Association of Former Intelligence Officers

Weekly Intelligence Notes

20 - 26 September 2023
(Issue 37)

is sponsored by

Readers who encounter problems with the email version of this newsletter can
view the latest web edition here

CONTENTS


Section I - CURRENT INTELLIGENCE NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

Section II - REGULARLY FEATURED PODCASTS, BROADCASTS, NEWSLETTERS

Section III - MEMBER CONTRIBUTIONS

  • Article: Five Eyes intelligence informed Trudeau's India allegation - Reuters, 23 Sep 23
  • Article: Hardeep Singh Nijjar was a killer, not a religious head, say Indian intelligence agencies - India Today, 23 Sep 23
  • Article: Rift With Canada Puts Spotlight on India’s Security Services - Foreign Policy, 22 Sep 23
  • Article: John Brennan Returns to Serve - National Review, 21 Sep 23
  • Article: Five suspected Russian spies to be charged in UK - Reuters, 21 Sep 23
  • Article: French reporter arrested over leaked secrets - BBC, 20 Sep 23
  • Article: Live, from orbit: the Manned Orbiting Laboratory’s top-secret film-readout system - The Space Review, 18 Sep 23
  • Article: Latin America remains a playground for Russian intelligence - The Economist, 14 Sep 23
  • Opinion: The CIA Politicizes Intelligence on China and Covid - Wall Street Journal, 18 Sep 23
  • Research Report: Intelligence and Policymaking: The Opportunity for a More Collaborative Approach by AFIO member Gary Gomez - FP21, 18 Sep 23

Section IV - DEEPER DIVES, OPINION, ANALYSIS, FILM, HISTORY, POP CULTURE

Section V - Books, Research Requests, Academic Opportunities, Employment, Obituaries

Books — Forthcoming, New Releases, Overlooked

Research Requests and Academic Opportunities

Employment

Obituaries

Section VI - Events

Upcoming AFIO Events

Events from Advertisers, Corporate Sponsors, Others

See the AFIO Calendar of Events for scheduling further in the future.



The OSS Society's annual William J. Donovan Award® Dinner, a black tie and dress mess affair, is a distinguished annual gathering of the US intelligence and special operations communities. This year the event will be held at The Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Washington, DC, on 21 October 2023. Individual tickets (from $325 to $595 pp) and corporate sponsorships have been opened to AFIO members and their guests.

More information here

Register here



ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS


The WIN editors thank the following contributors of content for this issue:

GG, S, TG, GR, LR, KB, FR

Readers are encouraged to suggest material for any section of the WIN to:

winseditor@afio.com

DISCLAIMER


Our editors include a wide range of articles and commentary in the Weekly Intelligence Notes to inform and educate our readers. The views expressed in the articles are purely those of the authors and do not reflect support or endorsement from AFIO. WIN notices about non-AFIO events do not constitute endorsement or recommendation by AFIO.
AFIO does not vet or endorse research inquiries, career announcements, or job offers. We publish reasonable-sounding inquiries and career offerings as a service to our members. We encourage readers to exercise caution and good judgment when responding and to independently verify the source before supplying resumes, career data, or personal information.

TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES


Readers who encounter problems with links or viewing this newsletter as an email can access
the latest web edition here.


WORK AT AFIO

AFIO is seeking a Director of Outreach. (This is an In-Office Position)

A few of the responsibilities include: • Serve as focal point for a major AFIO project, to include maintaining project database and supporting a large annual formal dinner • Provide back-up support to AFIO Directors of Membership and Operations • Support AFIO's existing partners and stakeholders ... Robust Microsoft Office Skills (Excel, Outlook, Word) required.
Full job description here.


Access CIA's Inhouse Gift Shop



One special benefit of AFIO membership is access to CIA's EAA Store.

After completing the required, quick pre-approval process for all AFIO members described here, you can purchase directly from the EAA online store their unusual logo'd gift items for self or colleagues. EAA on 1 September 2023 released the photo above, which features some of their newest CIA items and other gift suggestions.

      

LATEST FROM AFIO


AFIO National 2024 Board Elections Have Opened

Members cast your ballot here

[Requires log-in to ensure valid and current membership]

Elections close Thursday, 30 November 2023 at 11:45 p.m. ET


REGISTRATION Nearly Full. A few seats remain.

AFIO National's Fall Luncheon
features fireside chat with Avril Haines, Director of National Intelligence,
and Jennifer K. Ewbank, the Deputy Director of CIA for Digital Innovation
Friday, 13 October 2023, 10:30am - 2pm - In-Person Tysons VA
Fireside chat with
Avril Haines, Director of National Intelligence, 
begins at 11:00 a.m.

Lunch served noon to 1 p.m.
Jennifer Ewbank,
Deputy Director of CIA
for Digital Innovation
speaks at 1:00 p.m.

Q&A follows each presentation. Event ends at 2:00 p.m.

Luncheon prices are $60 for Members; $75 for nonmember guests and all Subscribers. Payment by credit card required at time of registration. No mailed checks or at the door or at venue payments accepted or permitted.

Registration opened here and closes when all spaces taken (or NLT 9 October).

Check-in and badge pickup for Registered Attendees begins at 10:30 a.m.
NO registrations or walk-ins at hotel. No payment accepted for this event by mail or at the venue.
Register here. Registration closes 5 pm Monday 9 October.

Though we do not provide special overnight room rates, if you wish to make room reservations at the hotel, do so here.

Cancellation Schedule: AFIO must commit to the hotel facilities and regrets it must charge a cancellation fee. 100% refund until close of registration. No refunds or cancellations thereafter. You will receive a donation receipt for fees forfeited. A donor statement will be sent showing that you made a "gift to AFIO" in such instances. Gifts to AFIO are tax-deductible.

All attendees must be members of AFIO or accompanied by a current member. 

Learn more about becoming a member at www.afio.com.  Questions regarding membership? Contact office at 703-790-0320 or email afio@afio.com

Questions regarding this event to events@afio.com

Released exclusively to members...

Part 2 — An Exceptional History-Making Career
in Covert Operations, Strategy, and Policy


Recorded 29 June 2023

Michael G. Vickers PhD, Part 2
Former CIA Operations Officer and Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence
on his book "By All Means Available"

Interview of Friday, 29 June 2023 of Michael Vickers, former CIA Operations Officer and Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence. Host and Interviewer: James Hughes, AFIO President, a former Senior CIA Operations Officer.

TOPIC: Mike Vickers and Jim Hughes discuss Mike's remarkable covert operations, strategy, and policy roles up to his senior leadership in DOD as covered in his new memoir: By All Means Available: Memoirs of a Life in Intelligence, Special Operations, and Strategy.
The interview runs 52 minutes and includes several Q&As.
Purchase a copy of By All Means Available: Memoirs of a Life in Intelligence, Special Operations, and Strategy here

Access Part 2 of VICKERS interview here or click above image

This, and upcoming AFIO Now videos in 2023, are sponsored by Northwest Financial Advisors.

The 2nd Annual Cocktails & Codebreakers Event
11 October 2023 (Wednesday), 5 - 7 pm ET
co-hosted by the National Cryptologic Foundation (NCF)
and the Intelligence and National Security Foundation (INSF)

Attend to celebrate Men & Women in Cryptology at this 2nd Annual event.
We have also extended the early bird ticket rate of $150 through Tuesday, September 12th.
This year, Cocktails and Codebreakers will celebrate "Men and Women in Cryptology." Following an opening networking reception, The Honorable Ronald S. Moultrie, Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence & Security (USDI&S) and GEN Paul M. Nakasone, Commander, U.S. Cyber Command; Director, National Security Agency; Chief, Central Security Service, will participate in a joint Fireside Chat.

The Early Bird & NCF Member Rate of $150.00 is EXTENDED until 12 September 2023

Individual Tickets = Early Bird & Members Rate of $150 - until 12 September 2023
Full Price Tickets = $189 per person (after September 4th)

Event location: The Hotel at Arundel Preserve: 7795 Arundel Mills Blvd, Hanover, MD 21076

Register now, or for more information, do so here.

“From IWP with Love”: An Evening of Espionage - Institute of World Politics
 26 October 2023, 6 - 10 pm - Washington, DC

Join IWP supporters, alumni, and friends for a special Black Tie celebration of The Institute of World Politics! Includes tour of the International Spy Museum.
6:00 PM VIP Exhibit Tours; 6:45 PM General Reception and Dinner Buffet; 7:30 PM Remarks; 8:00 PM Dancing
Exhibits open until 10:00 PM
Options for Attendance:
• You may choose to become a member of the IWP Chancellor's Council (annual donation of $1000 or more) and receive complimentary tickets to all of the Chancellor's Council events, which will take place from October 25-26.
• You may choose to purchase tickets.
• You may choose to become a sponsor.
If you would like to become a sponsor, or if you have questions about becoming a Chancellor's Council member, please email Ariane Sweeney at asweeney@iwp.edu.
Dress: Black Tie or Military Dress Equivalent Optional
Event location: International Spy Museum, 700 L'Enfant Plaza SW, Washington, DC 20024
Accommodations: IWP has a room block at the St. Regis for October 24-27, 2023. Deluxe King rooms are $445 per night, and Premier Deluxe King rooms are $465 per night. Book a room online or call 1-888-627-8087. Because these rooms are limited, we encourage you to book early if you plan to attend.
To explore this upcoming event or to purchase a ticket and view sponsorship opportunities, please click here.


"AFIO Now" Video Interviews and Podcasts in 2023 are sponsored by
Northwest Financial Advisors

Click here to watch interviews in the AFIO Now series released in 2023.
View interviews from 2020 to 2022 here.
Watch public-release interviews on our YouTube channel or listen to them in podcast form at the links below.

