will directly be linked to the fighter. The equipment can
also be hidden in various public places and even put in a cache. Never keep anything incriminating
in your home.
There are many creative ways to hide equipment, the members need to think about them. e.g. some
fighters in Iraq would put the equipment in the trunk of a stolen car and park the car in a public
parking. They would also move the car regularly. Another example is the IRA who would put fake
pipes containing equipment in a public place.
The weapons should be oiled and the equipment should be stored to protect it from humidity and
extreme heat. Only the cell leader or the arsenal keeper should know the location of the equipment.
Cache
For a cache, remember the member needs to remember where he buried it. The items should be
spread out in case one cache is discovered, not all the items will be lost. The cache should not be in
an area with high foot traffic or an area with no visible landmarks to locate the cache. The member
can take a coded note of the area of the location of the cache and hide it somewhere safe. All the
items should be handled with gloves to avoid leaving fingerprints. The equipment should be placed
in a thick hermetic plastic bag to avoid getting wet and the bag needs to be sealed afterwards.
Equipment for the cache: 4 inch thick PVC pipe, 2 adapters for each end of the pipe, 2 end caps for
the adapters, PVC primer and PVC cement.
Instructions: The area of the adapters that slip on the PVC pipe should be coated with the PVC
primer. After doing so, PVC cement should be applied over the PVC primer. The adapters should
then be slipped on the PVC pipe. It should be left to dry. The end caps can now be screwed to the
end of the adapters and the cache is ready to be buried after the equipment is placed inside.
The final result should look like this:
Cover story
A cover story is mandatory when doing an operation. It prevent the enemy from detecting the ongoing
operation and remove any suspicion from the members.
Suspicious signs about a cover story
Behavior:
· Signs of nervousness
· Strange behavior
· Unusual itinerary
Identity:
Belongings:
· Unusual equipment
Short interview
The security forces can conduct a short interview to ask more information about the reason a
member is in the area and to identify him.
The security forces will focus on body language, behavior, and mannerisms to know if the member is
being truthful or if he is lying or withholding information. The security forces will ask the member
the reason of his presence in the area. They will inspect what the member has on himself and in the
vehicle. They will look up the member’s identity in their databases. They may even inspect the
member’s electronic devices. They will verify the information the member provides them to see if
he is truthful. They might even lookup for the member’s social media profiles. They may search his
belongings for drugs, weapons or any signs of criminal activities. They will also lie about having
information related to the cell member or use different types of deceptions to make the member talk.
The member needs a coherent, well-rehearsed and plausible cover story. He must have simple and
plausible answers to their questions. He must know how to answer the question: Why are you here?
He must make sure that his belongings fit his story and that there is nothing incriminating on him.
He must make sure he is prepared but must not sound like he is prepared to answer the questions or
as if he were reading a script. He must demonstrate some anxiety symptoms. He must not give more
information than necessary and keep his answers simple.
The member must maintain his cover story at all cost. Even if the security forces think that the
member is lying, he must maintain the same story. The security forces will most likely let the
member go if he holds to his story.
Buying equipment:
· Equipment should be bought at different stores to avoid raising suspicion on the activities.
· The members must know the location where the purchase will take place and know the escape
routes
· They must do surveillance of the location prior to the meeting to make sure the location is not
under surveillance and that there is no enemy's personnel around
· The location should be in a place where it is not possible to be observed from another
location. It should be in a location where the buyer and seller can observe the surrounding
area.
· An alternative meeting place must be planned in case the first one cannot be used
· The members must have the storage location for the equipment ready prior to buying
· They must not tell the seller the reason they are buying something as the seller may be an
informant
· Precautions should be taken to make sure the seller is not an undercover agent
· Any meeting could be an ambush, precautions should be taken to detect it and a contingency
plan should be prepared
The equipment should be moved in a way that it remains undetected by the security forces. When
moving incriminating material, the members must always have a point man or vehicle that can warn
the member transporting the weapons of checkpoints or other events ahead.
· Using a car
· Using a concealable weapon that can be transported in a bag without raising suspicion.
· Having lookouts to help the cell member get in position without being detected
· Moving the equipment at the desired position first, hide it, and at a later time, get the
equipment in position. (e.g. Move the weapon at the position at night and the shooter moves
during the day to get in position for an operation)
The security forces will have a wide arsenal to find the members' identity after an
operation.
· Informants
· Forensic analysis (fibers, residues, ballistic analysis, ultraviolet light, Luminol, etc.). e.g. they
will check the washing machine filter for gun powder residues and fibers.
· Cyber surveillance. e.g. a member's cellphone can be used to know where he was and at what
time, and can record his conversations and other sounds
Everything can leave a trace behind. Even hair gel, gun powder residue and fibers from the sniper's
clothes can be evidence against him. Traces can be transferred everywhere. e.g. the shooter uses a
shirt at home, it will leave fibers there and if he uses the shirt at the shooting scene, it will leave
fibers at the scene and both his home and the shooting scene will be easily linked together. If the
fighter leaves forensic traces behind him, he will suffer from interrogation sessions, suffocating
surveillance, harassment from the security forces or be arrested.
· Wearing gloves
· Wearing protective gear and a mask (like a nylon mask) when shooting, getting rid of the
clothes as soon as the operation is over and taking a long bath to remove any residues.
· Changing modus operandi (e.g. using different weapons, changing locations over a large area,
never having a pattern) to reduce your operational signature.
· Hiding the weapon in a place that has no links to the members (e.g. a stolen vehicle in a public
parking).
· Securing the weapon only moments before the attack and discarding it just as quickly
· Using dark clothes makes it more difficult to guess the weight and height of a member for
witnesses
· Wearing gear to protect the joints to make it less painful and so it won't leave marks on the
body of the shooter
· Using disguises if necessary (e.g. police officer, construction worker, or any disguise to
change the physical attributes of the member, etc.)
· Avoiding being identified by cameras (e.g. wearing a baseball cap and sunglasses at all times)
· Having a cover story if the security forces ask why the member was in that area.
· When manipulating equipment for an operation, members must always use gloves and clothing
that won't be used afterwards. Loading and cleaning the rifle with gloves to avoid leaving
fingerprints on ejected cartridges or on the rifle.
· If the members can afford it, they must get rid of the equipment and clothing used during an
operation after the deed is done.
Counter forensic techniques for a vehicle
If a vehicle linked to a member of the cell was used and the members do not want to destroy it, they
must take the following steps to remove any evidence of its involvement in the operation:
· Cleaning the outside of the car including the wheels and under the car (dirt found on the
operation site could be found and linked to the dirt under the car)
· Changing the tires as the traces of a tire is unique and could be linked to the traces found at the
operation site
· The members can also pay for the professional car wash service and then wash it again
themselves as an extra security measure
· Making sure members don't get spotted over cleaning the car as this will seem suspicious
10. Using the Wi-Fi provided by a public place like a coffee shop
11. Always changing the location used for the Wi-Fi and not falling in a pattern when changing
places.
12. Connecting for a maximum of 30 minutes every time using the Wi-Fi.
13. Turning off JavaScript
14. Using a Virtual Private Network (VPN)
15. Using encrypted communication software to communicate
16. If information needs to be stored, a separate USB stick should be used and the storage device
should be encrypted
17. Formating the computer every time after finishing using it
18. Always removing the battery after using it to avoid being tracked by GPS.
19. Always being aware of the latest software and techniques to remain anonymous
The members should always research new ways to remain anonymous as cyber security evolves
extremely fast. So fast, that this book is probably outdated just as I am writing this.
They should be aware of software companies who have been cracked or simply sell their
information to third parties.
Chapter 3
Recruiting 1 on 1
· A deep knowledge of the cause, the recruiter should be able to answer the questions that the
candidate asks, to take away any doubts and to teach him about the cause.
· Step by step in recruiting. The recruiter should not try to change the candidate in a sudden
manner. If the candidate changes very fast without having negative effects, then be it. The
recruiter should go according to the candidate's pace.
