There is a lot of opinion based on assumption in this thread; much of that assumption itself based on poorly informed and/or dated sources.Originally Posted by Brian Hanley
While the nuts and bolts of source ops and building networks is not something that is up for discussion in this forum, I will just throw a thought out there for y'all:
To infil Afghan, Albanian, Indonesian, Nigerian or Russian organized crime networks - let alone getting into the core of al-Qa'ida, Chechen or JI terror structures - ain't as simple as just getting someone to approve mixing in with the bad guys - or of the operator being up to speed on language and cultural nuances. These groups operate on tight-knit trust networks, and are generally composed of individuals linked by kinship and friendship ties that are very difficult to compose and live cover to enough of a degree to get inside. It is also not exactly easy to spot and recruit someone inside one of those targets from the outside. So its a helluva difficult and dangerous job that should never be underestimated or taken for granted - but don't assume that nothing is going on in that regard.
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