HUMINT

HUMINT ‘operators’ are typically referred to as Intelligence Officers who use talent spotting, rapport building, and source recruitment to collect on information requirements. - intelligence101

Human Intelligence (HUMINT) is a type of intelligence gathering that involves the collection and analysis of information from human sources. It involves the use of interpersonal and other forms of communication, observation and other means to gather information about people, organizations and events, in order to gain insights and intelligence about them. HUMINT is often used in military, intelligence, and law enforcement contexts, where it can provide valuable information about individuals, groups, and organizations that may pose a threat.

Roles of HUMINT Operators

The function of a competent HUMINT professional is to locate sources and organizations that possess crucial information (often confidential or classified) and establish connections to obtain or gather this information. Besides recruiting foreign spies, HUMINT collectors gather information from various sources such as friendly forces, civilians, refugees, and local populations. Additionally, HUMINT agents collaborate with other organizations or foreign militaries, vet personnel, or act as interrogators for captured enemy personnel or suspected criminals. In some cases, HUMINT agents may also infiltrate an organization. These duties necessitate diverse skills, some of which may overlap.

HUMINT Skills and ‘Tradecraft’

The skills needed for successful HUMINT collection require extensive training depending on the situation or application.

A competent HUMINT collector must possess a wide range of abilities, including the following key skills: profiling targets to uncover their core motivations, needs, wants, and emotional triggers; identifying viable targets through "Talent Spotting"; using information to guide targets into a desired action; detecting mood shifts and emotional cues in conversation through emotional intelligence; observing subtle physical cues to determine a target's mindset; effectively using techniques to manipulate the target's mental, emotional, or psychological state; building and maintaining networks of sources and contacts; and the ability to adopt different personalities or roles.

Profiling

The ability to profile someone in the world of HUMINT is critical for comprehending their emotions and behavior to a level that enables accurate prediction. This understanding is necessary to determine a person's motivations and ultimately, to successfully recruit them to provide information. Recruitment may take place over an extended duration with multiple interactions to establish rapport and trust, or in a shorter time-frame through an interview or conversation.

Profiling involves having an intimate understanding of the following:

• A person’s strengths and weaknesses—including the ones they are in denial about or unaware of.

• Their risk factor to your operation and/or goals.

• Their credibility and reliability.

• How they’ll behave or react in a variety of situations.

• How to best leverage all of this information for a successful interaction, whether it be long-term or short-term.

Psycholinguistics

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, as well as other federal law enforcement agencies and espionage-based entities, utilize psycholinguistic profiling as a tactic. This approach involves analyzing a person's language, which provides valuable insights into their guilt or innocence, their true nature, their priorities, and potential exploitation opportunities.

The Successful HUMINT Professional

Human intelligence is far more than ‘just talking to people.’

In order to do all of these things, the collector must possess the following traits:

• Patience

• Alertness

• Credibility/Integrity

• Objectivity

• Self-control/Self-discipline

• Adaptability and flexibility

• Perseverance