The Secret World of the CIA's High-Value Target Assassinations

 

 

The CIA's "High-Value Target" (HVT) list outlines the agency's plan to capture or kill individuals deemed a threat to national security. It’s basically a ‘hit list’ that involves extensive intelligence gathering, analysis, and review, with input from various agencies. The President and other top-level officials decide to add someone to the list, based on factors such as their involvement in terrorist activities, potential threat to American interests, and the likelihood of successfully capturing or killing them.

     This life-or-death decision is a collaborative effort involving representatives from the CIA, the Department of Defense, the National Security Council, and other relevant agencies. Legal advisors and policy experts provide guidance. But ultimately, POTUS and a few top-level officials make the decision to snuff someone out.

     In my spy thriller novel MISSION OF VENGEANCE, CIA spymaster Corey Pearson is ordered by the President to track down and eliminate Russian Spetsnaz assassins who brutally murdered an innocent American family at a Caribbean tourist resort. The novel portrays how high-level officials from intelligence agencies, legal advisors, and policy experts participate in the decision, and the list is referred to as the “Kill or Capture” (KC) list, not the actual “High-Value Target” (HVT) list.

     In real life, Anwar al-Awlaki made it on the HVT list. He was an American-born Yemeni cleric and leader of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), who was killed by a U.S. drone strike in Yemen in 2011.

     His involvement in terrorist activities and his influence as a propagandist for AQAP made him particularly dangerous, as he could radicalize and recruit individuals from around the world, including Americans. His death was also a significant blow to AQAP's propaganda campaign, as he had become a key figure and spokesman for the organization.

     Several years ago, I wrote an article detailing the decision-making process and ultimate assassination of al-Awlaki, entitled The CIA's "Kill or Capture" list- from the Corey Pearson- CIA Spymaster spy thriller series.

     Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, a Jordanian national and leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI), was also on the CIA's HVT list and was killed in a U.S. airstrike in 2006. He executed a series of deadly attacks against civilians, U.S. military personnel, and Iraqi government officials. Zarqawi's extremist ideology and tactics, including suicide bombings and other forms of violence against civilians, posed a significant threat to American interests in Iraq and the region.

     You have to work hard to make it on the CIA’s HVT list, and al-Zarqawi did his best. He personally killed or ordered the killing of hundreds, if not thousands, of people. His attacks killed numerous American soldiers, civilians, and contractors in Iraq. According to official U.S. military sources, he was responsible for the deaths of at least 603 coalition forces, including Americans, between 2003 and 2006. However, this figure does not include the number of Americans who may have been indirectly killed or injured as a result of his actions.

     The HVT list remains highly classified, and it is difficult to know who is currently on the list. It is constantly updated based on new intelligence and threats. Not all individuals on the list are targeted for immediate action and may be subject to ongoing surveillance and monitoring. No one on the list has been killed on American soil since it primarily targets individuals who pose a threat to U.S. national security abroad.

     As the world continues to grapple with the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, the hunt for the terrorists responsible remains a central focus for the CIA. The agency's targeting of high-value individuals, or HVIs, has been a key part of this effort, and its successes and failures in this area are closely watched by policymakers and the public alike.

     The MISSION OF VENGEANCE spy thriller explores how the U.S. government goes about tracking down and eliminating a High Value Individual (HVI). The novel depicts the CIA's operatives as they scramble to thwart an imminent and catastrophic attack, offering insights into the real-life methods used to pursue and neutralize a target.

     One thing is certain: the shadowy world of intelligence gathering, and covert operations is a dangerous one, and the consequences of failure can be catastrophic. And with the threat of terrorism continuing to loom large over the world, the hunt for HVIs is likely to remain a top priority for intelligence agencies for years to come. 

Robert Morton is a member of the Association of Former Intelligence Officers (AFIO) and enjoys writing about the U.S. Intelligence Community. He authors the Corey Pearson- CIA Spymaster series. Check out his latest spy thrillers: MISSION OF VENGEANCE.