Introduction

The United Arabs Emirates hosts different intelligence groups. The intelligence units help to keep the nations secure from attacks both locally and online. The United Arabs Emirates engages in employment and investigation of perfect minds in the recruitment process of new intelligence forces in the country. Major investment in forensic psychology training and support help the country to be safe from external attacks. Investment in the development of intelligence agencies like CyberPoint and the DarMatter in Abu Dhabi show dedication in supporting forensic psychology. The agencies lack adequate resources, and as a result, they contract American experts to train them. This paper ought to explore the use of forensic psychology in intelligence analysis in the UAE.

The state of intelligence agencies in the UAE

Çatalkaya & Karaman (2015) defines intelligence as the accurate and intellectualized information that is useful when necessary for solving crimes. The UAE finds challenge in acquiring new brains in the intelligence unit to ensure that all the security threats are covered. A report given in the (“The UAE’s covert web of spies, hackers and mercenary death squads”, 2019) showed that the UAE invested in inheriting CyberPoint intelligence staff to boost the forensic psychology in the agency. Additionally, the most notorious Italian Hacking Team is hired by the UAE to keep watch of the nation’s security issues. The intelligence units sit at the top of the clandestine and multibillion-dollar industry to supply law enforcement and intelligence agencies besides the businesses with the spyware and the cyber abilities. All these mentioned tasks require individuals with advanced knowledge in forensic phycology.

The reason for training and acquiring forensic phycologists in the intelligence unit is to empower the security of the country. Currently, major attacks have been experienced in the nations under the United Arabs Emirates. The country experienced electronic interceptions in 1900 when the Boar War arrived in the years 1889-1902. During that time, the British Royal Navy installed wireless devices produced by the Marconi on their ships. The Boars captured the wireless sets and utilized them in making vital transmissions. The United Arabs Emirates failed to attack the British because they were the only that could transmit the signals intercepted by the British.

Further, Signal Intelligence within the modern sense started many years ago with the Russo-Japanese War of 1904. During that time, the Russian fleet went for war with Japan, and the British ship intercepted the Russian naval wireless signals. As a result, the UAE thought it wise to train forensic phycology among the staff working in the forensic department.

The development of the First World War initiated the development of new forensic intelligence systems. Signal Intelligence reached maturity. However, the issues related to the failure in securing the communication systems enabled a lot of threats to come to the participating countries. The Russian Army led to the disastrous defeat by the German under the leadership of Hindenburg and Ludendorff during the Battle of Tannenberg. During the time, the French intercepted persons who captured a message through the ADFGVX cipher capitalized by the Georges Painvin. The activities provided the UAE with an advanced warning to improve the intelligence unit by training the staff on forensic psychology to collect relevant data.

The involvement in the war between the Russian, British and the Germans fueled a greater need for intensive and powerful security needs support for the UAE. A major reason for the improvement and training of the forensic phycology professionals resulted in aiding fight against the enemy. The British in particular developed great expertise in the development and the emerging field of the signals intelligence besides the codebreaking. During the declaration of the war, the British disconnected all the German undersea cables. The termination of the undersea communication minimized the amount of communication data collected during the battle. Further, there was an additional need for forensic intelligent professionals to help in the development of the new strategies and understanding of the enemy’s plan of destruction (“Foreign Terrorist Fighters Initiative”, 2019).

The involvement in the war saw most of the UAE forced being challenged by the enemy because of the poor intelligence units that had limited information about the enemy. For instance, the German fleet used the wireless technology on the ship to give regular position reports of their counterparts. The High Seas Fleet could infer from the routes chosen for defensive approaches. It prompted the need for a psychological intelligence officer to collect information available to fight the enemy. The strategic positioning of the operation plan could show the safest operation to take place in the warning provided. There also existed detailed information regarding submarine movement.

The developments of wars between the UAE and the neighbors led to the development of the need for psychology forensic intelligence service unit to collect data about the perpetrators. The Germans could use the radio frequency equipment to locate the transmitter development during the war. The radio equipment involved a lot of experiments in testing the effectiveness of the tools. As a result, the UAE had to invest in training and recruiting psychology intelligence experts. Every day the German Submarines and the fighting groups against the UAE could employ new technologies and approaches to win the battle. As a result, there was a need for continued thinking and development of new wisdom every day. Such challenges fueled the need for psychology experts.

Forensic psychology in action

The need to develop an excellent national intelligence team involves the involvement of staff who own forensic psychology skills in gathering information from the public and suspects. Human relations provide relevant data about essential for forensic psychological experts to derive insight and form decisions. The forensic training involves counselling of forensic cases in society. Other trained issues include training and research consultancy. Forensic psychology stands between psychology and the law. Through the training of forensic psychology, many trainees understand the problems related to family laws. In the UAE, issues of child custody evaluation and the visitation of risk assessment areas are part of forensic psychology.

The understanding of forensic psychology helps to collect data regarding personal injury examination and emotional issues in sexual harassment besides harassment. Additionally, forensic psychology helps the nation to equip the intelligence staff with the knowledge to deal with matters affecting the running of government operations. The understanding of the worker’s compensation and evaluation of civil competency influence the way the government operates. Forensic psychology assists the staff to understand the best means of evaluating the juveniles accused of criminal activities. Forensic psychologists could address the challenges linked with the credibility of the child witness and juvenile waiver evaluations.

