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FREE RESOURCES AVAILABLE AT: www.assassinstradecraft.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------ELEMENTS OF THE ASSASSIN'S ART-DEFINING THE SET OF SKILLS IN THE ASSASSIN’S TRADECRAFT: On this page, we will attempt to provide an Assassin's Tradecraft overview. We are not merely trying to glamorize the life and mileau of the James Bond type "007" Assassin. In popular culture and fiction novels, that image has a certain "sex-appeal". But NO!
"Tradecraft" is the word for the range of technical skills used or needed in espionage. The "Asssassin's Tradecraft" is, therefore, the range of technical skills used or needed in lethal covert or clandestine action". (Assassination) ... What we are trying to describe here, from an academic standpoint, is a definition of the skill-sets that might be required to help the REAL WORLD assassin perform his or her mission. Call them what you will: Martial Arts, Combat Skills or Criminal Methods, The purpose is to develope very REAL, deadly and dangerous ability: ABILITY TO INFLICT CASUALTIES ON HUMAN TARGETS AND TO AVOID BECOMING ONE (Incidently, that is the goal of EVERY combat soldier in every Army on the planet!) To put together or "synthesize" a modern assassin's art, it is helpful to look at what has been done in the past. Then the task is to break the skills down into learnable, teachable units. It may interest the reader to know that there have been several attempts to do exactly that. (Some good, some mediocre). Throughout human history and, more recently, since the WWII era, a number of contributions have been made to the "ASSASSIN'S TRADECRAFT". What follows is a list and an outline.
[Type text] The resources upon which this overview is based have been chosen with a very limited perspective in mind. That is from the point of view of what ONE LONE ASSASSIN or at the most a small "cell" of assassins (3-5 personnel) might achieve. This size team, any Infantry Soldier will recognize as being a "fire-team" or approximately 1/2 of a SQUAD.
Skills can be drawn from the following:
A. The Secret O.S.S./S.O.E. Spy School:
A. OSS/SOE SPY SCHOOL TRAINING PROGRAM OF WWII: The first interesting example (above) can be a springboard to further research. It comes from an actual course outline for a program taught at what is referred to as "CAMP-X". This was the location of a British-Canadian-American spy school during WWII. This spy school was a joint effort of both the O.S.S.-OFFICE OF STRATEGIC SERVICES(American Intelligence and forerunner of the CIA) and S.O.E.-STRATEGIC OPERATIONS EXECUTIVE which was the British Intelligence arm during WWII) I believe this photo was taken at the SOE Camp-X historical museum display, which is located on the shores of Lake Ontario, Canada It doesn't take a whole lot of imagination to see how most, if not ALL, of these skills might be useful to the modern assassin. It can be considered a true tradecraft overview all
[Type text] on its own. The work BY ITS VERY NATURE is secretive. "Secret work", "Covert Operations", "Clandestine missions" ALL THESE are labels that apply equally to espionage, sabotage, subversion, infiltration and...Assassination. The skills in this spy school course outline, with just a little modification, can be extremely valuable to the modern assassin.
LINK: WWW.camp-x.com
Paramilitary Trainng:
Photo-NY Times After that comes tactical movement; an understanding of how to move when bullets start flying. How to take cover. behind anything that will stop a bullet, how to conceal yourself behind something else that may not. (and knowing the difference)
An essential element (for the Assassin), that is not included in the Spy School course outline above, is PARAMILITARY training. Presumably, this is because during WW2, most of the students arriving at the school had already completed some type of Basic Combat Training (B.C.T.) in their respective services. This includes training with all types of standard (and NOT so Standard) Infantry weapons; assault rifles, pistols, shotguns, grenades, mines etc. It doesn't take a whole lot of imagination to see how most, if not ALL, of these skills might be useful to the modern assassin. It can be considered a true tradecraft overview all on its own. The work BY ITS VERY NATURE is secretive. "Secret work", "Covert Operations", "Clandestine missions" ALL THESE are labels that apply equally to espionage, sabotage, subversion, infiltration and...Assassination. The skills in this spy school course outline, with just a little modification, can be extremely valuable to the modern assassin.
