HUMINT is intelligence from human sources, as opposed to intelligence derived from signals (SIGINT), for example.

I’m aware of a few times when the FBI has relied on HUMINT.

The first instance involved a friend who found himself living next to a GRU agent, back during the Cold War. Said friend volunteered to act as a counter-espionage agent. Eventually enough data was accumulated to declare the GRU agent persona non grata and get him evicted from the country. My friend received some monetary compensation for his troubles – enough to buy carpets for his 1 bedroom apartment.

The second instance involved my son-in-law (SIL) when he was still single. A fellow student was jealous and reported SIL to the FBI. The FBI showed up at the door. I don’t recall if the FBI had a warrant or seached SIL’s apartment, but no force was used. The hapless fellow student was not in good graces with the FBI after that, although I am unaware of any retribution.

The third instance involves an eccentric brother (autistic, long-haired). He was sceptical about reports of a FBI website that allows folks to report suspicious neighbors. As a test, he submitted a hypothetical report about himself. I haven’t read the report, so I don’t know if he actually reported himself, or if he used subjunctive statements (e.g., If I thought so and so might be dangerous…).

In this third instance the FBI showed up at my brother’s home in force. When he asked if they had a warrant, the FBI agents tasered him three times. Other injuries appear to have occurred after my brother lost consciousness prior to being resuscitated in the hospital (wrenched arms, stomach stepped on, arrested breathing). Brother is now spending the week in the local psych ward courtesy of US taxpayers, his sanity questioned by the government for submitting a report that brought the full force of the local FBI down on his own head.

Across this vast data set of three examples, we have one true case of HUMINT against an agent intending harm to the United States and two false alarms alleging someone intended harm against the United States. In my field, these false alarms are known as clutter, noise, things that distract the authorities from true instances of problematic behavior.

Reduce HUMINT clutter. Don’t frivolusly report folks to the FBI or other law enforcement entities. And, for crying out loud, don’t report yourself just to test the system.

Tags: Writing