AFIO Weekly Intelligence Notes #22-14 dated 3 June 2014

[Editors' Note: The WIN editors attempt to include a wide range of articles and commentary in the Weekly Notes to inform and educate our readers. However, the views expressed in the articles are purely those of the authors, and in no way reflect support or endorsement from the WIN editors or the AFIO officers and staff. We welcome comments from the WIN readers on any and all articles and commentary. IMPORTANT: AFIO does not "vet" or endorse research inquiries, career announcements, or job offers. Reasonable-sounding inquiries and career offerings are published as a service to our members, and for researchers, educators, and subscribers. You are urged to exercise your usual caution and good judgment when responding, and should verify the source independently before supplying any resume, career data, or personal information.]
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CONTENTS

Section I - INTELLIGENCE HIGHLIGHTS

Section II - CONTEXT & PRECEDENCE

Section III - COMMENTARY

Section IV - Upcoming AFIO Events

Section V - Other Upcoming Events

For Additional AFIO and other Events two+ months or more.... view our online Calendar of Events 

    • WIN CREDITS FOR THIS ISSUE: The WIN editors thank the following special contributors:  pjk, jg and fwr.  They have contributed one or more stories used in this issue.
 

There will be no Weekly Intelligence Notes next week, 10 June 2014.

They will resume the following Tuesday, 17 June.

The Assets Returns

Previously cancelled by ABC TV, the counterespionage series based on the successful hunt for CIA traitor Aldrich Ames returns June 21st.The Assets, an eight-part miniseries, is based on the real life events of CIA counter-intelligence officer Sandy Grimes (Jodie Whittaker). 1985 is the backdrop to the final showdown of the Cold War when Sandy and her partner Jeanne Vertefeuille (Harriet Walter) vow to find the mole that turns out to be the most notorious traitor in US History: Aldrich Ames (Paul Rhys). Sandy is in a race against time to save the Soviet intelligence officers from being caught and killed. Living her own double life at home, this beautiful wife and mother vows to stop at nothing until she uncovers the truth. The Assets looks inside the personal stories as told by the keepers of the nation’s secrets: the CIA.

The Assets stars Paul Rhys as Aldrich Ames, Jodie Whittaker as Sandy Grimes, Harriet Walter (Babel) as Jeanne Vertefeuille, Stuart Milligan (Jonathan Creek) as Art O'Neill, Julian Ovenden as Gary Grimes, Christina Cole as Louisa, and Ralph Brown as Lawrence Winston.

The Assets is based on the book Circle of Treason: A CIA Account of Traitor Aldrich Ames and the Men He Betrayed by Sandy Grimes and Jeanne Vertefeuille. Morgan Hertzan, Rudy Bednar and Andrew Chapman executive produce the series. The Assets is produced by Lincoln Square Productions.

ABC started running The Assets on January 2nd but suddenly pulled the series after two episodes -- "My Name is Aldrich Ames" and "Jewel in the Crown" -- without explanation. Now the network has announced the show will be returning this summer -- for the rest of the episodes.

Episodes one and two can be viewed in their entirety here:
My Name is Aldrich Ames - Episode 1 [runs 40'31"]
Jewel in the Crown - Episode 2 [runs 42'32"]

The network will start airing the remaining six episodes on Saturday, June 21st, at 9pm. Here’s the schedule: Saturday, June 21st - “Trip to Vienna” - Episode 3
Saturday, June 28th - “What’s Done is Done” - Episode 4
Saturday, July 5th - “Check Mate” - Episode 5
Saturday, July 12th - “Small Useless Truth” - Episode 6
Saturday, July 19th - “The Straw Poll” - Episode 7
Saturday, July 26st - “Avenger” - Episode 8
The first two episodes are also available for viewing online at Hulu.com.

Last Week to Register
AFIO's SUMMER LUNCHEON

FRIDAY, 13 June 2014

Some seats remain.
Badge Pick-up at 10:30 a.m.

<Jack Devine

1 p.m. speaker

Jack Devine

Former CIA Deputy Director of Operations [National Clandestine Service] and Chief of the CIA Afghan Task Force, 1986-87

Thirty Years of CIA Operations.
Where the Agency is Heading Today
vs. Where it Should Be
 <Good Hunting by Jack Devine
"Jack Devine's Good Hunting gives readers an inside look at CIA―the good and the bad― from someone who rose from the bottom of the Agency to the top, during some of its most turbulent times. There are new insights into covert operations from Chile to Afghanistan to Iran-Contra and the lessons that should be drawn from them by government leaders and the public at large. Beyond that, it's just a good read." ―Walter Pincus, columnist for The Washington Post

3-course Lunch at Noon
< 11 a.m. speaker

Peter W. Finn

National Security Editor for The Washington Post (previously served as the Post's bureau chief in Moscow). His book, The Zhivago Affair: The Kremlin, the CIA, and the Battle Over a Forbidden Book, discusses a 1960s, highly successful CIA propaganda operation.
The co-authors are Peter Finn and Petra Couvee [Couvee lives in Russia] and will not be joining us at this luncheon presentation.
<
The authors explore the world of Soviet intelligentsia and Cold War politics as they view how Boris Pasternak came to write and publish Doctor Zhivago (which first appeared in Italy in 1957). Using archival research, including previously classified CIA files, we see the oppressive political conditions that gave rise to Pasternak's masterpiece, and the international firestorm that occurred when the novel was banned in the USSR. The torturous ideological policing by the Soviets is discussed; for indeed, the tale of Doctor Zhivago itself is very much about the long psychic scar left by the Russian Revolution. The authors also present the role played by the Kremlin in persecuting Pasternak, and, of particular interest, the role of the CIA in using his novel in a highly successful game of ideological warfare―overall, a triumphant reminder that successful covert and propaganda operations can fade into history devoid of public recognition or credit for what became beneficial, pro-freedom outcomes.
 

