Role Of The Intelligence Community In Counter Terrorism

Abstract

This study investigates the role of the intelligence community in counter terrorism. The study identifies Kenya as a case study because of it being one of the African countries that has suffered most terrorist attacks undertaken by transnational terrorist groups. The objectives of the study are: investigating the capability of the Kenyan intelligence community in countering terrorism; the local community’s support to the intelligence community; the impact of intelligence cooperation; and how the intelligence community supports prosecution of terrorism suspects. The study covered the period between 1998 and 2016. The study obtained its primary data using two sets of questionnaires: one for the intelligence community and the other for the local community. Because of the sensitivity of the subject (terrorism) and secrecy of the operatives (intelligence community), the researcher used purposive sampling to identify respondents from within the intelligence and the local communities. The main interest was on counter terrorism officers working in the NIS, ATP, CIU, NCTC and ODPP, and the local community leaders who provide counter terrorism related information to the intelligence community. The study also obtained data through analysis of government documents, and reviews of related academic literature on security, intelligence, terrorism, and counter terrorism. The major finding of the study is that the intelligence community plays a very important role in the fight against terrorism by collecting related information from the major stakeholders, such as the local community, and through inter-agency cooperation and liaison with foreign intelligence agencies. The resultant intelligence is shared by the relevant government agencies, which form part of national policies aimed at preventing and pre-empting terrorism activities hence denying terrorists opportunities to actualize their intentions. This reduces human casualties and destruction of properties. The study recommends the establishment of inter-agency Joint Investigation Teams (JITs) for the purpose of preserving criminal evidence. It encourages joint training and workshops to stimulate inter-personal relationships, thus building trust for inter-agency officers, which is vital during joint operations. The study also recommends expansion of open source intelligence at the inter-agencies level to incorporate information from the internet, private databases, international students, academic scholars and researchers. Community intelligence should also be expanded, incorporated and utilized in detecting terrorism activities.