Log into the member-only area for member-only features.


"AFIO Now" Podcasts

LATEST PODCAST: Interview of Friday, 9 June 2023 of Michael Vickers, former CIA Operations Officer and Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence. Host and Interviewer: James Hughes, AFIO President, a former Senior CIA Operations Officer. Mike Vickers and Jim Hughes discuss Mike's remarkable covert operations, strategy, and policy roles up to his senior leadership in DOD as covered in his new memoir: By All Means Available: Memoirs of a Life in Intelligence, Special Operations, and Strategy.
The interview runs 42 minutes and includes several Q&As.
Purchase a copy of By All Means Available: Memoirs of a Life in Intelligence, Special Operations, and Strategy here

AFIO Podcast here.

Are you too busy to watch an entire AFIO Now episode on YouTube? Would you rather listen in your car or while accomplishing other tasks? You can download or stream episodes on any of the 8 podcasting platforms that host AFIO Now. Search for 'AFIO Podcast' for a selection of the interviews above (public released ones) on:

Podbean; iTunes; Google; Spotify; Amazon Music; Amazon TuneIn + Alexa; iHeartRadio; Pandora


Special Walking Tours Announcements
from SpyGuide Tours Inc.

September is SPY TOUR month!

New York City. Special guest joining "The Spies of Wall Street" starting 05 Sep 23.

Washington, DC. "Georgetown Spy Tour" available Friday evenings starting 08 Sep 23.

Experts guide visitors through the streets of both cities while
sharing contemporary espionage stories, case studies, and history.


***ALSO***

"The January 6th Experience." Saturday 30 September 10a-12:30p. Developed and delivered by an expert in misinformation and trained intelligence analyst, this is the definitive walking tour of the January 6th 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. See the sights of Pennsylvania Avenue and examine the scheme to overturn the 2020 election, the Stop the Steal movement, the fake electors plot and more. Get all of your questions answered. Learn more and book at https://spyher.co and use promo code J6E2023 for $20 off the ticket price, normally $50. - Read more about this tour in the Atlantic Monthly article "What I Learned Retracing the Footsteps of the Capitol Rioters" here.

Visit https://spyher.co to learn more and book all tours.

FOR YOUR FALL TRAVEL PLANS
10-12 November 2023 - Sante Fe, NM - Spies, Lies & Nukes Conference

Spies, Lies & Nukes - Third Conference - Santa Fe, NM
Plan Your Fall Attendance NOW to capture the lower rates

Special Rate Available for AFIO Members Here

This third, enhanced running of Spies, Lies & Nukes. Join Valerie Plame and some of her legendary, highly decorated, and experienced CIA colleagues as they pull back the curtain on the real life "wilderness of mirrors" that is international espionage.
Hear from and engage with the best of CIA's spies to better understand today's world: from emergent threats, to never-before-told spy operations, black market nuclear scams, how to recruit a spy, the growth of domestic terrorism, how social media is used in espionage, and keeping your employees and your company safe from foreign spies.

Topics: "Soul Catcher: The Metaphysics of Recruiting a Spy" with Jim Lawler, Former Senior CIA Ops Officer
"Delusion and Illusion in Moscow" with Jonna Mendez in conversation with Valerie Plame, Former Covert CIA Ops Officer
"CIA in the Movies" - Panel;
"China: An Emerging Threat" with Mary Beth Long, Former Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs
"Inside Putin's Head" with Rolf Mowatt-Larssen, Former Senior CIA Intelligence Officer
"Clarity in Crisis: Leadership Lessons from the CIA" with Marc Polymeropoulos, Former Senior CIA Ops Officer
"Disinformation Distortions: AI, Deep Fakes, and Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Social Media and Espionage" with Alma Katsu, Former Senior CIA and NSA Analyst
"Morality and Ethics in the CIA" with Doug London, Former Senior Officer in the CIA's Clandestine Service
Michael Morell in conversation with Valerie Plame, Former Covert CIA Ops Officer
"Eliminating Players on the Intelligence Battlefield: Havana Syndrome" with Marc Polymeropoulos, Former Senior CIA Ops Officer
"The End of the Global Nuclear Order" with Valerie Plame, Former Covert CIA Ops Officer
Program also includes: Former Senior CIA Intelligence Officer; Michael J. Morell, Former CIA Deputy Director


FEE: Regular Sale purchase window: Jun 16 - Nov 2, $1300; Late Sale purchase window: Nov 3 - Nov 10, $1450. Special AFIO rate here.
Ticket price does not include accommodations. More about accommodations here

Tickets include breakfasts, lunches, VIP reception and all speaker presentations and activities.

Conference location: Conference Location: La Fonda On the Plaza, 100 E. San Francisco Street, Santa Fe, NM 87501
More information or to register here



FROM THE AFIO STORE

Roy Berkeley's "A Spy's London" - Original U.S. Edition - A Few Unsold Copies Available

In 'this remarkable book' (as intelligence historian and AFIO member Nigel West describes in his Foreword), the reader will be struck by the vibrancy of history made real. Author/AFIO member Roy Berkeley goes behind the facades of ordinary buildings, in the city that West calls 'the espionage capital of the World,' to remind us that the history of intelligence has often been made in such mundane places. With his evocative photographs and compelling observations, The 136 sites are organized into 21 manageable walks. But also a joy to armchair travelers. Among the sites: the modest hotel suite where an eager Red Army colonel poured out his secrets to a team of British and American intelligence officers; the royal residence where one of the most slippery Soviet moles was at home for years; the London home where an MP plotting to appease Hitler was arrested on his front steps in 1940.

A few copies are available at only $20 a copy (postage to a U.S.-based address included). Telephone the office at 703-790-0320 or email julie@afio.com to obtain one of these last copies.

Clearance Sale on Long-Sleeved Polo Shirts with AFIO Logo
Superior quality and shrink resistant; features a detailed embroidered AFIO seal. The shirt color is royal blue.
The sale price is $25 and includes shipping.
Available in men's sizes only:  small, medium, large, extra-large, XXL, and XXXL.
Due to limited quantities, please contact the AFIO National Office for availability of size and to provide payment information.
You may telephone the office at 703-790-0320 or email annettej@afio.com

Section I - CURRENT INTELLIGENCE NEWS HIGHLIGHTS


A CIA-Linked Investment Fund Is Falling Apart, Leaving a Trail of Questions - The Messenger, 25 Sep 23

When Christopher Darby launched an investment fund with ties to the CIA in 2021, he aimed to acquire a company steeped in national security technology. Investors poured $230 million into the publicly-traded fund, called Chain Bridge I. Darby, the fund’s chairman, also ran the successful venture capital firm In-Q-Tel, which invests in startups on behalf of the U.S. intelligence community. Darby and his Chain Bridge colleagues, many with backgrounds at the Central Intelligence Agency and other intelligence entities, saw their new fund as a vehicle to bolster America’s security interests. But there was another potential benefit as well. The right investment could have yielded private ownership of a lucrative company critical to U.S. interests — and a potentially rich government contract for use of its technology or services. Corporate filings suggest Chain Bridge would have carried big financial benefits for its top officers, a potential payday not available through In-Q-Tel. (View report here.)

FBI Warned Sikhs in the U.S. About Death Threats After Killing of Canadian Activist - The Intercept, 23 Sep 23

After the brazen killing of a high-profile Canadian Sikh activist in June, FBI agents visited several Sikh activists in California this summer with an alarming message: Their lives were also at risk. The warnings have taken on a new urgency after Canada’s bombshell revelation on Monday that it has credible intelligence pointing to Indian government involvement in the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen and advocate for an independent Sikh state, who was shot dead outside a Sikh temple in British Columbia. Pritpal Singh, a political activist and U.S. citizen who is a coordinator for the American Sikh Caucus Committee, told The Intercept that he and two other Sikh Americans involved in political organizing in California received calls and visits from the FBI after Nijjar was killed. (View report here.)

GCHQ breached privacy rights of IT professional and security researcher, human rights court rules - Computer Weekly, 13 Sep 23

Britain’s spy agencies violated the privacy rights of two foreign nationals living outside the UK as part of the country’s programme of bulk surveillance, the European Court of Human Rights has ruled. The court upheld a complaint from an IT professional and a security and privacy researcher living outside the UK that GCHQ had breached their privacy rights under its bulk interception programme. The ruling has established that the UK can be held accountable for breaches of human rights if it unlawfully spies on the electronic communications of people living outside the UK’s borders. (Full article here.)

U.S. revives Cold War submarine spy program to counter China - Reuters, 21 Sep 23

On a windswept island 50 miles north of Seattle sits a U.S. Navy monitoring station. For years, it was kept busy tracking whale movements and measuring rising sea temperatures. Last October, the Navy gave the unit a new name that better reflects its current mission: Theater Undersea Surveillance Command. The renaming of the spy station at the Whidbey Island facility is a nod to a much larger U.S. military project, according to three people with direct knowledge of the plans: conducting the biggest reconstruction of America’s anti-submarine spy program since the end of the Cold War. The revival of the multibillion-dollar effort, known as the Integrated Undersea Surveillance System (IUSS), comes as China has ramped up military exercises around Taiwan, heightening concerns about a potential conflict over the democratically ruled territory, which Beijing wants brought under its control. (Full article here.)