· Following up. The candidate's motivation may go down, he might have doubts but the recruiter
should always be observing the state of the candidate to take on the problems as they appear.
· Finding a good environment for the candidate. The recruiter should bring the candidate to an
environment where his will for the cause will be increased. If the recruiter cannot find such
environment, he should give the candidate books, documentaries to support the candidate.
· Giving no consideration to the candidate's previous life. The recruiter should not remind the
candidate's previous behavior or judge him for that.
The cowards: Someone who is scared to talk about politics. He will fear the oppressors. He does
not like people who act. This type of person will not take action and is not useful for the cause.
The excessively talkative: This type of person likes to talk and likes to be the center of attention.
This type of person does not mind his own business either and ask a lot of questions. This person
will become a danger for the group.
The person who has hostile ideas towards those who act: This type of person will never do any
action and may prevent others from taking action.
The ungenerous: This person will not self-sacrifice or spend time and money for the cause.
The loner: He does not have many friends and does not try to form relationships. He does not have
any opinions on anything.
Recruitment stages
At this stage, the recruiter must look around and think who could join the cause and is not in the 5
unwanted categories.
Criteria to choose the candidate:
· Basic morals: This person should be courageous, honest, positive, helpful, ready to commit to
a cause, etc.
· Share similar ideals: This person is open to new ideas and share similar ideals
· Leadership potential: People listen when this person talks and has influence on others around
him.
· Closeness: How close the recruiter is from that person. Someone the person can relate to the
candidate.
· Stability: How stable the person's life is: financial stability, emotional stability, etc. If the
person has an unstable life but fits the other criteria, this person can still be recruited.
To find the right candidate, the recruiter must evaluate each person with these criteria and select the
best two persons to start the recruiting process.
This stage should last up to 3 weeks. It is done with daily interactions and weekly interactions.
There are many ways to interact on a daily basis. The recruiter could work on a common project,
call him or text him daily. For weekly interactions, the recruiter can hang out with the candidate, he
can help him out when the candidate needs help, to get to know him by listening to his stories, invite
him for lunch, etc.
At this stage, the recruiter should begin talking about topics related to the cause. The recruiter will
try to promote his cause to the candidate. If this stage is successful then the recruiter can move to the
next one.
This stage is useful to know about the candidate's concerns, interests and relationship with others,
how he spends his days. It also serves to evaluate that person, if he is trustworthy, if he can keep a
secret, etc.
To evaluate the relationship between the recruiter and the candidate, here are a few questions that
can be useful:
· Does the candidate talks about private affairs with the recruiter?
· Does the recruiter know how the candidate spends his time?
· Does the recruiter know his strong points and weak points?
The recruiter should evaluate if the candidate is the right pick to support the cause.
This stage is a never ending one but to bring the candidate to the cause, it should take up to 2 months.
This stage is to open the mind of the candidate to actively support the cause and to support its will to
act.
· Always clarify and explains the values of the cause and encourage the candidate to do good
deeds.
The recruiter should ask himself these questions to make sure he is the right person for this stage:
· Do you review the material you are giving to the candidate before giving it to him?
· Do you make sure that you keep contact with the candidate at least every week?
At this stage, the recruiter should indoctrinate the candidate with the values supported by the cause.
The recruiter should also push the candidate to get more into the cause and push the candidate to
adopt good morals.
· Eating together with other people who share the same values
· Talking about current events and explain the situation by using a narrative that promotes the
cause
· Doing good deeds with the candidate: feeding the poor or help people with disabilities or any
other good deeds.
At this stage, the recruiter should not show the candidate any videos of fighters unless he has a high
level of commitment to the cause. During this stage, the recruiter should answer any doubts that the
candidate has. If there is a question about current events talked in the media, the recruiter should
answer from the cause's perspective.
If at this stage the candidate desires to take action for the cause, the recruiter should move to the next
stage.
The recruiter should ask himself these questions to make sure he is ready for the next stage:
· Did you use more than one way to indoctrinate or many of them?
· Did you make him feel that both of you benefited from the relationship?
· Did you check for specific sources before answering to a doubtful question?
· Did you choose the appropriate location and time to discuss certain subjects?
The recruiter should ask himself these questions to make sure the candidate is ready for the next
stage:
· Does he show admiration for the fighters who support the cause?
This stage should last around 2 months. This is the stage where there is a heavy indoctrination of the
candidate. This is where the recruiter will provide books, links to forums and videos that promote
the cause. The recruiter will push the candidate to spread propaganda online in a secure manner.
This stage is over when the candidate wishes to become a fighter for the cause. The candidate also
wishes to read more books and request more information about fighting.
At this stage, the recruiter must make sure that the candidate wants to fight for the cause and not
simply because he has seen some injustice in the news or in a documentary.
The recruiter should ask himself these questions to make sure this stage is a success:
· Has his knowledge of the cause made him a better person with better morals?
The candidate must satisfy these 5 questions to go to the next step. The recruiter can take as much
time as possible until all the questions have a positive answer.
During this stage, the candidate will be convinced of the most important concepts of the cause and
have a real desire to fight. The recruiter will openly talk about fighting. The recruiter will convince
the candidate that fighting is possible. The recruiter will also be preparing the candidate for action
and integrate him in a cell.
Background checks
Doing a background check on prospects is mandatory to make sure they are the right persons for the
cause and to prevent infiltration from the enemy. Everything about the person who wants to join the
cause should be known. If after doing the verifications they is still doubts on the mind of the member
doing the background check, he can also do surveillance on the prospect. The member must be
suspicious of someone coming to him to join the group. It is much better if the member is the one
approaching the prospects.
If after doing the background check, the prospect is really who they are and they have the potential to
be a member, the member doing the background checks must destroy all the information he gathered
on the prospect to avoid it falling in the wrong hands. The member must not inform the prospect that
a background check was done since this could offend him and he could feel that his loyalty was
challenged.
To do a decent background check the member needs to find the following information on the
prospect:
· Birthday
· Education
· Employment
· Foreign travel
· Finance
· Residence
· Criminal history
· Social media accounts
· Family and relatives
· Associates
· Allegiance to the cause
· Character and temperament (emotional, mental, personality, personal conduct)
· Vices (Drugs, alcohol, gambling, sexual behaviors)
· Hobbies
Vulnerabilities: After doing the background check, the member needs to determine the
vulnerabilities of the candidate. If the candidate represents a high risk, the member should not
consider him for the organization. One of the main reasons for treason is for monetary motives. If the
candidate has problems with alcohol/drugs or gambling, he may have problems with his finance. If
the candidate has serious debts, he may be tempted to become an informant for money. If the
candidate is uncontrollable, he should also be not considered for the organization.
Informants: Informants are people hired by the security forces to provide information on the cell.
They are a major threat to a clandestine cell and it is important to the strategies and techniques of
the security forces in that matter.
· Walk-in: A disenchanted member of the organization, someone who thinks the group is too
radical or that he was offended by other members of the group.
· Tip-Offs: Someone outside the group overhears someone of the group talking about operational
activities. That person informs the security forces. The security forces then persuade the
member of the organization to become an informant.
· Dealmakers: A member who was arrested and is facing charges. The member makes a deal
with the security forces to give information about the group for a reduced sentence.
· Direct recruitment: The security forces look for vulnerabilities about a known member of the
group and then use the vulnerabilities to pressure the member to become an informant.
· Recruitment of relatives: The security forces may use threats about a job security or the
children to pressure relatives to become informants or to make the relatives put pressure on
the member of the organization to become one.
· If a member has doubts about certain activities, he must not be involved in them. If a member is
not ready to commit, he should be cut off from the group but the relationships other members
had with him should remain friendly to keep their loyalty and the bond that was created with
him.
· If a member feels pressure from the security forces, the activities should be reduced until the
pressure goes down.
