Guerrilla and Terrorist Training Manuals Comparing classical guerrilla manuals with contemporary terrorist manuals (AQ & IS) Jordy van Aarsen S1651129 Master Thesis Supervisor: Professor Alex Schmid Crisis and Security Management 13 March 2017 Word Count: 27.854 Abstract The aim of this thesis is to compare classical guerrilla manuals with contemporary terrorist manuals. Specific focus is on manuals from Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, and how they compare with classical guerrilla manuals. Manuals will be discussed and shortly summarized and, in the Van Aarsen second part of the thesis, the manuals will be compared using a structured focused comparison method. Eventually, the sub questions will be analysed and a conclusion will be made. Contents PART I: BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT .............................................................................................. 1 Chapter 1 – Introduction ........................................................................................................................................ 1 Chapter 2 – Problem Statement ............................................................................................................................. 3 Chapter 3 – Defining Key Terms ............................................................................................................................. 4 3.1. Guerrilla Warfare ............................................................................................................................................... 4 3.2. Terrorism ............................................................................................................................................................ 5 3.3. Guerrilla Warfare vs. Terrorism ......................................................................................................................... 5 3.4. Counter-Terrorism .............................................................................................................................................. 6 3.5. Insurgency .......................................................................................................................................................... 7 3.6. Counter-Insurgency ............................................................................................................................................ 7 3.7. Irregular warfare ................................................................................................................................................. 7 3.8. Strategy Theory .................................................................................................................................................. 7 3.9 Terrorist Manuals ................................................................................................................................................ 9 Chapter 4 – Methodology .................................................................................................................................... 11 4.1. Research Method .............................................................................................................................................. 11 4.2. Type of Research .............................................................................................................................................. 11 4.3. Type of Case Study .......................................................................................................................................... 12 4.4. Choice of Cases ................................................................................................................................................ 12 4.5. Limitations ....................................................................................................................................................... 14 PART II – THE MANUALS ................................................................................................................ 15 Chapter 5 – Classical Guerrilla Manuals ............................................................................................................... 15 5.1. Mao Tse-Tung – On Guerrilla Warfare ............................................................................................................ 15 5.2. Võ Nguyên Giáp – People’s War, People’s Army ........................................................................................... 18 5.3. Ernesto ‘Ché’ Guevara – Guerrilla Warfare ..................................................................................................... 20 5.4. Carlos Marighella – Minimanual of the Urban Guerrilla ................................................................................. 23 Chapter 6 – Theories used in the Classical Manuals ............................................................................................. 26 6.1. People’s War theory ......................................................................................................................................... 27 6.2. Foco Theory ..................................................................................................................................................... 29 6.3. People’s War vs. Foco Insurgency ................................................................................................................... 30 6.4. Common Themes ............................................................................................................................................. 31 Chapter 7 – Contemporary Terrorist Manuals ...................................................................................................... 34 7.1. Al Qaeda – Declaration of Jihad – ‘Manchester manual’ ................................................................................. 34 7.2. Abu Mus’ab al-Suri – The Call for a Global Islamic Resistance ..................................................................... 36 7.3. Abu Bakr Naji – The Management of Savagery .............................................................................................. 39 7.4. Abu al-Faruq al-Masri - Principles in the Administration of the Islamic State ................................................ 42 Van Aarsen PART III – ANALYSIS ........................................................................................................................ 45 Chapter 8 – In what context and for what public is the manual written? ............................................................. 45 8.1. Classical Guerrilla Manuals ............................................................................................................................. 45 8.2 Contemporary jihadist manual .......................................................................................................................... 48 Chapter 9 – How have the manuals been distributed, and were they translated? ............................................... 51 9.1. Classical Guerrilla Manuals ............................................................................................................................. 51 9.2. Contemporary Terrorist Manuals ..................................................................................................................... 53 Chapter 10 – What strategical recommendations are given in the manuals? ....................................................... 54 10.1. Classical Guerrilla Manuals ........................................................................................................................... 54 10.2. Contemporary Terrorist Manuals ................................................................................................................... 58 Chapter 11 – In what way are the Classical Guerrilla Manuals mentioned in Contemporary Terrorist Doctrines? 62 11.1. Al Qaeda......................................................................................................................................................... 64 11.2. Islamic State ................................................................................................................................................... 69 PART IV – CONCLUSIONS, REFLECTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS .............................................. 72 Chapter 12 – Conclusion ...................................................................................................................................... 72 12.1. Answering the sub-questions .......................................................................................................................... 72 12.2. Answering the Research Question.................................................................................................................. 74 Chapter 13 – Reflections ...................................................................................................................................... 75 Chapter 14 – Recommendations .......................................................................................................................... 76 Bibliography ........................................................................................................................................................ 77 Van Aarsen PART I: BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT Chapter 1 – Introduction In the last 50 years, the number of conventional wars has significantly decreased and there have been few conventional inter-state wars. On the other hand, the number of unconventional wars has increased, especially