TACTICAL QUESTIONING

TACTICAL QUESTIONING Collecting Information Soldiers  patrol  the  same  area  day  after  day.  Sometimes  they  go  in  for  deep  area  patrolling  and reconnaissance. All this is done with the intent to collect combat information.In any operational environment soldiers  should  always  be  primed  ,  alert  to  collect  information.Of  particular  mention  here  is  te  word ‘’change’’.While  patrolling  the soldiers  may  discern  a  ‘’change’’  in  normalcy  of  the  surroundings. While studying the surroundings , like the people,terrain,infrastructure the soldier should recognize any changes in the  environment.Often  than  not  these  changes  are  important  indicators  cof  enemy  activity  or  intent.The soldier may not be able to find out the reason behind the change , still it’s very important he report it to the intelligence personnel. Soldiers should train themselves to become constantly aware of conditions such as • Armed Elements: Location of factional forces, minefields, and potential threats. • Homes and Buildings: What is the condition of the roofs, doors, windows, lights, power lines, water, sanitation, roads, bridges, crops, and livestock? • Infrastructure: The presence of functioning stores, service stations, etc. • People: Numbers, sex, age, residence or displaced persons, refugees, and evacuees status, visible health, clothing, daily activities, and leaders. • Contrast: Has anything changed? If  everyone  is  involved  in  the  collection  of  combat  information,  then  everyone  must  be  aware  of  the information requirements.  All  soldiers who have contact  with the local  population,  routinely travel  within the area, or frequently attend meetings with local organizations must know the information requirements and their responsibility to observe and report While handling detainees and EPWs keep the following in mind:1. Segragate the detainees and EPWs based on nationality , sex , profession , ethnicity (civilians) and rank , insignia , and regiment (may be belonging to enemy intelligence unit , thus game for special interrogation )2. While searching the person of the detainee or EPW search thotoughly.Keep separate the records of documents   , seized equipments and weapons(capture tags).Describe all documents,equipments and weapons  as  completely  as  possible.This  is  not  DOCEX  or  Captured  equipment  exploitation  in  its entirety—that  will  later  be  done  by  trained  HUMINT  personnel  and  with  help  of  technical assistants.What is being done here is tactical exploitation , just like tactical questioning—on the spot intelligence extraction. 3. Intelligence is perishable and combat intelligence is highly perishable , action is required as soon as possible and for that the intelligence must reach the targeting platform without any delay.But there are  procedures.The  prisoners  and  detainees  who  are  felt  will  yield  more  information  on  further questioning must be moved as soon as possible to the rear where interrogators are waiting.Bear in mind that with time the detainee/EPW emboldens , the initial panic which he had on point of capture wears away , he gets time to think and also harbors escapist thoughts—escape from captivity.We are here talking about the duties of secondary collectors  , the line troops who must move them fast to rear after ascertaining that they do have information of value.There are mobile interrogation teams to handle cases right on the spot at forward areas and copmposed of a mix of HUMINT/CI but that is tactical HUMINT and will be dealt within my book on Counterintelligence. 4. Kep a tab on the detaines , EPWs and all others so that they do not communicate with each other.5. Remember  the  personal  safety  and  protection  of  all  detained  for  questioning   can  be  a  cause  for concern under certain circumstances and hence they must be safeguarded.For example someone from the line troops may vent his personal anger on the enemy by attempting rough handle the detainees or prisoners.Sexual harassment is also an issue.Whatever be the case , they must be treated humanely. Key Considerations for Talking • You must be aware of the existence, nature and type of threat in your area and the vulnerabilities of the protection  measures  taken  by  your  commander  which  are  liable  to  be  tapped.  Overall  you  should know the force protection measures taken by your unit. • Be careful about the local culture, traditions, customs. • Your body language should project a friendlier flavor, not an intimidating one. Point weapons away from the accosted person. • Talk to people in normal surroundings.Dont lead them to an isolated area, an alley or any place which will make them suspicious. Always be polite. Remove sunglasses. • If you are speaking to a woman know local courtesies.Questions Questions  should  be  so  structured  so  as  to  be  simple,  straightforward,  should  open  and  maintain  the conversation,  should  start  with  an  interrogative,  and  should  prompt  a  narrative  answer.  Interrogatives  are what,  why,  when,  who  and  where.  Questions  should  not  be  closes  provoking  only  an  ‘’yes’’  or  ‘’no’’  as answer but should be ‘’open’’.Avoid asking questions that are confusing. Characteristics of open questions: • Act as an invitation to talk.• Prompts the person to answer comfortably and feel encouraged to continue with the conversation.• Not too specific but broad in nature. • Encourage discussion. •  Creates  a  situation  favorable  for  the  soldier  to  be  the  listener(and  observer)  for  a  major  part  of  the conversation.• Does not cause the person to feel intimidated or threatened.• Invokes curiosity of others and allows them to get involved in the discussion spiritedly.• Gives the person the opportunity to tell his opinions, his judgment, what he feels is important, what he feels should be done. • Should invoke a conversation, not a question-answer scenario.Be  subtle,  don’t  just  jot  away  on  paper  the  answers  –that  is  not  conversation  and  always  be  friendly, cooperative,  observing  him  carefully  but  not  arousing  any  suspicion,  studying  his  body  language  and  be courteous and reserved.