Check-in for badge pickup at 10:30 a.m.
Peter W. Finn begins presentation at 11 a.m.
Lunch served at noon
Jack Devine begins his presentation at 1 pm
Morning and Afternoon programs are On The Record

These books and many other of the newest intelligence books will be for sale throughout event.

Event closes at 2 p.m.

Complete Registration

EVENT LOCATION: The Crowne Plaza
1960 Chain Bridge Road � McLean, Virginia 22102
Driving directions here or use this link: http://tinyurl.com/boey9vf
 

Section I - INTELLIGENCE HIGHLIGHTS

Geospatial-Intelligence Agency Director Announces Retirement. After nearly four years as director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and nearly 35 years in federal service, Letitia A. Long has announced she will retire in early October.

The announcement provides plenty of time for an orderly transition and handover, she said.

Long's successor, Robert Cardillo, is a career intelligence professional. Currently the deputy director of national intelligence for intelligence integration, Cardillo also has worked as the deputy director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, the deputy director for analysis at DIA, and the director of analysis and production at NGA.

The secretary of defense and senior leaders in the defense intelligence community have a great deal of confidence in Cardillo, Long said. [Read more: Ruolo/AFPS/2June2014]

Yemeni Intelligence Officer Shot Dead by Suspected al-Qaeda Gunmen. Suspected al-Qaeda militants shot dead a Yemeni intelligence officer on Saturday in the southern province of Lahej, a local official told Reuters, in the latest of a series of attacks on military targets.

"The officer was in his car when he was shot by the militants carrying machine guns," said the official, adding that the attack is suspected to be linked with al-Qaeda.

Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) has carried out several hit-and-run attacks since the Yemeni army drove it from its southern strongholds in Abyan and Shabwa provinces last month.

The dead man, Colonel Nasser al-Issai, was the latest in a string of army and intelligence officers to have been killed in Yemen. So far more than 22 other senior officers have died this year. [Read more: Reuters/31May2014]

Cuban Spy Calls for Prisoner Swap, Like With Taliban. A former Cuban spy urged Washington Monday to swap three detained agents for the freedom of American Alan Gross, citing the deal that saw a US soldier released over the weekend.

Gross, 65, was sentenced to 15 years in prison in Cuba in 2011 after being convicted of "acts against the independence or territorial integrity of the state" for allegedly distributing communications equipment as a USAID contractor.

Havana has suggested it could release Gross if Washington freed the remaining "Cuban Five" intelligence agents, who were convicted in a 1998 US spy case - a prospect Washington has soundly rejected.

But Fernando Gonzalez, one of the two "Cuban Five" prisoners freed after serving his jail term, said the release of Taliban hostage Bowe Bergdahl in exchange for five senior Taliban militants held in Guantanamo shows Washington could make a similar deal with Havana. [Read more: AFP/2June2014]

German Foreign Intelligence Agency Wants to Access Social Media Sites in Real Time. The German foreign intelligence agency (BND) reportedly plans to expand its digital espionage operations, according to several German media outlets. The German daily S�ddeutsche Zeitung, as well as broadcasters NDR and WDR said on Friday that confidential files from the spy agency indicated plans to access social media sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, in real time.

"This year, the BND intends to improve its technological methods in order to be able to systematically analyze blogs, online forums and portals, such as Flickr, Facebook and Twitter...[where] messages, pictures and further data are exchanged among members," the German daily S�ddeutsche Zeitung wrote on Friday.

Filtering data live would allow the BND to form a "more exact picture of the situation abroad," the S�ddeutsche Zeitung report added.

The aim of the digital project was to "better understand political and social developments abroad by gathering online communication [from those areas]," according to German broadcaster WDR.

The BND refused to comment on the reports. [Read more: DeutscheWelle/30May2014]

Intelligence Agency at Wright-Patt Gets New Leader. A new commander is taking over a national military intelligence agency headquartered at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

Air Force Col. Leah Lauderback is taking command of the National Air and Space Intelligence Center.

A Wednesday ceremony at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force marks the command change.

The center analyzes data on foreign aerospace forces and weapons systems to determine performance characteristics, capabilities, vulnerabilities and intentions.

The Air Force has said the center's assessments are important in shaping national security and defense policies. [Read more: AP/28May2014]

Armenian Killed on Frontline Turned Out to Be Chief Intelligence Officer. The position of Lieutenant Colonel of the Armenian Army Garik Balayan, killed on the frontline on May 25, has been revealed.

APA reports quoting military sources that Lieutenant Colonel Garik Balayan was the intelligence chief of the second Army Corps.

Balayan had directly controlled the operation carried out on the frontline. He was killed as a result of preventive measures taken by the Azerbaijani servicemen.

A number of Armenian soldiers have been killed, more than 5 servicemen wounded since May 20 while preventing the Armenian acts of sabotage. [Read more: News.AZ/30May2014]

Asylum Granted to Colombia's Ex-Intelligence Chief Is 'Unconstitutional': Panama Supreme Court. Panama's Supreme Court has announced that the political asylum granted to Colombia's former intelligence chief is unconstitutional, La Prensa news reported Thursday.

With a vote of 8-1, the country's supreme court ruled that political asylum granted to Maria del Pilar Hurtado, the former head of the now-defunct DAS intelligence agency, is in violation of the country's constitution. 

According to the El Espectador newspaper, Colombia's Prosecutor General's Office, who was granted the authority to request Hurtado's extradition yesterday, has not been notified. It is unclear how the Prosecutor General's Office will proceed.

An initial extradition request was filed by Colombia in 2011, however Panama's Ministry of Foreign Affairs determined that Hurtado's extradition "was not viable."

Hurtado is the former director of the now-defunct DAS intelligence agency, which in 2008 was caught spying on Colombia's Supreme Court, journalists, human rights defenders and politicians. [Read more: Acu�a/ColombiaReports/29May2014]

House Authorizes Intel Programs Through 2015. The House on Friday passed legislation to authorize intelligence activities through fiscal 2015.

