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Operación JAQUE The Ultimate Deception by Charles H. Briscoe and Daniel J. Kulich VERITAS | 10 Note | Pseudonyms used in the Colombian government-sanctioned official history by Juan Carlos Torres, Operación JAQUE: La Verdadera Historia (Bogotá, CO: Editorial Planeta Colombiana, 2008) will be duplicated while true names in that account will remain. (meaning ‘check’ as applied in the This article, based extensively on COLAR participant JAQUE game of chess) was a highly compart- interviews, will demonstrate that Operación JAQUE was mented, unilateral Colombian military (COLMIL) a unilateral COLMIL operation, separate from the Joint deception operation that successfully recovered fifteen Chiefs of Staff-authorization to U.S. Southern Command VIP hostages from Las Fuerzas Revolucionarios de Colombia (SOUTHCOM) to conduct combined operations with (FARC) on 2 July 2008 without a shot fired or anyone Colombia [Operation WILLING SPIRIT (OWS)]. The injured. The Colombian Army (COLAR) intelligence- deception within the ‘grand deception’—JAQUE― orchestrated ‘sting’ was made possible by a highly effective was 97 percent COLMIL; 3 percent U.S. technical ‘grand deception’ operation. ‘Unwitting’ Colombian ‘platform’ intelligence. Embedded ‘unwitting’ USSOF and American special operations forces (COLSOF/ with ‘unwitting’ COLSOF reconnaissance, sensitive site USSOF) were operationally deployed to conduct exploitation and PSYOP teams who were to search for the combined reconnaissance, sensitive site exploitation, and FARC VIP hostage holders in the ‘restricted’ area, was part psychological operations (PSYOP) in a ‘restricted’ region. of GEN Montoya’s ‘grand deception.’ JAQUE was not They diverted FARC attention from the area arranged for part of OWS; its success nullified the reason for OWS.5 The the ‘sting.’1 three Americans, Ingrid Betancourt Pulecio, and eleven This “deception within the ‘grand deception’” operation other Colombians were recovered by the Colombian succeeded because all aspects of Operación JAQUE were military. “Remember, we knew that Ingrid Betancourt exclusively controlled and personally directed by General and the Americans would be the last hostages released by (GEN) Mario Montoya Uribe, the COLAR Commander.2 the FARC. The French president had failed to negotiate her This was not atypical behavior. Colombian generals release earlier. They were too valuable as peace negotiation like to direct operations from the forward command pawns,” said GEN Montoya.6 Now, from whence did this posts of subordinates.3 unorthodox, nontraditional deception operation originate, GEN Montoya was counting on the professionalism of and why did this concept get ‘traction’ with senior COLAR the COLAR generals. He wanted them to unknowingly intelligence officers and GEN Montoya? (‘unwittingly’) establish conditions to make the hostage The stroke of genius did not originate in the upper recovery possible. Their unwavering loyalty would make echelons of the COLAR, but came from below―the non- his ‘grand deception’ credible to FARC leadership. These commissioned officers (NCOs) of an Army EW/SIGINT ‘unsung heroes’ continued Operación ELIPSE after U.S. company―in early December 2007. The commander Special Operations Command, South (SOCSOUTH) listened intently to a very bright young crypto analyst had taken its task force home. However, ELIPSE would sergeant. “We have the capacity to dupe the FARC into be confined to a specific ‘restricted’ area. This enabled collecting the VIP hostages to attend an international COLAR signal intelligence (SIGINT)/electronic warfare propaganda video with their new commander, Alfonso (EW) units to convince the two FARC commanders to move their VIP hostages some 20-25 miles to the southeast where they would be helicoptered to meet the new FARC leader, Guillermo Leόn Sáenz Vargas, alias Alfonso Cano, to participate in a major propaganda video.4 GEN Mario Montoya Uribe, Commander of the Colombian Army (COLAR), 2006-2008, SOCSOUTH SSI and was the ‘Grandmaster’ behind SOCSOUTH Crest with Flag of the FARC (Las Fuerzas Revolucionarias de Colombia). Operación JAQUE. logo “Guardianes del Sur.’ 11 | VOL 14 NO 3 Yapuri River where the three Americans were spotted bathing Proof-of-Life photos of the SOUTHCOM Reconnaissance Systems during Operaciόn ELIPSE. (SRS) contractors taken by Colombian journalist Jorgé Enrique Botero in July 2003: (left to right) Keith D. Stansell; Marc D. Gonsalves; and Thomas R. Howes. Cano. The Venezuelans convinced them to release some hostages for humanitarian reasons earlier. Instead of just reacting to FARC-directed hostage moves, let’s take control of their communications and order them to relocate them where they could be rescued. You know that the only consistently reliable intelligence on the FARC is coming from us.”7 The COLAR crypto analysts had successfully penetrated FARC communications several months earlier and were systematically breaking their codes. Constant monitoring yielded tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs). The FARC changed codes for communications security, but the crypto analysts ‘cracked’ them in days. The SIGINT company commander formed a working group of his most experienced NCOs, which he chaired. Their work was very ‘close hold.’ They ‘war gamed’ Senator Ingrid Betancourt Pulecio, a presidential candidate, methods for testing their theory and determined was taken hostage while campaigning in FARC-landia on innocuous messages, if answered, would lend ‘proof’ to 23 February 2002. the viability of the concept.8 Four events reinforced their confidence. During Operación AURORA (2005-2006), the FARC 33rd Front commander had been convinced to entrust his codes to a confidant (a COLAR Human Intelligence [HUMINT] deep cover operative) long enough to be photocopied. This SIGINT ‘coup’ confirmed that theFARC could be deceived.9 In April 2007, National Police officer Jhon F. Pinchao had escaped from a FARC prison camp on the Apaporis River. He reported that Ingrid Betancourt, the three Americans, and other VIP hostages were controlled by the FARC 1st Front, Eastern Bloc, led by Gerardo Aguilar Ramírez aka César.10 A combined inter-agency sensitive site exploitation team went to the vacated site, conducted forensics to confirm that the VIP hostages had been there, and corroborated the information provided by Pinchao. Previous supposition that the 63rd Front (Amazonas) had the VIP hostages was Colombian National Police Subintendente Jhon F. Pinchao. On the spurious.11 The COLAR SIGINT working group refocused right is Pinchao after 9 years of FARC captivity. VERITAS | 12 Key Figures as the ‘Decepciόn’ Played Out Command Personnel Álvaro Uribe Colombian Minister GEN Freddy GEN Mario Montoya BG Ricardo BG Charles T. Vélez, President of Defense, Juan Padilla de Léon, Uribe, Commander Díaz Torres, Cleveland, Special of Colombia. Manuel Santos Commander, of the Colombian Colombian Army Operations Calderón. Colombian Armed Army (COLAR), (COLAR) G-2. Command, South Forces (2006-2008). 2006-2008, was (SOCSOUTH) the ‘Grandmaster’ Commander. behind Operación JAQUE. FARC Personnel Interaction/Communication Lines in Operación JAQUE President Uribe President Bush COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT U.S. PRESIDENT León Sáenz Vargas, Victor Julio Suárez alias Alfonso Cano Rojas, alias Jorge Minister Santos was named as Briceño Suárez aka MINISTER OF DEFENSE Commander of Mono Jojoy, the the FARC on FARC Eastern Bloc GEN Padilla Plan B: QRF / PSYOP 26 March 2008. commander. COLMIL COMMANDER COLSOF / USSOF BG Diaz / COL Olano* GEN Montoya 2 / TECH. INTEL DIRECTOR COLAR COMMANDER Originated Concept Recruited Leader SIGINT COMPANY COL Navas* Mi-17 Helicopter x 2 COMMANDER HUMINT DIRECTOR MAJ Russi* COLAR AVIATION RECOVERY TEAM Secretaries LEADER FAKE FARC RTOs Recruited Team Separated until Op Execution RECOVERY TEAM Gerardo Aguilar Ramírez aka César, FAKE HUMANITATION NGO FARC 1st Front commander, controlled the HOSTAGE GROUP VIP hostages. “César” FARC, 1ST FRONT COMMANDER Jammed & Impersonated FARC Radio Operators “Mono Jojoy” FARC, EASTERN BLOC COMMANDER 13 | VOL 14 NO 3 Caribbean Sea Golfo de Venezuela Lago de Maracaibo Rio Magdalena Panama Golfo De Panama Venezuela Rio Apure Rio Arauca Rio Orinoco Rio Atrato Rio Cauca Rio Magdalena Rio Meta Pacic COLOMBIA Route of the Ocean SOUTH AMERICA Rio Meta Bogota Tolemaida RESCUE ELIPSE Tolemaida Map depictingRio Orinoco the route Rio Cauca of the rescue Mi-17. At Tolemaida the rescue team boarded the Mi-17 San José del Guaviare, QRF for the flight to Puerto Rio Guaviare SOUTH Rico airfield. When the AMERICA Rio Guainia order to execute was Tolemaida Rio Cesiquiare Tomachipan received, the Mi-17 flew ELIPSE to Tomachipan to recover the hostages. The dotted Operación line denotes the areas Dos Rios ELIPSE where the deception plan 1 2 Rio Vaupes was executed. Area 1 was the long-range diversion; Rio Uaupes area 2 was the close-in Brazildeception. Rio Negro Peru on the FARC 1st Front and the Eastern Bloc Riodirected Caqueta by west to discourage the FARC with the VIP hostages from Rio Putumayo EcuadorVictor Julio Suárez Rojas, alias Jorge Briceño Suárez, aka moving in that direction. Nine combined recce teams Mono Jojoy.12 Then, a second American proof-of-life video, employed ground sensors and were either observing or released in November 2007, was followed by a COLAR blocking access to Yari in the north.Rio JapuraAs more elements SIGINT-interceptRio Napo of a message from César (1st FARC Front) were inserted to form a cordon around the suspected to Mono Jojoy (Eastern