Death of Soviet defector Gordievsky not seen as suspicious, British police say

March 24, 2025 by 8 Comments

Oleg GordievskyBRITISH MEDIA REPORTED THE death on Saturday of Oleg Gordievsky, arguably the most significant double spy of the closing stages of the Cold War, whose disclosures informed the highest executive levels of the West. Having joined the Soviet KGB in 1963, Gordievsky became increasingly disillusioned with the Soviet system of rule following the 1968 invasion of Czechoslovakia.

By 1974, Gordievsky had established contact with Danish and British intelligence and was regularly providing information to Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service (MI6). After 1982, when Gordievsky was posted to the Soviet embassy in London, MI6 deliberately subverted his superiors at the embassy by expelling them. This effectively enabled Gordievsky to take their place and rise to the position of resident-designate of the KGB station in London.

Intelligence historians credit Gordievsky’s intelligence with having shaped the strategic thinking of British and American decision-makers in relation to the Soviet Union. Crucially, Gordievsky’s warnings to MI6 that the Kremlin was genuinely concerned about a possible nuclear attack by the West prompted British and American leaders to temper their public rhetoric against the Soviet Union in the mid-1980s. Some even credit Gordievsky with having helped the West avoid a nuclear confrontation with the Soviet Union.

In 1985, while undergoing interrogation by the Soviet authorities, Gordievsky was smuggled out of Russia by British intelligence, hidden inside a car that made its way to Finnish territory. He was subsequently sentenced in absentia to death for treason against the Soviet Union. In 1991, following an agreement between British and Soviet authorities, Gordievsky’s wife and daughters were allowed to join him in England.

According to Surrey Police, officers were called to a residential address in the city of Godalming on Tuesday March 4, where they found 86-year-old Gordievsky’s body, surrounded by members of his family. Godalming is a small market town in southeastern England, located around 30 miles from London. Surrey Police noted in a statement that the investigation into Gordievsky’s death was led by counterterrorism officers. However, his death was “not being treated as suspicious”.

Gordievsky spent nearly 40 hours in a coma in 2007, from which he eventually recovered. He subsequently claimed that he had been poisoned after taking sleeping pills tainted with a lethal toxin, which had been supplied to him by a man he referred to as a “business associate” with a Russian background.

► Author: Joseph Fitsanakis | Date: 24 March 2025 | Permalink

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European Union exploring spy satellites to replace its reliance on US network

March 17, 2025 by 4 Comments

European Space AgencyTHE EUROPEAN UNION IS  considering building its own military satellite network in an effort to reduce or eliminate its reliance on American satellite capabilities, according to reports. The London-based Financial Times newspaper said on Saturday that the exploratory project is being led by Andrius Kubilius, a veteran Lithuanian politician who is serving as the European Commissioner for Defense Industry and Space.

Speaking to The Financial Times, Kubilius confirmed that the European Union is considering the construction of a low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite system. Such a system would complement the European Union’s existing Copernicus Earth observation program, which is managed by the European Commission in partnership with the individual European Union member states. The costs and benefits of Copernicus are shared by member states and by several agencies, including the European Space Agency, the European Environment Agency, and the European Maritime Safety Agency.

Unlike Copernicus, a new LEO satellite system would primarily satisfy military priorities and would generate imagery updates every 30 minutes, thus providing near-real-time intelligence on targets. In contrast, Copernicus satellites are able to generate new imagery every 24 hours. Moreover, a new LEO satellite system would integrate into IRIS², an internet network of multi-orbit satellites intended to provide on-demand location-tracking, security surveillance and secure communications links to European Union member states. IRIS² is scheduled to become operational in 2027.

In his comments to The Financial Times, Kubilius acknowledged that the idea for a new European Union LEO satellite system was sparked by “changes in the geopolitical situation” relating to the United States. Subsequently, the European Union is exploring ways to “reduce its reliance on United States military assets”, he said. The commissioner admitted that such a project would be costly—perhaps in excess of $540 billion—as well as time-consuming. But there was much desire to proceed, he said.

In the meantime, the European Union is considering “commercial alternatives” until an independent European Union-run satellite network becomes fully operational, according to the The Financial Times.