Funding levels in the measure, passed 345-59, are classified. It would authorize spending for the CIA, Office of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI), National Security Agency and Defense Intelligence Agency (DNI).

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-Mich.), who is retiring, said that the controversies over NSA spying this past year had mischaracterized American intelligence activities.

"We have somehow decided over the last year that our intelligence services are the problem," Rogers said. "They are part of the solution." [Read more: Marcos/TheHill/30May2014]

Hezbollah Tied to Organized Crime in Canada, Says Spy Agency. Hezbollah members in Canada are involved in organized crime, according to Canadian Security Intelligence Service reports and documents.

Members of the outlawed group - banned as a terrorist entity in Canada since 2002 - also are secretly engaging in fundraising, procurement of materials and intelligence gathering, according to a "threat assessment" report by the Integrated Terrorism Assessment Centre.

Hezbollah's activities here were among the subjects the spy agency expressed concern about in a "top secret" 10-page letter he wrote and delivered last July to Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney, soon after he was sworn in.

CSIS director Michel Coulombe's letter described ongoing programs and threats. [Read more: McIntonsh/QMI/3June2014]

American Suicide Bomber in Syria Raises Fears for U.S. As Moner Mohammad Abusalha packed explosives into a truck last month to embark on a suicide attack, his family in Florida was apparently unaware that he had even wandered into Syria's civil war.

For months he had been sending e-mails indicating he was in Jordan, possibly caring for the wounded but far from the fight. "I'm here now, doing fine," the e-mails would say, according to Taher Husainy, a family friend in Vero Beach. "I'm here for a good cause, doing good things."

American counterterrorism agencies were only slightly better informed. U.S. officials said they knew Abusalha had crossed into Syria, but they had scant intelligence on his activities there or associations with an al-Qaeda affiliate until he appeared last week in an online martyrdom video.

The inability to track Abusalha reflects what U.S. officials describe as a worrisome blind spot for intelligence agencies struggling to monitor a surging flow of foreign fighters into and often out of a conflict dominated by Islamist militants. [Read more: WashingtonPost/2June2014]

Section II - CONTEXT & PRECEDENCE

Operation Avalanche Focuses on the CIA's Role in the Space Race. Operation Avalanche is a quiet little film, but it just got a whole lot of our attention. The premise is being kept under wraps, but we do know that it's allegedly about the CIA's role in the 1960s Space Race with the Soviet Union. Go on...

Coming Soon is reporting that Lionsgate Films has just gobbled up director Matt Johnson's new movie project called Operation Avalanche. And with the announcement came this statement from the director:

"The CIA, the 1960's and the space program have always been obsessions of mine. Working with partners like Lionsgate, who understand the scope and vision of what we are creating, has been a pleasure. This movie is going to leave audiences with a powerful and imaginative interpretation of what may or may not have happened within the walls of the US's top government agencies." 

We like the sound of this film - we like it a lot. We'll be keeping tabs on this one. [Read more: Woerner/io9/28May2014]

Israeli Counterterror Chief's Son Blames US for His 1988 Assassination. Twenty-five years after a famed Israeli counterterrorism operator died in a mysterious plane crash in Mexico, his son alleged on Friday that the death was an assassination, and pointed the finger of blame at the United States.

Amiram Nir was the counterterrorism adviser to former Israeli prime ministers Shimon Peres and Yitzhak Shamir in the 1980s, and played a key role in the Iran-Contra affair, a political scandal which involved officials in the Reagan administration secretly facilitating the sale of arms to Iran, including by Israel, in breach of an embargo. Nir died in late 1988 in a plane crash in Mexico. His demise has long sparked conspiracy theories, including unsubstantiated allegations that he was silenced because he was about to spill details of his role in Iran-Contra that might prove hugely embarrassing to George H.W. Bush, who was Reagan's vice president and was soon to be inaugurated as president.

Nimrod Nir, Amiram's son, told Israel's Channel 2 news on Friday night (Hebrew) that he has spent the last few years investigating his father's death, and concluded that the plane crash was no accident. Nimrod Nir said he believed his father had been assassinated by someone who didn't want him to tell the truth. Asked by the interviewer whether he thought responsibility for the killing reached the level of "candidates for the US presidency... Are those the immediate suspects from your point of view?" he replied, "Absolutely."

The TV report featured a lengthy clip of George H.W. Bush being interviewed by Dan Rather over what he knew of the Iran-Contra scandal, including over his presence during a visit to Israel in meetings with Amiram Nir. Bush had denied all knowledge of Iran-Contra during the 1988 presidential campaign. [Read more: TimesofIsrael/31May2014]

Even Former NSA Chief Michael Hayden Doesn't Use a BlackBerry. Despite the scenes in the televised spy-thriller series Homeland, where agents Carrie Mathison and director Saul Berenson talk covertly by cellphone, former CIA director Gen. Michael Hayden says he never used one during the three years he headed up the U.S. security agency.

"The most unbelievable part of Homeland is the cellphones. No, no way," Mr. Hayden said in an interview.

Communications are done "in person, or through secure hardened networks," he said.

And now that he is using a smartphone after leaving public life, it isn't a BlackBerry - long favoured by many business and government users for its security services.

"I have an iPhone... I like the features," said Mr. Hayden, who also served as NSA director from 1999-2005. [Read more: Ligaya/FinancialPost/31May2014]

NATO Chief and Former NSA Director Among Bilderberg Elite. Some 140 participants representing 22 countries will be attending the 62nd annual Bilderberg meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark. The newly released list is a who's who of business, academia, and the political world.

As is usually the case with the renowned summit, this year's Bilderberg, which will take place May 29 to June 1, has attracted a cadre of influential experts, including notable attendees such as NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, former director of the US National Security Agency Keith Alexander, and former US national security advisor to the White House Thomas E. Donilon.