Questioning to Fill Out the Capture Tag You  are  manning  a  check  post  or  roadblock..Before  being  deployed  to  do  so  your  unit  commander  has briefed you about the intelligence requirements as per current mission. The Battalion prioritized intelligence requirements  lead  to  the  generation  of  intelligence  requirements  for  each  company  and  subunits.  These intelligence  requirements  as  spelled  out  to  you  will  guide  you  in  framing  the  questions  to  be  asked  of individuals  at  the  check  post/roadblock.  Once  you,  the  soldier,  have  screened  and  detained  a  person categorized  either  as  a  detainee  or  EPW  you  must  now  obtain  all  possible  details  from  him  so  that  on subsequent questioning/interrogation of the person by the HUMINT or CI agent, the latter is well prepared initially with the information you have supplied. You must fill out a capture tag which will facilitate further questioning/interrogation. The capture tag must include:What is your job? What is your speciality? Are you a combatant? If so what is your rank, number and unit? Who are in your chain of command? Whom do you report—that is who your immediate superior is? What is the mission of your unit? Are you a civilian? Then why are you here? Who is your immediate boss and what is the name of your company? At the time, place and point of capture, detention what was your immediate mission—that is to say why were you there and what were you doing or what were your plans? Were you supposed  to  conduct  any  mission/job  when  you  were  captured/detained?  What  are  your  future  plans  and what  is  the  future  mission  of  your  unit/company?  You  might  note  he  is  carrying  documents,  maps, identification papers; photographs.Here is where you might find things out of the ordinary. The map might be of another place or even this place: Why are you carrying this map? The photo/s might be of someone else:  Who  is  this  person  and  why  are  you  carrying  his  photograph?  The  ID  papers  may  belong  to  other persons and hence you ask him why is he carrying other peoples identification papers and why. And where are  these  persons  as  they  are  in  a  disturbed  area  and  that  too  without  identification  papers.  All  these exploitable documents can now be handed over to the MI section together with the detainee/EPW. Remember your questions should be guided by your unit’s intelligence requirements and as briefed to you but on no count should the person being questioned get a whiff of these requirements or your mission. Everything should be done in an atmosphere of normal conversation. Example Questions  Questions must be framed in such a manner so as not to elicit vague or misleading answers. They should be direct, pointed but at the same time broad so that the person being questioned does not misinterpret it or has any  room  for  maneuver.  For  example  the  following  questions  were  designed  for  soldiers  manning  check posts/roadblocks.  Modify  them  to  accommodate  EPWs/detainees,  local  population  as  per  your  mission, situation and unit requirements. • What is your name (Match this with any identification document found on his person) Cross-check with CI White list, Black list and Grey List)• Where do you live and full address, where were you going and why, how did you arrive here. From here to your final destination point—what will be the route and why? In what way is it safer or convenient for you? Who  will  facilitate  your  journey?  That  reminds  me,  who  facilitated  your  journey  till  here,  financially  or otherwise? (All these must be specifically answered or obtained) • What is your present occupation, your specialty-if any and your qualifications (see if he has any technical expertise)?• What was the type of physical terrain you travelled to get here? During your travel what all obstacles you faced and how  did  you manage to  overcome/circumvent  them. While  travelling  did you  observe  anything out of ordinary in your surroundings? Or any unusual activity?• What currency are you carrying and how much? What is the money intended for (if found to be a big sum)?• Can you name anyone whom you know personally who is averse to Indian security measures/ops here in this area? On being answered immediately follow with ‘’who else’’.Do you know or are you aware of the nature and type of any anti-Indian security operation/any other activity here or anywhere else and dates or time of such activities? Can you tell me the reason for our forces to be here? Do you support our activities? 