► Author: Joseph Fitsanakis | Date: 17 March 2025 | Permalink

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Russia expels two UK diplomats, accuses London of sabotaging Trump peace plan

March 10, 2025 by 3 Comments

FSB RussiaTHE RUSSIAN FEDERATION HAS revoked the accreditation of two British diplomats over espionage allegations, while also accusing the United Kingdom of sabotaging the United States’ “peace plan” for Ukraine. The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) said on Monday that the diplomatic expulsions involved two British men, a diplomat stationed at British embassy in Moscow, as well as a spouse of another British diplomat.

According to the FSB, the two men “intentionally provided false information” to Russian authorities when they were granted official permission to enter the country, which made them ineligible for continued accreditation. Additionally, the FSB claims it has in its possession evidence that the two men have been “carrying out intelligence and subversive work” on Russian soil, which “threatens the security of the Russian Federation”.

In February of this year, the United Kingdom expelled a Russian diplomat in an apparent response to earlier expulsions of British diplomats by Russia, which occurred in November 2024. The rounds of diplomatic expulsions between London and Moscow go back to at least 2022, after Russia invaded eastern Ukraine for the second time. This week’s expulsions raise the number of British diplomats that have been expelled from Russia to seven.

Meanwhile Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), which carries out intelligence operations abroad, has accused Britain of being “the world’s biggest warmonger”. In a statement shared with reporters on Monday, the SVR claimed that London was actively sabotaging American efforts to “secure peace” in Ukraine by “undermining the peacekeeping efforts” of United States President Donald Trump.

In a statement issued on Monday, the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office said it was not the first time that Russia had leveled “malicious and baseless accusations” against its diplomats.

► Author: Joseph Fitsanakis | Date: 10 March 2025 | Permalink

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Pentagon orders its cyber arm to stop operations against Russia [updated]

March 1, 2025 by 12 Comments

PentagonTHE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT of Defense has reportedly ordered its Cyber Command to “stand down from all planning” of cyber operations aimed at Russia. According to technology news source The Record, the order was issued by President Donald Trump’s newly appointed Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth. Citing three anonymous sources familiar with the matter, the Record said US Cyber Command’s outgoing Director of Operations, Marine Corps Major General Ryan Heritage, communicated the order last week to all component commands.

Established in 2009, the US Cyber Command is among the 11 unified combatant commands of the US Armed Forces. It coordinates and directs cyber operations in the Department of Defense, having achieved a degree of autonomy from the National Security Agency (NSA), which has historically led the US military’s defensive and offensive cyber operations.

According to the Record, Secretary Hegseth’s order appears to encompass all offensive cyber operations aimed at Russia. These are carried out by US Cyber Command’s National Mission Teams, as well as all component commands, which reside under the US Armed Forces branches —namely the Army, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Navy. The order also appears to apply to all cyber operations carried out by the US European Command. However, the order does not apply to the NSA, according to the report.

The precise scope of Secretary Hegseth’s order remains unclear. The exact duration of the order is also not known at this time. But, according to the Record, Hegseth’s order provides “more evidence of the White House’s efforts to normalize ties with Moscow,” as the Trump administration continues to push for a negotiated end to the Russo-Ukrainian war.

In a separate development, Secretary Hegseth reportedly told Mexican government officials on Friday that the US military was “prepared to take unilateral action” to combat drug cartels in the country. According to the Wall Street Journal, which first reported this development, the Trump administration has begun transporting nearly 2,000 troops to the US-Mexican border, to assist in “machine operation, medical evacuation and administrative support.

UPDATE: The New York Times is also reporting this as of March 2, stating that move is “apparently part of a broader effort to draw President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia into talks on Ukraine and a new relationship with the United States.”

► Author: Ian Allen | Date: 01 March 2025 | Permalink

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Review of “Chinese Espionage Operations and Tactics” (Second Edition)

February 19, 2025 by 2 Comments

Chinese Espionage Operations and TacticsMUCH HAS HAPPENED IN the West and in China since Nick Eftimiades first published Chinese Espionage Operations in 1994. It was the first in-depth study of Chinese espionage operations, which for decades had been overshadowed by Soviet intelligence and their espionage operations.

