Operational and Support Requirements for Crisis Management and Negotiation

Abstract

The need for information is basic to the conduct of the whole response to a hostage-taking situation. Knowledge of the identities, countries of origin, organisation, ideology, previous history, and of course the present demands of the terrorists will influence decision making and will inevitably set some of the boundaries within which negotiations will have to be conducted. When discussing the role of the intelligence services, it may be that once the identity of the terrorist organisation is established, there will be a wealth of existing information concerning them on record. On the other hand the terrorists may be a group of little-known activists, seeking by one act of terrorism to force their way into the world’s attention. The difficulty facing a government in this sort of situation highlights the urgent need for information on a number of aspects:

• What is the identity of the group and of individual terrorists — because much will stem from knowing who the group is, and who in the group is leading and motivating the operation?

• Where do they come from?

• How are they organised and what level of support do they enjoy, either where they have come from or indeed where they eventually land?

• What is the ideology and motivation of the group and what are they seeking to do?

• Has there been any previous hostage-taking situation in which they have been involved and from which their behaviour can be evaluated?

• What are their demands and how firm do you believe those demands to be?