Leaderless resistance, or phantom cell structure, is a political
resistance strategy in which small, independent groups (covert
cells), including individuals (solo cells), challenge an
established adversary such as a government. Leaderless
resistance can encompass anything from non-violent disruption
and civil disobedience to bombings, assassinations and other
violent agitation. Leaderless cells lack bidirectional, vertical
command links and operate without hierarchal command. While it
lacks a central command, the concept does not necessarily imply
lack of cooperation. Given the simplicity of the strategy, as
well as the fact that it is difficult to stamp out, leaderless
resistance has been employed by a wide range of movements, from
terrorist and hate groups, to the animal-liberation movement,
radical environmental movement, as well as anti-corporate, anti-
abortion activists and resistance to military invasion or
colonialism. General characteristics  A typical covert cell
operates as anything from a lone ind