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Approved For Release 2000/08/07 : CIA-RDP96-00788R000100330001-5 SPECIAL EDITION -- TERRORISM DUTCH DOCTOR It's night in one of the great cities of - Europe. The row houses in this once- prosperous but now slightly seedy dis- ; trict are bathed in harsh floodlights. * Access to the street is barred, and com- . bat-suited figures flit through the deep shadows to take up firing positions. Obviously, hostages have been taken. | But what of the actions that are ‘closed to public scrutiny? The key ele- ments that usually ensure a satisfactory ending to the siege? Who are the ex- |. perts and advisers behind the scenes who manipulate the terrorists and “ make them receptive to negotiations? p. One of the first men on the scene is ~ usually a middle-aged Dutchman. His » coming excites no comment among ‘the media gathered to witness the dra- | ta unfold. His photograph has never > been published, he doesn't give inter- - views, and his address is a closely * guarded secret. He, perhaps more E> than any man alive, knows the mind of Po the modem-day terrorist and the sinis- p; ter men in the shadows who direct their Factions. Police and intelligence agen- "cles eagerly seek the advice of this JULY 84 Dutch troopers manning security cordon around train held by South Moluccan extremists cluster around their APC, 31 May, some using optical devices to view the train. Accompanied by two South Moluccan terrorists, negotiators Dr. Hassan Tan (second from left) and Mrs. Josina Soumokil (wearing light scarf) leave hijacked train near . Glimmen, northern Netherlands, on night of 4 June 1977. Negotiators held lengthy talks with South Moluccan separatists who kept 51 passengers hostage. Train was hijacked 23 May on the line between villages of Assen and Groningen. mild, bespectacled doctor of psycholo- gy. His handling of the South Moluc- can train and the Hague Embassy sieges have given invaluable lessons to the strike teams that battle the web of international terror. The scenario is distinctly different from a siege in which a criminal has taken hostages to try to escape retribu- tion for some action. The political ter- rorist takes hostages to get a message across. He needs to legitimize his act and so must talk, which opens the door for a skillful negotiator to turn the tables and give the advantage to the security forces. The negotiator can also menially prepare the terrorists for the violent intervention of the strike teams. Among the first objectives of the good doctor is the establishment of an immediate dialoque. Without this no- thing can be achieved. Before replying to the terrorists’ initial statements, he must listen attentively. When respond- ing, he must try to establish a basis of complicity between the terrorists and himself. He must never approve of their actions, but still make it clear that he and only he can help them obtain some of their legitimate grievances. ~- 26 JUNE 1984 Before the violent intervention of the strike teams he must prepare the terrorists psychologically and work to- ward getting them to accept the idea that every man has the right to be tired, to be sick, that nobody can bear such an enormous burden indefinitely. He must try to get them to describe their physical ailments, to erode their feeling of invincibility and get them to sleep. This restores their mental rhythms and also creates favorable conditions for the attack. For the hostages, the two most dangerous moments are the initial sei- zure when the terrorists are fired by an almost psychotic zeal and could mas- sacre them without a moment's hesita- tion; and when the captors’ position weakens and they are tempted to try some violent act to regain the initiative. Itis at the latter stage that most lives are lost. The negotiator must use an almost confidential tone to speak to the terror- ists — almost like doctor to patient — with no bluntness or the slightest hint of threat. He must insist that the cap- tors maintain discipline with the hos- tages and ensure that they remain un- hooded: Eye contact is crucial. A man will kill someone whose eyes he can’t see, The negotiator must ease the terror- ists into a climate of submission by establishing a routine, setting times for meals (“Do you want chicken or ham- burger?’’) and deluging them with questions (“Leg or wing? Rare or well- done? Mustard or ketchup?”). These questions do not change the basic situation, but take the terrorists’ minds off their obsession, put them back into contact with outside reality and weaken their will to resist. The doctor suggests sending food in on china, making the captors maintain standards of hygiene ("'Be sure to wash the plates and utensils’). The terrorists are made to realize that objects are breakable — and also, unconsciously, that their hos- tages are fragile. The doctor vetoes sending in play- ing cards or board games, to avoid disaster should a terrorist lose to a hos- tage. Instead, he recommends trying to build up the leader and perhaps allow him a small success to increase his standing in the eyes of his men. He is then less likely to resort to violent means to regain authority or make a point. These are a few of the steps by which the Dutch doctor manipulates the terrorists to prepare them for the end. — Roger Ingram SOLDIER OF FORTUNE 33 Approved For Release 2000/08/07 : CIA7RDP96-00788R000100330001-5