Throughout much of the latter part of the 20th  century, United States and other Western security services viewed Chinese intelligence and security services as being focused on their own internal security matters. They were not nearly as well-known or recognized as other adversarial intelligence and security services.  Nick was one of first experts to shine a light on Chinese intelligence operations. Since that time, he has dedicated his career and untold time and efforts to better understand Chinese intelligence tactics and techniques.

In the second edition of the book, Nick provides a comprehensive analysis and assessment on how the espionage and intelligence threat from China has grown significantly over the past three decades. He explains this in very clear and unambiguous terms to anyone who seeks a better understanding of these threats. This book is a culmination of more 30 years of dedicated research and the analysis of hundreds of cases that involve China. It focuses, not only on traditional espionage cases and operations, but examines motives, techniques and tactics relating to economic espionage, the theft of trade secrets and the theft of academic research and development.

There are a number of detailed case studies and real-life examples in the book, which show it is not only Chinese government organizations that pose a significant threat to United States and Western interests, but also a multitude of actors —e.g., academia, business people and researchers, with access to universities, commercial entities and think tanks. Chinese intelligence operatives conduct activities in all these areas in order to help China fulfill its strategic information and technology requirements and objectives. Nick examines China’s Whole of Society approach to a number of recent traditional and non-traditional collection efforts.

Chinese Espionage Operations and Tactics is an absolute must-read for individuals who handle national security matters; for state and local officials who are engaged in discussions with Chinese officials; for American and other Western businesses who are, or who will be, doing business with Chinese counterparts; for those in academia and research institutes involved with technology research and development, and finally for those who seek a better understanding of the threats posed by China’s growing and expanding worldwide presence and intelligence apparatus.

► Author: John N. Wanat* | Date: 19 February 2025 | Permalink

  • John N. Wanat retired as Assistant Director for Investigations, Office of Export Enforcement, Bureau of Industry and Security, Department of Commerce.

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Israeli soldiers working for Iranian intelligence spied on the Iron Dome

February 17, 2025 by 3 Comments

Iron Dome IsraelLAST MONTH, ISRAEL ARRESTED two reservists following an investigation that lasted several months and centered on uncovering espionage for an Iranian state entity during wartime. The two reservists had completed their regular military service before joining the reserves.

The two soldiers, identified as Yuri Eliasfov and Georgi Andreyev, held sensitive positions, and a least one was serving as a member of staff in Israel’s Iron Dome air defense system. The soldier serving in the Iron Dome is accused by the police, the Israel Security Agency (ISA), and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), of aiding the enemy during wartime, for which the penalty is life imprisonment or death without the discretion of the court. A prosecutor’s statement has been filed against the two soldiers.

According to the investigation, the espionage affair began when one of the suspects, who served in a classified security system, sought to make contact with Iranian intelligence on social media. During his search, he contacted an Iranian operator, who asked him to complete various tasks in exchange for payments. The investigation revealed that the two soldiers were recruited by Iranian intelligence through the Internet to carry out missions in exchange for payments.

They two men were initially required to spray anti-government graffiti in Tel Aviv and in Israel’s the northern region. Giorgi Andreyev, fearing the consequences of such actions, withdrew from the operation. “We are working for Iran and doing something dangerous,” he told Eliasfov. Despite this, however, Eliasfov, who is reportedly the main suspect in the case, continued his activities.

The undercover investigation revealed that Eliasfov, who serves in the Iron Dome system, filmed a video while participating in a classified information, which he then sent to his Iranian handler. He received $3,500 from the same Iranian official, while his at-times accomplice received $70. During his interrogation, Eliasfov claimed that he committed the acts due to being in a difficult financial situation and because he sought to obtain money easily.

One of the interesting findings that emerged from the investigation of the suspects was that other soldiers and family members were aware of Eliasfov’s initial actions and warned him that he was connecting himself with Iranian elements. Despite that, Eliasfov continued his espionage activities, which included filming a video from inside an Iron Dome facility. The footage reportedly contained classified material that could significantly endanger the security of the State of Israel. Read more of this post

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DOGE breach of US Treasury data may harm CIA intelligence assets, officials warn

February 8, 2025 by 13 Comments

Department of the TreasuryUNITED STATES GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS have raised concerns that allowing Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DoGE) access to Treasury Department databases could expose human intelligence assets operating abroad. On January 31, newly installed Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent gave two DoGE employees, Tom Krause and Marko Elez, read-only access to the Treasury Department’s payment system. Elez, 25, subsequently resigned from DoGE, following allegations that he had authored a series of racist tweets. However, last Friday Musk announced on X that he would rehire Elez.