The Bilderberg meeting, often thought of as one of the most influential networks in the world, first began in 1954, has over the years attracted a considerable amount of media attention, both for its formidable attendee lists as well as the perceived aura as an opportunity for the world's elite to mingle. In addition to the yearly attendees, the Bilderberg Steering Committee is likewise a list of powerful financiers, which includes Peter D. Sutherland, Chairman of Goldman Sachs International, as well as Peter Thiel, president of Thiel Capital.

Bilderberg operates under the "Chatham House Rule," which stipulates that neither the identity nor affiliation of a speaker's quotes may be revealed by other participants, including any media in attendance. Though it may be intended to promote the free exchange of ideas among the well-heeled, such rules have fed directly into what detractors say is an unnecessary cloud of secrecy, as well as a range of conspiracy theories that liken the summit to a shadowy gathering for architects of the "New World Order." [Read more: EUTimes/30May2014]

After More Than 50 years, CIA Smokejumpers Honored for Secret Missions. They were sworn to secrecy. In fact, they couldn't use their real names.

Their story went untold for more than 50 years.

Now, Ray Beasley, and four of his smokejumper buddies from Montana and Idaho, were invited to Washington, D.C., and finally recognized for their secret CIA missions over Tibet in the 1950s and '60s.

For the first time, Beasley has begun sharing his story with his family - most recently with two of his adult daughters during a recent visit at his home west of Helena.

On May 5, Beasley was among those feted at a reception at the CIA Museum in Washington, D.C., to see the unveiling of a painting: "Khampa Airlift to Tibet." [Read more: Lincoln/GreatFallsTribune/2June2014]

These Crossword Clues Nearly Gave Away the D-Day Invasion. Seventy years ago, the British Intelligence agency MI5 flew into a panic when agents noticed that key code names from the top secret D-Day operation were appearing in The Daily Telegraph's crossword puzzles. In May of 1944, intelligence officers suspected that the puzzles were functioning as a covert operation for passing top-secret intelligence along to the Nazis and thoroughly interrogated Leonard Dawe, the Telegraph's crossword compiler and headmaster of the Strand School in Effingham.

Dawe had previously attracted the MI5's attention when the word 'Dieppe' appeared in one of his puzzles the day before the Dieppe raid, along the northern coast of France, on August 19, 1942. This was quickly dismissed as "a complete fluke."

In the months leading up to D-Day, Dawe again came under suspicion. The words Juno, Gold, and Sword - all code names for British landing beaches - appeared in the crossword. They didn't seem to have any significance though, as these were considered common crossword puzzle answers. 

But the clue "One of the U.S." with the four-letter word Utah as the solution immediately caught the MI5's attention. Soon after came a flurry of other clues containing sensitive names related to the D-Day operation. [Read more: Bender/BusinessInsider/3June2014]

Who Are the 5 Guant�namo Prisoners U.S. Traded for Only POW Held by Taliban? The release of Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl, the only remaining American prisoner of war in the Afghanistan conflict, came at a steep price considering the number and importance of the Taliban detainees freed in the exchange.

It was a five-to-one swap negotiated by the Obama administration, which has taken flak from conservatives for not informing Congress about the deal until after the fact and because of who was released from Guant�namo in order to secure Bergdahl's freedom following five years of captivity.

Representative Mike Rogers (R-Michigan), chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, claimed the release of the Taliban leaders "will threaten the lives of American soldiers for years to come."

However, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said the exchange was necessary in order to save Bergdahl's life and that the released prisoners won't bring harm to the United States. Hagel doesn't believe "that what we did in getting our prisoner of war home would in any way encourage terrorists to take hostages," he said Sunday on NBC's Meet the Press. [Read more: AllGov/3June2014]

5 Famous WWII Covert Operations. Along with its massive field campaigns, World War II also played host to an underground brand of warfare that included espionage, sabotage, disinformation and special operations behind enemy lines. These cloak-and-dagger tactics resulted in some of the most ingenious and unconventional missions of the war, and played a vital role in the outcome of several major battles. From the spy that never was to a band of Nazi impostors, learn the stories behind five of the boldest and most bizarre special operations carried out during World War II. [Read more: Andrews/History.com/3June2014]

Section III - COMMENTARY

Corporate Intelligence Is No Spy Game. Earlier this month, the Wall Street Journal ran an article touting the capabilities of corporate intelligence firms staffed by former Israeli intelligence operatives. The author, Thomas Davenport, described firms deploying technologies and techniques developed in government spy agencies in order to help corporate clients gain a competitive edge in the marketplace. There's nothing inherently wrong with this, but the appeal of these companies should be their ability to produce results legally, not their cloak-and-dagger mystique.

Davenport's focus on the latter is troubling. The tendency to emphasize style over substance is widespread in the corporate intelligence industry, and has led to something of a crisis of identity. On the one hand, there are legitimate corporate intelligence firms that perform crucial, value-additive work in a legal and transparent manner. On the other, many business intelligence providers promote themselves simply by touting their credentials as ex-spies, as if that pedigree alone renders any questions about methods and efficacy unnecessary. Indeed, many such companies with which I am familiar struggle to articulate their value proposition; it's a bad sign when a provider cannot walk you through a basic case study and cannot explain its methods without resorting to if-I-told-you-I'd-have-to-kill-you nonsense. It's amazing what you can sell when it's packaged in smoke-and-mirrors, but you can probably only sell a worthless service once. This dumbing down of our industry threatens to alienate our client base.