DO NOT’s•  Ask  questions  which  might  reveal  your  intent  or  which  might  make  him  aware  of  your  units  mission, intelligence requirements. • Jot down answers before him.• Don’t resorts to quid-pro-quo.They are not permanent sources to be given goods/money in exchange for information and neither are you an intelligence specialist. The same goes for EPWs and detainees. •  Do  not  resort  to  coercion.  You  may  be  reported  to  social  media.  Or  the  police.  Remember  we  are  all governed by Geneva Conventions. • If you are handling EPWs and detainees escort them to the interrogation center as soon as possible. You are only supposed to ask basic questions to civilians in conversational mode. Yes if situation is fluid, like in battle and yu accost suspicious civilians you may resort to interrogation based tactical questioning, but only to ascertain if they are of interest to HUMINT/CI personnel and carefully examine any captured documents. In such cases escort them quickly to detention centers from where the  MP will take them to interrogation centers. • Pay money for information.• Do not be so cooperative so as to tell them their rights that can be handled later. First the information from them.    ReportingFor tactical operations, there are four levels of reporting which assists the Unit intelligence section to factor in  all  useful  tactical  information  gained  during  the  small  units  activities  in  the  overall  planning  of  the mission (and also update ISR planning):Reporting immediately any information the soldier considers of critical tactical value.The soldier may resort to his commonsense/experience or any predetermined criteria to arrive at his judgment.•• Normal reporting• Information during normal debriefing sessions by the intelligence officer.• Follow-up reporting, after debriefing by the intelligence officer is over. Document Handling When there are documents on the person of the detainee efforts should be immediately made to: Classify them Seize , Impound or return them Determine  if  they  contain  information  which  can  be  exploited  further  by  trained  intelligence personnel (DOCEX).Remember  that  any  document,  even  though  it  may  seem  irrelevant  on  first  sight  ,  may  on  close inspection  reveal  information  of  interest  ,  might  satisfy  intelligence  requirements  and  with  other  seized documents give a bigger picture of enemy intent.Classification: Documents can be Personal such as  letters,  diaries, photographs, flyers posted in cities  and  towns,  etc ,Identity such  as identity  cards  ,  passport, drivers  license  ,  ration  cards  or  Official  such  as  documentation government/military information , for example military books , field manuals, military reports,files,maps etc.CED (Captured enemy document) is a piece of recorded informnation seized from the captured person belonging to the enemy forces or any civilian in collusion with the latter.We can also name our own military documents CED that were in the possession of the enemy.DOCEX of such documents can rev eal what they know about us , or if anyone was involved on our side in transferring these documents to the enemy then we are alerted to the fact and going by the nature of the document or its origin we can put our CI agents to track him down.CEDs can be found on the person of EPWs/detainees , abandoned military areas , on the bosies of killed enemy personnel , old enemy command posts , destroyed enemy forward tactical headquarters.

A CED is defined as any piece of recorded information obtained from the threat. CEDs can also be US or allied documents that were once in the hands of the enemy. CEDs can be found almost anywhere; some  locations  include  abandoned  training  sites,  old  enemy  command  posts,  deceased  persons,  cafes, town squares, or in the possession of EPWs/detainees.Written or typed material, drawings,  audio, and/or video recordings, computer disks,etc can constitute the content of a CED. Once you have critically studied the CED you have to decide on three actions: Return  them  to  the  owner  as  they  are  very  personal  items  and  do  not  contain  any  military  or governmental information Impound the CED with the intent to return them later as these documents being of personal nature contain information pertaining to the military but which after examination is found not to have any bearing  on  current  situation  or  having  any  affiliation  with  the  enemy.  Still  they  will  be  sent  for DOCEX and if the initial assumptions are true , they will be returned. Confiscate the CED as it contains military or governmental information (all official documents)Every confiscated or impounded CED must be tagged and logged before being transferred for DOCEX.The capture tag should contain the 1. Unit details who captured the CED2. Location of capture : Grid coordinates3. Time and date of Capture4. Identity of the person from whom it was captured including brief description (Rank , unit etc)5. Prevailing circumstances under which the capture was made 6. Description of the CED