According to The Washington Post, a senior Treasury employee filed a memorandum to Secretary Bessent, warning that any form of access to the department’s payment system by DoGE employees would “pose an unprecedented insider threat risk” to government secrets. The memo reportedly focused specifically on payments made by Treasury to human intelligence sources, which are typically recruited and handled abroad by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), and other agencies of the United States Intelligence Community. Such payments are made to foreign assets who collect intelligence on behalf of American agencies, or Americans who work in an intelligence capacity without the use of diplomatic cover.

According to Newsweek, which followed up on the story, the memo noted that the Treasury Department employs several methods to disguise payments made to human intelligence sources. However, these methods remain vulnerable to detection by “people with the requisite know-how”, which would allow these assets to be identified and could place their lives in danger. As a result, DoGE’s access to the classified database posed an “unprecedented insider threat risk”, according to the memo. It advised Secretary Bessent to “suspend [DoGE’s] access immediately and conducting a comprehensive review of all actions [DoGE employees] may have taken on these systems”.

On Saturday a federal judge in the district of Manhattan issued a preliminary injunction that bars DoGE from accessing any Treasury Department databases that contain personally identifiable information. The injunction also instructs DoGE personnel to surrender back to Treasury all information they have obtained so far. A hearing to decide the next steps in the case is due to occur on February 14.

► Author: Joseph Fitsanakis | Date: 08 February 2025 | Permalink

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FBI’s top New York official urges personnel to ‘dig in’ for ‘battle’ with White House

February 3, 2025 by 4 Comments

FBITHE HEAD OF THE Federal Bureau of Investigation’s largest field office sent an email to his staff last night, urging them to “dig in” for “battle” after the White House began scrutinizing the Bureau’s investigation into the January 6 riots. James E. Dennehy, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s New York field office, sent a defiant email to FBI employees just hours after the Department of Justice (DOJ) began compiling the names of Bureau personnel who participated in the probe of the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

On January 31, President Donald Trump’s administration summarily dismissed nine senior FBI officials. The following day, the Bureau’s interim leadership received a DOJ directive instructing them to provide information on all employees involved in the January 6 investigation. This request applies not only to special agents but also to thousands of FBI personnel who provided support services for what remains the largest investigation in the agency’s history.

Approximately 15% of the FBI’s workforce —an estimated 6,000 employees— was involved in the investigation. On Sunday, around 4,000 of them received an email from the Department of Justice asking them to voluntarily disclose their role in the probe. Reports indicate that recipients must submit the requested information by 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time today. Many within the FBI fear this inquiry is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to remove rank-and-file employees who worked on January 6 cases.

In response, Dennehy, a former U.S. Marine who joined the FBI after seven years in the Corps, sent an email on Sunday afternoon to personnel in the New York field office, delivering what appears to be a message of defiance. “Today,” he wrote, “we find ourselves in the middle of a battle of our own, as good people are being walked out of the FBI and others are being targeted because they did their jobs in accordance with the law and FBI policy.”

Dennehy praised the Bureau’s interim leaders, Brian Driscoll and Robert C. Kissane, for resisting DOJ requests to provide lists of FBI personnel, calling them “warriors.” He also recounted his Marine Corps experience, describing a time when he had to dig a five-foot-deep foxhole to survive, stating he would “dig in” similarly now. He emphasized that he had no plans to resign from the FBI or step down from his current position. Read more of this post

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Ex-intelligence officials warn against building new casino near US spy agencies

January 27, 2025 by 8 Comments

ODNI DNIA GROUP OF FORMER United States government officials have warned against plans to build a new casino in a part of northern Virginia that is home to several intelligence agency facilities. The proposed casino would be built in Tysons, also known as Tysons’ Corner, an unincorporated community of about 30,000 residents, located between McLean and Vienna, west of the nation’s capital.