In addition to the question of whether these firms' services actually provide any value, the growth of Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) enforcement and the increased activity of the Department of Justice with regards to insider trading cases, raises another issue. Companies have rightfully become much more concerned about the third parties they hire and the ways in which information is obtained and transmitted. Credible corporate intelligence firms operate successfully in this more restrictive environment, having developed robust research techniques and methods for gathering information that are effective, transparent and legal. Others have become radioactive, their names tied to controversies and lawsuits. This is not to say that any of the Israeli companies Davenport highlights in his article are disreputable; the point is that when firms promote their spy pedigree over and in lieu of substance, there's no way for the buyer to evaluate the expected efficacy and legality of their methods. [Read more: Rudder/Forbes/29May2014]

Section IV - Upcoming AFIO Events

AFIO EDUCATIONAL EVENTS IN COMING TWO MONTHS....

Wednesday, 4 June 2014, 6p - Nellis AFB, NV - AFIO Las Vegas Chapter meets to hear Reza Karamooz on "Future of Unmanned Vehicles."

Please join us at 5 p.m. in the "Robin�s Roost" bar area for liaison and beverages. Mr. Reza Karamooz is the President, Nevada Business Aviation Association. His topic, �Future of Unmanned Vehicles� is highly appropriate based on recent news analyses.
Place: The Officers' Club at Nellis Air Force Base. All guests must use the MAIN GATE, located at the intersection of Craig Road and Las Vegas Blvd.
Address: 5871 Fitzgerald Blvd., Nellis AFB, NV 89191 Phone: 702-644-2582.
Guest names must be submitted along with their birth date, driver�s license number and social security number by 4:00 p.m., Thursday, May 21, 2014
For Nellis AFB access or questions about the upcoming event, email or call Mary Bentley at mary.bentley@doe.gov or 702 295-0417.

Wednesday, 11 June 2014, 11am - 2pm - Albuquerque, NM - The AFIO New Mexico Chapter to Discuss Current Intel Issues

11:00 AM: Arrive, socialize, order lunch 11:45 Meeting Program. Location: Lunch at "The Egg & I" (Menaul just East of Louisiana).
Prof. Frank Gilfeather, Director of UNM's Office of Strategic Initiatives and lead for their National Security Studies Program, will discuss this program and curriculum with chapter attendees. We believe there is potential for constructive interaction with these folks, and ask you to attend with a view to evaluating that potential.
Questions to B.E. Pete Bostwick, Jr., President, AFIO Tom Smith New Mexico Chapter, 436 Chimaja Rd., Corrales NM 87048; Tel: 505-898-2649 or email him at foreigndevil@yahoo.com

Friday, 13 June 2014, 10:30am - 2pm - Tysons Corner, VA - AFIO Summer Luncheon featuring Good Hunting by Jack Devine, former CIA director of operations and chief of the CIA Afghan Task Force, 1986-87. The morning speaker is Peter Finn, National Security Editor for The Washington Post. His book, The Zhivago Affair: The Kremlin, the CIA, and the Battle Over a Forbidden Book, discusses a risky, highly successful 1960s CIA propaganda operation.

John "Jack" J. Devine addresses his colleagues and other AFIO members at this luncheon upon the release of his book, Good Hunting: An American Spymaster's Story. Devine served in the CIA for more than three decades, participating in covert operations that took him from Allende's Chile through Iran-Contra and Charlie Wilson's Afghanistan to George Tenet's Iraq, eventually rising to the position of Director of the DO [today's National Clandestine Service]. This book is a master class in spying.

Peter Finn's book, co-authored with Petra Couvee [Couvee lives in Russia], discusses the world of Soviet intelligentsia and Cold War politics to study how Boris Pasternak came to write and publish Doctor Zhivago (which first appeared in Italy in 1957). The authors use previously classified CIA files to depict the oppressive political conditions that gave rise to Pasternak's masterpiece, and the international firestorm that occurred when the novel was banned in the Soviet Union. The torturous ideological policing by the Soviets mirrored the tale of Doctor Zhivago itself which harbored a long psychic scar from the Russian Revolution. The authors also present the role played by the Kremlin in persecuting Pasternak and his loved ones, as well as the role of the CIA in using his book in a game of ideological warfare―overall, a triumphant reminder that successful covert and propaganda operations, though they can fade into history devoid of public recognition or credit, played significant roles and led to some highly beneficial, pro-freedom outcomes.

Early registration is .

19 June 2014, 11:30a - 2p - San Francisco, CA - The AFIO James Quesada Chapter hosts investigative journalist Scott C. Johnson who will be speaking about his book, The Wolf and the Watchman: A Father, a Son and the CIA.

11:30AM no host cocktails; meeting starts at noon. United Irish Cultural Center, 2700 45th Avenue, SF (between Sloat/Wawona). RSVP required by 6/6/14 to Mariko Kawaguchi: e-mail afiosf@aol.com with meal choice (fish or meat) and mail check made out to "AFIO" to: Mariko Kawaguchi, P.O. Box 117578, Burlingame, CA 94011. Members and students: $25; non-member guests $35 (must be accompanied by a member).

Saturday, 21 June 2014, 2 pm - Kennebunk, ME - Maine AFIO Chapter features Jack Christie on "Unmasking the Lockerbie Bombers"

UNMASKING THE LOCKERBIE BOMBERS is the theme of Jack Christie's presentation to the AFIO Maine Chapter. He will discuss the bombing of Pan American Airlines flight 103 from London to New York on the night of December 21, 1988, resulted in the deaths of 270 people. Jack Christie, former Chief of CIA's Foreign Finds Laboratory, will tell the exciting story of the efforts to determine the cause of the explosion, identify the perpetrators, and bring them to justice.
The story reflects the close cooperation between the U.S. and Scottish intelligence and police agencies. As much of the Pan Am 103 story has (by design) not been reflected in the mass media, Jack will attempt to tell "the rest of the story."
Jack Christie joined the CIA Office of Technical Services in 1970 as an Electronics Engineer designing and producing small electronic devices for support of field operations. The mission of the Foreign Finds Laboratory is to analyze and identify the origin and technical ability of electronic devices targeted against US interests in the field. Jack continued to work part-time as a contractor until 2012.
The meeting, which is open to the public.
For information call 207-967-4298.
Location: Brick Store Museum, Program Center, 4 Dane St, Kennebunk, ME
Website: www.afiomaine.org

27 June 2014 - Los Angeles, CA - AFIO Los Angeles hears from Dr. Erik Nemeth on "Cultural Intelligence in International Affairs and Foreign Policy."