[Type text] Secret work (like assassination) REQUIRES a knowledge of criminal skills, disguise to blend in and avoid detection, Secret Work (like assassination) REQUIRES a knowledge of reconnaissance and an ability to break and enter discretely. Why?
Navy SEAL Insignia Think about the Navy Seal assault on the Bin Ladin compound. Before they left the compund, they gathered up numerous hard drives, thumb drives, files and papers with extremely valuable intellegence. It may not always be appropriate to storm in with a couple of helicopters and a platoon of heavily armed troops. The mission my require a more stealthly approach.
Secret Work Secition "A" of the Spy school outline lists KEYMAKING section "B" lists house breaking, burlglary and safe breaking. With the skills in this outline, not only could the target for assassination be completely suprised, there might an opportunity to gather intellegence that would go well beyond the value of the target's elimination. Secret work REQUIRES a knowledge of "enemy organization" whether they be military or local law enforcement. Secret work (like assassination) REQUIRES a knowledge of explosives for assassination or distraction. And lastly, Secret Work (like assassination) REQUIRES a knowledge of how a cell of assassins can communicate and coordinate activities secretly. So codes and ciphers would be of use, even with today's modern computer cryptography.
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For a comprehensive look at the content of the S.O.E. Spy School:
(I have an eBook copy of this in PDF format.) This volume contains over 350 pages of material including the complete syllabus of lectures for all the content material and skills taught at the S.O.E./O.S.S. Spy School. Because of all the espionage and "sneakaround" stuff, this book could be called "How to be a Spy... 0r an Assassin" The full outline of subjects above (Sections A-E) are gone into in considerable depth. One interesting example is from Section B; on the pruposes for Burglary: "Reconoitring (sic) interior of building for any subversive purpose - e.g. ASSASSINATION (emphasis mine) SPECIAL REPORT: al-Qaeda roots DEEP in ancient MURDER CULT!
FREE RESOURCES AVAILABLE AT: www.assassinstradecraft.com
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FREE RESOURCES AVAILABLE AT: www.assassinstradecraft.com B. NINJA-INVISIBLE ASSASSINS: FREE report on the 18 Skills of the Ninja: 18-Skills of the Ninja, available at www.assassinstradecraft.com
B. NINJITSU-OKAY! DON'T LAUGH! And don't roll your eyes! Hear me out! We're not talking here about some B-grade import movie with english subtitles. And I don't include it to appeal to the teenage crowd. Just take into consideration that classical Japanese Ninjitsu was first conceived as an art of ESPIONAGE, SABOTAGE AND ASSASSINATION. Ninjutsu has been variously described as the "Art of sneaking in", the "Art of Stealth" or the "Art of Invisibility", and the book below reveals the ninja's way of life that few outside of Japan have experienced. Ninja were the cloak-and-dagger artists of Japan's feudal era, from the late 13th century to the early 17th century. Some scholars believe that Ninjitsu is made up of 18 separate "Martial Arts". If we look at the list and delete the stuff that is clearly only of use to the medieval warrior, what we are left with is a list of skills. Once it is updated with modern technology, this list is strikingly similar in content to that of the OSS/SOE spy school! The list that follows is distilled from various sources, but contains the backbone of a potentially deadly ASSASSIN'S TRADECRAFT! I have used the Japanese names of the Ninjitsu art first then the english equivalent.
