Tapes Simulate Killing of Officers.
An al-Qaida training videotape, seized in Afghanistan, shows terrorists are not only planning attacks with weapons of mass destruction but are preparing to kill Americans with drive-by shootings and home break-ins, through ambushes of law-enforcement officers and targeted assassinations on golf courses. The videotape was produced, U.S. analysts believe, for al-Qaida’s internal use and did not appear to be an external propaganda device. The training video shows al-Qaida operatives practicing the following kinds of assaults:
- using pickup trucks with shooters concealed in the bed of the trucks;
- using motorcycles as a shooting platform for drive-bys, assassinations and grenade attacks;
- execution of prisoners;
- ambushes of law-enforcement officers;
- residential assassinations;
- assassination on a golf course using a rocket-propelled grenade and rifle fire;
- drive-up kidnapping of target walking on a street;
- use of tunnels, storm drains and sewers for infiltration during urban raids;
- rappelling from rooftops of buildings to make entry on upper floors;
- raids on buildings with large numbers of occupants
When asked if these techniques are intended for use in the U.S., one military intelligence operative said without hesitation, “Yes.”
The major take-home lesson here is that although the enemy is known to be seeking the ability and opportunity to use weapons of mass destruction, they are also training to carry out attacks executed by small groups of dedicated personnel equipped with small arms.
Analysts point out that all scenarios involving prisoners and hostages ended in execution. None included plans for negotiated settlements or escape by terrorists.
In one scenario on the video, terrorists pretend to be stranded on a six-lane highway, their vehicle disabled. When a police officer stops to assist, the driver blows his horn. Another occupant of the vehicle opens fire on the police officer with a rifle. In other scenarios, shooters were concealed in the trunk of the car. When the terrorists were picked up by accomplices in a getaway car, the original vehicle was blown up, apparently to destroy evidence.
This article is reprinted with permission from Informed Source Newsletter at www.profiles-threat.com.
Profiles Threat CounterMeasures Group serves clients both nationally and internationally with protective services, training and educational seminars, products, threat assessment evaluations and educational information - from small start up companies to Fortune 500 and 100 companies, to Professional Consulting and Investigative firms, Executive, Dignitary and Tactical Protection Teams, Law Enforcement, Local, State and Federal Governments both domestic and foreign.
Not to be reprinted or published without the express consent of www.profiles-threat.com. Contact newsletter@profiles-threat.com for subscription information.