Naval postgraduate school monterey, california thesis

Mianichi Shimbun
reported 
that the MRTA was demanding $30 million for the release of the Japanese hostages being 
held inside the residence. The next day, Monsignor Cipriani enters the residence to drop 
off a guitar. Cipriani did not know that this guitar had hidden electronic surveillance 
equipment for the hostages, specifically for Vice Admiral (ret.) Giampietri to 
communicate with the S.I.N. 
On 6 January 1997, the MRTA members fire two shots into the air from inside the 
residence. Vice Admiral (ret.) Giampietri begins transmitting messages using the guitar 
given by the International Red Cross. He receives information through a beeper that was 
hidden from the terrorists during the initial shakedown period, and responds by talking 
directly into the guitar to transmit. Giampietri proceeds to send between 30-40 messages 
daily, detailing critical intelligence required to develop the rescue operation. The 
following morning a reporter from the Japanese TV station 
Asahi
(Mr. Tsuyoshi Hitomi), 
and his translator infiltrate the security perimeter of the residence undetected, and 
conduct a 10-minute interview with Cerpa; they were later apprehended by the 
DINCOTE. 
By 8 January 1997, the International Red Cross informs that the exchange of more 
than 800 letters between hostages and their families has been facilitated through their 
efforts. President Fujimori again demands the release of all 74 hostages still left inside 
the residence, and reaffirms that there would be no negotiations. Monsignor Cipriani 
returns to Ayacucho frustrated with the standoff. The following day, the Peruvian 
government announces that Francisco Tudela would remain as the current counselor.

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53 
Later on that day, MRTA terrorists hang new signs stating, “Mr. Fujimori, don’t lie.
Money does not matter to us; the demand is the freedom of our prisoners” (trans. from 
El 
Comercio
, January 10, 1997, p. A-5). 
On 10 January 1997 at 0345 hours, the MRTA fires at PNP officers outside of the 
residence for being to close too the walls. Fujimori announces that there will be no more 
negotiations between Domingo Palermo and Cerpa, because of Tsuyashi’s (Japanese 
reporter) presence inside the residence. The next morning, Fujimori announces that 
several countries are willing to provide asylum for the terrorists. He also states that he 
would not need any outside assistance from international counterterrorist forces. At 1530 
hours, negotiations begin again with the MRTA and Monsignor Cipriani, together with a 
representative from the International Red Cross. At 1930 hours, the DINCOTE releases 
the Japanese reporter.
On 12 January 1997, the news media releases critical information on one of the 
negotiations between Cerpa and Cartolini, provoking a stop in further negotiations.
President Fujimori announces that force would be used in the event that one of the 
hostages was harmed. The following morning, the MRTA terrorists hang a new sign 
requesting 
América Televisión Channel 4
to come up to the residence to talk about their 
demands; 
Channel 4
is not allowed to see the terrorists. At 1121 hours, 12 shots were 
fired sporadically from inside the residence. By 0400 hours on 14 January, more shots 
are heard from inside the residence, and a new group of news personnel is stopped from 
trying to enter the residence. In a press conference, the Ecuadorian president, Abdalá 
Bucaram, requested the Peruvian government not to give in to the terrorists’ demands, 
and stated that he fully supported President Fujimori’s hard stance.
On 15 January 1997, the MRTA terrorists accept a proposal by the Peruvian 
government to create the Guarantor Commission for the peaceful resolution to the crisis.
MRTA requests a representative from Guatemala and another from Europe to be a part of 
the commission. The next day negotiations come to a stop between MRTA and Palermo 
due to unresolved differences. 
The mother of Yolanda Vila Placencia, one of the MRTA terrorists inside the 
residence, asks her to quit the MRTA and get out of the residence. There are still 

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54 
seventy-three hostages inside the residence. The following morning, two Japanese 
hostages are seen on the rooftop placing new signs by the MRTA, r equesting the
liberation of their prisoners. Later during the day, the Second Secretary to the Japanese 
residence was seen outside on the residence grounds, charging radio batteries for the 
terrorists. 
On 21 January 1997, Michel Minnig arranges for a house near the residence 
(Tomas Alva Edison Avenue #257), to be used by spokesperson Palermo for negotiations 
with the MRTA. The following diagram describes the procedures used during each 
negotiations session between the Guarantor Commission and the MRTA representative 
(“El Arabe”, trans. The Arab): 
Route of 
“El Arabe”
Negotiations
Room
Video
Cameras
Negotiations House:
The IRC gives “El Arabe” 
a two-way radio to 
communicate with Cerpa
during negotiations. 
Kitchen
Garage
Figure 10.
Author’s Representation of the Negotiations House 
The following day, President Fujimori states that there will be no dialogue with 
the terrorists if they insist on the liberation of their prisoners. Also on that day and for 
security reasons, the International Red Cross is restricted to the number of visits to the 
residence. In a show of force to harass the terrorists, a PNP helicopter flies over the 
residence and explosives disposal units show up around the security perimeter. The 

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55 
terrorists in an aggravated response shoot their AKM rifles into the air through the 
windows of the residence. 
On 23 January 1997, President Fujimori travels to Bolivia and pays a surprise 
visit to the Bolivian President Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada, to talk about the hostage 
crisis. The next day Fujimori meets with 150 Japanese tourists and talks to them about a 
peaceful resolution to the hostage crisis. That afternoon the PNP informs that the MRTA 
is firing automatic weapons aimed at the PNP in retaliation for another of their 
demonstrations.
Thanks to a petition by Monsignor Cipriani, PNP General José Rivas Rodríguez is 
released due to his critical state of health at 0054 hours on 26 January 1997. He was the 
last hostage to be released until 22 April 1997, with Operation CHAVIN DE 
HUANTAR. At 1712 hours, the MRTA fires four shots at the PNP security cordon.
Before sunrise on the following morning, 12 loudspeakers are installed at the main 
entrance of the residence, and loud music and patriotic hymns are played all throughout 
the day in what became a psychological operations battle between the PNP and the 
terrorists for the next several weeks. At 1530 hours, PNP officers began maneuvers 
around the perimeter of the residence. At 1715 hours, an MRTA terrorist fired his 
weapon at a PNP officer inside his vehicle. 
On 28 January 1997, the MRTA terrorists and PNP officials continue the 
propaganda battle with music and different noises playing back and forth. The main 
purpose of the PNP loudspeakers was to muffle the noises made by the miners digging 
the underground tunnels under the residence. The hostages cannot sleep and become 
increasingly nervous and stressed out with the loud music and noises.
We asked ourselves, why in the world would they [PNP] play such loud 
music every day? The MRTA terrorists would just put earplugs in and we 
would just sit there and suffer. It was deafening, all day and night!
(Personal Interview with Vice Admiral (ret.) Giampietri on 22 September 
2003).
At 0600 hours on 29 January, the first military march was heard for the next 20 
minutes, and again at 1800 hours. At 1315 hours, a group of medics from the