Intelligence and the ‘Heart’ of the terrorist: managing the system of systems to discover and respond to tactics of fear

Abstract

This article is inspired by the need to fill the gap for context-specific knowledge on the functioning of intelligence systems in Africa. Terrorism threatens people's well-being, and reliable intelligence is the main defence line of society in terms of decision-making on appropriate immediate responses or calculated strategies over an extended time. Against this background, the author asks: What innovative, integrated intelligence system is required to discover, predict and respond to terrorist activities? Therefore, the article aims to discuss an innovative intelligence management system that would enable the intelligence professional and decision-maker in a timely way to discover and respond to terrorist activity in African society. The aim is achieved by developing conceptual clarification on terrorism and intelligence systems, followed by a discussion of research findings of what is required to conduct intelligence to combat terrorism. The article recommends an intelligence approach founded on the principles of collaboration, centrality of interpretation, adaptation, objective rationality and human-centredness.