Document confirms diplomats spied on Erdoğan critic abducted by Turkish intelligence in Tajikistan - Nordic Monitor, 20 Sep 23

Turkish businessman Koray Vural, who has been residing in Tajikistan for the past 29 years, was abducted on September 16 and brought to Turkey by intelligence agency MİT. Vural was previously included on a list sent to Ankara in 2017 by Turkish diplomats, who were tasked with profiling opponents of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Tajikistan and gathering intelligence on them to build criminal cases against critics. Vural was abducted as he exited his car in front of the Özyurt Restaurant in the capital city of Dushanbe on September 16. According to eyewitness accounts, Vural was taken by a group of eight men, and subsequently, on September 17, was transported to Turkey aboard Somon Air SZ 103, a flight from Dushanbe to Istanbul Airport. (Full article here.)

Coast Guard intelligence professionals gain new qualification insignia - U.S. Coast Guard, 19 Sep 23

The new Intelligence Professional (IP) Insignia recognizes the professional qualifications of active duty, reserve, and civilian specialists in the intelligence field. The insignia, which features a trident and key extending its length and crossed waves accenting, can be granted on a temporary or permanent basis. This is one of the latest insignias approved since Commandant Adm. Linda Fagan encouraged the service to ensure all communities can earn an insignia honoring their expertise. Insignias are worn on a member’s uniform, signaling that person’s professional achievement while creating esprit de corps. (Full article here.)

Ireland: Questions over listening device found at former home of senior republican - Irish News, 24 Sep 23

The Police Ombudsman has been asked to investigate an elaborate listening device found at the former home of a senior republican. The 'bug' was discovered by a relative of Brian Keenan, who died from cancer in 2008. His widow also died several years ago. Originally from south Derry, the former IRA commander travelled to Libya and met with leader Muammar Gaddafi in the 1970s, sourcing finance and weapons for the IRA's campaign. He was later regarded as a key figure in convincing skeptical republicans to embrace the peace process. A young relative, who has been living in the west Belfast property for several years, discovered the listening device concealed in a ceiling during recent renovations. The family approached Sinn Féin's Gerry Kelly who has said he will be asking the police watchdog to investigate how and why it came to be in the house. (Full article here.)

Army turns to high-altitude balloons for more eyes in the skies - Stars and Stripes, 18 Sep 23

The Army is simulating high-altitude balloon flights in Japan this month as part of a plan to expand intelligence gathering in the Indo-Pacific region. The 1st Multi-Domain Effects Battalion, participating in this month’s Orient Shield exercise alongside Japanese troops on the northern island of Hokkaido, has been experimenting with balloons, according to battalion commander Lt. Col. Joseph Mroszczyk. “We’re the only force structure in the Army that has high-altitude people whose job it is to operate these capabilities,” he told Stars and Stripes on Saturday at Camp Zama, home of U.S. Army Japan outside Tokyo. Balloon operations are only being simulated during Orient Shield, which began Sept. 14 and ends Saturday, but the battalion’s high-altitude platoon has actually launched them in the United States, Mroszczyk said. (Full article here.)

China's Research Vessel Shi Yan 6 Raises Spying Concerns As It Heads For Sri Lankan Port - Republic World, 21 Sep 23

A Chinese research vessel, Shi Yan 6, has stirred controversy as it makes its way through the Malacca Strait towards Sri Lanka's Colombo port. While officially labeled as a research mission in the Indian Ocean region, the vessel's presence has raised suspicions and fueled diplomatic tensions, as experts debate its true capabilities and intentions. The Shi Yan 6, purportedly on a scientific expedition, is en route to Colombo and is expected to reach its destination on October 25. Sri Lankan authorities have confirmed that the vessel will engage in research operations for 17 days as part of an agreement with a university. The mission is associated with research linked to Sri Lanka's National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA). (Full article here.)

How US and UK aircraft are spying on Russia in Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia - Washington Examiner, 19 Sep 23

Since the aborted June coup attempt in Russia by now-assassinated Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin, the United States and the United Kingdom have been escalating their aerial surveillance of Russian, Belorussian and Wagner Group forces in Ukraine, Belarus and Russia. Their activity is necessary because other NATO member states either lack the capability or, as in France and Germany's case, the cost-willingness to support this intelligence effort. The U.S. military's Ukraine-focused efforts center on daily flights over Romania and the western and southern Black Sea. It primarily involves unmanned drones, P-8 and P-3 maritime surveillance aircraft, and King Air B200 variants that gather signals (intercepting communications) and electronic (intercepting military electronic signatures such as Russian radar or jamming forces) intelligence. (Full article here.)

Secretary Mayorkas Announces Establishment of Homeland Intelligence Experts Group - Department of Homeland Security, 19 Sep 23

Today, U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas, Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis (I&A) Ken Wainstein, and Counterterrorism Coordinator Nicholas Rasmussen announced the establishment of the Homeland Intelligence Experts Group (Experts Group). The group is comprised of private sector experts who will provide their unique perspectives on the federal government’s intelligence enterprise to DHS’s I&A and the Office of the Counterterrorism Coordinator. “The security of the American people depends on our capacity to collect, generate, and disseminate actionable intelligence to our federal, state, local, territorial, tribal, campus, and private sector partners,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “I express my deep gratitude to these distinguished individuals for dedicating their exceptional expertise, experience, and vision to our critical mission.” “The Homeland Intelligence Experts Group is being formed at a time of unprecedented challenge, with the U.S. intelligence enterprise facing threats from a range of malign actors, to include foreign nation-state adversaries, domestic violent extremists, cyber criminals, drug-trafficking cartels and other transnational criminal organizations,” said Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis Ken Wainstein. “The Experts Group will be an invaluable asset as we navigate through this evolving threat and operating environment and continue to strengthen our efforts to protect the Homeland.” (Full article here.)

Counterespionage Corner - Recent Arrests, Convictions, Expulsions, and more...

Cyberespionage Collection - Newly Identified Actors and Operations, Countermeasures, Policy, other...

  • The New Wave of Cyber Espionage Hidden in Fake YouTube Apps - NextdoorSec, 19 Sep 23
  • Beijing's Cyber Espionage Program: Surpassing Major Competitors Combined - FBI Director Chris Wray's Warning - Archyde, 19 Sep 23
  • Chinese Ministry of State Security reveals U.S. infiltration of Huawei servers and cyber espionage activities - Dimsum Daily, 20 Sep 23
  • Chinese cyberespionage campaign involves novel Linux backdoor - SC Magazine, 19 Sep 23
  • China’s Offensive Cyber Operations in Africa Support Soft Power Efforts - Security Week, 22 Sep 23
  • Chinese Spies Infected Dozens of Networks With Thumb Drive Malware - Wired, 14 Sep 23
  • All thanks to ‘Big Yellow Taxi’: How State discovered Chinese hackers reading its emails - Politico, 15 Sep 23


Section II - REGULARLY FEATURED PODCASTS, BROADCASTS, NEWSLETTERS


The Latest from International Spy Museum Historian Andrew Hammond, PhD.

Spycast is the official podcast of the International Spy Museum and hosts interviews with intelligence experts on matters of HUMINT, SIGINT, IMINT, OSINT, and GEOINT. Spycast is hosted by historian Andrew Hammond, PhD.

19 Sep | “Former Senior Indian Intelligence Officer” – R&AW Special Secretary Vappala Balachandran Vappala Balachandran joins Andrew Hammond to discuss his career and the ancient roots of espionage in India. Bala formerly served as Special Secretary for India’s Cabinet Secretariat.


Previous episode:

12 Sep | “Irish Garda Intelligence Chief” – with Assistant Commissioner Michael McElgunn


The Latest Insights from Former CIA Acting Deputy Director for Operations Jack Devine.

In Other News The proprietary analytic newsletter crafted for The Arkin Group's private clients by former CIA Acting Deputy Director for Operations Jack Devine.

22 Sep | This week’s United Nations General Assembly highlighted the challenges that international institutions are facing and portends further unraveling. While the stated goal of the United Nations (UN) to maintain international peace and security might be inherently aspirational, global leaders have often overlooked the organization’s imperfection because the UN was the only real space for multiple parties- even with conflicting viewpoints - to sit at the same table and be heard. (Full version available to AFIO members in the coming days here.)

Previous Issue:

14 Sep | China’s ambitions are bumping up against reality, but it’s unclear if President Xi will reverse course this far down the line.



Daily Analysis of Security Issues and Geopolitical Trends

Intel Brief The Soufan Center's flagship, daily analytical product focused on complex security issues and geopolitical trends that may shape regional or international affairs. The Soufan Center was founded by former FBI Special Agent and Soufan Group CEO Ali Soufan.

26 Sep | How Will Europe’s Cost-of-Living Crisis Impact Political Stability?

Although general inflation – including energy costs – is below last year’s peaks, the cost-of-living crisis in Europe continues to impact the purchasing power of citizens, their views of government institutions, and their support for far-right political parties. Much of the crisis is rooted in the lingering impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, with the latter upending Europe’s fragile post-pandemic economic recovery, increasing food and commodity prices, and exacerbating global inflationary pressures. According to the European Central Bank, inflation for the euro area will likely average 5.6 percent this year, up from a prior forecast of 5.4 percent. Although this projection is down from the peak of 8.4 percent, it is likely to hit low- and middle-income households, as persistently high prices for goods and services have reduced workers’ purchasing power.

25 Sep | Azerbaijan Seizes Control of Nagorno-Karabakh

22 Sep | Is China Chipping Away at U.S. Trade Restrictions?

21 Sep | Saudi Energy Strategy Frustrates Washington

20 Sep | A New Treaty Among African Juntas Amid Deteriorating Security

19 Sep | U.S. and Iran Finalize Prisoner Swap



Analysis of Global Security Events with WTOP National Security Correspondent JJ Green

Inside the SCIF - 14 Sep - Border Security, Election Security, Spies in Warsaw, War in Ukraine, and more...