· Members who are contacted by the security forces should report it to the leader of the cell
· Remembering that if a member is arrested under unrelated criminal charges, they may be
vulnerable to make a deal with the security forces
· The members should not have contact with the criminal world, this world is full of informants
Baiting: Providing fake incriminating information to the suspected undercover agent only. Providing
information about an operation that the enemy cannot resist reacting to it. It could be the location of
incriminating items or the time and location of an operation. If the security forces react appropriately
to the information given, then it confirms that the member is indeed an undercover agent. This
method can be used at the same time on many members as long as different information is provided
to each member and that the results of the baiting can be monitored.
Other tips: if the security forces have information on the cell. The cell leader should conduct an
investigation on who had access to such information to see if there is a mole in the cell or if the
information was mismanaged or if there is a security breach in the cell’s security protocol. The
leader should be suspicious of anyone who suddenly distances himself from the cell at this point.
· They mention the real names of people when you use their alias or refer to them indirectly.
· They bring the conversation to operational activities when the conversation is about something
else
· They request detailed information (e.g. names, times, dates, locations, etc.) when they don’t
need to know the information
· They volunteer to be in position where they could gather information like a leadership position
Another trick used by the security forces is to get an informant already in the cell to introduce an
infiltrator to the cell so the infiltrator is more easily accepted in the cell and then the informant
distances himself from the cell with the infiltrator in place.
A trick used my undercover security forces agent is to assume the role of a writer, journalist or
someone doing a documentary about the cell members’ cause. The undercover agents can also pass
themselves as defence attorney. The leader should be suspicious of anyone coming to him for
information, no matter who they are.
Undercover agents can also assume the role of a utility worker or phone company repairman to get
access to the cell member’s quarters. If anyone has access to the quarters of any member, it is easy
to plant bugs or to conduct a search of the location. The identification of the worker should always
be verified and a sweep of the location to find any listening devices or tampering evidence after the
repairs are done is highly recommended.
The security forces will also recruit inmates to gather information on any cell member that is
incarcerated.
If a member leaves the cell, action should be taken to prevent any security breach. Members must
make a list of all the confidential information that the member who left knew, then make the
information useless. If the member who left knew of the location of caches, the cache location
should be moved. If the member knew about some operation, the operation should be abandoned. If
the member knew some codewords, the codewords should be changed, etc. No information should
be shared with the ex-member about any operational matters. The members must keep their relation
with the member friendly to avoid him feeling resentment toward the cell or he may give information
to the enemy as retaliation.
Chapter 4
Training
Training is essential to have efficient cell members and to accomplish a successful operation. It is
essential to do rehearsal to find flaws in the plan. It will clarify what equipment is needed and what
is unnecessary. It will also teach each member what their objectives are and provide them with
situational awareness as well. In the training, initiative and confidence to face unforeseen events
should be reinforced. Dry runs and live fire practices should be done. The training should be as
close as the operation will be and in similar conditions. Most will act on autopilot during an
operation. They will repeat the same mistakes they do during the training during an operation. The
equipment and weapons used during the operation must be the same as in the training. Training
should be a bit harder than the actual mission to prepare the members for the fatigue and the stress.
Alternative plans should also be rehearsed in case the main plan fails or needs to be overturned.
Individual training should be done only when necessary for specialized skills. Practicing with the
whole team is much better.
Open source training: Training can be done by buying specialized books about the training required.
Some video games can even be used to train.
Safe house: One way to train is to have an instructor to teach trainees in a safe house. This way, a
small group can be effectively trained. It can be done using videos, dry erase board, Power Point,
etc. It can include dry firing and using a pellet gun that will complement the training without even
firing 1 bullet.
Suppressed weapons: Another way to train is to use sound suppressors. They will reduce the noise
and let the members train without being discovered.
Out of the country training: The training can be done in a country where training is available to
avoid detection by the security forces in the targeted country.
Here are some other ways that the training could be done:
Weapons fundamentals
Before learning how to use firearms, it is important to know their parts. This section contains the
parts of the AKM, AR15 and pistol.
AKM
AR15
Pistol
Chamber: The chamber of a firearm is the portion of the barrel in which the bullet is inserted
before being fired, as shown below:
Bolt: The bolt of a firearm is the part that blocks the rear opening of the chamber and receives the
rearward push of the gas piston, as shown below:
The finger should be kept extended alongside the firearm when the shooter is not ready to shoot, as
shown in the above picture.
When using his dominant eye, the object will remain in the member’s view. When using his non-
dominant eye, the object will disappear.
Firing positions
Before we begin, strong side means the side of the body where the rifle is held. The weak side
means the opposite.
Prone:
· Knees are up
Kneeling:
Breath control: The shooter needs to hold his breath at the right moment to have an accurate shot.
He can take the shot while having empty lungs, which is the most stable or half-full lungs or three-
quarters full. He needs to practice with the lungs empty, half full and three-quarters full to be
prepared in case he doesn't have time to fully empty his lungs before taking a shot.
Sight pictures: It is important to align the sight correctly. If the shooter can shoot with both eyes
open, it is even better as it will raise his situational awareness. The front sight should be in the
middle of the rear sight and at the same height as shown below. There are several types of sights but
the principle stays the same: align the rear sight with the front sight.
Proper grip: The same strength as when doing a handshake should be used. The grip is as high as
the shooter can on the pistol grip.
Trigger control: Only the fingertip should be in contact with the trigger. The trigger should be
pulled using the middle of the distal phalanx of the index finger as shown below.
Body position: Any support available should be used when available. The steadiest position is
prone, then sitting, then kneeling and the least stable is standing. The bones are the foundation that
holds the rifle, not the muscles. The shooter must use a comfortable position and adjust to his
environment. The body is shifted towards the target so that the rifle naturally aligns with the target.
The shooter must practice all positions and in many conditions to be ready to face any situations.
Follow-through: After pressing the trigger, the shooter must not react to the shot. There is some time
between the time he presses the trigger and the time the bullet leaves the barrel. If he reacts during
that time, he will reduce the accuracy.
Security measure:
The security measures exist to make sure the firearm is free of any bullets.
The shooter must follow these steps to accomplish the security measures:
Loading:
Unloading:
Overcoming jams
Functionality Test
The function test should be done when getting a new firearm or after the cleaning of the firearm to
make sure it was reassembled in the right way.
Here are the steps for a gas operated rifle with a fire selector that can make the weapon semi-
automatic or automatic:
1. Arm the weapon
3. Pull the trigger x3 (You should not hear anything since safe is supposed to prevent you from
shooting)
8. Pull the trigger and release it (You should hear the hammer hit the firing pin)
9. Put the fire selector on automatic
10. Arm the weapon
11. Pull and hold the trigger (You should hear the hammer hit the firing pin)
12. Arm the weapon
13. Release the trigger and pull it again (You should not hear the hammer since the trigger was
being held while having the fire selector on automatic)
All gas-operated firearms are tested the same way, this guide should work for any gas-operated
firearms. If the firearm is semi-automatic, the shooter simply stops at ''Put the fire selector on
automatic''.
What is zeroing?: It is simply aligning the sights of the rifle so the bullet hits where you aim at a
certain distance.
The trick is to chase the impact of the bullet. At the shooting range, while facing the target, the
shooter must adjust the firearm. If the impact is to the right, he moves the sight to the right, if the
impact is to the left, he moves the sight to the left, if the impact is too high, he moves the sight higher,
if the impact is too low, he moves the sight lower.
To adjust the zero of the rifle, the shooter must first set a target at 25 meters.
He must fire 3 shots groups and adjust the sight until he hits continuously the center of the target.
Once this is done, he verifies the zero by setting a target at 100 meters.
I will not go further into details since it differs between rifles and caliber.
Using a pistol
· The shooter holds the pistol with his dominant hand and places it high on the grip.
· The index finger is along the trigger guard
· The thumb is wrapped around the pistol grip, under the slide
· The support hand is wrapped around the strong hand with the thumb lapped over the strong hand
thumb
· When firing the pistol, the strong arm should be stiff, with the support hand pulling slightly
against the shooting hand
To load:
1. Insert a magazine
2. Pull the slide and let it go
3. Put the pistol on safe
To reload:
Cleaning a firearm
· Cleaning rods
· Cleaning patches(2x2) and Q-tips
· Gun cleaner
· Gun oil
· Copper solvent
· Cleaning brushes
The first step for the cleaning is to disassemble the firearm. Afterwards, the shooter uses the gun
cleaner on every metal parts and waits a few minutes for it to act. Then, he rubs the metal parts with
wipes or a toothbrush until the metal parts are clean. He must not hesitate to use more gun cleaner
when rubbing. He must use some dry wipes to remove all the excess gun cleaner on the metal parts.
