ISA was divided into branches of signals intelligence (SIGINT) specialists, human intelligence (HUMINT) specialists, and a highly compartmentalized direct action element, the "shooters." Candidates pulled from computer records, or by word of mouth were required to pass a tough selection course, physical and psychological tests. Royal Cape, Granite Rock and Powder Keg were some, Centra Spike and Torn Victor being other possible cover names. ISA would operate under a host of cover names to confuse anyone without the need to know. Its budget would be carefully concealed so that it never made a paper trail, and only a dozen officials would know the names and locations of all of ISA's agents and safehouses. It was provided with a cover name, Tactical Concept Activity, and would never be acknowledged by the Pentagon. Colonel Jerry King retained his position as the head of the group, now 100-strong and headquartered in a nondescript building in Arlington, Virginia. The unit would be immediately deployed to any country where a terrorist act against the United States had taken place, and would start providing critical intelligence, as well as setting up landing zones and infiltration routes for the counter-terrorist force. The FOG was re-named the Intelligence Support Activity (ISA), and given an initial budged of $7 million. With it, they had a unit of military spies able to covertly infiltrate a country and provide hands-on, critical intelligence, as well as to raise logistical support for counter-terrorist commandos in case of a crisis. The government realized the importance of the FOG. Unfortunately, the hostages were dispersed throughout the country, and the chance never came for a second attempt, but the seeds were planted for the Intelligence Support Activity. In the summer of 1980, FOG agents were infiltrated into Teheran to report back on the hostages' whereabouts, movements of the Iranians, as well as to recruit local agents. The second rescue force was not going to be affected by the same problem, and the FOG was established in July of 1980, under the control of Colonel Jerry King. The CIA proved unable to provide the critical intelligence Delta Force needed, such as the number of guards, the type of weapons they were using and what kinds of locks were on the doors. One problem that plagued the first attempt was the lack of valuable intelligence. When the first rescue attempt of the hostages in Iran failed, a second attempt, code-named Honey Badger, immediately started. Ironically, the embassy in Iran was on their itinerary, but, history intervened, and it was overrun by a mob who took the larger part of the staff hostage. The survey was successful, which led defense officials to create ad hoc Special Forces units to survey US embassies in hotspots around the world. Operators from the unit entered Nicaragua using false passports, and proceeded to photograph the embassy from every angle, record the types of locks on all doors, inside and outside, record the number of exits and windows, and finally drew up the internal layout of the building. The rapidly deteriorating situation in the country prompted the United States to create a small Special Forces unit with the purpose of surveying the US embassy. The ISA's origins are in the Foreign Operating Group (FOG), whose origin in turn is in the 1979 overthrow of Nicaraguan dictator Anastasio Somoza. The amount of accurate and up-to-date information about the ISA is very small, due to the extremely high secrecy surrounding the unit, but over the years, various books and reports have gleamed some information about the ISA. Perhaps the least known, and most classified unit within the realm of US special operations is the Intelligence Support Activity, a small, highly trained and capable intelligence unit. Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR) Special Operations Weather Teams ( SOWT ) Tonelero Special Operations Battalion COMANF Your Online Source for info on Special Warfare and counter-terrorism Units!ġ60th Special Operations Aviation Regimentīrazilian Army's 1st Special Forces Battalion Worldwide directory of special forces and government agencies
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