Target USA Podcast - 14 Sep - Putin and Kim pursue formal alliance

The Hunt Broadcast - 06 Sep - UK to label the Wagner mercenary group a terrorist organization




The Latest Insights from Jeff Stein and Colleagues in SpyTalk

24 Sep | The Perilous Path of Assassinations - Jeff Stein
I would be remiss in letting September pass without noting the car-bomb assassination of Orlando Letelier along Embassy Row in Washington, D.C., 47 years ago this month. The September 21, 1976 murder of Letelier, a prominent Chilean dissident in exile, carried out by agents of Chile’s savage military dictatorship, proved the maxim that “there are friendly states but no friendly intelligence services,” as Yuri Kobaladze, spokesman for Russia’s post-communist foreign intelligence service, the SVR, once put it. The Chilean regime, having taken power three years earlier in a military coup encouraged by the Nixon administration, was still on friendly terms with The White House when a hired assassin affixed a bomb under Letelier’s car and his helpers set it off. Letelier’s innocent American assistant, Ronni Moffitt, riding in the passenger seat, died in the shocking bombing as well. (Full article here.)

19 Sep | Why is Mexico Offering Russia a Safe Haven for Its Spies? - Dolia Estevez
México is swimming against a tide of Western crackdowns on Russian espionage. While more than 600 suspected spies have been expelled from Russian embassies across Europe since its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the Mexican government in recent months has authorized 37 new diplomats in the Russian Embassy in Mexico City on top of the 49 already there, for a staggering 86, according to the foreign ministry´s Directory of Foreign Missions (which is no longer available to the public but I obtained). Russia currently has by far the largest diplomatic contingent than any other legation in Mexico City, including the American Embassy, which has 46 diplomats, not including diplomatic personnel in their nine consulates across the country. (Full article here.)

18 Sep | Chinese Spy Balloon Hysteria Was Baseless, Milley Says - Jeff Stein
The Chinese “spy balloon” hysteria that contributed greatly to driving U.S.-China relations to their lowest point over recent years was largely baseless, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said in remarks broadcast Sunday. Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told CBS national security correspondent David Martin that the balloon was merely blown far off course by upper atmospheric winds and, if it carried working spy gear, was rendered inoperative. (Full article here.)


To support SpyTalk, subscribe here.



Section III - MEMBER CONTRIBUTIONS


Article: Five Eyes intelligence informed Trudeau's India allegation - Reuters, 23 Sep 23

U.S. Ambassador to Canada David Cohen confirmed that "shared intelligence among Five Eyes partners" had informed Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of the possible involvement of Indian agents in the murder of a Canadian citizen in June, CTV News reported. Intelligence-sharing network Five Eyes includes the U.S., Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Trudeau said on Monday that Ottawa had credible intelligence linking Indian agents to the murder of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Vancouver, prompting an angry reaction from New Delhi, which denies the allegation. (Read full report here.)

Article: Hardeep Singh Nijjar was a killer, not a religious head, say Indian intelligence agencies - India Today, 23 Sep 23

India Today has accessed Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar's dossier. As per sources, he played a key role in spotting, networking, training, financing and operationalising the KTF terror module. He was declared an 'individual terrorist' by the Union Home Ministry in 2020 under the UAPA. Nijjar was killed by unidentified assailants on June 18 at a parking lot of a gurdwara in British Columbia. (Read full report here.)

Article: Rift With Canada Puts Spotlight on India’s Security Services - Foreign Policy, 22 Sep 23

When Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau this week accused the Indian government of involvement in the fatal shooting of a Canadian Sikh activist, it was perhaps the first time a liberal, Western democracy had made such a claim about New Delhi. Trudeau was backed by the Canadian opposition leader, Pierre Poilievre, who called the alleged actions an “outrageous affront” to Canadian sovereignty. India has rejected the accusations, but on Tuesday, Trudeau doubled down: “We are not looking to provoke or escalate. We are simply laying out the facts as we understand them,” he said. (Read full report here.) (NOTE: This material may require a one time free subscription or sit behind a paywall.)

Article: John Brennan Returns to Serve - National Review, 21 Sep 23

Former CIA director John Brennan is being called to serve in the Department of Homeland Security’s new “Homeland Intelligence Experts Group” that will offer their advice and counsel to Undersecretary for Intelligence and Analysis Ken Wainstein and Counterterrorism Coordinator Nicholas Rasmussen. You may remember that John Brennan is one of the scores of former U.S. intelligence officials to sign a letter stating that the Hunter Biden laptop was the product of Russian disinformation. “Our experience makes us deeply suspicious that the Russian government played a significant role in this case,” they wrote in the infamous letter. The letter was later credibly revealed to be a campaign operation spearheaded by the team around Joe Biden. Nobody on the list has been subsequently stripped of security clearances for this abuse, itself an act of election disinformation. Shouldn’t the Biden administration at the very least be embarrassed about this? Of course. But it won’t be. (Read full report here.)

Article: Five suspected Russian spies to be charged in UK - Reuters, 21 Sep 23

British prosecutors said on Thursday they had authorised charges to be brought against five Bulgarian nationals accused of spying for Russia for almost three years. The three men and two women are accused of "conspiring to collect information intended to be directly or indirectly useful to an enemy for a purpose prejudicial to the safety and interest of the state" between Aug. 30, 2020 and Feb. 8, 2023, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said. The alleged spies were named as Orlin Roussev, 45, Bizer Dzhambazov, 41, Katrin Ivanova, 31, Ivan Stoyanov, 31, and Vanya Gaberova, 29, all Bulgarian nationals who lived in London and Norfolk. They are due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Sept. 26. There was no immediate response from the Russian embassy in London. "The CPS has authorised a charge of conspiracy to conduct espionage against three men and two women suspected of spying for Russia," said Nick Price, head of the CPS Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division. (Read full report here.)

Article: French reporter arrested over leaked secrets - BBC, 20 Sep 23

A French journalist was held overnight and questioned by police in connection with a 2021 report which alleged that French intelligence was used by Egypt to kill civilians. Police reportedly searched Ariane Lavrilleux's house on 19 September and later took her into custody. Lavrilleux's lawyer said she was questioned as part of an investigation into compromising national security. She was released after a night in custody. Amnesty International's Katia Roux had said she was "very worried" for the journalist at the time of her arrest. "To put in police custody a journalist for doing her job, moreover for revealing information of public interest, could be a threat to freedom of the press and confidentiality of sources." Lavrilleux was reportedly questioned by police officers from the French intelligence service - the General Directorate for Internal Security, or DGSI. (Read full report here.)

Article: Live, from orbit: the Manned Orbiting Laboratory’s top-secret film-readout system - The Space Review, 18 Sep 23

What good is warning of enemy attack that arrives after the attack has occurred? That was one of the dilemmas facing the operators of American intelligence satellites during the 1960s. The satellites used film, which had to be returned to Earth, processed, and analyzed, which could often be a week or more after the photograph was taken. Some members of the satellite reconnaissance community sought to reduce that time, to get the images to the ground faster. This was the subject of a subsystem for the expensive and complicated Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL) of the 1960s, but this aspect of the program has been overlooked since MOL was declassified eight years ago. (Read full report here.)

Article: Latin America remains a playground for Russian intelligence - The Economist, 14 Sep 23

Over the past 18 months suspected Russian spies have been unearthed in Europe, from the Netherlands to Norway and Sweden to Slovenia. Many have something in common: a link to the Americas. The arrests show that Latin America remains, as it was in the cold war, a springboard for Russian spies who go on to snoop around the United States and Europe. Consider Victor Muller Ferreira, a Brazilian man who arrived in The Hague in April 2022 to take up an internship at the International Criminal Court, only to be promptly deported. He was alleged to be Sergey Vladimirovich Cherkasov, an “illegal”—an intelligence officer working under a false identity, rather than under diplomatic cover—of the GRU, Russia’s military intelligence service. (Read full report here.) (NOTE: This material may require a one time free subscription or sit behind a paywall.)

Opinion: The CIA Politicizes Intelligence on China and Covid - Wall Street Journal, 18 Sep 23

A Central Intelligence Agency whistleblower claims that the CIA rigged a report on the origins of Covid-19 to exonerate China. According to the allegation, the most senior member of a seven-member CIA analysis team “was the lone officer to believe COVID-19 originated through zoonosis.” His six colleagues thought the intelligence and science “were sufficient to make a low confidence assessment” that the disease came from a lab leak. “The whistleblower further contends that to come to the eventual public determination of uncertainty, the other six members were given a significant monetary incentive to change their positions,” according to a Sept. 12 letter from two House committee chairmen. If these claims are true, they are consistent with what we observed during our time in the office that oversees the U.S. intelligence community: a dangerous trend inside the CIA to politicize intelligence on China, and to suppress dissenting views that stray from the company line. When preparing the President’s Daily Brief, it wasn’t unusual to ask why the CIA’s China assessments seemed at odds with intelligence from the other 17 U.S. spy agencies. (Read full report here.) (NOTE: This material may require a one time free subscription or sit behind a paywall.)

Research Report: Intelligence and Policymaking: The Opportunity for a More Collaborative Approach by Gary Gomez - FP21, 18 Sep 23

This report explores the implications of a more collaborative and connected approach to intelligence analysis and policy formulation. I consider a model in which analysts and policymakers are co-located within policy offices at all levels of policymaking. The goal of this approach is to enable a better fusion of experience and knowledge to support holistic and relevant intelligence analysis and informed evidence-based foreign policy. The current intelligence producer-consumer model imposes a firewall between the two worlds to ensure the objectivity and apolitical character of intelligence analysis. Yet decades of critical reviews of this model recommend a more synergistic and collaborative approach. A break with the ‘standard model’ will enable an evolutionary path towards more permanent associations between policy officials and intelligence analysts. This standard model, as outlined by Sherman Kent, need not be considered wrong to adjust and evolve into a new model. Indeed, such an evolution would not be possible without the intensely objective analytic ethic developed over decades by the intelligence community. To evaluate the efficacy of this updated evolutionary model, this report references decades of intelligence studies literature about some of the most fundamental and critical issues of the intelligence producer-consumer relationship. As with any fundamental changes to long-established processes and institutions, practitioner discomfort can occur. This report will explore the opportunities and risks associated with these changes. (Read full report here.)