He must apply gun oil on the metal parts to prevent rust from building and to make sure the moving
parts of the firearms are lubricated.
There are 3 places where the shooter should not apply gun oil: the face of the bolt, inside the barrel
and the chamber. If the shooter oils these parts, he should simply use a dry wipe to remove the oil.
· Use brush with cleaning patches on it and dip it in the cleaner. Run the brush from the chamber
to the muzzle. Do it up to 20 times
· Use patches in the barrel until its clean and free of cleaner
· Use a patch with copper solvent in the bore and let it sit for 10 min
· When leaving for the field, the shooter should run one dry patch in the bore
· He must use minimal oil to lubricate the rifle as it will attract dust
· In a desert area, the shooter must wipe the oil to avoid having sand sticking to the oil
· In an Arctic area, he must wipe the oil to avoid it freezing. He must not bring the rifle in a
warm area to avoid the snow melting, getting in firearm and then freezing when he exits the
area
· In a tropical area, he must watch out for rust and oil the firearm often.
Grenade
2. He takes the grenade with his left hand with the spoon in his palm and put the index finger of
his right hand in the safety pin ring.
3. He brings the left hand behind himself at hips level and retains the safety pin ring with the
index finger of his right hand.
4. He looks at the grenade in his left hand (to make sure it's not the pin but the grenade itself).
5. He throws the grenade by bringing his arm over his head in a circular motion.
6. He yells: Frag out
If he changes his mind, he can safely put the safety pin back on the grenade and use it later.
Quality matches can be used and taped to the bottle instead of using a cloth to light the Molotov. This
will make the Molotov cocktail easy and safe to transport.
Gasoline can be mixed with a thickening agent like: tar, styrofoam, motor oil, to make the flames
stick to the target and make a thick smoke that will make people gag.
To use it effectively against vehicles, the Molotov cocktail should be thrown at the bottom of the
vehicle since the flames go up and will burn it more effectively this way.
Physiological response
Firefight induces severe physiological responses. Knowing what could happen will mentally
prepare a cell member when facing these responses and will permit him to better understand how to
train.
Here is the possible physiological response a member could face in a life or death situation:
· Losing the control of his bladder and bowel (Eating lightly and going to the bathroom before an
operation is a good idea)
· Noise reduction (tunnel hearing)
· Tunnel vision
· No near vision (myopic)
· Losing fine motor skills
· In a low light setting, the brain can increase the auditory sense and reduce the vision
· Sense of pain decreases
· Feeling like time slowed down
· Paralysis (sometime it is simply a feeling of slow motion)
· Dissociation (dream like state)
· Seeing a worst fear happening
· Distorted sense of distance (enemy may seem closer than it is)
· 75% of trained people will react on autopilot during a firefight
After the firefight, the member will still react to what happened. He may be sexually aroused after
the operation. Also, if one of his teammates dies in the action, his first reaction will most likely be
that he is glad it is not he. The member should not feel bad about it since it is a natural reaction
linked to a will to survive.
To get rid of the residual adrenaline, the member should go to the gym or go for a run, take a shower
and sleep. Sleep is the best way to fight stress. Normally, someone needs 3 to 4 days to recover to
be efficient again in another firefight.
Tactical breathing
Tactical breathing is useful when facing a highly stressful situation and stress needs to be lowered.
Surveillance
Surveillance is the observation of a target. It can mobile or static, it can be done on foot, in a car or
any other means of transportation. It is used to complement the missing intelligence required for a
successful operation.
Reconnaissance is needed to plan the operation. This can be done by searching information using
open source intelligence. It can be done or complemented by doing surveillance from a vehicle or on
foot.
With the information taken from the reconnaissance, the members need to decide the size of the team,
the dress code to use, the vehicles, how to do the surveillance, resources and time necessary.
· Area in general
· Target’s address
· Escape routes
· Positions
· Drones
· Cellphone as a tracker
· Cameras
· Radios
· Cellphone
· GPS
· Night vision
· Police scanner
One stationary surveillant watches the target’s position (e.g. the target’s home) and the other
surveillants cover the most likely exit routes. Once the target leaves, the stationary surveillant
notifies the other surveillants at the exit routes. The surveillants at the exit routes then proceeds to
follow the target and the stationary surveillant can then join the other surveillants.
Mobile surveillance on foot
One man surveillance: It is best used in a fixed surveillance. It should be avoided for a mobile
surveillance as it does not provide flexibility and increase the chance of detection.
Two man surveillance: A surveillant follows the target and the other follows on the same side of the
street or from across the street.
Three man surveillance: ''A'' follows the target, ''B'' follows ''A'' and simply keep ''A'' in sight. ''B''
also looks for any unusual events or possible problems. ''C'' is across the street, behind the target.
When the target turns a corner, ''A'' keeps the same direction, ''B'' takes the places of ''A'' and ''C''
takes the place of ''B'' and ''A'' becomes ''C''.
Leapfrog surveillance: It requires 2 or 3 surveillants. ''A'' and ''B'' are of the same side of the street
as the target. ''A'' follows the target and ''B'' follows ''A''. After some time or distance, ''A'' replaces
''B'' and ''B'' replace ''A''.
Progressive surveillance: This is useful to targets that have a daily routine. The target is followed
for a certain distance and the surveillance is discontinued at a certain time. The next day, the
surveillance starts at the same place as it was left off the last day. This is done until the surveillance
is completed.
Using cover: The member must always be ready to use some cover to make it seem like they are not
doing surveillance work:
· Smoking a cigarette
One vehicle surveillance: A vehicle follows the target far enough to avoid being detected and close
enough to keep the target in sight. The distance depends on the situation.
Two vehicles surveillance: Both vehicles follow the target. The lead vehicle (A) needs to follow
the target and have 1 or 2 cars between them, unless there is heavy traffic, then the lead should be
directly behind the target. The backup vehicle (B) follows the lead vehicle and is one or 2 cars
behind it. The 2 vehicles need to switch position periodically to avoid the target noticing the same
car following it. (As shown below)
Also, having the backup vehicle is useful if the target stops on the side of a street or enter a parking,
or turns a corner, it would seem suspicious if the lead vehicle sticks behind, so the backup vehicle
can do take over and follow the target at this point. (As shown below)
How the surveillant can get caught
Multiple sightings: The surveillant has been seen more than once by the target on multiple occasions
Unusual behavior: The surveillant acted in an unnatural way and got noticed
Static surveillance
This surveillance is made from a static position. This type of surveillance can be done from a van, a
room, a public place or by being camouflaged in nature.
· Is there a sentry in place to warn the surveillant about any potential visit
Technical surveillance
· Vehicle tracker
· Drone
· Microphones
· Telephone monitoring
· Video recorder
· Monitoring the bank accounts, to watch incriminating purchases, travels, or money transfers
· Utility company records. To indicate if someone is using the property, how often suspect are
present there
· Mail monitoring. Recording all the information about mail incoming and outgoing.
Surveillance detection routes (SDR) are a planned route used to detect any surveillance being
performed. It should be planned ahead of time and practiced. It must give the target multiple
opportunities to see potential surveillants. It should include several moves that allow the cell
member to look behind in a natural manner to anyone who could be looking. The SDR should seem
natural and not raise suspicion of a surveillance team or the general public. The SDR must have a
cover story; it must be consistent with the movements and behaviour. The SDR should bring the
member in the same general area of his destination. If the member thinks he is not being followed, he
must then go past his destination for a last stop to give one last chance to detect any surveillance.
Once the time comes, the member goes to his destination.