Seminars for forensic psychology

The government and the security forces teach the Emirates the best tools required in modern society. A lot of training and workshops help to equip the staff with new ways of dealing with the intelligence of the participating parties. A report was given by (McLaughlin, 2019) aimed at teaching the recruits on the techniques required in operating the four to six-man surveillance teams. This new opportunity needed experts in psychology experts. The seminars organized help to equip the teams with the scavenger hunts of the intended plan of problem-solving skills. The seminars enable the students to come up with solutions facing the nation. The advanced students learn how to create useful identities to use in attending gals with diplomats. The training sessions help the nations to fight with a better understanding of the situation and their perpetrators. Additionally, the UAE help forensic psychology specialists learn how to groom the intelligence assets besides watch skits regarding the Libyan sources.

The learned skills could be used in a different intelligence service unit. A major intelligent unit is the Signals Intelligence Agency (SIA) that reports to the Supreme Council for the National Security. The SIA is a federal agency that creates a collaborative approach in information security and the innovation within the county. The agency purposely creates a secure digital environment to secure the pace of the progress in the UEA. Additionally, the agency is tasked with defending the nation’s significant infrastructure against cyber threats. The agency adopted the new technology to ensure that cyber activities are considered in the process. The Signals Intelligence Agency is responsible for establishing new approaches to focus on the attentiveness and the prevention against cyber threats. All cyber threats linked to building nationals capabilities are now addressable by promoting intensive research and innovation within the country.

In addition, the Emirati recruits train at a different site called “The Academy” for the around 30-minutes downtown the Abu Dhabi. The Academy involves use f gun ranges, barracks, and driving courses. The development and equipping of the facility assist the development of the facility. The course is a major part of the United Arab Emirates nascent efforts in creating a professional intelligence cadre developed after the West’s. The UAE government gathered a lot of applause by the investment in training forensic psychologists. A lot of lucrative careers and training have been invested in the development of quality staff. The government could invest in offering a fantastic amount; $1,000 daily. The money could enable a trainee to live in a five-star hotel within Abu Dhabi.

The training involved collaboration with the U.S army and security department to learn and equip themselves with new ways of doing things. The training aimed at pre-empting the radicalization of potential terrorism by tracking the people. The UAE meet different fighting groups such as the Muslims in the mosques and bookstores. According to (McLaughlin, 2019), Sanchez started training the Gulf nation to offer security training services. The officer moved to the famous UAE to establish a battalion of a foreign troop to serve the crown prince. Another intelligent officer And Richard participated in the development and advising of the Abu Dhabi national security unit.

The UAE’s reliance on foreign countries to build an improved security institution started long before the development of the conflicts. The states tried to maintain the details of the public view and start training the nascent intelligent operations. The details remain intact for security development. The UAE invests in recruiting private contractors to sell their skills in the intelligence service unit. Despite the growth of the intelligence unit in the country, the contracting activity raises issues in the nation because the U.S government struggle to how the new laws governing the highly trained intelligence staff in hawking their skills in other countries.

Challenges in developing forensic psychologist in UAE

The private contractors like Sanchez helped the UAE in developing an intelligent department. The war fought between the Emirates the other nations required advanced training from expert countries like the U.S where Sanchez originated. Despite the private contract and the development of new intelligence approaches, the private officers need the development of proper security approaches in their original countries to prevent the violation of the laws. Over time, there have been issues with the security issue of Sanchez’s relationship with the UAE. His job in the U.S faces scrutiny. The officers find to extract specific violation of the laws of the country. However, the officers concluded that the nation’s lead agency and the local domestic police trust was reducing public trust.

The revelation facilitated a major outcry from the public because the liberties of the organization were tracking the privacy of nation. Nevertheless, the CIA defended itself by saying that it did not contribute to spying the Americans.

When the Twin Tower in New York fell in 2001, the UAE found itself in the concerns regarding international terrorism. Experts argued that the Gulf nation had served as a transit hub for terrorism unknowingly. Two of the attackers were Emiratis. The findings prompted the development of intelligent thoughts that required forensic psychologists to understand the religion of the UAE. Besides, the entire national security. The Emirati officials invest in emulating Western security strategies. Most Emiratis invest in building intelligent technology departments like those found in Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom. The major challenge is the combination of the strategies gathered from the Western. The UAE found difficulty in combining the forensic tactics because of lack of central vision and the best plan.

The U.S forensic psychology support to UAE

The training from the U.S helped the UAE intelligence staff to enhance the training activities. The U.S government contribute to offering training to the Emiratis concerning digital security and offensive cyber operations. The U.S government encourage the Gulf nations to develop their own cadre operations from the United States intelligence unit. The U.S contractors and the government advisors assisted in setting up the UAE’s National Security Agency within the United States. The intelligence unit; Signals Intelligence Agency was developed in collaboration with the U.S government and the UAE to support the fibre communications.