Section IV - DEEPER DIVES, OPINION, ANALYSIS, FILM, HISTORY, POP CULTURE


Reimagining the SCIF Life - INSA, 25 Sep 2023

The consulting firm Gartner predicts by the end of 2023, more than half of U.S. workers will work remotely at least part of the time. While numerous studies have been conducted on the impact of remote work on work-life balance, none have focused on the nuances of the cleared Intelligence Community (IC) workforce. On the premise of national security and the need to protect sources and methods, the IC workforce has traditionally worked in restrictive Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIFs). The global pandemic forced organizations to create or re-envision remote work, and the IC has demonstrated that a hybrid solution to support flexibility can be successful. This paper focuses on how to permanently adapt and reshape the way the IC workforce works. COVID-19 challenged the assumptions about how the IC approached work and helped to clarify what was critical to be done in a classified environment and what could be done remotely. While the effects of the pandemic still linger on, the societal trend for remote work and telework is still in place and has changed the dynamics of when it is a necessity to work in a SCIF, as well as how that environment can be reconsidered to improve the workplace. Some of the IC has restructured in innovative ways to accommodate the desire and need for flexibility that supports work-life balance. Some employers actively pursued change on a permanent basis while other organizations only made temporary adjustments. The authors focused on the post COVID-19 evolution of classified work in the IC and offer potential ways forward for “Reimagining Life in the SCIF.” Recommendations are presented for thought and consideration in terms of work-life balance, risk, retention, and culture. (Full report here.)

Spying (in)spires: The dwindling likelihood of an Oxford spy ring to rival the Cambridge Five - Contemporary British History, 22 Sep 2023

This article asks why no comparable spy ring to the Cambridge Five developed concurrently at Oxford University and argues that, based on an updated and comprehensive review of primary and secondary sources, holding out hope for a new revelation of one may be waiting for Godot. We argue that whilst structural and institutional factors played a significant role in the creation of a mid-20th century Cambridge spy ring, the role and agency of individuals was paramount, and Oxford was missing comparable personalities. Specifically, the galvanising effect of an intellectual authority figure in the person of Cambridge Don Maurice Dobb, the greater attention, talent, and strategy by Soviet intelligence recruiter Arnold Deutsch, and the higher level of ideological commitment and social reinforcement on the part of the Cambridge Five themselves—as a ring—were of greater significance. Not all these factors were present in Oxford and casts increasing doubt on whether an equivalent Oxford spy ring ever existed. Recently declassified files reveal that Oxford did produce Soviet era spies, but never a collective akin to that of the infamous Cambridge spies, who remain a unique historical and cultural touchstone to the present day. (Full report here.)

Intelligence for human security: measuring outcomes quantitatively - Intelligence and National Security, 20 Sep 23

This article examines whether increased intelligence capacity improves global security, a key assumption in intelligence theory. Using the partial least squares structural equation modeling method, the research statistically analyzes data from the U.S. International Intelligence Behaviour dataset and Global Terrorism Database. Grounded in intelligence studies and international relations theory, the study integrates a constructivist human security framework. Surprisingly, the results show a significant correlation between increased intelligence capacity and the degree of terrorism, suggesting intelligence may undermine rather than enhance human security. This finding challenges traditional assumptions, though it must be viewed cautiously due to potential endogeneity. (Full report here.)

Open-Source Intelligence’s Impact in the Digital Age - American Enterprise Institute, 19 Sep 23

Open-source intelligence (OSINT) has had a breakthrough moment during the war in Ukraine. OSINT research encompasses all intelligence work that produces findings derived from publicly available sources. In the context of the war in Ukraine, analysts have been using sources ranging from social media to satellite images to garner information about the movements of troops and developments in the war. Off the battlefield, open-source intelligence is able to monitor sanctions evasion and hold governments and corporations to account. Despite its popularity in the digital age, open-source intelligence is not a new concept. Early forms included reading newspaper clippings and listening to radio broadcasts of adversaries. With the onset of the digital age however, the sheer amount of information available online allowed OSINT to truly take off. Nowadays, OSINT analysts need not be professional journalists (although some are) or work for national intelligence agencies. With some independent research on best practices and techniques, individuals can pick up the skills necessary to do the work independently. (Full report here.)

MSS WeChat Sets the Tone for the National Security State - The Jamestown Foundation, 22 Sep 23

According to the latest WeChat post from China’s Ministry of State Security (MSS, 国家安全部), food security is a “strategic issue” [战略问题] — not for the reasons one might expect, but because of fears of foreign espionage (MSS WeChat, September 22). The post starts out with some strident criticism of the United States, before alleging that some “foreign companies and consultancy firms” have tried “every possible means” to steal China’s grain data and attempted in vain to control China’s food production, along with a litany of other crimes. The MSS’s worldview is clearly a Manichaean one in which foreign spies are lurking everywhere. The message here is that if you are a Chinese citizen, these spies could be targeting you: one WeChat post pushed last Saturday outlines how to protect your phone, email and other devices from hostile attacks (Sohu, September 16). Other posts direct everyone to be on the lookout for such spies — if you come across one, report them to the security services immediately (MSS Informant hotline). This public-facing strategy from the MSS constitutes something of a terra incognita for the Party’s most incognito of departments, but it represents a further ratcheting up of the broader ideological campaigns launched under Xi. An analysis of the WeChat account’s forty-five posts since its launch on July 31 indicates a keen sense within the Party of a need to promote national security as the prism through which everything should be refracted, and a desire to increase the people’s sense of vulnerability to hostile foreign threats. (Full report here.)

Russia’s War in Ukraine: Military and Intelligence Aspects - Congressional Research Service, 14 Sep 23

Russia’s renewed invasion of neighboring Ukraine in February 2022 marked the start of Europe’s deadliest armed conflict in decades. After a steady buildup of military forces along Ukraine’s borders since 2021, Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, with Russian ground forces attacking from multiple directions. Initially, Russian forces made gains along all lines of advance. However, Russian forces ran into effective and likely unexpected levels of Ukrainian resistance from the invasion’s outset. In addition, many analysts and officials assess that, during this first stage of the war, the Russian military performed poorly overall and was hindered by specific tactical choices, poor logistics, ineffective communications, and command-and-control issues. The Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF), while at a quantitative and qualitative disadvantage in personnel, equipment, and resources, have proven more resilient and adaptive than Russia expected. Over the course of the first several weeks of the war, Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Russian military had to adjust to various setbacks and other developments on the ground. With many Russian advances stalled, Russian defense officials announced in late March 2022 that military operations would focus on eastern Ukraine, including the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk (collectively known as the Donbas, where Russian-led separatists have been fighting since 2014) and that Russia would withdraw its forces around Kyiv and Chernihiv in the north. (Full report here.)

How China Uses Shipping for Surveillance and Control - Foreign Policy, 20 Sep 23

Ninety percent of the world’s trade is shipped by sea, bringing finished goods, components, and commodities to markets around the globe. But maritime trade is not only critically important—it’s also fragile, easily disrupted by pandemics, port bottlenecks, or large ships getting stuck in canals. While maritime embargoes during wartime have been a staple of conflicts since the days of the Spanish Armada, today’s warfare won’t require a flotilla to keep essential goods from reaching their destination. Instead, adversaries can paralyze shipping by weaponizing information. (Full report here.) (NOTE: This material may require a one time free subscription or sit behind a paywall.)

Russian disinformation strategy in Africa: impact on Ukraine and Western relations - We Are Ukraine, 20 Sep 23

Africa holds a significant role within Putin’s foreign policy agenda, which is committed to dismantling an inequitable “unipolar” global order, characterized by U.S. and European dominance, and establishing a more balanced “multipolar” framework involving major powers, including Russia. Within this narrative, Putin extends a promise of Russian support to African nations as they strive to shed the remnants of European colonialism. Furthermore, Africa stands out as the primary focal point in Putin’s efforts to counter diplomatic isolation. The backing of African allies has assumed paramount importance for Russia, especially within the United Nations (UN), where African countries collectively constitute a quarter of all votes in the General Assembly. The participation of African states plays a pivotal role in Moscow’s periodic calls for support from nations, seeking their votes – or, at least, abstentions – on critical UN resolutions. (Full report here.)

Chinese Spies Are Targeting Access, Not Race - Foreign Policy, 22 Sep 23

On Aug. 3, 2023, the U.S. Justice Department arrested U.S. Navy sailors Jinchao Wei and Wenheng Zhao for illegally transmitting restricted military information to China. In the Southern District of California, Wei’s mother allegedly encouraged him to spy for China, and Chinese authorities allegedly provided the 22-year-old sailor with between $10,000 and $15,000 for information about Navy ships’ weapon capabilities, power structures, potential vulnerabilities, and movements. In a separate case in the Central District of California, Zhao allegedly sent a Chinese intelligence officer “operational plans for a large-scale military exercise” and specifically disclosed “the location and timing of naval movements, amphibious landings, maritime operations, and logistics support.” (Read full report here.) (NOTE: This material may require a one time free subscription or sit behind a paywall.)