Detection techniques
Turns
Turning a corner gives the member a chance to look back and to see who is behind him. It also
forces the surveillant to make the turn as well. Another technique is to make a series of turn using a
pattern of streets. The member will be sure that anyone taking the same turns is following him.
Channeling
The member selects a route that forces the surveillants to follow the target directly behind him. It
will force the whole surveillance team in that route. It can be a bridge, an overpass or a section of a
highway without exits.
U-Turns
The member simply does a U-turn which permits him to see what is behind him. This should be
finished with a logical explanation for the turn, like going to a store across the street or a gas station.
Crowded areas
The member enters a crowded building with multiple exits, like a shopping mall. The surveillant
will be forced to follow the member inside the store. Inside the building, the member can use turn
and stops and other techniques to detect surveillance and use the exits to escape the surveillance.
This technique cannot be used if the member is using a car since the surveillants can simply monitor
the car and wait for the member to get back to his vehicle.
90 Degrees
The member moves at a 90-degree direction of his general direction for several hundreds of meters
and then the member resumes his original direction. This will force the surveillance team to
redeploy around the member.
Cellphone recordings
The cell member can use his cellphone in a covert manner to take pictures or videos of anyone who
could be following him. One way is to start recording a video on a cellphone and faking a
conversation, this way, the member can record his surroundings and reviews the video later. Another
technique is to either start a video or take pictures using a cellphone while walking as if simply
carrying the phone with the cellphone in one’s hand with the camera pointing in the desired camera.
The footage can then be reviewed later. One last technique is simply to carry a cellphone in a back
pocket or any other useful pocket while it is recording a video which can be reviewed later.
Safe Site
If the member feels threatened, he should have a safe site planned. A site where no one can find him
and where he could stay safe. It can be as simple as a hotel room.
Other techniques on foot:
· Entering a building/shop, and holding the door for the person behind him, it will give the
member an opportunity to covertly look behind him
· Going to a place where there is little pedestrian activity to see if someone follows him there (it
will not work for properly trained surveillants).
· Walking three sides of a square, taking note of people following around the same corners
· Another way is to make them lose track of the member by turning a corner and then entering a
building and watching if someone is looking for him outside or has an unusual behavior
· Turning a corner and suddenly stopping, watching for the reaction of the person turning the
same corner, if they seem to be caught off-guard or if they simply walk past the member.
· Getting on a bus and getting off at the next stop, seeing if someone does the same
· Standing on a train platform and attempting to be the last person to enter it before it leaves,
seeing if anyone is hanging on the platform
· Scanning the area for Bluetooth devices, checking if the member sees the same connections
over and over
· Looking for someone talking to themselves and noticing the body language.
· Before taking his vehicle, noticing other vehicles around, driving a bit and then looking if any
of the spotted vehicles are behind.
· Looking for antennas on the car or someone using a radio.
· At an intersection, indicating to turn in one direction and then driving another direction. If the
member notices a car behind him that stops his flasher, there is a possible surveillant.
· On a road with multiple lanes with filter lanes. Going to the junction and on the filter lane, but
instead of turning, keeping going straight, looking for other cars who do the same.
· If a member is stuck in traffic, he should be looking at people behind him, checking for the
body language and for people using a radio
· Driving in a rural area with narrow lanes, driving slowly and looking for the cars behind
himself
· The member can use the three sides of a square. Doing 3 left or right turns and see if anyone is
doing the same behind him
· The member can have someone else look for cars following him
· The member should note the car description he sees, plate number and the people inside. He
should keep a log and check if he encounters the same vehicles in his log over time
Aborting
If the member is under surveillance, he should simply go to the next logical stop for his cover in the
SDR, wait there for the cover purpose and then leave. A prearranged signal should be ready if the
member is meeting with someone and it needs to be aborted.
Overt surveillance
This technique can be used by the security forces against the cell members. The surveillant intends
to be seen to change the behaviour of the member; it is simply to harass and to put pressure. It can
also be used with covert surveillance for deception. If the member believes he escaped the overt
surveillance, he might think he is not watched by covert surveillance and make mistakes. The
member may become arrogant by believing he can easily escape surveillance and make mistakes. It
may even be pre-planned where the member is allowed to evade the overt surveillance while the
covert surveillance is still ongoing. The member should always remain vigilant.
Open-Source Intelligence
Open-source intelligence (OSINT) is the information that can be collected from publicly available
sources. It includes social media, search engines, newspapers, government websites, forums, blogs
and public databases. With it, anyone can find the name, address, photos, location, associates, and
lifestyle of a person. Open-source intelligence can be used to gather up to 80% of the information
necessary for an operation. The book will not discuss how to search OSINT since technology
evolves very fast and this information provided would be useless in a matter of months. The power
of OSINT to gather intelligence should be kept in mind. There are many websites specialized for
OSINT, the simply need to be found. The 20% remaining is gathered by doing surveillance and
spying.
Chapter 6
Operations
Operation fundamentals
An operation depends on surprise, intelligence, precision of the execution and violence of action.
Command element
This element coordinates and controls the operation. It consists of the leader of the operation and the
second in command.
Assault element
Does the primary mission: kill or capture the enemy
Support element
Provides fire support for the assault element (armed with heavy weapons and explosives). Prevents
the enemy from escaping through the front or rear of the objective. If there's a demolition team, it's
part of the support team.
Security element
Provides all around security. Covers all areas of approach into the operation site that the enemy might
use to reinforce and provides early warning of the enemy's arrival. Also covers the withdrawal of the
assault, acts as a rear guard where necessary for the command and assault elements, and secures the
rally point.
If the operational force is small, elements can be a hybrid. The support element can take the role of
the security element and the command element can join the assault or support element when needed
during the operation.
7 steps of an operation:
2. Gathering the fighters and moving to the "objective rally point" (ORP)
4. The Security element secures the ORP and the flank of the operation site
5. The Support and Assault element leave the ORP to get in position
For a raid:
-The Assault element attacks the target
For an ambush:
-The Ambush party waits for the target
-The Security element alerts the ambush party of the enemy incoming, its composition,
equipment and direction.
-The Ambush party initiate fire on target and accomplish its goal
7. The operational force withdraw to the ORP for a headcount, to share information and exfiltrate
from the zone
Here is an example of a layout of an operation on site:
Step 1: Planning
Intelligence
It is needed to prepare a precise plan, to know what equipment to bring, how to do rehearsals,
identify targets and to plan support.
· Detailed descriptions of possible routes to the target with the advantages and disadvantages
for each one
· Defense system
· Communication system
· Reaction speed
· Finding a mission/objective
· Determination of what information is needed to plan the operation
· Identification of the tasks needed to accomplish the objective (what equipment is needed, how
to divide the teams)
· Emergency plan
· Evasion plan
· Evasion plan
· Prisoner handling
Target selection
The CARVER system should be used to select a target:
· Recuperability: Amount of time necessary for the enemy to recuperate from the attack
· Effect on populace: Will it have a positive or negative influence on the local population
The planning should be done in a chronological way. The plan should be tested by doing rehearsal
and war gaming. Rehearsal should be done, if possible, on sites that are similar to the site of the
objective. The planning should include a plan based on stealth and one based on firepower. It should
consider the most dangerous and the most likely enemy reactions.
The more complicated the plan his, the more chances it has to fail. The plan should be detailed but
simple. All members of the operational force must be able to understand the operation. Decisions
during the operation must be quick and the chain of command must be clear.
Every member of the raid must be able to understand what is happening and ways to adapt to the
situation. Every member should easily be reached in case the plan needs to be modified during the
operation. As much effort should be put in the extraction phase as the rest of the operation. If the
members extract successfully, they will be able to conduct more operations in the future.
Step 2: Movement to the objective rally point (ORP):
· A quick briefing of the mission is done once again, making sure everyone knows their
role and that questions are answered
· Confirming all the members of the team have the required equipment and that it is
functional
It should be done in a way to avoid the enemy detection. Stealth, speed and use of deception and
disguise in movement will help to create a surprise effect and to provide protection to the fighters.
