Eye Spy - May 2018

EYE SPY INTELLIGENCE MAGAZINE 115 2018 81

will help to consolidate the memory. Success

with such concepts can be as great as 30 to

40 per cent, according to research by

Professor Elizabeth Loftus of California

University.

INTERROGATION AND INTELLIGENCE

With the above in mind, let’s examine how

those engaged in Intelligence work in respect

of interview-

ing a subject.

The intelli-

gence service

skills are not

to implant,

but secure

accurate

information.

There are

many

common

denomina-

tors.

Understanding the individuality of the person

or target is paramount, this first step falls into

the category of behavioural science. The first

barrier in interrogation is often dealing with

silence, knowing and focusing on the person’s

interests and beliefs are one lever to open the

door to the mind. Once an accord has been

established the relationship between inter-

viewer and target can begin.

A study of the person’s persuasion suscepti-

bility will build a framework from which to

launch the interrogation. Showing a familiarity

with his/her beliefs and ideals can create a

workable affinity; by appearing to reciprocate

information a feeling of indebtedness can be

created. The environment in which the

detainee is held captive also plays an

important role in intelligence interviews; this is

compounded with favours, conditions,

facilities, and so forth. The response to these

things should be closely monitored and

studied, behavioural science can build a

evaluate and use other sourced counter-

measures.

Cognitive interviewers may ask the same

question from different perspectives; for the

person being interviewed, this can be like

being hit by two or three cars at the same time

in an accident. Such kinaesthetic cues, be

they visual, auditory, or sensational can

stimulate memory, as well as obviate false

memory.

Just like the concept of memory implant, the

interplay between ‘recipient and initiator’ has a

parallel with ‘suspect and interrogator’ in

terms of human manipulation. Human

intelligence collectors are now opening their

doors to studies in neuroscience, behavioural

science, and similar fields of research. In

today’s world of terrorism and similar

mayhem, securing accurate intelligence or

information from detainees and suspects is

paramount. It is a subject barely recognised

as an intelligence element, nevertheless it is

and one of vital importance.

If you have followed the previous articles you

will begin to see how the knowledge of mind

manipulation and the deceptive factor has

grown from the seed into the flower. It heralds

a new perspective, not only to the intelligence

world, but the theatre of modern warfare.

This article describes just one use of the

deceptive matrix. However, it is a panoply of

diversity in the intelligence cycle. Areas of

research that few know exist forge new

perspectives, many almost verge on science

fiction. In a future article, I will be exploring

these dark corridors.

Short term memory

Long term memory

Professor

Elizabeth

Loftus

Hanns Scharff

profile from which effective interrogation can

begin.

It is paramount that the target, be they simply

a detainee, suspected spy or even a terrorist,

believes that they have some control over the

interview, in this way a greater accord can be

forged by the interviewer. Of course such

things as fatigue and natural bad memory can

also be a part of the equation, accounting for

what may otherwise be seen as non compli-

ance. However, the suspect could also be

playing their own counter-interrogation

strategy and this must also be considered as

par t of the equation.

NEW METHODOLOGY & HUMINT

Hanns Scharff (1907-1992) was a noted

German Luftwaffe interrogator, dubbed the

‘Master Interrogator’ during WWII, later to

become a senior Pentagon instructor and

advisor on interrogation for the American

military. His approach was to show respect

and dignity to his suspects, slowly drawing

out information in a casual manner. This was

a forerunner to

modern

methods.

Putting aside

various nations’

rules of

convention, the

issue of torture

must be a

reviewed from

the perspective

of making a

suspect elicit information. Apart from

international repercussions and conventions,

the severe stress of torture can cause loss of

memory, and/or make the detainee elicit false

information to simply obviate the pain.

Te rrorists for example, may even see this as

their door to martyrdom.

HUMINT (human intelligence) experts

understand that counter-interrogation skills

also exist, and should know how to accom-

modate these phenomena. An intelligence

examiner may reinforce previous techniques,

but if this does not work, they must re-

Severe stress of torture can cause

loss of memory, and/or make the

detainee elicit false information to

simply obviate the pain...