Scot-Secure West | A Golden Age of Espionage - Digit News, 19 Sep 23

From a zero-day vulnerability discovered in Google Chrome to a zero-click flaw enabling the installation of spyware on iOS devices, self-professed “creaky old hacker” Daniel Cuthbert is undoubtedly right: It’s been “really bad” regarding bugs in vendor products within recent weeks. “The problem is, bugs like these are being leveraged by a big, global complex to access data — and it has meant that technology has now allowed us to spy on anybody,” he explained during his Scot-Secure West keynote at Strathclyde University’s Technology and Innovation Centre on 14 September. On matters of bugs, exploitations, and cybersecurity, Cuthbert is a thoroughly authoritative figure: He serves as Santander’s Global Head of Cybersecurity Research, and sits on multiple UK Government cyber advisory boards. And if his name looks familiar, that might be due to headlines in the press: In 2005, at age 28, he was convicted of breaking Section 1 of the Computer Misuse Act 1990. (Full report here.)

Operation Lahaina: Spies Descend on Maui - Hawaii Tribune Herald, 24 Sep 23

Disasters present opportunities for some U.S. intelligence agencies to step out of the shadows to lend a helping hand. Conversely, they create ripe environments for adversarial nations’ spy services to sow confusion, fuel anxiety, and influence public opinion through disinformation. Both are ongoing in Maui. Before focusing on our fire-ravaged island, let’s look at how society in general benefits from U.S. espionage shops (beyond national defense). Modern conveniences derived from military research are legend--microwave ovens, the Internet, duct tape, GPS--but less well known are the daily life tools given us by the U.S. Intelligence Community. (Full reports here.)

Charted: The Exponential Growth in AI Computation - Visual Capitalist, 18 Sep 23

Electronic computers had barely been around for a decade in the 1940s, before experiments with AI began. Now we have AI models that can write poetry and generate images from textual prompts. But what’s led to such exponential growth in such a short time? This chart from Our World in Data tracks the history of AI through the amount of computation power used to train an AI model, using data from Epoch AI. (Access visual tool and full report here.)

Intelligence in History - A Collection of Recent Content

Intelligence in Pop Culture - Musical: Operation Mincemeat

“Operation Mincemeat,” the musical, is not to be confused with “Operation Mincemeat,” the 2021 film directed by John Madden, or “Operation Mincemeat,” the 2010 nonfiction book by Ben Macintyre. Those properties are conventionally straightforward accounts of a singular wartime escapade, when British spies planted phony military plans on the body of a man from a morgue. Dressing the corpse as a pilot, the intelligence officers placed it near the wreckage of a plane on the Spanish coast — all to convey misinformation to the Nazis about where an Allied invasion of Italy was to occur. (It worked.) This new “Operation Mincemeat” owes as much to screwball farce as to historical epic, employing a plethora of musical styles (including hip-hop and swing) both to honor the incredible true story and send up the popular genre of wartime drama. Bolstered by their backgrounds in sketch comedy — itself a hallowed British tradition back to the days of “Beyond the Fringe” and Monty Python — the team created an uproarious musical comedy, with starring roles for … themselves. Not that their grand scheme involved orchestrating their own debuts as singers in a theater around the corner from Covent Garden. (Read more here.)

True Intelligence Matters in Film - Documentary - Spy Ops: Operation Wrath of God Part I - Marek Bures (08 Sep 23)

Mossad carries out a covert assassination campaign targeting leaders of the Popular Front to Liberate Palestine, Fatah, and other Palestinian movements.

More information about this based-on-true-events production here.





Walking Tours - Washington, DC - Sundays (Dates/Times Vary)

Former intelligence officers guide visitors on two morning and afternoon espionage-themed walking tours: "Spies of Embassy Row" and "Spies of Georgetown." For more information and booking, click here or contact rosanna@spyher.co



Section V - Books, Research Requests, Employment, Obituaries


Books — Forthcoming, Newly Released, Overlooked


Race and National Security (Just Security)
by Matiangai V. S. Sirleaf (Editor)
(Oxford University Press, 26 Sep 23)

On both a national and global stage we are witnessing a reckoning on issues of racial justice. This historical moment that continues to unfold in the United States and elsewhere also creates an opening to spark and revitalize debate and policy changes on a range of crucial topics, including national security. By surfacing the depths to which White hegemonic power influences our institutions and cultural assumptions, we gain more accurate understanding of how race manifests in national security domestically, transnationally, and globally. In Race and National Security, leading experts challenge conventional interpretations of national security by illuminating the underpinning of White supremacy in our social consciousness. The volume centers the experience of those who have long been on the receiving end of racialized state violence. It finds that re-envisioning national security requires more than just reducing the size and scope of the security state. Contributors offer visions for reforming and transforming national security, including adopting an abolitionist framework. Race and National Security invites us to radically reimagine a world where the security state does not keep Black, Brown, and other marginalized peoples subordinated through threats of and actual incarceration, violence, torture, and death. Race and National Security is a groundbreaking volume which serves as a catalyst for remembering, exposing, and reconceiving the role of race in national security. The Just Security book series from OUP tackles contemporary problems in international law and security that are of interest to a global community of scholars, policymakers, practitioners, and students. With each volume taking a particular thematic focus and gathering leading experts, the series as a whole aims to rigorously and critically reflect on developments in these areas of law, policy, and practice. Each volume will be accompanied by a series of shorter digital pieces in Just Security's online forum at www.justsecurity.org, which tie the discussion to breaking news and headlines.

Order book here.


A Cop's Son: One G-Man's Fight Against Jihad, Global Fraud And The Cartels
by Kenneth Strange Jr
(History Publishing Company, 16 Jun 23)

The author served with three Federal Agencies pursuing criminals and bad actors. Those agencies were the FBI, the US Agency for International Development and the Department of Justice. His service to those agencies brought him into conflict with Jihadists, the Cartels and international perpetrators of fraud. This experience unique to that of the traditional agent sets this story apart from any other in the law enforcement genre. His service to those agencies brought him into conflict with Jihadists, the Cartels and international perpetrators of fraud. Unique to the law enforcement genre is the variety of investigative stories accrued from the three distinct and distinguished US Government agencies. In this book, he breaks down his Federal career into the Fight Against Jihad (FBI), the Fight Against Global Fraud (USAID OIG) and the Fight Against the Cartels (DOJ OIG). Included are a story about a KGB defector and a Cuban intelligence case. This unusual book has been hailed by Ray Kelly former two-time NYC Police Commissioner and William Bratton former NYC Police Commissioner and LA Police Chief and several other prominent in the genre.

Order book here.


Training intelligence officers 1: Political science knowledge
by Henning van Aswegen
(11 Jun 20)

Political Science knowledge How can you oppose fascism, or Marxist realism / non-realism for that matter, if you do not know what it is and can not define these concepts? In this training document for intelligence officers, the author explores selected aspects in the philosophy of political science – knowledge that every intelligence officer should have before venturing into the world of espionage and counter espionage. The theme of this training framework for young intelligence officers, is the acquisition of a rudimentary knowledge of the nomenclature of intelligence, counterintelligence, espionage, spying and foreign intelligence operations.

Order book here.


Research Requests and Academic Opportunities

Call for Information: Seeking information on, Sgt Major Charles “Chuck” Remagen, assigned to MACV/SOG in Vietnam 67-68. Seek details about his role as a Sgt Major with MACV “Studies and Observations Group in Vietnam 7/1/67 to 1/21/68. Responses may be sent to magen@hotmail.com.

Call for Information: Child of Roger O. Brady, a CIA psychologist 1951-1979, seeks information about his life. He served in Saipan and Lima, Peru. He was assigned to the Department of Psychology. Please contact Kate Brady Moore at mooreod@aol.com.

Call for Sources: Intelligence officers in Jordan between 1999-2022

Author Aaron Magid, who is writing on a book about King Abdullah, is looking to interview intelligence officers who were posted in Jordan in the 1999-2022 timeframe. He can be contacted at aaron.magid1@gmail.com.

Call for Sources: Cyprus 1974

A British history journalist, Andrew Southam, is writing a book about events in Cyprus 1974, which saw an attempted coup against president Archbishop Makarios, two interventions by Turkey, the fall of the Greek Junta, the cutting of aid to Turkey and the assassination of Ambassador Ron Davies; and contributed to the murder a year later of Athens CIA station chief Dick Welch besides other British, Greek and American officials over the subsequent 27 years. This work is an accurate narrative of events (initially called ‘Cyprus’74, no control, no conspiracy’), rebutting with evidence various conspiracy allegations of US and/or British collusion with either Greece or Turkey. He would warmly welcome speaking to any intelligence officers who played a role in these events. He can be contacted at andrew2southam@yahoo.co.uk.

Call for Information: Rueben Efron (1911-1993), former CIA translator, HTLINGUAL.

Please contact Mark S. Zaid, Esq. at mark@markzaid.com or (202) 330-5610.

Call for Information: Arnold M. Silvier

Relative of Silvier, aka "Richie Boy," seeks information on the person (or works of) Silver, who was in the US Army during WWII and, later, CIA (1949 - 1978), with postings in Austria, Luxembourg, Germany, Turkey and Washington DC. Please contact nboicecounseling@gmail.com

Survey for Members: Skill Sets Needed for Intelligence Analysis Degree Holders to See Success After Graduation

Northeastern University Security and Intelligence Studies professor researching the skill sets required for Intelligence Analysis degree holders to see success after graduation welcomes the participation of AFIO members in a 5-minute survey in support of the research. Access survey here.