Part of the Washington metropolitan area, Tysons is adjacent to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the National Counterterrorism Center headquarters. It is also only a handful of miles from the headquarters of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), which is located in nearby Langley, Virginia. Several major government contractors have offices in Tysons, including BAE Systems, Northrop Grumman, Palantir Technologies, and Deloitte.

A bipartisan group of local lawmakers, headed by State Senate Majority Leader Scott A. Surovell (D-Fairfax), have proposed a bill that seeks to examine the possibility of building a casino complex in Tysons. The casino would be part of a mixed-use development that would include upscale apartments, a luxury hotel, and a concert venue. Supporters of the bill argue that the proposed development would bring jobs to the area and would elevate the quality of life of Tysons residents.

But the proposed plan is being resisted by a group calling itself National Security Leaders for Fairfax. The newly formed group is reportedly led by Anne Gruner, former deputy director of the CIA’s Weapons Intelligence, Nonproliferation and Arms Control Center, and Sally Horn, who served as a senior director in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. Last December, the group authored a letter [PDF] to local government officials, arguing that the existence of a casino in Tysons could potentially aid the machinations of foreign spies.

The letter decries “[t]he proximity of a Tysons casino to a significant population of government, military, and contract officials with access to highly secretive government intelligence, diplomatic, and defense information”. It cautions that, not only would a casino “attract organized crime —casinos always do— but also adversarial intelligence services looking to recruit those with such access whom they hope to blackmail”.

Gambling addiction has long been considered a vice that could endanger holders of security clearances, because it poses risks to their financial stability and personal integrity. Excessive gambling can lead to debt, which may make individuals vulnerable to coercion, bribery, or exploitation by adversaries seeking access to classified information. The behaviors associated with problem gambling —such as deception, secrecy, or desperation to recover losses— can potentially undermine the trustworthiness and reliability required for maintaining a security clearance.

But those who support the plan for the casino complex dismiss such claims. They argue that there are already several other casinos in the area and that building one more in Tysons would not alter the security dynamics. State Senator Surovell told The Washington Post, which reported about the proposed casino last week: “We already have a massive slots parlor 45 minutes west in West Virginia, [an] MGM [casino] right over the river [in Maryland] and sports gaming on every phone in the state”.

► Author: Joseph Fitsanakis | Date: 27 January 2025 | Permalink

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Is Trump signaling possible CIA covert operations against drug cartels?

January 21, 2025 by 1 Comment

CJNGTHERE WERE REPORTS LATE on Monday that United States President Donald Trump was considering authorizing covert operations by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) against drug cartels. During his inaugural address on Monday afternoon, Trump said he would be “designating the cartels as foreign terrorist organizations”. Later the same day, the incoming president signed an executive order to that effect.

According to US law, the Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) designation may be applied to non-US organizations which participate in activities that fall under the US Department of State’s definition of terrorism. Historically the FTO list has included leftwing militant groups, armed nationalist or separatist organizations, as well as Islamist violent extremist groups.

In some cases, FTO organizations have actively participated in the manufacture and distribution of illicit drugs. However, they are distinguished from purely criminal organizations by the overarching political motives that guide their activities. In contrast, drug cartels are primarily motivated by financial profit and tend to engage in politics only to the extent that doing so will boost their money-making ability.

While signing his executive order on Monday evening —one of nearly a hundred he signed that day— President Trum said he would instruct his administration “to use the full and immense power of federal and state law enforcement to eliminate the presence of all foreign gang criminal networks” from the US and Mexico.

According to some observers, the FTO designation is “a strong indication” that the new US president plans to issue a presidential finding —a classified directive issued by the commander-in-chief— authorizing the CIA to engage in covert action targeting the drug cartels. A number of Trump allies have reportedly compiled a list of targeted cartels, which are located mostly in Mexico. They include notorious criminal organizations, such as the Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), the Sinaloa Cartel, and the Gulf Cartel.

Additionally, the FTO designation might constitute the first step toward an American military presence inside Mexico, or missile strikes directed against designated FTO strongholds, including drug production and storage facilities. In November of last year, there were reports in the American media claiming that key figures in the incoming Trump administration were contemplating launching a military invasion of northern Mexico.

