Joint Publication 3-26 Counterterrorism 13 November 2009 PREFACE 1. Scope This publication provides joint doctrine for the planning and execution of counterterrorism across the range of military operations. 2. Purpose This publication has been prepared under the direction of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. It sets forth joint doctrine to govern the activities and performance of the Armed Forces of the United States in joint operations and provides the doctrinal basis for interagency coordination and for US military involvement in multinational operations. It provides military guidance for the exercise of authority by combatant commanders and other joint force commanders (JFCs) and prescribes joint doctrine for operations, education, and training. It provides military guidance for use by the Armed Forces in preparing their appropriate plans. It is not the intent of this publication to restrict the authority of the JFC from organizing the force and executing the mission in a manner the JFC deems most appropriate to ensure unity of effort in the accomplishment of the overall objective. 3. Application a. Joint doctrine established in this publication applies to the Joint Staff, commanders of combatant commands, subunified commands, joint task forces, subordinate components of these commands, and the Services. b. The guidance in this publication is authoritative; as such, this doctrine will be followed except when, in the judgment of the commander, exceptional circumstances dictate otherwise. If conflicts arise between the contents of this publication and the contents of Service publications, this publication will take precedence unless the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, normally in coordination with the other members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has provided more current and specific guidance. Commanders of forces operating as part of a multinational (alliance or coalition) military command should follow multinational doctrine and procedures ratified by the United States. For doctrine and procedures not ratified by the United States, commanders should evaluate and follow the multinational command’s doctrine and procedures, where applicable and consistent with US law, regulations, and doctrine. For the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff: LLOYD J. AUSTIN III Lieutenant General, USA Director, Joint Staff i Preface Intentionally Blank ii JP 3-26 TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................... v CHAPTER I OVERVIEW • General ..................................................................................................................... I-1 • United States Government Policy and Strategy ...................................................... I-3 • Department of Defense Policy and Strategy ............................................................ I-6 • The Military Strategic Approach and Objectives for the War on Terrorism ........... I-7 • Prioritized Strategic End States for the Global War on Terrorism ........................ I-10 • Irregular Warfare ................................................................................................... I-11 • Doctrinal Foundation for Counterterrorism ........................................................... I-12 CHAPTER II TERRORIST THREATS • Overview ................................................................................................................ II-1 • Terrorist Behaviors, Motivations, and Characteristics .......................................... II-4 • Terrorist Organization ........................................................................................... II-8 • Terrorist Approaches ........................................................................................... II-17 CHAPTER III OPERATONAL APPROACHES • Nature of the Problem ........................................................................................... III-1 • Strategic Campaign Framework ........................................................................... III-2 • Direct and Indirect Approaches ............................................................................ III-4 • Terrorism Threat and Counterterrorism Models .................................................. III-7 • Roles of Conventional Forces and Special Operations Forces ............................. III-9 • Strategic and Operational Planning Considerations ........................................... III-13 CHAPTER IV COMMAND AND CONTROL • General .................................................................................................................. IV-1 • National Level ...................................................................................................... IV-1 • United States Special Operations Command ........................................................ IV-3 • Other Combatant Commands ............................................................................... IV-4 • Joint Task Force Considerations ........................................................................... IV-5 • Multinational Considerations ............................................................................... IV-6 • Interagency Coordination ..................................................................................... IV-8 iii Table of Contents CHAPTER V SIGNIFICANT ENABLING FUNCTIONS FOR COUNTERTERRORISM • General ................................................................................................................... V-1 • Intelligence ............................................................................................................ V-1 • Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance .................................................... V-7 • Logistics ................................................................................................................. V-8 • Legal .................................................................................................................... V-11 • Strategic Communication .................................................................................... V-14 • Information Operations ........................................................................................ V-15 APPENDIX A References ....................................................................................................... A-1 B Administrative Instructions .............................................................................. B-1 GLOSSARY Part I Abbreviations and Acronyms .................................................................. GL-1 Part II Terms and Definitions ............................................................................. GL-4 FIGURE I-1 National Strategy for Combating Terrorism ................................................. I-5 I-2 Military Strategic Approach ......................................................................... I-8 II-1 Structure Pyramid of a Typical Terrorist Organization .............................. II-9 II-2 Typical Terrorist Organizational Structures ............................................. II-11 II-3 Terrorist Planning Cycle ........................................................................... II-18 II-4 Forms of Terrorist Tactics ........................................................................ II-23 III-1 Strategic Campaign Framework ................................................................ III-2 III-2 Terrorism Threat Model ............................................................................. III-8 III-3 Counterterrorism Model .......................................................................... III-10 III-4 Effects and Command Echelons .............................................................. III-16 V-1 Counterterrorism Analytical Framework .................................................... V-4 V-2 Strategic Communication for Counterterrorism ....................................... V-16 iv JP 3-26 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY COMMANDER’S OVERVIEW • Provides joint doctrine for the planning and execution of counterterrorism (CT) across the range of military operations. • Describes the strategic campaign framework for CT. • Provides insight into terrorist behaviors, examines terrorist motivations, and provides observations of general terrorist characteristics. • Presents prevalent models of terrorist organizations and terrorist approaches to planning and execution. • Summarizes the relationship of CT to irregular warfare. • Describes the direct and indirect operational approaches to CT. • Outlines CT roles, responsibilities, and authorities – command and control. • Discusses significant enabling functions for CT - intelligence; intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; logistics; legal; strategic communication; and information operations. Overview Terrorism had been treated Terrorism has evolved as a preferred tactic for ideological primarily as a law extremists around the world, directly or indirectly enforcement issue by most affecting millions of people. In addition to increasing law countries and international enforcement capabilities for counterterrorism (CT), the organizations because it United States (US), like many nations, developed represents extreme specialized, but limited, military CT capabilities. In joint lawlessness. doctrine, CT was simply defined as operations that include the offensive measures taken to prevent, deter, preempt, and respond to terrorism. The broader construct of In addition to any