Intelligence is the product resulting from the collection, collation, evaluation, analysis, integration, and interpretation of collected information. It is designed to
support decision makers and policymakers in law enforcement, military, and sometimes other intelligence organizations. Intelligence has played an important
role in diplomacy and warfare throughout history, but in today’s ever-connected world, it has taken on an even greater importance for its use in homeland
security and defense. Intelligence agencies strive to prevent terrorist attacks by collecting data and information from a number of different sources and using
that data and information to understand current and potential terrorist activity before terrorists reach their targets. Intelligence analysts are the ones
responsible for converting the collected information and data into finished intelligence reports and disseminating those reports within the security and
intelligence community.
Both of the final projects in this course relate to the following scenario (found in the DHS Analyst Scenario document): http://snhu-media.snhu.edu/files/course_repository…
You are an all-source intelligence analyst assigned to the Office of Intelligence and Analysis at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The director of the
DHS has instructed your office to gather information critical to understanding the activities of the global al-Qaeda network and the current group leaders. Your
team was instructed to focus on the networks’ operations in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. There has been a spike in activity in the last few
weeks; however, it is unclear what is occurring.
The director’s critical information requirements:
Information on imminent threats to the United States
Information on threats to U.S. interests abroad
Confirmed or suspected movements of terrorist leaders
The key assumption is:
Terrorists in the MENA are determined to attack U.S. interest at home or abroad.
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In this first project, you will produce a collection and analysis plan that outlines what information your team needs to collect in order to fully understand the
activities of the global al-Qaeda network and the current group leaders. You will also identify the ideal type of collection sources and methods for coll ecting that
information. Lastly, you will discuss the analytic techniques that should be used to analyze the data once you receive it. Before beginning your project, carefully
read the intelligence reports that have been provided to you:
Intelligence Report 1: http://snhu-media.snhu.edu/files/course_repository…
Intelligence Report 2: http://snhu-media.snhu.edu/files/course_repository…
Intelligence Report 3: http://snhu-media.snhu.edu/files/course_repository…
Intelligence Report 4: http://snhu-media.snhu.edu/files/course_repository…
Intelligence Report 5: http://snhu-media.snhu.edu/files/course_repository…
In This assignment, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following course outcomes:
Develop specific intelligence requirements that support an organization’s critical information requirements and the National Security Strategy regarding
terrorism
Determine appropriate analytical techniques for critically assessing intelligence information
Propose appropriate collection sources and methods needed to successfully gather intelligence information
Prompt
Imagine that you are an all-source intelligence analyst assigned to the Office of Intelligence and Analysis at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The
director of the DHS has instructed your office to gather information critical to understanding the activities of the global al-Qaeda network and the current group
leaders. Your team is instructed to focus on the networks’ operations in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Your first task in this mission is to plan
out what information you need to collect in order to accomplish the mission of the organization as well as how that information should collected and analyzed.
Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed:
I. Planning and Direction: In this section, you will determine the information that you need to collect and the questions that need to be answered in order
to fully understand the activities of the global al-Qaeda network and the current group leaders.
A. State your key assumptions about the potential threat and the terrorist group(s) behind the threat.
B. Based on the organization’s critical information requirements provided, develop a set of intelligence requirements that you believe are critical
to accomplishing the mission of the organization.
C. Explain how these intelligence requirements directly support the critical information requirements of your organization.
D. Explain how these intelligence requirements relate to the current National Security Strategy regarding terrorism.
II. Collection Sources and Methods:In this section, you will determine the type of information that is needed to answer your intelligence requirements.
You also will select the ideal type of collection sources and methods to collect that information.
A. Select the ideal intelligence sourcesfor collecting the data needed to answer the intelligence requirements and explain why those sources are
appropriate to use in the final project scenario.
B. Describe the most critical collection methods within those intelligence sources and explain why those methods are appropriate for answering
your intelligence requirements.
C. Describe the data collection limitations associated with the intelligence sources and collection methods that you selected.
III. Analytic Techniques: In this section, you will discuss the analytical techniques that you plan to use for analyzing the data and information that you will
receive.
A. Identify the raw data analysis techniques that are most appropriate for analyzing the data that the collection methods and sources will yield,
and explain how the techniques will be applied.
B. Identify the structured analytical techniques that are most appropriate for analyzing the problem(s) in this scenario, and explain how the
techniques will be applied.
C. Explain the advantages and disadvantages of the raw data analysis techniques and structured analytic techniques that you identified.
D. Defend why you selected each raw data analysis technique, including how the information gained will help support you in answering your
information requirements.Guidelines for Submission: Your collection and analysis plan must be 7 to 10 pages in length (excluding title and reference pages) and submitted as a Microsoft
Word document with headings, double spacing, 12-point Times New Roman font, and one-inch margins. All sources used should be cited in APA format.
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