► Author: Joseph Fitsanakis | Date: 21 January 2025 | Permalink

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Italian spy chief’s sudden resignation described as ‘seismic development’

January 13, 2025 by 1 Comment

Elisabetta BelloniTHE SUDDEN RESIGNATION OF Italy’s spy chief last week was described by some news outlets as a “seismic development” in the domestic political scene of the Group of Seven (G7) member state. In May 2021, the  then-Prime Minister Mario Draghi appointed Elisabetta Belloni to lead the Department of Information for Security (DIS). The widely respected career diplomat thus became the first woman to lead an Italian intelligence agency.

Previously Belloni held positions in the Directorate-General for Political Affairs and Security of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Italy. She also served in several Italian embassies in Europe, notably Bratislava and Vienna. Belloni is commonly viewed as a career civil servant who has successfully served under various political administrations, without expressing any political preferences. Throughout her career, Belloni has refused to espouse partisan political views, which has only increased the respect with which she is viewed.

There is no known history of friction between Belloni and Giorgia Meloni, a rightwing populist who emerged as Italy’s first woman prime minister in October 2022. On the contrary, Belloni was viewed as an administrator who had gained Meloni’s trust. However, a report last week by the center-left La Repubblica newspaper claimed that Belloni detested Meloni’s constant interference in security affairs and found it difficult to truly gain the prime minister’s trust. The newspaper claimed that the spy chief tended her resignation on a phone call with the prime minister, telling close associates that she “couldn’t take it any more”.

In a subsequent interview published in the Corriere della Sera newspaper, Belloni said that “last few months of her mandate [had] been a real war of attrition”. Given the key position that Belloni held in the Italian cabinet, her sudden resignation has reignited the discussion about the phenomenon of executive overreach in Italian politics, as non-political career officials are resigning or being pushed out and are replaced by political appointees.

Meanwhile the prime minister announced last Thursday that she would appoint Vittorio Rizzi as Belloni’s successor in the DIS. A law enforcement official with a background in cybersecurity, Rizzi is currently serving as deputy director of the Internal Intelligence and Security Agency (AISI), the domestic security agency of Italy. He was appointed to that role by Meloni in September 2024.

► Author: Joseph Fitsanakis | Date: 13 January 2025 | Permalink

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Germany charges three dual German-Russian nationals with espionage

January 6, 2025 by 2 Comments

Grafenwoehr Training Area GermanyTHE OFFICE OF THE Federal Prosecutor in Germany has charged three dual German-Russian citizens with acts of espionage on behalf of Russia, with the intent of harming the national security of the German state. In compliance with German privacy laws, the three espionage suspects have been publicly identified only by their first names and last name initials. They are: Dieter S.,  Alex D., and Alexander J.

Dieter S. appears to be the central suspect in this case. Following his arrest by the German Federal Criminal Police Office, he was found to have participated in military operations of the secessionist Donetsk People’s Republic in Ukraine. By that time, German authorities had already charged him with being in contact with an individual known to be a member of Russian intelligence, who operated as his handler.

According to the indictment, throughout his interactions with his Russian handler, Dieter S. repeatedly made it known that he was willing and able to carry out acts of sabotage against security-related installations in Germany, on behalf of the Russian Federation. He also offered to carry out arson attacks and use explosives against transportation facilities and infrastructure, such as railway lines, which were used by the German state to transport military supplies to Ukraine.

Subsequently, Dieter S. was instructed by his Russian handler to collect intelligence about potential targets in southeastern Germany. He thus engaged in systematic surveillance activities targeting the Grafenwoehr Training Area, a United States Army military training base located near Grafenwöhr, in eastern Bavaria. Grafenwöhr is the largest training facility maintained by the United States in Europe. Since 2022, it has been used to instruct Ukrainian troops on how to operate American-built tanks.

Dieter S. is also believed to have conducted surveillance at several loading stations used by the German and American militaries, as well as the facilities of private-sector contractors to the German military. In his surveillance operations, Dieter S. was assisted by Alex D. and Alexander J. All three men took photographs and videos of the targeted facilities. The collected material was eventually passed on to Dieter S.’s Russian handler.

Official charges against the three suspects were filed before the State Security Senate of the Munich Higher Regional Court on December 9. They were publicized by the office of the Federal Public Prosecutor General on December 30. A trial date is now pending.