Sanchez participated in teaching the best techniques required for domestic surveillance. A strong intelligence staff came up, and the training program involved simple mentorship programs. The Emiratis could understand how to spy and engage in paramilitary operations. The training helped the Emirates to grow faster as compared to any other nation. They relied heavily on the U.S intelligent officials like Sanchez. The course was modelled on the CIA’s training. The training involves forensic psychology because they deal with understanding the psychology of the people. The trainees learn primary intelligence pipeline that involves straightforward boot camp and reports writing. Further, debriefing and the note-taking operations in the foreign intelligence and external programs. Additionally, psychology training involves the understanding of the FBI law enforcement course and the paramilitary course.

The students participate in surveillance missions which involve the understanding of different occasions. The students learn the art of observation besides spotting the potential targets. During the teaching, the students get engaged in external surveillance courses that replicate the CIA’s farm training model. The trainer uses the CIA’s learning material after the CIA training drew the CIA scrutiny and fury proposing a review of the program. Forensic psychology involves many training units that equip learners with the best knowledge and skills in dealing with intelligence matters. The student learns driving and shooting techniques.

The UAE practice forensic psychology

According to Al-Ali, (2011), the selection of the police officer involves the examination of forensic psychology tests. The recruitment process involves psychopathological personality evaluations and general police performance. The police are tested on their emotional intelligence, general cognitive ability, and related work behaviors. The senior police officer argues that the use of psychometric tests like cognitive ability and personality tests helps in selecting the best entry candidates with emotional stability. Studies in Abu Dhabi Police revealed that cognitive ability, extraversion, emotional intelligence, and conscientiousness contribute to job performance.

Additionally, the research showed the evaluation of candidates’ personality trait through forensic psychology enhance the officers’ personality selection process. As a result, the teaching and use of forensic psychology in the UAE intelligent forces assist in supporting the validity of the applicants. Optimal selection contributes to developing an optimal match between the candidate’s talent and skills in the work-place. The seminars and the pre-training sessions are essential in identifying the job applicant adjusted and with skills and abilities suited in the work environment. Despite the inclusion of validity checks in the recruitment of police, the UAE Police face a challenge in selecting methods of predicting job performance.

The understanding of forensic psychology in the UAE Police force enable it to employ the right decisions that require knowledge of the individual’s characteristics and the capability to success when recruiting. The information is gathered in the evaluation of the individual’s relevant experience, abilities, traits, and skills (Cooper et al., 2003). The Abu Dhabi forces strengthened the personnel selection system and made it reliable, cost-efficient, valid and legally justifiable. The utilization of psychological testing in the UAE police organization is an old development. For example, the Binet-Simon Intelligence Scale has been used to reduce police officer positions. Personality evaluations techniques play a significant role in selecting and promoting employees.

Garcia (2018) reports that forensic psychology assists in cybercrime investigation and criminal profiling. Cybercrime activities continue to increase, and the effectiveness in the UAE require improvement. The UAE invests in the developing good and experienced staff in the cyber-related crimes. Cybercrimes require forensic psychological tests to get the best results from the suspects. Criminal profiling in the investigation is widespread in Abu Dhabi and has assisted in cybercriminal classification to differentiate the petty criminals from the professional criminal hackers.

According to Al Ali et al., (2012), the integration of forensic psychology and the public are essential in the performance evaluation of the police within the UAE nation. As a daily practice, police officer deal with people from different backgrounds and varying reasons. Such undertakings require psychological fitness and expertise. Additionally, police involve themselves in community problem-solving processes that need expertise learned in the psychology seminar and training places like CIA. However, the employment of forensic psychology skills and knowledge in the UAE face the challenge of poor organization.

References

Al Ali, O. E., Garner, I., & Magadley, W. (2012). An exploration of the relationship between emotional intelligence and job performance in police organizations. Journal of police and Criminal Psychology, 27(1), 1-8.

Al-Ali, O. E. (2011). Police selection via psychological testing: A United Arab Emirates study (Doctoral dissertation, Sheffield Hallam University,).

Çatalkaya, H., & Karaman, M. (2015). Usage of Forensics Science in Intelligence Gathering (Forensics Intelligence). Military and Security Studies 2015, 15.

Cooper, D., Robertson, I. T., & Tinline, G. (2003). Recruitment and selection: A framework for success. Cengage Learning EMEA.

Foreign Terrorist Fighters Initiative. (2019). Retrieved from https://www.thegctf.org/Portals/1/Documents/Framework%20Documents/The%20Hague-Marrakech%20Memorandum%20-%20ENG.pdf?ver=2016-03-29-134632-083&timestamp=1459412426016

Garcia, N. (2018). The use of criminal profiling in cybercrime investigations (Doctoral dissertation, Utica College).

McLaughlin, J. (2019). Deep Pockets, Deep Cover. Retrieved from https://foreignpolicy.com/2017/12/21/deep-pockets-deep-cover-the-uae-is-paying-ex-cia-officers-to-build-a-spy-empire-in-the-gulf/

The UAE’s covert web of spies, hackers and mercenary death squads. (2019). Retrieved from https://www.trtworld.com/magazine/the-uae-s-covert-web-of-spies-hackers-and-mercenary-death-squads-23805