Call for Information: 430th CIC in Salzburg in 1946

I am currently writing about 430th CIC in Salzburg in 1946. I have a (large) CIC file and am now trying to track down further details about two officers mentioned in this: (1) Bill Taylor. The sources do not make clear whether the officer was Major Bill G. Taylor, GSC, Head of the Counter-Intelligence Bureau of G-2 (Intelligence Section), US Forces Austria, or “Mil.Reg.” Captain Taylor of Salzburg. Any information on either/both of these officers would be most welcome. (2) Pace B Rose. Rose was a CIC Special Agent in Austria, later a CIA officer who continued to be attached to the Agency after retirement. He died on 3 January 2009. I would like to contact family and friends of Pace Rose. According to the internet, Rose had children, Donna R. Hilverts and Gary W. Rose, and five grandchildren and three great grandchildren. Please contact S.Cody@westminster.ac.uk with any information.

Call for Sources: Intelligence Officers Who Lived in Spain in the 1970s

Spanish journalist Francisco Jiménez is preparing a documentary about the intelligence services in Spain in the 70s. He is looking for intelligence officers who worked in Spain in those years. If you are willing to assist Francisco, he can be reached at fjimenez@globomedia.es.

Call for Sources: Intelligence activities in Grenada and the southern Caribbean between 1979, Operation Urgent Fury, Leonard Barrett

The Washington Post is developing a multi-part audio documentary series (i.e. podcast) chronicling the Grenadian revolution and the US intervention in 1983. They've interviewed nearly 100 people so far, ranging from the heads of state, former Grenadian officials, current and former US officials, veterans, and intelligence officers. They're looking for people who served at the time and may be knowledgeable about intelligence activities in Grenada and the southern Caribbean between 1979 and Operation Urgent Fury. They would also be interested in speaking with anyone who knew Leonard Barrett during the same period. If anyone is interested in participating, please reach out to Washington Post reporter Ted Muldoon via email at ted.muldoon@washpost.com or on Signal at 651-497-5449.

Call for papers: Intelligence and Post-War Reconstruction - International Journal of Intelligence and Counterintelligence

History shows that without planning for post-war reconstruction, apparent victory in war can lead to long-term defeat. On the other hand, wise post-war planning can lead to friendly, peaceful, and profitable relations between victor and vanquished. For political, socio-economic and security-related planning, intelligence plays a crucial role in estimating capabilities, securing infrastructure, locating persons of interest, and rebuilding. In honor of the 75th anniversary of the European Recovery Program (Marshall Plan) after the Second World War, the editors are particularly interested in papers dealing with intelligence concerning post-war reconstruction initiatives and planning connected to historical and recent conflicts. Both case studies and theoretical and methodological approaches are welcome. The studies may include, but do not have to be focused on, the following questions and issues:

  • The role of diplomatic and military intelligence during the conflict as preparation for post-war reconstruction, from the conceptual to the practical.
  • What intelligence needs to be collected to secure and boost reconstruction?
  • What contacts, networks, and infrastructure are necessary for intelligence to be effective?
  • Who has been or should be approached and/or recruited for reconstruction efforts based on intelligence?
  • When has intelligent post-war planning (or its opposite) been historically evident?
  • How should intelligence interact with formerly warring parties and international organizations to empower practical reconstruction efforts?
  • What intelligence collection challenges have services encountered in working for post-war peace?
  • How did intelligence factor in the European Recovery Program?
  • What was George C. Marshall's position on the role of intelligence in general or concrete examples related to "his" plan?

01 Nov 23 deadline. More information and submission instructions here.

Call For Articles: AFIO Journal, The Intelligencer

For the past four years, AFIO has included in The Intelligencer a series of articles on "when intelligence made a difference." Written by scholars, intelligence practitioners, students, and others, they cover events from ancient times to the modern world and in many countries. AFIO is soliciting articles for future issues. Most articles run between 2,000 and 3,000 words, although some are longer or shorter. If you have an idea for an article that fits the theme, email senior editor Peter Oleson at peter.oleson@afio.com.

Jobs

Adjunct Faculty - Intelligence Studies - Fayetteville University - North Carolina

The mission of the Department of Intelligence Studies, Geospatial Sciences, Political Science and History is to provide high-quality educational programs and services in these degree-granting programs and in Philosophy and Sustainability. A major goal of the department’s multi-disciplinary faculty is to help students develop key skills and foundational knowledge in the foregoing areas. By offering courses in realms ranging from critical thinking, the humanities, and social science to ethics, civic engagement, environmental studies & sustainability, and global literacy, the departmental faculty strive to empower students with the skills and knowledge they will need to excel in their chosen professions and become effective twenty-first century global citizens. The department will endeavor through its internship programs and will work closely with institutional partners, to provide career pathways for all majors that will assure transitions into meaningful jobs in their chosen field. Through teaching, research, and service, the Intelligence Studies, Geospatial Sciences, Political Science, History, and Philosophy faculty aim to promote the cultural, social, and economic well-being of the residents of the region and the nation.

Additional information and application here.

Assistant Professor in Intelligence and Security - Leiden University - Netherlands

Leiden University’s Institute of Security and Global Affairs (ISGA) is inviting applications for a full-time Assistant Professor position in Intelligence and National Security. The successful candidate will have a demonstrable research record in themes related to the vacancy and a strong teaching background in intelligence and security, or a related field, as well as in topics related to the Institute’s Bachelor’s and Master’s programme offerings. The position is aimed at strengthening the Institute’s teaching, research and grant-acquisition capacities in a phase of growth and exciting interdisciplinary research opportunities.

Additional information and application here.

Retired Federal Government Employees Wanted - National Security Agency - Fort Meade, Maryland

The National Security Agency (NSA) may occasionally need skilled civilian retirees to augment the existing work force on high priority projects or programs. In order to fill these temporary positions quickly, we need to know who may be interested and available to return to work with us on a short notice basis as well as their skills. Retirees provide expertise and corporate knowledge to temporarily support mission requirements, manpower shortfalls, and/or mentor the next generation of Agency employees. Salary Range: $86,335 - $170,800.

Additional information and application here.

Assistant/Associate Professor of Intelligence Studies (Global Security and Intelligence Studies) - Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Prescott, Arizona

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's Prescott, Arizona campus is accepting applications for a tenure-track assistant or associate-level professor of intelligence studies to teach intelligence courses to students in the Global Security and Intelligence program. The successful candidate will teach students about the intelligence community, strategic intelligence, the intelligence cycle and intelligence analysis, writing, and briefing. Prior experience working in the intelligence community is strongly preferred. We are interested in candidates with teaching acumen in intelligence analysis and writing using structured analytical techniques.

Additional information and application here.


Obituaries

Robert Boyd — Decorated Cold War Aerial Spy

Robert N. Boyd, 97, of Hilton Head Island, SC passed on September 2, 2023. Following graduation from New Mexico Military Institute in 1944, Bob served on the USS Bennett DD473 during WWII and saw action during the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. Bob was Chief of the Branch at the National Photographic Interpretation Center (NPIC) that discovered the Soviet missiles deployed in Cuba from U-2 photography, October 1962. Mr. Boyd received a citation from President John F. Kennedy and the CIA Intelligence Medal of Merit for his performance during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Mr. Boyd received a second CIA Intelligence Medal of Merit for his 25 years of outstanding service. October 2023, he will be inducted into the Geospatial Intelligence Hall of Fame.

Bruce Steger — Decorated NSA Cryptologist

Bruce Lyle Steger, 79, of Chippewa Falls, town of LaFayette, Wisconsin, passed away at home on September 3 after a short but brave battle with a rare, very aggressive, and basically untreatable form of stomach cancer. Bruce was born in Appleton on December 21, 1943. He graduated from Xaiver High School before going on to UW-Madison where he earned a Bachelor of Science in mathematics and the University of Maryland where he earned a master's degree in computer science. He worked as a crypto mathematician for the National Security Agency where he was awarded a meritorious Civil Service Award. From there, he joined Cray Research as a hardware/software engineer manager until his retirement.

Gary Grantham — Former Senior Career NSA Officer

Gary L. Grantham, 82, of Clarksville, Maryland passes on 09 September 2023.. Gary retired from NSA in 2010 after serving his country for 47 years. He was a former member of the Phoenix Society.

Ward Woodall — Decorated Former CIA Case Officer

John "Ward" Woodall, 88, passed on 29 July 2023 after a five year battle with esophageal cancer. Born in Seattle, Washington, he grew up in Raymond and upon graduation from the University of Oregon went off to explore the world. He joined the CIA in 1958 and served until his retirement in 1995. He was stationed in Taiwan, Vietnam, Turkey, Greece, Egypt, Zaire and Kenya along with traveling TDY to numerous other locations - many of which were hardship posts. After 9/11, Ward was quick to return to serve in support of the CIA’s counter terror mission where he served with distinction as a Case Officer with the Reserve Cadre in the Directorate of Operations Latin America Division. Many of his assignments were in hardship posts where he worked alone and with little or no guidance. Despite the long days, difficult living conditions and the bureaucratic chaos that followed the terrorist attacks, Ward never complained. His work garnered praise from our liaison partners as well as recognition from his colleagues and superiors. Those who served alongside Ward were universally impressed by his thoughtful, deliberate, and patient manner. While known as a man of few words, when he spoke, his wise advice often silenced the room. Ward mentored and guided many of the younger generations of case officers. He was awarded the Latin America Division Service Medallion - an honor rarely bestowed to anyone other than active-duty Latin America Division Officers. While his operational savvy and years of experience positively influenced many colleagues, he will be fondly remembered as someone who made all those who spent time with him a better person.

Section VI - AFIO Events

13 Oct 2023 (Friday), 10:30am - 2pm - In-Person Tysons VA - ONLY A FEW SEATS REMAIN for this special AFIO National Fall Luncheon

This luncheon features fireside chat with Avril Haines, Director of National Intelligence, and Jennifer K. Ewbank, the Deputy Director of CIA for Digital Innovation

Check-in and badge pickup for Registered Attendees begins at 10:30 a.m.
NO registrations or walk-ins at hotel. No payment accepted for this event by mail or at the venue.

