Antonio Martinez, 21, a U.S. citizen and Muslim convert known as Muhammad Hussain, was upset by U.S. forces "killing Muslims overseas." His retribution? To blow up the Armed Forces Career Center in Catonsville, Maryland.
Once again, the FBI was able to get inside the plot and stop a would-be terrorist. Martinez told a confidential source of his intentions in October. He was set to detonate an inert device supplied to him by an undercover FBI agent when he was arrested.
Recent domestic cases involving terrorists were foiled by one thing - not fancy equipment, satellites or computers - but human sources.
Officials in Israel have spoken openly about their recent success hindering suicide bombings that caused their country incalculable psychological and economic damage. Although the U.S. has been spared this particularly brutal and effective means of terrorizing the populace, law enforcement must be ever vigilant of the threat of suicide bombing in public areas such as shopping malls, amusement parks, sports venues, restaurants and hotels. Lessons learned by Israel and other countries combating suicide bombings are certainly applicable and worthy of analysis by all engaged in the war on terror. srael places a high value on Human Intelligence and weaves HUMINT into all aspects of their law enforcement activities. A prevalent saying in their intelligence community guides their efforts: “the small bring in the big”.
Israeli law enforcement and intelligence collection agents build long term, lasting relationships on the ground with all types of business people. For instance waitresses, bartenders, taxi drivers and barbers can be a wealth of information. Emergency room employees, gas station workers, and grocery or drug store employees are all good collection sources. Around a specific target, street vendors are worthy of engagement since they frequent the same area and have a perfect viewpoint for noticing out-of-the-ordinary activity. If protecting a church is the objective, the clergy and worshipers are valuable informants. The key is to cultivate the relationship; visit the sources regularly, build their trust, instruct them on what to look for, and make sure they have a way of contacting you 24/7 if they notice something suspicious.
Your sources are force multipliers and critical to gleaning the information needed to identify, monitor and then disrupt terrorist activities. As the recent domestic cases illustrate, source cultivation is time well spent.
