Naval postgraduate school monterey, california thesis

d. Deception 
Deception was achieved during all phases of the operation: from the 
initial deception with the food poisoning of the school kids, to the use of undercover cops 
to gather intelligence, the explosive charges to create a diversion, to the extraordinary use 
of jets to completely rattle the terrorists. The deception plan allowed the BBC marines to 
approach the train surreptitiously without being compromised. It gave the assault force 
the opportunity to exploit absolute surprise over the terrorists during the assault. Finally, 
the deception plan with the food was directly responsible for the safe release of the 
children at the Bovensmilde School.

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156 
3. Biorhythm 
Intelligence, Surprise + Deception, Operator’s Skill for Hostage Taker
Intelligence, Surprise + Deception, Operator’s Skill for Rescue Force
Mission
Success
Mission
Failure
St
ar
t o
f C
ris
is
St
ar
t o
f C
ris
is
Time
(weeks)
50% 
50% 
probability 
probability 
of success
of success
23 May 1977: Nine South 
23 May 1977: Nine South 
Mol uccan ter rorists sei ze train 
Moluccan terrori sts seize train 
in De Punt and school in 
in De Punt and sch ool i n 
Bovensmilde.
Bovensmilde.
HIT
0 1 2 3
4 5
Seven terrorists were killed 
and two surrendered. Two 
hostages were killed i n the 
firefi ght acci dentally.
Laced food is 
Laced food i s 
introduced i n school.
i ntroduced in school.
Terrori sts are forced 
Terrorists are forced 
to rel ease chil dr en 
to release children 
(all but four) .
(all but four).
Sni pers swim across 
canal and emplace 
TECHINT on train.
Undercover police 
officers bring food to 
the train and gather 
HUMINT.
Terror ists rel ease 
several hostages 
from the tr ain. Intel is 
gathered.
Assault element 
places diversionary 
expl osive device i n 
front of tr ain.
Sniper-observer 
teams provi de 
coverage of target 
24hrs a day.
Terrori sts impatient, 
make new demands.
10 Jun 77: decision made to 
l aunch a simultaneous assa ult 
on the tr ain and at the school.
At 0435hrs, F-104 star fighter s 
from the Royal Netherl ands Air 
Force flew over the train and 
kicked their afterburners
Assault el ement 
follows by blowing 
charges on doors and
windows
Assault element in 
armored vehicles 
takes control of 
the scho ol
Figure 42.
Author’s Representation for the De Punt Train Rescue Biorhythm