Unexpected routes, terrain, bad conditions that will lower the visibility of the enemy, deception,
ruses, feints, etc should be used. One critical element is the availability of unobserved routes of
approach and withdrawal.
It should include a plan if detected en route to the objective with an emergency withdrawal.
· Listening for what the normal sounds are. (if vehicle traffic nearby can be heard, it is not a good
place for an ORP, unless it is unavoidable in an urban setting)
· The leader of the operation passes out the five points of the contingency plan before doing a
reconnaissance using the GOTWA:
G: Where I am going, O: Others I am taking with me, T: Time of my return, W: What to do if I
do not return, A: Actions if the ORP or reconnaissance team gets in contact with the
enemy
· The leader of the operation takes the security element with him and does a reconnaissance of
the area
· The leader takes notes of suitable positions for the Support and Assault element.
· Based on the reconnaissance, the leader confirms, cancels, or modifies his plan.
· The leader returns to the ORP and inform members at the ORP of the situation.
· The leader directs the support to the designated positions and makes sure the support element
can provide efficient fire.
· The leader directs the assault element to the designated position and makes sure that the
position is close enough for immediate assault if the assault element is detected early.
· Friendly civilians who stumbled into the operation are detained until after the mission.
· The assault begins either at a specific time, at the leader's signal, when the target reaches the
killing zone or the signal can be pre-planned fire.
· Upon gaining fire superiority over the enemy, the leader orders the assault element to advance
on the objective.
· The leader signals the support element to either shift and or cease fire.
· The assault element should go through the objective until it reached the designated limit of
advance (LOA).
· The assault element secures the LOA, redistributes the ammo between its member, provides
first aid and prepares the wounded for evacuation and provides a situation report to the
leader of the operation.
Step 7: Withdrawal
· If there is any prisoners or wounded, they should be evacuated before the withdrawal of the
operational force.
· Once the assault element has withdrawn, the support element goes back to the ORP.
· Once an element reaches the ORP, it places itself in an all-around defence using the diamond
shape formation.
· The leader of the operation accounts for the members of the operational force and the
equipment and disseminates information.
It should be fast and orderly. The way to withdraw will be chosen on the enemy reaction time and
the mode of transportation. If the equipment can’t be brought back, is should be destroyed, nothing of
intelligence value should be left behind.
The withdrawal is made using pre-designated routes following a precise order. It includes a plan for
some element to cover the withdrawal if the enemy forces are pursuing the operational force. It
includes alternate routes and extraction points. There should be a plan in case a fighter gets
separated or if one gets captured and needs to evade.
· If a cell member gets captured, every effort must be made to save the member who was
captured by the enemy. No man should be left behind.
Prisoners management
Prisoners should be handled using the 5s: search, silence, segregate, speed, and safeguard.
Search
The search should be made with one cell member searching the prisoner and one member covering
the other with his firearm. The member searching should never get between the prisoner and the
member covering. During the detailed search, an electronic dog collar can be installed on the
prisoner. If he resists during the search, he can simply be zapped using the dog collar remote.
The first thing the members needs to do upon the capture of a prisoner is to search the prisoner. They
must search the hat, boots, webbing, gloves, bag, and the rest, for anything that can be used as a
weapon or as a way to escape. Once the situation permits it, they must do a strip search and check
the whole body including the cavities. The members should immediately process all documentation
found for their intelligence value and their interrogation potential.
Silence
Prisoners should be silenced from the moment of their capture until they have left the battle zone.
Their mouths can be shut with tape. The members must make sure the prisoners can breathe with a
tape on their mouth to make sure they do not suffocate and die. Prisoners should also be handcuffed
and even have their leg tied in some situation.
Segregate
The prisoners should be segregated by their hierarchical statuses to avoid the prisoners organizing
an escape.
Speed
The prisoners should be taken away from the battle zone as soon as possible. This will reduce his
escape chances and the chances of injuries. Speed should be used but must not reduce the safety of
the prisoner or the cell members. Planning standard operation procedures (SOPs) are useful for a
quick action on the battle zone.
Safeguard
The prisoners should be protected against any harm. If the prisoners get damaged too much, they will
lose all value. The prisoners should be able to keep their protection gear on the battle zone if
needed. The prisoners should be moved often to avoid any rescue attempts. Searches should
continually be done during the detention to detect any hidden stash or escape attempts.
Information storage
Information gathered from the prisoners should be available to the cell members' intelligence
network. The dissemination of intelligence should be smooth and efficient on all levels.
Deliberate ambush
This section discusses the different types of ambushes, factors to take in consideration when
planning an ambush and other tips related to this topic.
Ambush formations
Straight line ambush:
This ambush uses fire from one flank to saturate the killing zone.
It's very effective against a small force that is not using an advance guard.
It can easily be flanked and is difficult to use against large formations.
It is often sited where it is difficult or impossible to move off the trail or road.
It can be positioned perpendicular to the targets line of approach (crossing the T) but it's not too good
since it gives the enemy's rear element the opportunity to maneuver and flank the ambush party.
Mines or booby traps should be installed on likely areas of cover and concealment on the far side of
the ambush to force the enemy to remain in the killing zone or to kill them if they seek cover.
L-shape ambush:
This ambush set up fire from 2 directions.
It is highly effective along curves and bends.
It is more difficult for the commander to control effectively the ambush party.
This ambush can be used effectively against convoys. A first leg could attack the major vehicular
targets with heavy fire. The second leg would then use suppressing fire against enemy personnel as
they detruck.
Careful placement of the machine gunner and other heavy weapons is extremely important for this
ambush.
Generally, the ambush party should be deployed so that the enemy entrance and exit are perpendicular
to the short leg of the ambush; the long leg is usually set parallel to the expected route of the target.
Mines placed on the uncovered flanks are useful to prevent flanking during this ambush.
Automatic weapons should be close or in the center of each leg to allow greater overlapping fire in
the killing zone.
A technique called a staggered engagement can be used: one leg of the ambush fires, so it appears as a
linear attack at first and then at a preset time or in special circumstances, the second leg opens fire.
The special circumstances can be: the initial leg inability to suppress return fire or to stop the
enemy‘s efforts to organize a counterattack.
V-shape ambush:
This ambush permits to fire at the enemy in all directions preventing any cover.
It can be useful in some areas.
If there's sufficient depth along the legs of the V, it denies the ambushed party a safe area in any
direction.
Using this ambush can increase the risk of friendly fire.
When used from a height, lost bullets hit the ground.
Demolition ambush:
This ambush consists of using a remotely controlled explosive device to blow up the enemy.
This ambush is extremely useful when the enemy is numerically superior or has far heavier firepower.
It often involves radio-controlled explosions or an improvised explosive device (IED). Even a drone
can be used.
This ambush avoids, where possible, the use of guns so that when the explosive blows up, preventing
the enemy from knowing if it's a booby trap or how many attackers there are or where the ambushers
are.
A safe location to set off the explosives is from an observation point that is not within effective
enemy‘s gunfire range if the ambush fails or is only partially successful.
Security elements with radios can be used to advise the commander when the target is in the killing
zone.
Sharpshooters with silencers can be used to pick off enemies who try to escape after the initial
explosion.
The disadvantage of using this ambush is the time it takes to set it up.
· Delaying an advance
· Frightening the defending force into treating everyone like an enemy in its population
resource control measures
· Economically crippling the defending force, which in response, adds better armor to
their vehicles, which makes them sluggish and incapable of pursuing ambushers into
the backcountry.
Bait-Trap ambush:
The enemy is lured in the killing zone through the use of his own tactics.
Useful when the ambushers knows the target's standard operation procedures (SOP) and is certain of
the action the target will take once the firing starts.
To lure the enemy, a dead body or a weapon can be left on the ground. Small arms fire from a distance
can be used so the enemy move further into a dense urban area and into a dead end where it is
ambushed.
Day: Command and control is easier, it permits offensive action for a longer period of time. Effective
fire is more easily executed. Due to the increased visibility, day ambushes are effective for executive
(high-value targets) attacks (eg.: When the target is going to work in the morning.) as they facilitate
the identification of the target.
