School of the Americas Urban Guerrilla Manual.pdf

School of the Americas

Urban Guerrilla Manual

INTRODUCTION TO TERRORISM, ITS ORGANIZATIONS, OPERATIONS AND

DEVELOPMENT INTRODUCTION

Many legitimate causes have gone from being non-violent, legal processes, to violent acts

of terrorism. The only essential ingredient is a leader who is well trained, dedicated and

charismatic to change the situation completely. Many patriotic people with good

intentions have been seduced by popular movements that soon have turned out to be the

opposite thing of which in fact they wished. The later era to World War II produced a

great number of radical causes, political wars of liberation, and alliances, that as well

created a romantic attraction towards the revolutionary delinquents, treating them like

champions of the popular causes. Along with the romantics, the movements also attracted

a great number of professional, avenging radicals, criminals and also subversive agents.

The student revolts of the 60's and 70's, produced a great number of radicals and idealists,

some of which remained in dissident movements and changed from one movement to

another. Others, who felt sympathy towards their movement were integrated into normal

life, in their respective societies, where they worked until reaching superior positions of

responsibility, or levels within the same government. Some of these people, in the

present, form the base for the peripheral support of these terrorist organizations.

France, Russia and Cuba demonstrate that terrorism is an important part in the beginnings

certain movements. In many cases terrorist tactics were used to obtain arms, ammunition

and explosives. In most of these cases, like in the War of Vietnam, terrorism performance

is a vital part from the beginning.

The terrorist infrastructure that harassed and terrified the population, in Vietnam, was

successful in separating the population of the government, and helped to destabilize the

population. This was the powerful weapon of the insurgents. Unfortunately, in most of

cases, the terror that reigned during the insurgency was replaced later by institutional

terror (terror by the government), creating more oppression than the one of the previous

regime. Also it is worth mentioning that with few exceptions most of the terrorists were

eliminated of their position, once the insurrection was finalized. Terrorists such as Stalin,

Lenin, Trotsky, Guevara, Marighella and others, left a violence legacy that, in the name of

the masses, causes shaking to the world.

The invention of international and transnational terrorism has resulted in numerous

groups of revenge and hatred, in countries of the third world, ideological mercenaries,

that have lent their experience, knowledge, and armaments to their political and

ideological allies, anywhere in the world. Most of the terrorist organizations differ from

one other by ideology. In order to begin our study of international terrorism, first we must

examine some of the factors that have contributed to the development of terrorism.

1. The success of terrorism. The brutality of terrorists is frequently compensated with

publicity and press.

2. Relative apathy of some people towards terrorism, and the associated violence. The

government tends to forget as soon as the terrorist act is over. Many assume that the

absence of indications means the absence of a threat.

3. The popular fascination with the terrorist. The people tend to admire to the " fighters

against tyranny ". Many people grant romantic qualities to terrorists seeing them as

freedom fighters, or heroes.

4. Terrorism is a tool in support of the conventional war. Many insurrections have begun

with high levels of terrorist activity. Terror has been used successfully to support

conventional operations and to subvert the conventional morality, the laws of diplomacy,

and the military laws.

II. The Terrorist.

Frederick Hacker has classified terrorist groups into three categories.

A. Criminals -- They know the consequences and they are generally predictable. A

criminal in the process to assault a bank can be surprised by police. As a reaction the

criminal takes the nearest person as a hostage, using the hostage to bargain with. The use

of innocent hostages constitutes an act of criminal terrorism. The terrorist in this case

does not want to remain in the area and generally does not hurt the hostages.

B. Political Defenders -- The political defenders are very complex. Their supreme

mission is to publish the cause and to make an impression on those who, supposedly, are

representing the gov't. Since the political defenders think that what they are doing is

correct, the end justifies means, and what they are doing is in representation of the

masses. They are much less predictable. The fact is that in most cases, political terrorists

do not have the support of most of the population. However, this does not seem to matter

to them. The political terrorists use published and alarming acts, and threats as pressure

for their cause. The political terrorist organizations rarely are suicidal. There are cases in

which the terrorists take high risks or commit suicide, but these cases are rare. In order to

fight political terrorism the police carefully examine and analyze all the factors of;

motivation, ideology and personalities.

C. Sicópatas Terrorists (Crazy). The sicópata terrorist is possibly the most dangerous, and

least predictable. There are some cases of organizations that use sicopatas as assassins.

But in most of the cases these people act independently, trying to correct some wrong,

real or imagined. Some want to make a public declaration, whereas others want to

influence events. There are numerous examples of mixed terrorist groups (terrorist groups

that are political in nature, but use crazies for assassinations). To the established gov'ts,

all terrorist acts are considered as criminal acts, and therefore all terrorists are criminal. In

many cases, the political terrorist organizations must provide for their necessities with

criminal acts. Bank robberies, referred to by Lenin as, "expropriations, " are common

means to obtain operational necessities. In many cases, the more sophisticated terrorist

organizations have special cells, that specialize in these activities (groups who's only

purpose is to steal money). IMPOTANT NOTE: The worldwide system of terrorist

support provides the terrorists with many of their requirements, such as sponsors donating

money, and it eliminates, in some cases the necessity of these dangerous activities. The

German faction of Red Brigades, also known as 'Grupo Baader-Mienhof ', used sicópatas

(crazies) in their operations. Some of these assassins were organized in special groups

that used the terrorist activity as a form of therapy! One of the best known groups, of this

nature, was called the "Collective Patients of Heidelberg", some times known as the "

Brigade of Crazy People ". This group was composed of ex--mental patients, who were

freed from mental hospitals by the Baader-Meinhof, and programmed for murder and

destruction!

