ABSTRACT
A top foreign policy priority of the United States is countering Islamic terrorism, especially the al Qaeda network and groups that are inspired by or collaborate with it. Accurate intelligence is crucial to this effort. Even the most effective terrorist groups like al Qaeda control far fewer resources than the states against which they direct violence. It is this asymmetry in resources that leads them to adopt the tactic of terrorist attacks, which, by targeting civilians randomly, gives attracts more attention to their grievances. It also leads terrorist groups to devote a great deal of attention to concealing their membership, sources of finance, training locations, and communications from state authorities.