· There should be good fields of fire, a good view of the killzone to aim and shoot
· There should be good cover and concealment for the ambush force
· Where possible, there should be natural obstacles to prevent the target from reorganizing or
fleeing from the site
· There should be concealed approach and withdrawal routes for the ambush party
When the area is selected then the actual ambush sites are selected. Favorable terrain is everything.
Limitations should be considered: deficiencies in the firepower available, lack of resupply during
actions.
The best ambushes are sited at locations that appear to be unlikely ambush sites but that actually give
advantage to the ambusher.
The ideal ambush site restricts the target on all sides, confining it to an area kill zone where the target
can be quickly neutralized.
Ambush site should have firing positions that offer both concealment and favorable fields of fire. If
possible, firing should be done through a screen of foliage, rocks or walls.
There should be no cover in the killing zone for the enemy
An ambush should be set in a way and in a location where the ambush commander can allow the
target to pass by, in the event that the circumstances change and he decides that the attack should not
be carried out.
The ambush party must have a good view of the killing zone when on the ambush site.
At night, the ambush party must be concealed even if the daylight comes.
The ORP should be defendable, and not located along any likely avenues of approach of the enemy.
The ORP should be close to the ambush site. It is useful for transferring anyone who accidentally
stumbles upon the ambush and who is not to be eliminated to be held at the ORP or to bring resupply
to the ambush site if necessary.
The ORP should be far enough from the ambush site that it will not be overrun if the enemy
attacks/counterattacks the ambush. The distance will depend on terrain, cover , etc.
The sectors of fire of each element should be designated beforehand to ensure the whole kill zone is
covered.
Mines and explosives can be installed to canalize the enemy.
It may be necessary to organize secondary ambushes and roadblocks to intercept and delay the enemy
reinforcements.
For night ambushes, illumination may be installed behind the killzone and used during the ambush
since it helps focus fire on the enemy. Targets can be illuminated using flare guns or the illumination
can be placed behind the killing zone and low and so that targets are silhouetted.
When someone approaches, the first security element to see the intruder passes the information to the
members of the ambush party. The rest of the team uses any means of communication already planned
(tugging or squeezing other members, etc.) to inform the commander. Nobody should react to the
enemy’s presence except to pass the information. It is up to the commander to initiate the ambush.
Fighters normally stare at their targets and for some reason, people can feel when they are being
watched (especially at short range). The ambush party should be instructed to use their peripheral
vision to watch the enemy.
It's always the commander or his designee who decides to initiate the ambush or not. It may be a
predetermined signal or when the target has reached a designated point.
The ambush can also be initiated with a weapon or explosives. Only casualty-producing weapons
should be used to initiate an ambush. If a whistle or other signals are used, it gives the enemy
precious seconds to react.
The ambush commander should wait until the enemy force is well into the killing zone before
initiating the ambush. He should wait for at least 90% of the enemy force to be in the killing zone.
When 10% of the enemy force is out of the killing zone, they have too much freedom to flank and use
fire against the ambush party.
If attacking a vehicle column, the initial strike should target the front or rear vehicle, whichever is the
weakest point of the ambush. If both fronts are equal strength, the initial strike should be directed at
the trailing vehicle in order to prevent an accurate report from reaching the lead vehicle. This will
likely cause greater separation in the convoy, preventing effective mass counter fire from the attacked
vehicles and increasing probability of ambush success.
Often when targeting a high-value target, the advance guards of a column is allowed to pass through
the killing zone. When the high-value target reaches the predetermined point, it is halted by
fire/obstacles/explosives. At this point, the entire assault element opens fire. Designated members of
the ambush party engage the advance and rear guards to prevent reinforcement of the main column.
In some cases, before all the enemies has been killed at an ambush site, the commander may call for
an assault on a target. In that event, the attack is launched under covering fire using a prearranged
signal.
Urban Sniper
The urban sniper is a sharpshooter that must act in absolute secrecy, take his shot and leave the area.
It is an extremely powerful weapon that can be used by a weaker organization/political movement
against a more powerful enemy.
Weapons
Urban snipers can use a wide variety of weapon to accomplish its task. It depends on the context and
on the availability of the weapons. Even a .22 caliber rifle or a 9 mm pistol with a scope can be
useful for sniping at shorter distances. The mind of the sniper should always be open to new ideas
and tactics.
To prepare for the operation, the sniper needs to do the same thing as in an ambush. This will focus
on what is specific to an urban sniper operation.
· Create a good cover story for the authorities, always be calm and polite
· Blend with the local population (appear as a normal citizen, conceal your weapon, etc.).
· Plan a route to be able to move to and from the firing positions while under the observation of
the enemy and the public without raising suspicion
Shooting location
Choosing the right shooting location is essential for a successful urban sniping operation.
· Choosing an isolated spot where no one will see the sniper take the shot
· Having a physical obstacle between the sniper and the target if possible (e.g. a river)
· Choosing a location where there are many potential shooting spots (e.g. Choosing a place
where there is a building in front of the other so the security forces won't know from which
building the shot came from)
· The sniper must not shoot from an obvious or perfect shooting location
Camouflage
It is important for the urban sniper to camouflage himself during the operation.
Here are some ways the sniper can use to camouflage himself in a room:
· Standing at the back of the room to hide the muzzle flash
· Using his environment as much as he can: moving furniture, closing the curtain, etc.
· Putting mesh in front of windows to be able to see outside while preventing outsiders from
seeing inside
· Using a sheet to cover himself and making holes for the barrel and scope only
Hide site
If the urban sniper plans to stay in his position for an extended period of time, he needs to make a
hide site. He must be able to exit and enter the site without being seen. He must cover the entrance
of doors with a sheet to avoid the momentary change of light that can be seen from the outside. He
must cover his movements inside the room. One technique is to create corridors that are used to
walk around within the room by hanging sheets from the ceiling or the walls. Another technique is to
block the window and leave only a small hole to shoot from. Another technique is to create a small
hole in a wall. He can make the place comfortable. He should prepare a sitting position if he can
since being prone for long periods can be tiring.
A good way to have a hide site is doing a home invasion. Once a private house has been chosen as a
shooting location, a security team conducts a forced entry and hold the occupants hostage. This is
only for a short period since people will notice that the occupants are missing after a while. A
vehicle can also be used as a shooting platform, a subject that will be covered later in the book.
Ways to observe
While waiting in the hide site, the urban sniper will need to observe the environment.
· Making a hole in a wall and put a spotting scope in the hole. When not in use, the sniper must
use foam balls painted black to fill the hole.
· Making a hole in a wall and put a camcorder in the hole to record enemy activity. This way,
the sniper does not need to be present and can watch the recording later.
· By using a periscope
· Doing it in broad daylight by mixing with the population, by doing daily activities like going
to the market or taking a coffee and observing the enemy forces
· Paying civilians to observe for the sniper. e.g. pay schoolchildren to report information about
the security forces or your target.
Post-shot activities
After the shot, the sniper needs to dissociate himself from the scene of the shooting and leave the
area. This can be done by either by fleeing the scene as fast as he can to reach a safe site or by
simply walking away and blending with the population while leaving the area.
This tactic was used by the IRA, the DC snipers and the Iraqi insurgents. The shooter would simply
shoot from the trunk of a car. This way, the trunk conceals the muzzle flash, leaves the smoke in the
trunk and the cartridge is ejected in the trunk. It is easy to have a shooting location almost anywhere,
the location of the shooter is very hard to determine for the enemy and it is easy to escape
afterwards.
Here is a picture of a modified trunk of a car that was used in such manner:
The first thing the sniper needs to do is to prepare his car for the operation
· Modifying the back seat of the car so it can be lifted so the shooter can crawl to the trunk of the
car
· Making a hole in the trunk of the car to be able to make the shot or removing one of the back
lights of the car or a way to lower the bumper to take a shot and then putting the bumper back
in its place. Note: Making a hole constitutes prime evidence for the security forces if found
out
· The back of the car can be armored to protect the shooter against potential retaliation from the
enemy
A driver and a shooter would get to the designated shooting location. The shooter would then simply
slide in the trunk, take position with the rifle and take the shot. Finally, the driver would simply
slowly drive away from the zone. Of course the operation still needs to have to be carefully planned
before the execution just like any ambush. It is recommended to use a stolen vehicle for the
operation to have no links to the persons implicated.