[Type text] 1. Seishin teki kyoyo (spiritual refinement) Roughly the equivalent of conditioning the mind to endure the rigors and horrors of combat; Instilling in the Soldier the rightness of the cause for which he or she fights. "Conditioning the mind" for combat is recognized by the U.S. Army. Mental health aspects are discussed in a program called "BATTLEMIND": U.S. Army "BATTLEMIND" Mental Health Program Another aspect of conditioning the mind for war is a training program and Field Manual on "Prisoner of War Resistance". This includes familiarization with the CODE OF THE AMERICAN FIGHTING MAN. Designed to give a Soldier psychological strength if taken prisoner. CODE OF THE AMERICAN FIGHTING MAN 2. Taiho-Jutsu (Physical Conditioning, Unarmed Combat and arresting tactics) Physical Conditioning and Unarmed Combat form the FOUNDATION of the Assassin's Tradecraft. All four attributes of Strength, Stamina, Flexibility and Agility were essential for the Ninja and for the Assassin today. Push ups, Pull ups, Sit ups, the 3-mile run and OBSTACLE COURSES as in the U.S. Military are all essential for this development.SEE OUR PAGE ON PHYSICAL CONDITIONING:
FREE RESOURCES AVAILABLE AT: www.assassinstradecraft.com Physical Conditioning Page There should be a balance of both Striking and Grappling techniques which would make it roughly equivalent to the sport of Mixed Martial arts in appearance. It is a fact that every branch of the U.S. Military today has some form of Mixed Martial arts training that resembles Brazilian Jiu-jitsu and MuayThai Kickboxing combined. See our page on Unarmed Combat/Silent Killing:
Unarmed Combat/Silent Killing
3. Bōjutsu (Stick, Staff and Impact Weapons) We are long past the era of the Bo-staff or Quarterstaff. However Nightsicks, Koppo & Yawara sticks, Kubotans, Palm saps, Slungshots, Blackjacks, Brass Knuckles, Flat Slappers and Fistlaods of all types ALL have a place in the Assassin's Tradecraft. These tools of the trade can increase the effectiveness of strkies to vulnerable areas of the body. See our page on IMPACT WEAPONS:
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FREE RESOURCES AVAILABLE AT: www.assassinstradecraft.com Impact Weapons Page 4. Shuri-ken/Tanto Jutsu (Spikes, Blades & Shuri-ken) Knife-Fighting and concealment, using a stiletto, throwing spikes, concealable lapel daggers, thumb and ring knives, wrist and shoulder sheaths, nylon and cermaic blades to avoid detection by metal detectors. (click on our page on KNIFE FIGHTING: Knife Fighting Page (below)Ninja!-Invisible Assasins is an interesting and historically accurate book on Ninjitsu. I have the book in my own personal library. It provides what can be considered a "FRAMEWORK" for an Assassin’s
Tradecraft -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(below) Ninja and their Sercet Fighting Art-By Stephen Hayes In feudal Japan, ninja warriors were credited with supernatural powers of invisibility and ways of learning any secret. They also were feared for their skill in espionage and assassination. Behind these legends is the reality of an ancient, sophisticated, highly systematic martial art: ninjutsu. Perhaps the least understood martial art of Japan, ninjutsu emphasizes naturalness of movement, responsiveness to one's adversary, and total practicality. Women as well as men were trained in this obscure deadly art. As its form crystallized, practitioners established an organized system for maintaining absolute secrecy. Now, all aspects of ninjutsu are revealed in this remarkable book written by the first American trained as a ninja.
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FREE RESOURCES AVAILABLE AT: www.assassinstradecraft.com 5. Kayakujutsu (fire and explosives) A considerable amount of time could be devoted to training the Assassin in the skills of how to formulate explosives, making improvised explosive devices etc for Arson, incendiaries, pyrotechnics and homemade bombs for sabotage, destruction and distraction/decoy.(see below no. 12."Dokujutsu") The Ninja clans, by using various techniques of misdirection and "sleight-of-hand", developed a reputation for having magical, even MIRACULOUS powers. Using methods that were common to MAGICIANS, They were able to shoot fire from their firngertips, escape impossible bonds, and shoot darts from their sleeve. Some thought them to be practicioners of SORCERY.
