BAGHDAD--Students in the Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service's Intelligence Collection Course practiced interrogation techniques and evidence collection procedures in Baghdad, Iraq, Dec. 3, 2018.
The Iraqi CTS Academia consists of three schools: Initial Entry Training, Special Operations Qualification, and Special Operations Advanced Training.
The Intelligence Collection Course is part of CTS' third school, which provides job-specific training. Each student has prior intelligence experience and attends the six-week course to learn advanced skills from their Iraqi and Coalition force instructors.
"It's all about categorizing the evidence and interrogating the suspect," said an instructor who has been teaching the course for more than one year. "We have our methods, but we learn new things from the Coalition Forces."
The instructor said humane treatment of suspects is an important part of the training.
"We learn how to preserve human rights when we interrogate the suspect and how to extract information from the suspect without hurting them."
In addition to learning new techniques, the course is also a chance to sharpen current skills.
"We do these procedures every time we arrest somebody," said the ICC student class leader. "But it's always refreshing to learn more and check what you know."
He said interrogating the suspect is his favorite part of the training.
The students also learn how to search the suspect to collect evidence and biometrics. The evidence is then categorized, labeled and photographed thanks to newly acquired photography equipment.
Third school's deputy commander said training with new cameras allows the students to properly document evidence. They learn basic camera operations, night photography, preferred angles for photographs and how to use photo editing software.
He also added, "A lot of the students didn't know how to do that at first, so they had to learn it, and they are doing a good job now."
The training will also help as Iraq transitions to evidence-based prosecution and warrant-based operations. According to a Coalition adviser to the ICC, the advanced intelligence instruction will help produce the evidence and support the warrants needed for targeting purposes.
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