D. Another way to study the terrorist is by studying data published on terrorists, and

terrorist organizations, and then to try to form a general profile of the terrorist. For the

purpose of this class, we will study a compilation and analysis of data published on 350

cadre of terrorist organizations, from 11 nations, to try to draw a " sociological picture "

of the profile of a modern urban terrorist.

1. Age -- The usual urban terrorist is generally between 22 - 25 years.

2. Sex. The urban terrorist is predominantly male. Female members constitute less than

16 percent (based on arrests/identification of terrorist personnel). Females are mainly

used as intelligence collectors, messengers, nurses or medical personnel, and in the

maintenance of the safe houses.

3. Civil State -- The terrorist, generally, is unmarried. The requirements of movement and

flexibility, prevent the terrorist from having these responsibilities. The statistics indicate

that 75 - 80% of the captured terrorists were unmarried.

Most terrorists operate in a city they are familiar with. The terrorist must have intimate

knowledge of the land in which he is operating. The urban terrorist can elude the police

easily, or surprise them in a trap or ambush.

III. Significant Forces

-Terrorist organizations have problems maintaining their own momentum.

-A successful operation can be operated, and followed by other activities, and

propaganda.

Perpetuation And Promotion.

-The terrorists must prove their credibility creating the belief that they have more power,

more popular support, and more influence than one in fact has.

IV. Classification of the organizations according to its Operations.

A. Nationals (Domestic Terrorists). They aspire, generally, to political influence, and

power. They operate within their own country, and they can receive external aid. Any

activity outside its own country places to these groups in another category (transnational

or international).

B. Transnational Terrorists. They operate crossing national borders, outside the control of

the government, and can receive support and sanctuary from other countries. Most of the

present groups fall under this category.

C. International Terrorists. Are under the control of a government, operate crossing

international borders, and their actions represent the interest of a country or sovereign

state.

IV. Classification of Terrorist Groups by their Motivation.

A. Minority and Nationalistic groups. They generally fight to establish a nationalistic

identity or to improve their conditions. The Tupamaros, in Uruguay began as an Indian

movement to improve their conditions. The same conditions generally exist in others

countries where there is discrimination and poverty.

B. Separatists. Separatists want an administration or separated country of their own.

Many of these pressed movements have been subspilled once their status of freedom has

been granted. The Organisation called the National Liberation (Puerto Rico) in the United

States, is one example of an org. fighting for independence for Puerto Rico. However,

this proposal is not looked at favorably, and only supported by l% of the population.

C. Revolutionary Marxist Terrorists. They are responsible for most of the terrorist acts

through out the world. Many legitimate movements initiated by other groups, are

subspilled by a system whose main aim is of subverting and pressing. Violence is

predictable of the revolutionary Marxist doctrine. The anarchists are generally a-political.

In the majority of the cases the terrorist anarchists look for another type of ideology with

which to be associated, this provides reasons and excuses for their terrorist activities.

Marxism generally is the ideal cause for this intention.

D. Anarchists. They fight generally to destabilize and to destroy present gov'ts.

E. Ideological Mercenaries. They are generally transnational terrorist companies that

travel to serve, with their armaments, to revolutionary friends, or ideologically compatible

groups. The Revolutionary Meeting of Coordination, a group of international terrorist

support, is considered an ideological mercenary group.

F. Counter Terrorists. They use the terrorism to fight to terrorism. Many of these groups

emerged as an answer to terrorism activities. These groups are more common then it was

previously thought. An example is the Ulster terrorists that fight the IRA.

G. Terrorists of the Establishment. They operate with the permission of the government

or with its support. This form of terror generally is used to keep the population

submissive or to maintain the existing regime in the power. The secret police used by the

Soviet Union, can be considered terrorists. In some cases, the government denies all

responsibility for the incidents.

H. Religious Fanatics. They are anywhere in the world. Many terrorist atrocities and acts

have been committed in the name of religion. Some groups exist outside the control of

the government, and could be considered as radical religious cults, whereas others exist

as part of national or international organized religions.

I. Narcotics Terrorists. For years dealing in drugs has been bound exclusively to

professional criminal elements. In recent years a new influence has moved towards the

world of drugs. Their methods: to interchange drugs for arms. Studies have demonstrated

that the CRAF, a Colombian terrorist organization, uses drug sales as its main method to

finance its terrorist activities.

V. Terrorist Strategy.

It is a common strategy of terrorists to commit violent acts that would gain the attention

of the people, the government, and the rest of the world, to demonstrate the political goals

of the terrorists, or in some cases to give publicity to the terrorist cause. We are going to

discuss seven of the general factors that contribute to terrorist violence.

A. Policy. Violence against the government demonstrates that the government does not

have control. This, ideally, causes the government to take a repressive position. This

gives the terrorist, "cause to celebrate ".

B. Social. The absence of a middle-class, the concentration of the wealth in a few

influential families, and poverty are definitive factors that cause violence. The

discrimination and the violation of the basic "human rights" are also influential factors in

the production of violence.

C. Economic. Extreme poverty, hopelessness of being able to improve their position, can

cause violence.

D. Ideological. To be violently against political philosophies can cause violence.

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