HUMAN INTELLIGENCE COLLECTION METHODOLOGIES

7-7. Every HUMINT questioning session, regardless of the methodology used or the type of operation, consists of five phases. The five phases of HUMINT collection are—

z Planning and preparation. z Approach.

z Questioning. z Termination. z Reporting.

7-8. The phases are generally sequential; however, reporting may occur at any point within the process when critical information is obtained and the approach techniques used will be reinforced as required through the questioning and termination phases.

7-9. HUMINT collection methodologies include five general categories: z Screening.

z Interrogation. z Debriefing.

z HUMINT collection in military source operations (MSO). z Liaison.

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7-10. Screening is the process of evaluating and selecting human sources and documents for the prioritized collection of information based on the collection requirements and mission of the unit conducting the screening or its higher headquarters. Screening categorizes and prioritizes sources based on the probability of a particular source having priority information and the level of cooperation of the source. Screening is also used to determine if a source matches certain criteria that indicate that the source should be referred to another agency. Screening is conducted at all echelons of command and in all operational environments. There are two general categories of screening—human source screening and document and media screening.

7-11. Media is screened for content, which answers priority intelligence requirements (PIRs) or other information of intelligence interest. Screening operations also help determine which intelligence discipline or agency could best conduct the exploitation of a given source. Screening operations include but are not limited to—

z Tactical screening to support combat or contingency operations.

z Checkpoint screening (mobile or static) of local populations as they transit through and within the area of operations (AO) or to screen large numbers of individuals, such as refugees or displaced persons as they enter the AO.

z Local population screening of personnel within their own neighborhoods.

z Collection facility screening conducted as a normal part of HUMINT collection operations at collection facilities, such as theater interrogation and debriefing facilities and refugee camps. z Local employee screening to determine possible security risks or identify sources who can

provide information in response to the commander’s critical information requirements (CCIRs).

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7-12. Interrogation is the systematic effort to procure information to answer specific collection requirements by direct and indirect questioning techniques of a person who is in the custody of the forces

conducting the questioning. Some examples of interrogation sources include EPWs and other detainees. Interrogation sources range from totally cooperative to highly antagonistic. Interrogations may be conducted at all echelons in all operational environments.

Note. Interrogations may only be conducted by personnel trained and certified in the

interrogation methodology, including personnel in MOSs 35M and 351M, or select others as may be approved by DOD policy. Interrogations are always to be conducted in accordance with applicable laws and policies, regardless of the echelon or operational environment in which the HUMINT collector is operating.

7-13. Detainee interrogation operations conducted at U.S. detention facilities, multinational-operated facilities, or other agency-operated collection facilities are more robust and require greater planning, but have greater logistic support. Interrogation operations are specific operations normally conducted at detainee collection facilities directed at the wide-scale collection of information from detainees using interrogation techniques. Although field interrogations are conducted at all echelons and during all operations with detainees, detention facilities where interrogation operations occur are normally located only at theater or joint task force (JTF) level.

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7-14. Debriefing is the systematic questioning of cooperating human sources to satisfy intelligence requirements consistent with applicable law. The source is usually not in custody and is usually willing to cooperate. Debriefing may be conducted at all echelons and in all operational environments. The primary categories of sources for debriefing are refugees, displaced persons, local civilians, and friendly forces.

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7-15. Every member of the friendly force is a potential source for HUMINT collection. Friendly force personnel frequently have contact with the threat, civilian population, or the environment. Although many individuals report their information in the form of combat information, many do not report the information, do not realize its significance, or do not know how to report key information. Frequently systematic questioning by a trained HUMINT collector will identify key information that can contribute to the intelligence picture and help an individual recall details. It also helps to place this information into a systematic format for the analyst to use.

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7-16. HUMINT collection in MSO are directed toward the establishment of human sources who have agreed to meet and cooperate with HUMINT collectors for the purpose of providing information. Within the Army, MSO is conducted by trained personnel under the direction of military commanders. The entire range of HUMINT collection operations can be employed.

7-17. MSO sources include one-time contacts, continuous contacts, and formal contacts from debriefings, liaison, and contact operations. MSO consists of collection activities that use human sources to identify attitude, intentions, composition, strength, dispositions, tactics, equipment, target development, personnel, and capabilities of those elements that pose a potential or actual threat to U.S. and multinational forces. MSO is also employed to develop local source or informant networks providing early warning of imminent danger to U.S. and multinational forces and contribute to mission planning.

7-18. Formal contacts are individuals who have agreed to meet and cooperate with HUMINT collectors to provide information. HUMINT collectors who have met with a particular continuous contact three or more times should consider assessing the contact for use as a formal contact. Formal contacts can be tasked, trained, and paid. Formal contacts meet repeatedly with HUMINT collectors, and their operation and tasking must be carried out in accordance with FM 2-22.3. Formal contacts are employed to develop HUMINT sources who can provide early warning of imminent danger to U.S. and multinational forces and contribute to mission planning.

7-19. HUMINT collection teams (HCTs) must be able to travel to meet sources and to remain at a meeting location long enough to conduct their meeting. This requirement to remain in one location for up to several hours means that HCTs require dedicated security. Placing an HCT with a combat patrol for movement will not provide them with the support they need for stationary operations, since combat patrols need to keep on the move.

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7-20. Liaison with local military, government, or civilian agency officials provides an opportunity to collect information required by the commander. The HUMINT collector meets with these officials to conduct liaison, coordinate certain operations, collect information, and obtain leads to potential sources of information. Elicitation is the primary technique used with liaison contacts, although in many cases there is a more formal exchange of information. Information obtained by these elements through liaison tends to reflect the official positions of their superiors and may not be entirely accurate or complete.

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7-21. The execution of document and media exploitation (DOMEX), site exploitation, and captured enemy materiel (CEM) exploitation operations is not exclusively a HUMINT function but may be conducted by any intelligence personnel with appropriate language support. Of particular interest to HUMINT collectors are captured enemy documents (CEDs). A CED is any document that has been in the enemy’s possession, whether or not the enemy has created it for an intended use. HUMINT collectors can very effectively use CEDs to further exploit information of intelligence value during the conduct of operations.