Al Qaeda Training Manual and Thesis

One of the most useful sections of the Al Qaeda document is how the terrorist organization inconspicuously communicates and establishes cells. If counterterrorism specialists decide to use surveillance on a suspected cell, they should keep in mind the ways suspects cloak their conversations using code, secret signals, and other communication cloaks. The section on invisible inks should remind counterterrorism specialists to carefully examine each and every piece of correspondence issued by a potential suspect for hidden messages. Messages delivered verbally are similarly cloaked. The counterterrorism department must hire specialists in analyzing communications, because patterns of speech may reveal messages hidden beneath the superficial content of a phone call or taped conversation.

The manual does not mention the use of the Internet for gathering information about their "enemies." However, the Al Qaeda manual does mention that about 80% of the information they glean about their enemies is public domain.The remainder of the information they retrieve is done so via surveillance and thus an counterterrorism department must take care to develop sophisticated anti-spy technologies. Likewise, assassination is a major part of the Al Qaeda methodology and the section on targeted killings should be reviewed to create the best possible protective services possible.

Understanding how terrorist networks train their members is critical to defeating them and dismantling cells. Many of the cells will be outside of the jurisdiction of our own counterterrorist specialists, but we may work with allied nations in defeating groups like Al Qaeda. Therefore, sharing the material discovered in this Al Qaeda manual with allied nations is crucial in the global effort….....