Naval postgraduate school monterey, california thesis

R
E
S
C
U
E
Principals of HR
INTELLIGENCE
SURPRISE
OPERATOR’S SKILL
D ECEPTION
SURPRIS E, VIOLENCE OF ACTION, SPE ED, SECURITY, $$$,
CONTRO L, LUCK, PEER PRE SSURE, WILL TO EXCEL,
INTESTINAL FORTITUDE, CONTINGENCIES,
CONFIDENCE, PURPOSE,
SIMPLICITY, SKILLS
REPETITION
SHOCK,
CULTURE,
INTELLIGENCE,
SIMPLICITY, CONTING ENCY, 
ANTICIPATION, DAVID & GO LIATH MENTALITY,
USE OF ROEs, POLITICAL SITUATION, INSTABILITY,
NECES SITY, EXP ERIENCE, OWN TURF, ADAPT ATION, LOW TECH 
WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY:
WINDOW OF OPP ORTUNITY:
CLOSES FOR TERRORISTS / OPENS 
CLOSES FOR TERRORISTS/ OPENS 
FOR RESCUE FORCE
FOR RESCUE FORCE
INT
EL
LIG
EN
CE
SU
RP
RIS
E
OP
ER
AT
OR
’S 
SK
ILL
S
DE
CE
PT
ION
MO
ME
NT
UM
SH
OC
K E
FF
EC
T
AD
RE
NA
LIN
UN
CE
RT
AIN
TY
TE
RR
OR
TIPPING
POINT
FAILURE
SUCCESS
TERRORISTS
RESCUE FORCE
P
o
in
t 
of
 No
 Re
tu
rn
 (
P
N
R
)
Police Force Cordon
Forward Staging 
of Rescue Force
R ehearsals
Fire Dept. / 
Ambulance
Negotiator in Charge
Tri ggers
Special Operations Forces
Tier 3
Release
Tier 2 / Tier 1
Handover or 
Augmentation
Day 1
Day 4
Day 3
Day 2
Day 5
Initial Demands
Barricaded / 100% Alert
Negotiations
Hostage Shot
Threats & Promises
Transference
Sniper/Observers
Figure 9.
Author’s Representation of a Hostage Crisis Diagram Incorporating the 
Four Hostage Rescue Principles with the Biorhythm

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35 
III.
 
OPERATION CHAVIN DE HUANTAR
33
 
A. BACKGROUND 
 
The Movimiento Revolucionario Túpac Amaru (MRTA, trans. 
Tupac Amaru 
Revolutionary Movement
) is a traditional Marxist-Leninist revolutionary movement 
formed in 1983 from remnants of the Movement of the Revolutionary Left, a Peruvian 
insurgent group active in the 1960s. Its basic aims are to establish a Marxist regime and 
to rid Peru of all imperialist elements (primarily U.S. and Japanese influence). In order to 
understand what catapulted the members of the MRTA to conduct such a desperate act of 
recognition, we must look back and understand the early beginnings of this organization 
and its patterns of violence throughout the last three decades in Peru. 
In early 1982, several leftist parties give birth to the Movimiento Revolucionario 
Túpac Amaru after a series of negotiations known as “the convergence” (McCormick, 
1993, p. 6). On 31 May, they conduct their first unclaimed attack at the 
Banco de 
Crédito de Lima
. This action was not claimed by the MRTA until 1984 (
Caretas
, 
October 9, 1984, pp. 14-15). The following year, the movement officially adopts the 
name Movimiento Revolucionario Túpac Amaru in November, and continues to develop 
and organize until the first part of 1984. An MRTA squad attacks the U.S. Embassy 
Marine Guard residence in Lima. By 1984, the first MRTA manifesto is made public, 
vindicating military actions countrywide. This publication called on all leftist 
organizations, progressive elements within the church, and the Shining Path (Sendero 
Luminoso or SL), to join in a common armed struggle throughout the country. In 
January, the first MRTA Central Committee is appointed and named 
Jorge Talledo Feria
.
On 22 January, the MRTA conducts an attack against the Villa El Salvador police station, 
marking this first overt political target of the organization. In February, MRTA kidnaps 
newscast personnel from 
Radio Imperial
radio station forcing them to broadcast MRTA 
33
CHAVIN DE HUANTAR is the code name given by President Alberto Fujimori on the day of the 
operation. During the previous four months, the operation was known as “Tenaz” (trans. “Tenacious”).
The name CHAVIN DE HUANTAR was inspired from the ancient pre-Incan civilization of that name, 
dating 3000 B.C. and located 100 kilometers from the Huaraz capital, of the Ancash sector in the central 
region of Peru. The CHAVIN DE HUANTAR civilization and culture are known for their spectacular 
architecture that stands out for its intricate tunnels and underground water irrigation systems that run 
throughout their entire city. It is also believed that their warriors used these tunnels to fight and defend 
their city from attackers.

