Red Diamond Newsletter
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Fort Leavenworth, Kansas Volume 3, Issue 2 February 2012 IRREGULAR WARFARE: CRIMINAL NETWORK ANALYSIS By Marc Williams, Training-Education-Leader Development Team INSIDE THIS ISSUE Irregular warfare includes organized and unorganized crime as an element. Governments which are unable to suppress criminal activity will see an increase Criminal Network Analysis 1 in internal violence and institutional failure, all of which can spread to cause regional instability. U.S. military units deploying to these regions will be forced Spratly Islands Dispute .... 6 to address and/or confront criminal organizations. Key to this will be identifying Maritime Chokepoints ....... 9 the network of people involved. Nordine Amrani Attacks...10 Network analysis is a critical tool in an intelligence operator’s kitbag. It was critical in identifying and eliminating al-Qaeda and Taliban operatives in our SVD Rifle ...........................12 recent wars, but dealing with a criminal network has a different set of challenges. WEG Highlight ..................14 Not all criminal organizations follow the hierarchical model used by the Sicilian Mafia “family” structure. OPFOR TTP ......................15 Suicide Bombings-Syria ..17 Monthly Wrap-Up of CTID Daily Updates ...............20 Red Diamond is produced monthly by the Threat Integration Directorate of the TRADOC G2 Intelligence It is also important to remember that international borders represent only an Support Activity (TRISA). obstacle to be overcome by a criminal organization. This article will look at Send suggestions and feedback to Ms. Penny Mellies domestic and international criminal organizations and their command structures. (penny.l.mellies.civ@mail.mil). The domestic gangs will be those which have outgrown their community focus and developed international contacts and have a minimum of 10,000 members. > NEWSLETTER DISTRIBUTION UNLIMITED IRREGULAR WARFARE: CRIMINAL NETWORK ANALYSIS (continued) Specific Gangs Gangs Ñeta. Ñeta members are secretive and will not freely FBI’s 2011 National Gang Threat Assessment admit membership. This group is much more challenging (published 10/20/2011) to identify and validate than other gangs. Gender makeup: Male. 13,000 members in Puerto Rico, There are approximately 1.4 million active street, prison, New York, Florida, Connecticut, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and outlaw motorcycle gang (OMG) gang members and Massachusetts. comprising more than 33,000 gangs in the U.S. In 2011, gang membership increased most significantly in the Racial makeup: Puerto Rican-American/ Hispanic. Northeast and Southeast regions, although the West and Great Lakes regions boast the highest number of gang Origin: An inmate established The Ñeta in 1970 in Rio members. Pedras Prison, Puerto Rico. It was formed to stop the Gangs are responsible for an average of 48 percent of violence between inmates housed in the Rio Pedras violent crime in most jurisdictions and up to 90 percent in Prison. several others. Major cities and suburban areas Characteristics: experience the most gang-related violence. Local • They use the facade of a cultural organization. neighborhood-based gangs and drug crews continue to • They are establishing ties to street gangs. pose the most significant criminal threat in most communities. • Members are strongly patriotic and have associated themselves with a revolutionary Puerto Gangs are increasingly engaging in non-traditional gang- related crime, such as alien smuggling, human trafficking, Rican group called the Los Macheteros. and prostitution. Gangs are also engaging in white collar • Their philosophy is "independence for the island" crime such as counterfeiting, identity theft, and mortgage or "Puerto Rico." fraud, primarily due to the high profitability and much • They see themselves as oppressed people who are lower visibility and risk of detection and punishment than unwilling to be governed by the U.S. drug and weapons trafficking. • Members are required to procure 20 prospective U.S.