Dr. Erik Nemeth from the RAND Corporation will be the guest speaker for the June 27, 2014 meeting. Dr. Nemeth will present "Cultural Intelligence in International Affairs & Foreign Policy" - The politics of historical & cultural property and the intelligence gathering to assess the political significance of looting and repatriation of cultural property. Please RSVP for attendance: AFIO_LA@Yahoo.com

Tuesday, 08 July 2014 - MacDill AFB, FL - The AFIO Suncoast Chapter hosts USCENTCOM Chief of the Joint Cyber Center on "the Rise of Cyber to a Warfighting Domain."

COL John Burger is Chief of the Joint Cyber Center at United States Central Command responsible for the planning, integration and execution of cyberspace operations in the USCENTCOM AOR. He leads a staff of 115 military, civilians and contractors to assure the CDRs freedom of maneuver in cyberspace and deny the same to our adversaries. He designs and Implements information assurance programs to secure cyber key terrain, and develops defensive cyberspace plans to “see, block, and maneuver” defensive forces against threats to friendly networks. Working with our Allies and Partners, he develops Cyber Security Cooperation plans to enable our partners to protect themselves in cyberspace. He integrates cyberspace force application with the air, land, and maritime domains in support of OPLANs. He interacts daily with the Joint Staff, USCYBERCOM, the Intelligence Community, and the Interagency. COL Burger serves as principal advisor to the CENTCOM Commander on all cyberspace matters.
Following his graduation from the US Military Academy at West Point, COL Burger began his career in A Co, 13th ENGR BN, Fort Ord, CA., and then was assigned tours with 10th ENGR BN, Schweinfurt, Germany. COL Burger arrived at MacDill AFB in 2009 as the Regional Manager Southeast Regional Support Center, Defense Intelligence Agency, followed by assignments as Chief, Cyber Security Division, and then Chief, Joint Cyber Center, US Central Command.
COL Burger will address the rise of cyber to a DoD warfighting domain with particular emphasis on the intelligence aspects.

LOCATION: MacDill AFB Surf’s Edge Club, 7315 Bayshore Blvd, MacDill AFB, FL 33621. Please RSVP to the Chapter Secretary no later than Wednesday, July 2, for yourself and include the names and email addresses of any guests. Email or call Michael Shapiro at michaels@suncoastafio.org, the Chapter Secretary. You will receive a confirmation via email. If you do not, contact the Chapter Secretary to confirm your registration. Check-in at noon; opening ceremonies, lunch and business meeting at 1230 hours, followed by our speaker.
FEE: You must present your $20 check payable to “Suncoast Chapter, AFIO” (or cash) at check-in to cover the luncheon. If you make a reservation, don’t cancel and get a cancellation confirmation by the response deadline and then don’t show up, you will be responsible for the cost of the luncheon.

Thursday, 17 July 2014, 11:30 am - Palmer Lake, CO - The AFIO Rocky Mountain Chapter hears Sheriff-Elect Bill Elder.

Our speaker is Bill Elder, Sheriff-Elect at the caucus who is running unopposed in November; therefore, he will be our next Sheriff of El Paso County unless a huge write-in campaign is undertaken. This is an excellent chance to meet the new Sheriff and get to know more about him and his background.
Location: The Inn on the Palmer Divide, 443 S Highway 105, Palmer Lake, CO 80133 ~ Phone: 719-481-1800.
Exit I-25 at Exit 161 for Monument and Palmer Lake. Go North of SH 105 towards Palmer Lake. You will receive additional directions when you RSVP to Tom Van Wormer at robsmom@pcisys.net. The lunch will cost $12.00. You can pay at the door.

21 August 2014, 12:30pm - Los Angeles, CA - AFIO – Los Angeles hosts LAPD Police Chief Bernard Parks on Aerial Surveillance Platforms

The chapter will host Bernard Parks, former Chief of Police of the L.A.P.D. (Los Angeles Police Dept.) and current member of the Los Angeles City Council, to discuss the current state of safety in the city of Los Angeles and future limited use of aerial surveillance platforms (UAV-Drones), and the impact it will have on the future of local law enforcement in L.A.
Location for the meeting: LAPD-ARTC 5651 W Manchester Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90045, Start Time:12.30 PM, Room 1E.
Please RSVP for attendance: afio_LA@yahoo.com

For Additional Events two+ months or greater....view our online Calendar of Events

Section V - Other Upcoming Events

MANY more International Spy Museum Events in 2014 with full details are listed on the AFIO Website at www.afio.com.

Wednesday, 4 June 2014, noon - Washington, DC - Global Terrorism, Espionage and Cybersecurity Monthly Update with David Major

Be the first to learn the latest intelligence news! Join David Major, retired FBI agent and former director of Counterintelligence, Intelligence and Security Programs, for a briefing on the hottest intelligence and security issues, breaches, and penetrations. Presented in partnership with The Centre for Counterintelligence and Security Studies (CI Centre), these updates will cover worldwide events such as breaking espionage cases and arrest reports, cyber espionage incidents, and terrorist activity. Find out Snowden�s current status and what could happen next with this case. Major uses his expertise to analyze trends and highlight emerging issues of interest to both intelligence and national security professionals and the public. Cases are drawn from the CI Centre�s SPYPEDIA�, the most comprehensive source of espionage information in the world, containing events and information that may not be reported by mainstream media outlets. Major will also highlight and review the latest books and reports to keep you current on what is hitting think tank desks.
Free. No registration required!