The Magician's Arsenal: For an interesting look at how a modern expert in the "Assassin's Tradecraft" might create these illusion of "Ninja-like" magical powers, check out this eBook, (below) freely available on the web. The sorcerers' secrets in this book all have a special twist: they combine the illusion of magic with the firepower of improvised explosives, incendiaries, firearms and electronics. Most magicians don't use flamethrowers or human blowtorches in their acts, but you can after reading this! The material in this book is
[Type text] dangerous and therefore for information purposes only. If you'd like a hard copy, you can find it at the
link on our website:
FREE RESOURCES AVAILABLE AT: www.assassinstradecraft.com ..."In order to wreak havoc and sew chaos, confusion, fear and desent in a criminal terrorist organization, one's knowledge of homemade explosives, incendiaries, bombs and boobytraps does not need to be very sophisticated"... 6. Hensojutsu (disguise and impersonation) Altering appearance to avoid detection or evade surveillance and apprehension. This can also include false identification and what today could be called "deep cover" or "undercover" assignments. ..."During WW2, the American OSS, our spy agency, developed this brief 11-page training document to give our secret agents, spies and assassins the fundamental knowledge they needed to avoid capture and detection. with just a LITTLE imagination, this material can be updated for use by the modern spy (er..um...ASSASSIN!):
Spy-Disguises
FREE RESOURCES AVAILABLE AT: www.assassinstradecraft.com 7. Shinobi-iri (stealth and entering methods) Stealthy walking, camouflage and blending in to avoid detection and capitalize on the element of surprise. Also includes Breaking and entering, lockpicking, etc. 8. Sui-ren (water training) Swimming for stealthy infiltration-exfiltration. This can include S.C.U.B.A. diving and submersible vehicles (mini-subs)
[Type text] 9. Bo-ryaku (strategy and tactics) Guerrilla warfare, hit and run, sabotage, ambush, raiding tactics, sniper tactics, boobytraps and mines. SEE FREE GUERRILLA WARFARE BOOK: Guerrilla Warfare Book
(FREE RESOURCES AVAILABLE AT: www.assassinstradecraft.com) 10.Cho-ho (espionage) This is what modern Intellegnece officers would refer to as "HUMINT" or Human intellegence. When it is all said and done, this is the single most important type of intellegence. Satilites, electronic intellegence etc play only a SUPPORTIVE ROLE to that of human intellegence. One can think of this area in terms of running a ring of spies (and Assassins), the "spycraft" involved in keeping an operation secret and gathering information "discretely" about the target's location and activities. Click on our page on ESPIONAGE AND SPYCRAFT:
The Mastery of the basics of espionage and Spycraft is ESSENTIAL for the CounterTerrorist ..."Assassin"... Espionage and Spycraft Link: (FREE RESOURCES AVAILABLE AT: www.assassinstradecraft.com) 11.Intonjutsu (escape and concealment) Escape and evasion-While driving or on foot, evading low-tech tracking dogs or high-tech infrared and night vision. This also includes smuggling, and hiding (called "caching") weapons, goods, supplies and people in water, underground, etc. 12.Dokujutsu (Poisons, Drugs, Medicines and Gases) This art is how the historical Ninja developed their skills to kill, heal, distract or simply render unconscious with homemade poisons, powders, gases and even colored smoke. (see above no. 5 Kyakujutsu) Also, See our page on: Poisons Drugs and Gases (FREE RESOURCES AVAILABLE AT: www.assassinstradecraft.com) ..." With a simple homemade chemistry lab, the modern Assassin can learn to formulate his or her own compounds"...
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13.Ten-mon (meteorology) Most "military operations" (assassination is a military operation) can be affected by the weather. It is important to accurately forecast weather conditions. 14.Chi-mon (geography) The US Army calls this "Terrain Analysis". Geography is important to mission planning, the approach, action at the objective and escape and evasive maneuvers. Success can hinge on how the geography is laid out. This is true in an urban environment as well as a rural. With just these two sources: 1.The S.O.E./O.S.S. Spy School of WW2 2.The 18 Skills (give or take 4 or 5) of Classical Ninjitsu One has an excellent springboard for further research into the development and synthesis of a modern "ASSASSIN'S TRADECRAFT".
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