-based gangs have established strong working recruits. relationships with Central American and Mexican drug • Any disrespect shown to an individual Ñeta trafficking organizations (MDTO) to perpetrate illicit member is looked upon as disrespect to the group cross-border activity, as well as with some organized crime groups in some regions of the U.S. and is usually dealt with violently. • Ñeta members come together in observance of Gang infiltration of the military continues to pose a th significant criminal threat, as members of at least 53 their fallen members on the 30 of each month. gangs have been identified on both domestic and Identifiers/Symbols: Their colors are red, white, and blue. international military installations. Gang members who There is also evidence that black is sometimes substituted learn advanced weaponry and combat techniques in the for blue. Members usually wear beads in these colors, but military are at risk of employing these skills on the street also will wear clothing such as bandannas, handkerchiefs when they return to their communities. sticking out of their pockets, white tops, black shorts, etc., Gangs are becoming increasingly adaptable and in these colors. Probationary members wear all white sophisticated, employing new and advanced technology beads until they are considered loyal; then, they can wear to facilitate criminal activity discreetly, enhance their black beads among the white, plus one red one. Members criminal operations, and connect with other gang usually display the Puerto Rican flag and are known to members, criminal organizations, and potential recruits carry Ñeta identification cards. The Ñeta emblem is a nationwide and even worldwide. heart pierced by two crossing Puerto Rican flags with a shackled right hand with the middle and index fingers crossed. Members salute each other by holding the crossed fingers of their right hand over their heart. This hand signal means togetherness and unity. Enemies/Rivals: Latin Kings, Los Solidos, and MS-13. > Red Diamond Page 2 IRREGULAR WARFARE: CRIMINAL NETWORK ANALYSIS (continued) Propensity for disruptive behavior: different Crip groups fall under a “unity • A classic Ñeta tactic is to keep a low profile structure.” Under the organization’s rules, all while other Hispanic groups draw attention to Crip members were required to join forces in themselves. prison and assist each other in any conflict involving non-Crip gang members. Known to • They have quietly entrenched themselves in the work with the Juarez MDTO. drug trade and extortion, and have performed "hits" for other gangs. • Vice Lords, AKA the Almighty Vice Lord • Ñeta is actively recruiting members in our Nation. 35,000 members. The violent Vice Lords correctional facilities. gang is highly organized and operates under a • Ñeta's growth should be closely monitored in paramilitary chain of command. The highest prisons and they should never be taken lightly. ranking ministers are referred to as the "Five Star Ñeta is dangerous to staff and inmates. Drug Universal League,” the gang’s generals are activity, extortion, and gang-related violence are known as the “Three Star League.” The Leagues what they do and they do it violently. are authorized to order the gang’s foot soldiers. • Ñeta members are not deterred by police and will The Vice Lords have known criminal associates not hesitate to attack or to kill one if they feel it is in Mexico and Nigeria. necessary. This violent gang is involved in high • Bloods, AKA Unified Blood Nation. 30,000 intensity drug dealing, fire arms and explosives members. Paramilitary organization. Known to trafficking, murder, and robbery. work with the Tijuana and Sinaloa MDTOs. Command structure: Ñeta is comprised of Chapter • Aryan Brotherhood. 30,000 members. The Presidents, Vice Presidents, Educators, Minister of Discipline, and Soldiers. However, control is maintained Aryan Brotherhood operates under a paramilitary from Puerto Rico headed by “Number 1” and “Number structure of Presidents, Vice Presidents, Majors, 2,” both of whom are unknown to law enforcement and Captains, and Lieutenants. The prison gang uses a most members. Only the Minister of Information is committee of “council” members to govern allowed to speak to the media. branches across the nation. Known criminal Other gang command structures (ordered by number associates in Thailand. of members). The transnational criminal organizations • Latin Kings. 27,000 members. The Latin Kings (TCO) listed below have at least 10,000 members and are structure is run by an executive committee known known or suspected to work in more than one country. as “The Crown.” The Crown is headed by the • Gangster Disciples, AKA Folk Nation. 50,000 gang’s “Sun-King” and writes the laws for the members. The Gangster Disciples is a highly entire Latin Kings organization. Next in line is organized street and prison gang that operates the “Inca.” Each Latin King chapter follows the under a paramilitary structure comprised of orders of its Inca and the Inca in turn obeys the Boards of Directors, Governors, Regents, laws given to him by the Crown. Next in power is Coordinators, and foot soldiers. Known to work the Cacique (also known as the Casinca). The with the Sinaloa MDTO. Cacique’s are the enforcers and order the non- ranking members. Known to work with the • Crips. 40,000 members. The Crips are a street Juarez, Sinaloa, and Gulf MDTOs. gang in every sense of the word. This violent gang lacks organization and consists of hundreds • Mara Salvatrucha,