2. The snatch
4. Propaganda
5. Negotiation
· The family or company is rich enough to find a large ransom and how likely they are willing to
pay. The character of other members of the family or the company may also be a
consideration.
· The target's vulnerability: his lifestyle, the publicity attached to the target, predictability of his
movements, his attitude toward precautions and security, and his protection at home at work
and on the move.
· In political kidnappings, prospects for publicity, the potential leverage on the government, and
potential extraction of information will be important.
For the reconnaissance the members need to gather the following information:
· His character
· His health (e.g. If he needs medications)
· His work
· His home
· Inside parking
It is necessary to make a dossier of the target's family, friends, business associates, legal advisers
and others whom they think might prove useful during the negotiation.
This will be followed by a detailed reconnaissance on the field, first to select the best occasion for
the snatch, and then to examine the chosen site in detail, the habits of guards and the security
involved.
In case of a kidnapping on the road, rehearsal runs may be done and also monitoring the target's
journey to and from work.
The snatch
The target is usually the most vulnerable when he is on the way to or from work, fairly close to his
home or office since it is difficult to vary his route, even if the target changes his schedule or the car
he uses. Narrow streets are better than broad ones since on broad ones, a trained driver can take
evasive actions.
There are many possible variations. If the target walks from his front door to an outside garage, this
may be the easiest snatch point. If the victim is vulnerable walking, a single car could be all that is
needed.
Kidnapping at the victim’s home is far more difficult and usually involve entry by deception. For
example: by delivering a package. This should not be attempted if the target is prepared for such
threat and take the necessary precautions.
Kidnapping from inside the target's office is even harder, unless there is no entry and exit check. It
may also be possible if there is a way to infiltrate the staff or by deception.
Trickery can also be used. Kidnappers can disguise themselves as police officers and do a
roadblock, they can also stage an accident to block the way of the target's car, etc.
Holding a hostage
The holding area can be concealed to be less vulnerable to security forces’ searches or it may be in
a normal room in which case the victim will be blindfolded and ears plugged permanently to make
sure the target does not remember details of the holding area or the team holding the hostage, which
could be useful to the security forces once the hostage is released.
Guarding the hostage is a risky task because they can be caught in a police raid or because the
released hostage may be able to identify them later by either their voice or they face/eyes. Guards
should be low-level members of the organization or be expendable. Guards should know as little
information as possible about the operation. Guards could even be hired and not be told anything
about who is hiring them.
Interrogating the hostage can be done to extract useful information or to discuss points raised during
the negotiation.
Using physical tortured will raise hatred and in the end only help the opposing side. There is more
subtle and effective techniques which are the techniques of mental disorientation. These techniques
consist of humiliation and degradation; by denial of sleep and food, by continual blindfolding and
ear plugging or by alternating between periods of noise and light and periods of total silence and
darkness. The interrogator will likely need to stay for a long time with the hostage to build a
relationship of psychological dependence, since the hostage relies on the interrogator for food,
water and human contact. This can develop into a rapport which can be helpful for the interrogator.
One useful type of information to gather is information to blackmail the hostage in the future. This
information can be used to make sure the hostage does not provide information to the security forces
about what was seen or heard during the kidnapping operation or to use as leverage against the
hostage in the future.
Propaganda
The primary aim of political kidnappings might be propaganda. If that is the case, the kidnappers
may request the broadcasting of a manifesto, the release of prisoners, the payments of a ransom or
other political demands.
Photographs or videos can be sent to friendly journalists stating who the organization is. Selected
journalists could also visit the holding area using extreme precautions.
The political connections could also be concealed to avoid the intervention of the government until
the ransom has been paid.
If the kidnappers are looking for money, they will want to avoid publicity hoping that the target's
family may settle without involving the police or even the public from ever knowing about it.
Negotiation
The first call or written message must include a warning not to inform the authorities. It also serves
to dominate psychologically the situation from the start. The first person to be informed of the
kidnapping should be chosen wisely. Kidnappers must demand immediate payment of the ransom
while the target's family or company is in a state of shock and before they realize that the target will
likely not be killed in a hurry if the goal is to receive a ransom.
The kidnappers should have an idea of how much the target's family or company can pay. They must
ask for more to have some room for negotiation. They could also choose a sum that is reasonable in
the hope of getting an immediate settlement.
The reaction to the reply of inability to meet the demand should be harsh and threatening.
If the family or company does not panic, the kidnappers need to ready themselves for a long haul,
and their main concern must be to keep the security forces out of the negotiations and to frighten the
negotiators into using a means of communication that is not tapped. Both sides will probably agree
to use the same negotiators for the whole negotiation so that they know each other.
Collecting the money is the most dangerous task. The money and the hostage should not be
exchanged simultaneously. Unless the kidnappers are worried that the security forces are on them
and think it is worth the risk by settling quickly by an exchange if that is all the family or company is
willing to accept.
A major concern is the traceability of the money. The kidnappers should demand notes of small
denominations, not with consecutive numbers to avoid that problem.
The main concern is to ensure that the handover of money is not ambushed or under surveillance by
the police. Even if the negotiators did not contact the security forces, it is possible that the security
forces are intercepting the communications without the negotiators knowing.
One way to counter this problem is to do a series of treasure hunt in a complex plan to drop the
money, with each location being watched to ensure that the person dropping the money is not being
followed.
The kidnappers want to make sure there is no risk for an ambush, that they are not seen by the
security forces and that they remove any trackers that could lead to them.
The money carrier is instructed to go with the money in a suitcase to a public bathroom where they
will pick up the first set of instructions. This instructs him to go to a specified location to take a
stolen car and go to a third location, where he should walk for a long time to reach his final
destination. Only when it is sure that the dropper is not being followed that the kidnappers show
themselves to take the money and leave with the stolen car. The kidnappers then go to another
location where they switch to another car to avoid the dropper to report the description of the first
car to the security forces.
The enemy might be trained to resist kidnappings. The target will try to remember as much
information as possible on the kidnappers and the kidnapping to help the security forces after the fact
Here are the points the target will try to remember and that the kidnappers have to have in mind to
either prevent the target from gathering useful information or do to disinformation:
· What are the noises coming from around the holding area
· What are the noises coming from within the holding area
· Is there any specific smells
The target will also try to plant evidence in the vehicle and at the holding area. He may use spit,
blood or hair and plant it around to help the security forces gather evidence during their
investigation. Another trick the target can use it to have a good behaviour to incite complacency. He
will do as he is told to lower the guards’ vigilance and try to escape when opportunity strikes. The
targets may also try to create a rapport with a guard in order to manipulate him. One last trick from a
trained might be faking a health problem to slow the kidnappers or to pressure them to release him
earlier which can lead to fatal mistakes from the kidnappers.
Strong points:
· Kidnappers have the initiative: they can plan ahead every step of the operation and have
alternatives for unexpected events.
· Kidnappers know where everyone is and can monitor the police and the negotiators
· Kidnappers are willing to kill the target, while the police have self-imposed restraints
· Kidnappers know that most families and companies will pay rather than having the target killed
and that most kidnapping operations are successful
Weak points:
· Kidnappers need to prove to the family or company that the hostage is alive before they are paid
· Time is on the police's side, every day increases the change of detection and that every day the
police accumulates evidence
· Kidnappings can last up to months and even years before the hostage is released.
Conclusion
“When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty”
Tyranny can and should be resisted. This book showed how a small group of individuals can hold up
against a far superior force. The most important things that should be remembered from this book are
that meticulous planning, good morals, knowledge and initiative are the keys to success. Democracy
and freedom should be protected at all cost as they are at the core of human nature.