► Author: Joseph Fitsanakis | Date: 06 January 2025 | Permalink

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Report claims India behind ‘methodical’ assassination campaign deep inside Pakistan

January 2, 2025 by 1 Comment

Research and Analysis Wing RAW IndiaA NEW REPORT IN The Washington Post newspaper claims that the Indian government is behind a “methodical assassination program” that has been targeting individuals deep inside India’s nuclear arch-rival Pakistan. According to the report, which was published on Tuesday, the covert assassination program is the work of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), India’s primary external intelligence agency. It was allegedly authorized by India’s popular and controversial Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has also been overseeing its implementation since he was re-elected to office in 2021.

Since 2023, intelNews has covered/ the high-level dispute between India and Canada, after Ottawa uncovered an extensive Indian assassination program targeting Sikh separatist leaders on Canadian soil. Last month, intelNews guest editor Dr. Stephan Blancke analyzed the mounting concern across the European Union about Indian covert activities that target members of the Indian expatriate community on European soil. But The Washington Post report touches on a potentially new dimension of India’s assassination program, which focuses on Pakistan.

According to the report, Prime Minister Modi has been fully supporting RAW’s targeted killings program since at least 2021. In the ensuing years there have been six assassinations inside Pakistan that bear the hallmarks of RAW operations. These operations have been carried out through a “sophisticated network” of intermediaries in the Middle East —particularly in Dubai— who command compartmented teams of surveillance operatives, hitmen, as well as logisticians. Payments are allegedly facilitated through informal hawala networks managed by Middle Easterners, Afghans, and others.

Many of those killed have been current and former members of militant Pakistani-aided groups like Jaish-e-Muhammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba, who have been designated terrorist organizations by most Western nations. For this reason, the West, including the United States, have been hesitant to accuse India of breaking international law. The Washington Post report claims that the Pakistanis have expressed their frustration to the United States, through Nadeem Anjum, director general of the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) Directorate, Pakistan’s primary intelligence agency. In 2022, Anjum reportedly informed William Burns, director of the United States’ Central Intelligence Agency, about the Indian assassination program. However, no notable action was taken by the United States in response to Anjum’s revelations, the article claims.

► Author: Joseph Fitsanakis | Date: 02 January 2025 | Permalink

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Analysis: Assad’s collapse in Syria was a strategic surprise to Israel

December 20, 2024 by 7 Comments

Syria IsraelTHE COLLAPSE OF THE regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on December 8 caught the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Israel’s intelligence community —mainly Israel Military Intelligence (IMI) and the Mossad— by surprise. Assad’s collapse occurred much faster than Israel had estimated. Israel did not expect that the Syrian Arab Army would disintegrate so resoundingly, within 48 hours of the attack by the Syrian rebels.

Israeli intelligence assessed that, despite the shocks it had suffered in recent months, the so-called Axis of Resistance against Israel —mainly Hezbollah, Syria, and Iran— was stable. A scenario of rapid collapse of the government in Syria had not been assessed as a possibility, or even given a low probability tag. That was primarily because the Assad family had governed Syria for almost 60 years.

Following the Assad regime’s collapse, the focus of Israel’s intelligence is on analyzing the intentions of the major rebel organization, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, and understanding how —if at all— it will lead the new administration in Syria. Israel is also examining developments in southern Syria, as well as what is happening at the Syrian and Russian military bases in Latakia and Tartus. Moreover, the IDF is monitoring the activities of Iranian elements in Syria, including on the border with Lebanon, to prevent the possibility of military equipment being transferred from Syria to Hezbollah.

It is clear to Israel that Turkey stands behind the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham organization and that Ankara armed and supported the group for a significant period. What is less clear is whether and how Turkey’s involvement in Syria could threaten Israel’s interests, given that Israel’s relations with Turkey have deteriorated dramatically in recent years.

Assad was a key member of the pro-Iranian Axis of Resistance. Following his fall from power, Iran and Hezbollah could lose their main logistical hub for producing, transferring, and storing weapons, as well as training their forces and militias. Additionally, Syria under Assad constantly posed the threat of turning into yet another battlefront against Israel. Without Assad, Russia could lose its grip on Syria —the only country in the Middle East where Russian influence dominates that of the United States. The Russians could also lose access to their military bases in Syria, which offered the Russian Navy access to the waters of the Mediterranean.

