Jihadi Intelligence and Counterintelligence: Ideological Foundations and Operational Methods

Contents
1 Introduction
	References
2 Strategic Intelligence Background
	2.1 What is Intelligence?
	2.2 The Definition of (Jihādi) Intelligence
	2.3 The Strategic Intelligence Landscape
	2.4 The (Jihādi) Intelligence Cycle
	References
3 Collection Sources
	3.1 Human Intelligence (HUMINT)
	3.2 Humam Khalil Abu-Mulal Al-Balawi
	3.3 Ali Abdul Saoud Mohamed
	3.4 Open Source Intelligence (OSINT)
	3.5 Covert Intelligence Sources
		3.5.1 The Recruitment Process—Target Identification
		3.5.2 The Recruitment Process—Asset Development
		3.5.3 The Recruitment Process—Asset Recruitment
		3.5.4 The Recruitment Process—Testing and Training an Asset
		3.5.5 The Recruitment Process—Managing Assets
	3.6 Signals Intelligence
	3.7 Imagery Intelligence
	3.8 Surveillance Drones, UAVs and Drone Counter Measures
	References
4 Intelligence Analysis and “Lessons Learned”
	4.1 Intelligence Analysis
	4.2 Lessons Learned
	References
5 The Three Levels of Jihādi Warfare—The Interrelation of Jihādi Operational Art and Jihādi Intelligence
	5.1 The Three Levels of Warfare
		5.1.1 The Strategic Level
		5.1.2 The Operational Level
		5.1.3 The Tactical Level
	5.2 Operational Art
	References
6 The “Urtext” of Jihādi Intelligence Culture
	6.1 Why History Matters
	6.2 The IS’ Amniyat and Saddam Hussein’s Iraq
	6.3 The Lord of the Shadows
		6.3.1 The Dawah Offices
		6.3.2 Religion Inside Saddam Hussein’s Intelligence Services
		6.3.3 Internal Control and Surveillance
		6.3.4 The Hisbah
	6.4 Intelligence in Ba’athist Iraq and Its Influence on the Islamic State
		6.4.1 The Special Security Organization—Jihaz Al-Amn Al-Khass
		6.4.2 The People Who Loosen and Bind
	6.5 The Emni Officers, the Intelligence Council and the Shura Council (as of Early 2019)
	6.6 The Shura, Media and Military Councils
		6.6.1 The Shura Council
		6.6.2 The Media Council
		6.6.3 The Military Council
	6.7 The Long Arm of the STASI and the KGB
	6.8 Paying Tribute to Saladin
	6.9 Intelligence in the Ancient Near East—The Early Influence of the Assyrians
	6.10 Persian Intelligence Traditions and Administration
	References
7 The First Islamic State and Its Intelligence Services
	7.1 The Rightly Guided Caliphs (Rashidun)
		7.1.1 The Caliph Abū Bakr
		7.1.2 The Caliph Umar Ibn Al-Khattāb
		7.1.3 The Caliph Muʿāwiyah
		7.1.4 The Caliph Yazid
		7.1.5 The Caliph ‘Abd Al-Malik
		7.1.6 The Governor Al-Hajjaj
		7.1.7 The Caliph Al-Walid
		7.1.8 The Abbasid Muslim Empire and the Peak of the Postal System
		7.1.9 The Fatimid Empire
		7.1.10 The Mamluk Empire
		7.1.11 Byzantine
	7.2 Why the “Urtext” Matters
	References
8 Jihādi Intelligence and Epistemology
	8.1 The Intelligence Cycle and Organisational Learning
		8.1.1 Knowledge Acquisition
		8.1.2 Knowledge Acquisition via Intelligence Assets, Informants and Operatives
		8.1.3 “Vicarious Learning” and Jihādi Intelligence Organisations
	8.2 Knowledge and Learning
		8.2.1 Information Distribution
		8.2.2 Interpretation of Information
		8.2.3 Storage of Information
		8.2.4 Incremental Learning and Transformational Learning
	8.3 Lessons Learned
		8.3.1 Organisational Structure and Learning
		8.3.2 Information Sharing and Decentralisation
		8.3.3 Organisational Culture and Learning New Information
		8.3.4 Operational Environment and Learning New Information
	8.4 The Collocation of Knowledge
	8.5 Theoretical and Practical Knowledge
		8.5.1 Practical Knowledge
		8.5.2 Theoretical Knowledge
	8.6 Real-Life Training
	8.7 Intelligence Collection and Institutional Learning
	8.8 Why Institutional Learning Matters
	References
9 Counterintelligence
	9.1 The Counterintelligence Doctrine
	9.2 Counterintelligence Apparati and Internal Security
	9.3 “Spy Versus Spy” and Espionage Deterrence
	9.4 Deception and Denial
	9.5 Deception
	9.6 Taqiyya
	9.7 Deceptive Means
		9.7.1 Camouflage and Concealment
		9.7.2 Demonstration and Diversion
		9.7.3 Disinformation
		9.7.4 Spoofing and Mimicry
		9.7.5 Conditioning and Exploitation
		9.7.6 Display and Decoy
		9.7.7 Knowing the Enemy
		9.7.8 Denial and Secrecy
	9.8 Keeping Secrets and Concealing Information
		9.8.1 Compartmentalisation
		9.8.2 Secret Communication
		9.8.3 Local Networks and Public Support
		9.8.4 Territorial Control
	9.9 The Basis of All Operations
	References
10 Encryption and Secret Communication
	10.1 The Roots of Jihādi Encryption
	10.2 Electronic Encryption, Safe Communication, and OpSec
		10.2.1 The Snowden Leaks and Jihādi Encryption
	10.3 Communication Through Video Games
	10.4 Communication by Phone and Walkie Talkie
		10.4.1 Telecommunication Security
	10.5 Communication by Dead Drops
	10.6 Communication by Code Words
	10.7 Communication via Carrier Pigeons
	10.8 Invisible Ink
	References
11 Counterfeiting
	11.1 The Different Kinds of Counterfeit Passports
	11.2 Safe Travel
	11.3 The Jihaz Al-Amn Al-Muwahhad (PLO) and Counterfeiting
	11.4 Counterfeiting and Propaganda
	References
12 Safe Houses
	12.1 A Prerequisite for Intelligence Collection
	12.2 Osama Bin Laden’s Safe House
	References
13 Covert Operations
	13.1 The Jihādi Rationale Behind Covert Operations
	13.2 The Emni and Covert Operations
	13.3 Assassinations
	References
14 Economic Warfare and Destabilisation
	14.1 Large-Scale Destabilisation Through Economic Terrorism
	14.2 Egypt as an Economic Target
	14.3 The Ideological Basis of Economic Warfare
	14.4 Targeting Investments and Trade
	14.5 Attacking Foreigners and Tourists
	References
15 The Elimination of the Greyzone as a Jihādi Covert Operation
	Abstract
	15.1 The Alienation of Muslims (Propaganda)
	References
16 Jihādi Intelligence Activities in the Digital Realm
	16.1 Operational Art in Cyberspace
	16.2 Cyber-Attacks and Cyber-Disruption—A Natural Fit
	16.3 Cyber-Espionage
	16.4 Psychological Operations in Cyberspace
	References
17 Conclusion
	References
Glossary of Terms