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Ministerie van Defensie 19 mei 2016 Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) A case study on the use of OSINT during MINUSMA - Strengths and Challenges Judith van de Kuijt TNO Safety, Security & Defence and the Netherlands Defence Academy, [email protected] Netherlands Defence Academy Faculty of Military Sciences The primarily results of this study show that Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) holds great promise for involvement in MINUSMA’s intelligence. This can partly be explained by the advantage OSINT has; it can often be classified as low. This is especially useful in an international environment such as the UN. However, it seems that most challenges are to be found within the “Analysis” issue of OSINT. For example, the extensive use of social media in Mali influences the ability to correctly processing data. In addition, experiences with disinformation originating from armed groups makes it challenging to judge the reliability and credibility of data. This requires analysis capable personnel with a broad expertise and who are supported by collection- and analytical tools. Data was gathered through a field trip to MINUSMA’s All Source Information Fusion Unit (ASIFU) in Bamako, Mali, 29 semi-structured interviews, and a literature study
