Editing Counterterrorism (section)

=== Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance ===
{{See also|Intelligence cycle management|Intelligence analysis|HUMINT|Counterintelligence}}
[[File:Magav-Facebook--Yamam-0009.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|[[Yamam]], one of Israel's counterterrorism units]]

Most counterterrorism strategies involve an increase in policing and domestic [[Military intelligence|intelligence]] gathering. Central techniques include [[Wiretapping|intercepting communications]] and [[Tracking system|location tracking]]. New technology has expanded the range of [[Manhunt (military)|military]] and [[manhunt (law enforcement)|law enforcement]] options for intelligence gathering. Many countries increasingly employ [[facial recognition system]]s in policing.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Lin |first=Patrick K. |date=2021 |title=How to Save Face & the Fourth Amendment: Developing an Algorithmic Auditing and Accountability Industry for Facial Recognition Technology in Law Enforcement |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4095525 |journal=SSRN Electronic Journal |doi=10.2139/ssrn.4095525 |s2cid=248582120 |issn=1556-5068|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{Citation |last=Garvie |first=Clare |title=Face Recognition and the Right to Stay Anonymous |date=2022-05-26 |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/9781108775038.014 |work=The Cambridge Handbook of Information Technology, Life Sciences and Human Rights |pages=139–152 |access-date=2023-08-16 |publisher=Cambridge University Press|doi=10.1017/9781108775038.014 |isbn=9781108775038 |url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-11-18 |title=Why facial recognition use is growing amid the Covid-19 pandemic |url=https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3108742/what-facial-recognition-and-why-more-relevant-ever-during-covid-19 |access-date=2023-08-16 |website=South China Morning Post |language=en}}</ref>

Domestic intelligence gathering is sometimes directed to specific [[Ethnicity|ethnic]] or religious groups, which are the sources of political conversy. [[Mass surveillance]] of an entire population raises objections on [[civil liberties]] grounds. [[Domestic terrorism|Domestic terrorists]], especially [[Lone wolf attack|lone wolves]], are often harder to detect because of their citizenship or legal status and ability to stay under the radar.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/challenges-effective-counterterrorism-intelligence-2020s|title=The Challenges of Effective Counterterrorism Intelligence in the 2020s|date=June 21, 2020}}</ref>

To select the effective action when terrorism appears to be more of an isolated event, the appropriate government organizations need to understand the source, motivation, methods of preparation, and tactics of terrorist groups. Good intelligence is at the heart of such preparation, as well as a political and social understanding of any grievances that might be solved. Ideally, one gets information from inside the group, a very difficult challenge for [[Human intelligence (intelligence gathering)|human intelligence]] operations because [[Clandestine cell system|operational terrorist cells]] are often small, with all members known to one another, perhaps even related.<ref name="Feiler2007">{{cite journal
 | url = http://www.biu.ac.il/Besa/MSPS74.pdf
 | title = The Globalization of Terror Funding
 | author = Feiler, Gil
 | date = September 2007
 | publisher = Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies, Bar-Ilan University
 | page = 29
 | id = Mideast Security and Policy Studies No. 74
 | access-date = November 14, 2007
 }}</ref>

[[Counterintelligence]] is a great challenge with the security of cell-based systems, since the ideal, but the nearly impossible, goal is to obtain a [[Clandestine human intelligence|clandestine source]] within the cell. Financial tracking can play a role, as a [[Signals intelligence|communications intercept]]. However, both of these approaches need to be balanced against legitimate expectations of privacy.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.unodc.org/e4j/en/terrorism/module-12/key-issues/surveillance-and-interception.html|title = Counter-Terrorism Module 12 Key Issues: Surveillance & Interception}}</ref>