Despite the fall of the bitter enemy that was Assad’s Syria, and the deep shock suffered by the Iranian-led Axis of Resistance camp that has been dominant in the Middle East in recent decades, Israeli intelligence is not optimistic about the emerging situation in post-Assad Syria. Syria is a collection of minorities —Druze, Kurds, Alawites, and Christians— that have been artificially joined together despite carrying bitter, bloody scores. The latter may erupt sharply, especially against the Alawites. Concepts such as liberal politics, civil society, or a cohesive nation-state, have never existed inside Syria.

It follows that Israel is very concerned about the emerging uncertainty in Syria. Immediately after the fall of Assad, the IDF strengthened its defenses on the Golan Heights border to ensure that the chaos in Syria did not spill over into Israel. Meanwhile, Israel is in contact —both directly and through intermediaries— with several Syrian rebel groups, including Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. The Israeli message at this stage is a demand that the rebels not approach the border, along with a warning that, if they violate the separation of forces agreement, Israel will respond with force.

And a final note: assessments in relation to the Syrian regime’s collapse continue to emerge in the IDF and the Israeli intelligence community. These assessments concern the extent to which the lessons of October 7 have been sufficiently analyzed and assimilated within Israel. Specifically, there are questions about whether this new intelligence surprise in Syria may stem from the fact that an in-depth investigation into the lessons of October 7 has yet to be carried out during the 14 months of the war with Hamas.

► Author: Avner Barnea* | Date: 20 December 2024 | Permalink

Dr. Avner Barnea is research fellow at the National Security Studies Center of the University of Haifa in Israel. He served as a senior officer in the Israel Security Agency (ISA). He is the author of We Never Expected That: A Comparative Study of Failures in National and Business Intelligence (Lexington Books, 2021).

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Israel reportedly trying to recover spy’s remains from Syria

December 16, 2024 by 2 Comments

Eli CohenISRAELI OFFICIALS ARE REPORTEDLY trying to recover the remains of Eli Cohen, an Israeli spy who was hanged in Syria in 1965, after his espionage activities were discovered. Born in Alexandria in 1924, Cohen was an Egyptian Jew, whose family immigrated to Israel after 1949. After joining the Mossad, Israel’s primary external intelligence agency, Cohen became a katsa, or case officer.

The spy agency utilized Cohen’s fluency in Arabic and Spanish and sent him to Argentina, where he built his intelligence cover under the name Kamel Amin Thaabet. He pretended to be a Syrian businessman whose family had immigrated to Argentina in the 1920s. While in Argentina, Cohen became an active member of the Arab and Syrian diasporas and joined the Syrian Ba’ath Party.

In 1962, shortly before Ba’athist officers seized power in Syria, the Mossad instructed Cohen to relocate to Damascus. While there, Cohen became a well-known socialite with close connections to the administration of Syrian President Amin al-Hafiz. However, in 1965, Cohen’s espionage was uncovered by Syrian counterintelligence, who utilized technical countermeasures provided by Soviet intelligence. Cohen was convicted of espionage and publicly executed by hanging in Damascus on May 18, 1965.

Since Cohen’s execution, the Syrian state has rejected requests to reveal the location of his tomb and the whereabouts of his remains. On at least two instances, Israel, which views Cohen as a national hero, has offered to exchange Syrian and other Arab prisoners of war in return for the spy’s remains, but Damascus has rebuffed these offers. There are rumors that Syrian authorities regularly relocate Cohen’s remains so as to prevent Israel from covertly retrieving them.

According to reports from Middle Eastern media, since the fall of the administration of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Israeli officials have been in negotiations to gain access to Cohen’s remains. The negotiations are allegedly taking place between Israeli government representatives and former members of the Assad regime, who have knowledge of the whereabouts of the late spy’s remains. In a television interview last week, Eli Cohen’s widow, Nadia, implied that Mossad Director David Barnea is personally involved in the ongoing negotiations.

► Author: Joseph Fitsanakis | Date:16 December 2024 | Permalink

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