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36 
subversive messages that state their purpose and intentions in overthrowing the current 
regime. This action is repeated several days later at the 
Radio Independencia
station. On 
8 October, MRTA burns an evangelical church run by American missionaries in the town 
of Ayacucho.
By February of 1985, the second MRTA Central Committee is formed and named 
Carlos Sánchez Neyra
. In April, the first MRTA pamphlet is published under the title 
Venceremos
(trans. 
We will win
). On 20 March, the local 
Kentucky Fried Chicken
in 
Lima is firebombed. Several other fast food restaurants are attacked and burnt down in 
the towns of San Isidro, Surco, and Miraflores. In May, MRTA leadership outlines and 
releases a document that pretends to explain their existence and political expectations.
On 30 March, they attack two armories, taking with them large quantities of weapons and 
ammunition. By 16 June, MRTA intercepts 
Channel 5
’s audio signal and transmits their 
first underground radio message titled 
4 de Noviembre
(trans. 
November 4
th
). On 12 July, 
MRTA attacks seven police stations simultaneously. On 25 July, they firebomb the 
Minister of Interior’s vehicle while it is in the parking lot. On 4 November, a small 
MRTA team takes over 
La Nación
newspaper, and hands out MRTA propaganda. In 
December, MRTA sends several military teams to train with the Revolutionary Armed 
Forces of Colombia (FARC
34
) in Colombia. 
In January of 1986, MRTA rebels take over five radio stations and force them to 
broadcast MRTA propaganda. From 9 to 14 February, the third MRTA Central 
Committee is organized. On 8 August, MRTA members attack the Palacio de Gobierno 
(Peruvian Congress). During this year in June, the infamous prison riots
35
take place, 
leaving 244 prisoners dead, many of them after they had surrendered, by members of the 
Peruvian armed forces. On 21 April, MRTA detonates a car bomb carrying 60 kilos of 
34
Established in 1964 as the military wing of the Colombian Communist Party, the FARC is 
Colombia’s oldest, largest, most capable, and best-equipped Marxist insurgency. The FARC is governed by 
a secretariat, led by septuagenarian Manuel Marulanda (a.k.a. “Tirofijo”) and six others, including senior 
military commander Jorge Briceno (a.k.a. “Mono Jojoy”). The FARC is organized along military lines and 
includes several urban fronts (information retrieved from the Dudley Knox Library home website, 
http://library.nps.navy.mil/home/tgp/farc.htm on 1 Nov 03). 
35
Incarcerated members of Shining Path staged coordinated uprisings at three Lima-Callao prisons:
Lurigancho prison, Lima, Peru; El Frontón prison, Lima, Peru; and Santa Bárbara women's prison, Callao, 
Peru. The government reacted violently, declaring a war zone in the prisons and calling in the armed forces 
to quell the riots. 

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37 
dynamite at the U.S. Ambassador’s residence; one civilian is killed and eight other 
people are injured. Also in April, MRTA rebels bomb the