Thursday, 5 June 2014, 4-6 PM - Reston, VA - Pherson book signing of "Structured Analytic Techniques for Intelligence Analysis"
Pherson Associates invites you to join author Randolph H. Pherson at an exclusive book signing event for
Structured Analytic Techniques for Intelligence Analysis, 2nd Ed. by Richards J. Heuer Jr. and Randolph H. Pherson.
The second edition of Structured Analytic Techniques for Intelligence Analysis is an updated version of what has become a standard text in many colleges, universities, and government offices involved in intelligence, law enforcement, homeland security, and risk analysis. It has been adopted by dozens of intelligence agencies both in the United States and abroad, and the techniques are increasingly being integrated into analytic products.
Building upon the success of the first edition, the second edition has added five new, cutting edge structured techniques. Logically organized and richly illustrated, its spiral binding and tabs separate techniques into categories making it an easy-to-use, comprehensive reference. Each technique is clearly and systematically explained: when to use it, the value added, the method, potential pitfalls, its relationship to other techniques, its origins, and examples of how it can be used.
Location: Offices of Pherson Associates: 1892 Preston White Drive, Suite 300 Reston, VA.
Opportunity to purchase the new book and have it signed. Light refreshments will be served. With special guest: CIA Trailblazer, Jack Davis.
RSVP to Cindy Jensen at cjensen@pherson.org

Saturday, 07 June 2014, 1 - 4 pm. - Washington, DC - Book Signing by Allan Topol, at the International Spy Museum Store (In-store Book Signing)

Join the International Spy Museum for an In-store book signing of The Argentine Triangle by Allan Topol, author of ten novels of international intrigue. Two of them, Spy Dance and Enemy of My Enemy, were national best sellers.

Just in time for your summer spyreading,the dynamic former CIA agent Craig Page is back in Alan Topol�s tenth novel, The Argentine Triangle, another highly anticipated fast paced thriller.
Craig goes undercover in the glamorous world of the Buenos Aires� wealthy elite. He confronts brutality driven by a power hungry Argentine general, his cruel henchman, and a double dealing Washington lawyer who is the American President�s closest advisor.
In trying to block their effort to reshape exotic Argentina and all of South America, Craig uncovers buried secrets from the Dirty War. His mission and life hinge upon Gina, a sensuous young Argentine journalist and Nicole a compassionate Patriot. This is a heart wrenching tale of intrigue and deception.
Tickets: Free! No registration required. Visit www.spymuseum.org

 

Thursday, 12 June 2014 - CIA Technology Exposition - CIA Headquarters in Langley, VA 

Hosted by the Office of the CIO, the CIA Technology Expo returns to the CIA Original Headquarters this June! This exclusive event is one of the very few opportunities to showcase your products and services inside the walls of the CIA. This is a great opportunity to network with CIO personnel as well as over 1,000 other CIA personnel. Over 100 applications will be collected but only 55 will be hand-selected by CIA to exhibit.
The CIA Technology Council will review all applications, make selections, and notify NCSI of accepted exhibitors. Please keep your answers concise and explain exactly the products and services you have to offer the CIA. The application process is free, you will only be charged if you are selected to exhibit!
In order to ensure that your application is processed, please complete both the 2014 Tech Expo Contract and the CIA Application. All applications must be received by 12:00 PM EST on April 4, 2014! All responses must be typed including electronic signatures and sent electronically. 
Please contact your NCSI sales representative at 443-561-2400 for application and contract forms and additional information. 
www.ncsi.com

Tuesday, 17 June 2014, 4:30 PM - Washington, DC - Hoover's Secret War against Axis Spies: FBI Counterespionage during World War II with author Raymond J. Batvinis

Hoover's Secret War against Axis Spies: FBI Counterespionage during World War II by Raymond J. Batvinis, Former Supervisory Special Agent, FBI, Professor, The Institute of World Politics, talks about his book.
The world was at war, America precariously poised on the sidelines. But already a second secret war was well underway. While he fought on the home front to consolidate the FBI's intelligence gathering power, J. Edgar Hoover was conducting an all-out campaign to make his agency America's first foreign espionage service-a campaign that would lead to an uneasy alliance with British intelligence in a brilliantly successful operation to undermine Germany.
Taking up the tale begun in his acclaimed Origins of FBI Counterintelligence, FBI historian and former agent Raymond Batvinis mines a wealth of heretofore untapped resources to expose Hoover's remarkable connivances and accomplishments in concert-and occasionally contention-with the Allies in outsmarting German intelligence. Hoover's Secret War opens up a world of spy rings, secret and double agents, surveillance, codes and ciphers, wire taps, microdots, mail drops, invisible ink, radio transmissions, and deception and disinformation as it tracks the warring nations spreading their intelligence tentacles throughout Europe and North and South America. As it documents the rocky evolution of the FBI's relationship with Britain's vaunted MI5 and MI6, the book brings to light the feud between Hoover and Williams Stephenson, director of the British Secret Intelligence Service's U.S. operation.
Batvinis reveals how the agency gained access to ULTRA intelligence. He uncovers eye-opening details of the FBI's participation in the famed "Double-Cross System, which effectively "turned" German agents against the Fatherland, among them a flamboyant, larger-than-life playboy, a world famous French flyer, and a lecherous Dutchman. Batvinis tells for the first time how the Bureau manipulated these agents, and how it transmitted deceptive information critical to the Normandy landings, the Allied invasion of the Marshall Islands, and the atomic bomb program, among other matters. Rich with secrets and surprises worthy of the finest spy fiction, this true story of espionage and counterintelligence gives us our first clear look at the secret second world war, and a significant moment in history.
At the The Institute of World Politics, 1521 16th St NW, Washington, DC
RSVP to sdwyer@iwp.edu

17 June 2014, 1130a - 2p - McLean, VA - the DIA Alumni Association hosts Russell Breighner on "Putin's Capability for Power Projection."

The DIAA hosts their Defense Intelligence Forum featuring speaker: Russell G. J. Breighner on �Putin�s Capability for Power Projection; Does China have his back?�
Mr. Breighner extensive Russian expertise was gained from a wide variety of assignments involving Russia and his graduate program in Russian Studies from Georgetown University. Some of these assignment were: (1) working on Soviet Strategy and Doctrine, (2) investigating Soviet Inland Waterways and Ports, and (3) drafting a chapter for the largest NIE (over 400 pages) ever: � Soviet Military Research and Development.� He received a personal note of congratulations from the NIC Chairman, Robert Gates. For years, he chaired the Threat Advanced Steering Group for the Joint Cruise Missile Program Office. A further example of his understanding of complex weapon system was demonstrated when he advised Senator Warner that the use of Electromagnetic weapons would degrade the Serbian electrical and electronic systems. This use reduce the Serbian power by 70% in some cases. For this he received the Senatorial Republican Medal of Freedom.
His undergraduate degree in Russian Language and Literature is from the University of Maryland. He has a PhD (ABD) in Russian Studies from Georgetown University and is the author of several books.
Location: Pulcinella Restaurant, 6852 Old Dominion Drive, McLean, VA.
Fee: Pay at the door with a check for $ 29.00 payable to DIAA, Inc. Checks are preferred, but will accept cash; however, credit card payment are discouraged.
Registration starts at 1130 AM, lunch at 1200 PM
This forum will follow a modified Chatham House rule. You may use the information, but with the exception of speaker's name and subject, you may make no attribution. Everything will be off the record.
Make reservations by 14 April 2014 by email to diforum@diaalumni.org. Include names, telephone numbers, and email addresses. For each attendee, choose among chicken cacciatore, tilapia puttanesca, lasagna, sausage with peppers, or fettuccini with portabella for your luncheon selection.

Thursday, 19 June 2014 - Washington, DC - Public Meeting of the Public Interest Declassification Board, National Archives

The Public Interest Declassification Board will hold a public meeting the morning of Thursday, June 19, 2014.
We will include more details about the agenda, location and time of the meeting, as well as information about how to register to attend in a future blog post.
Please visit the PIDB’s website, http://www.archives.gov/declassification/pidb/, and continue to follow the PIDB’s blog, Transforming Classification, for more information about the PIDB’s activities.

Wednesday, 25 June 2014, 10:00-11:45 - Annapolis Junction, MD - Dr. Michael Warner addresses the NCMF Quarterly Cryptologic Program on The Rise and Fall of Intelligence: An International Security History.

The National Cryptologic Foundation Museum welcomes Dr. Michael Warner, Command Historian for United States Cyber Command as the speaker at this Quarterly Cryptologic Program. Dr. Warner has written and lectured widely on intelligence history, theory, and reform, and has taught at American University, Johns Hopkins University, and Columbia University. His new book The Rise and Fall of Intelligence: An International Security History has just been published by Georgetown University Press.
Dr. Warner’s book has been called a tour de force through the history and evolution of intelligence structures. The world changes intelligence and intelligence changes the world. Dr. Warner will discuss the development of professional, institutionalized intelligence, and examine the implications of the “fall” of the state monopoly on high-powered espionage today and beyond. During the Cold War, only the alliances clustered around the two superpowers maintained viable intelligence endeavors, whereas a century ago, many states could aspire to be competitive at these dark arts. Today, larger states have lost their monopoly on intelligence skills and capabilities as technological and sociopolitical changes have made it possible for private organizations and even individuals to unearth secrets and influence global events. How that happened and what it portends are the topics Dr. Warner will explore. You won’t want to miss this interesting program.
LOCATION: The presentation will be held at L-3 Communications, 2720 Technology Dr, Annapolis Junction, MD 20701, Tel 301-575-3200. There will be a book signing after the presentation as well as lunch from 1200-1300.
REGISTER: To attend mail your registration fee to NCMF, PO Box 1682, Ft. George G. Meade, MD 20755-9998
For Information, email: cryptmf@aol.com; call: 301-688-5436/37; Fax: 301-688-5619;
FEE: $20 NCMF members; $50 for guests (includes a guest membership). Deadline for registration is 20 June 2014.

Friday, 27 June 2014, 1 - 4pm - Washington, DC - Meet A Spy: Tony & Jonna Mendez, the real CIA Officers behind the movie ARGO

Meet the Mendezes, both are former CIA Chiefs of Disguise, responsible for changing the identity and appearance of thousands of clandestine operatives around the world. Tony is most famous for his rescue of American diplomats from Tehran during the Iranian Hostage Crisis as depicted in the film ARGO.
Free. No registration required. More info and directions at www.spymuseum.org

Wednesday, 09 July 2014, noon - Washington, DC - Global Terrorism, Espionage and Cybersecurity Update, at the International Spy Museum

Be the first to learn the latest intelligence news! Join David Major, retired FBI agent and former director of Counterintelligence, Intelligence and Security Programs, for a briefing on the hottest intelligence and security issues, breaches, and penetrations. Presented in partnership with The Centre for Counterintelligence and Security Studies (CI Centre), these updates will cover worldwide events such as breaking espionage cases and arrest reports, cyber espionage incidents, and terrorist activity. Learn Snowden�s current status and what could happen next with this case. Major uses his expertise to analyze trends and highlight emerging issues of interest to both intelligence and national security professionals and the public. Cases are drawn from the CI Centre�s SPYPEDIA�, the most comprehensive source of espionage information in the world, containing events and information that may not be reported by mainstream media outlets. Major will also highlight and review the latest books and reports to keep you current on what is hitting think tank desks.
Tickets: Free! No registration required. Visit www.spymuseum.org

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