Fireside Chat with Avril Haines, Director of National Intelligence, begins at 11:00 a.m. Lunch served noon to 1:00 p.m.
Jennifer Ewbank, Deputy Director of CIA for Digital Innovation speaks at 1:00 p.m. Q&A follows each presentation.
Event ends at 2:00 p.m.
Luncheon prices are $60 for Members; $75 for nonmember guests and all Subscribers. Payment by credit card required at time of registration. No mailed checks or "at the door or at venue" payments accepted or permitted.

Register here
Registration closes when all spaces taken (or NLT 9 October).
Though we do not provide special overnight room rates, if you wish to make room reservations at the hotel, do so here. Cancellation Schedule:
AFIO must commit to the hotel facilities and regrets it must charge a cancellation fee. 100% refund until close of registration. No refunds or cancellations thereafter. You will receive a donation receipt for fees forfeited. A donor statement will be sent showing that you made a "gift to AFIO" in such instances. Gifts to AFIO are tax-deductible. All attendees must be members of AFIO or accompanied by a current member.  Learn more about becoming a member at www.afio.com.  Questions regarding membership? Contact office at 703-790-0320 or email afio@afio.com Questions regarding this event to events@afio.com

16 October 2023 (Monday) 1730 (ET) - New York City - AFIO New York Chapter hosts Dr. Anthony R. Wells on “US-UK Intelligence in an Era of Global Challenges”

Speaker Bio: Dr. Anthony R. Wells has worked for British Intelligence as a British citizen and US Intelligence as a US citizen, at sea and ashore for both the Royal Navy and the US Navy. A fifty year veteran of the Five Eyes Intelligence community, Dr. Wells received his Ph.D in War Studies from King’s College, University of London, and has Bachelor’s and Master’s from the University of Durham. Dr. Wells is the author of “Between Five Eyes: 50 Years of Intelligence Sharing," “Room39 and the Lisbon Connection”, “A Tale of Two Navies”, “Guarding Against Extremism in the 21St Century”, and “UK-US Intelligence in an Era of Global Challenges."

5:30 - 5:55 Registration, Open bar & Hors d’oeuvres (hot)
6:00 - 7:00 Lecture
7:00 - 7:30 Open bar, Hors d’oeuvres & Book Signing
Venue: Marymount Manhattan College, Regina Peruggi Room, 221 E 71st St, New York, NY
Registration Fee: $50. Cash or check payable to David Hunt at the door

RSVP by 11 October 2023 (Limited Space) to afionyc@gmail.com or David Hunt at 301-520-1417

Cash or check payable at the door to "David Hunt." 

PLEASE ADVISE by 11 October if you are attending. Preferably to: afionyc@gmail.com, or call chapter President David Hunt at 301-520-1417.

27 October 2023 - Naples, FL - Meeting of the New Southwest Florida Chapter

The chapter president, Hugo Harmatz, requests members contact him to give suggestions of topics and speakers for programs. He seeks to ensure the chapter meetings are enjoyable and interesting for all.
He can be reached at lawyur@aol.com

See the AFIO Calendar of Events for scheduling further in the future.



Events from Advertisers, Corporate Sponsors, Others

26 September 2023 (Tuesday), 2:00-3:00pm – Washington, DC – SPY with Me: Memory Loss Program – Virtual International Spy Museum Program

SPY with Me is an interactive virtual program for individuals living with dementia and their care partners. Join SPY as we use music and artifacts to explore some of our favorite spy stories. Programs last one hour and are held virtually through Zoom. Every month the same program is offered on two different dates. To register, please email Shana Oltmans at soltmans@spymuseum.org. Free but space is limited. Visit www.spymuseum.org.

26-28 Sep 2023, 0830-1730 (ET) – Arlington, VA – 2023 ERII Counterespionage Conference – Espionage Research Institute International

Join Us for the 2023 ERII Counterespionage Conference. September 26, 27 & 28, 2023 at the AMA Washington Conference Center Arlington, Virginia. Counterespionage, Counterintelligence and TSCM Professionals Discuss Espionage News & Events, Emerging Surveillance Threats & the Impact of Changing Technologies on the Threat Detection Landscape. More information and registration here.

27 September 2023 (Wednesday), 5:00-8:00pm – Washington, DC – Educator Night Out 2023 – In Person International Spy Museum Program

Enjoy an exclusive evening at the International Spy Museum where the red carpet will be rolled out just for teachers. Educators will uncover the secret history of history and discover new and exciting resources to enrich their students’ learning across all subjects. During this open-house event, teachers can:explore SPY's exhibits with fellow educators, meet the Museum’s youth education team, plan their students’ next in-person or virtual SPY field trip, browse SPY’s free curriculum and classroom activities, check out SPY’s new Digital Learning HQ – an online multimedia tool for educators, be the first to check out SPY’s new Exhibit Learning Guides, and shop with a special discount at the SPY store.  Registration includes free Museum admission, a welcome bag, a chance to win prizes, and more.  NOTE: This event is open to current K-12 classroom and resource teachers only (21+). A valid teacher ID will be required at check-in. See the website for acceptable forms of teacher ID.  Educators can arrive any time between 5pm – 7pm (last entry time into the Museum). Program is free of charge but requires advanced registration – walk-up tickets will not be available. Visit www.spymuseum.org.

27 Sep 23, 0800-1700 (ET) – Arlington, VA – INSA's 6th New Intelligence Community Symposium – INSA

Join 250 intelligence and national security colleagues on Wednesday, Sept. 27, from 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM at the Army Navy Country Club in Arlington, VA for a full day of program focused on the challenges and opportunities our community faces as we build, foster, and advance a diverse, world-class workforce. The wide array of programming formats include fireside chats, ted talks, and engaging panel sessions. And of course, there will be plenty of time for networking and relationship building along the way. More information and registration here.

28 September 2023 (Thursday), 12:00pm – Washington, DC – Crown, Cloak, and Dagger with Richard Aldrich and Rory Cormac – Virtual International Spy Museum Program

Assassins, spies, terrorists, and lunatics have bedeviled the British Royal Family through the years; and some members of the Firm have been a bit suspicious themselves. Now the remarkable relationship between the Royals and the intelligence community is revealed in Crown, Cloak, and Dagger: The British Monarchy and Secret Intelligence from Victoria to Queen Elizabeth II. Join the authors, historians Richard J. Aldrich of the University of Warwick and Rory Cormac of the University of Nottingham, for an exploration of their majesties’ role in the shadowy realm of secrets. From the origins of the British secret services as protection against the persistent attempts on Queen Victoria’s life in the 19th century to the national security risk posed by former King Edward VIII and his American wife in the 1930s, the real stories trump even the most dramatic Netflix series. International Spy Museum Director of Adult Education Amanda Ohlke will interview Aldrich and Cormac about their original research and the new evidence they have uncovered to present the British monarchy in an entirely new light and reveal how far their majesties still call the shots in a hidden world. Just what exactly could make Queen Elizabeth II raise her eyebrow knowingly at prime ministers and spymasters? Visit www.spymuseum.org.

28 September 2023 (Thursday), 2:00-3:00pm – Washington, DC – SPY with Me: Memory Loss Program – Virtual International Spy Museum Program

SPY with Me is an interactive virtual program for individuals living with dementia and their care partners. Join SPY as we use music and artifacts to explore some of our favorite spy stories. Programs last one hour and are held virtually through Zoom. Every month the same program is offered on two different dates. To register, please email Shana Oltmans at soltmans@spymuseum.org. Free but space is limited. Visit www.spymuseum.org.

05 Oct 23, 1800-2130 (ET) – Washington, DC – Fireside conversation to discuss Dr. Mike Vickers's new memoir, By All Means Available: Memoirs of a Life in Special Operations, Intelligence, and Strategy. – PIPS Alumni Network and OSS Society

In 1984, Michael Vickers took charge of the CIA’s secret war against the Soviets in Afghanistan. After inheriting a strategy aimed at imposing costs on the Soviets for their invasion and occupation of Afghanistan, Vickers transformed the covert campaign into an all-out effort to help the Afghan resistance win their war. More than any other American, he was responsible for the outcome in Afghanistan that led to the end of the Cold War. In By All Means Available, Vickers recounts his remarkable career, from his days as a Green Beret to his vision for victory in Afghanistan to his role in waging America’s war with al-Qa’ida at the highest levels of government. In captivating detail, he depicts his years in the Special Forces—including his training to parachute behind enemy lines with a backpack nuclear weapon in the event of a Soviet invasion of Western Europe—and reveals how those experiences directly influenced his approach to shaping policy. Vickers has played a significant role in most of the military and intelligence operations of the past four decades, and he offers a deeply informed analysis of the greatest challenges facing America today, and in the decades ahead.
Fee: $75pp. Attendees will receive a signed copy of Dr. Vickers new book By All Means Available. A cocktail hour with light hors d'oeuvres will follow the program. This event has limited seating and early registration is recommended. More information and registration here.

11 Oct 2023 (Wednesday), 1700-1900 (ET) - The 2nd Annual Cocktails & Codebreakers event - co-hosted by the National Cryptologic Foundation (NCF) and the Intelligence and National Security Foundation (INSF)

Attend to celebrate Men & Women in Cryptology at this 2nd Annual event.
We have also extended the early bird ticket rate of $150 through Tuesday, September 12th.
This year, Cocktails and Codebreakers will celebrate "Men and Women in Cryptology." Following an opening networking reception, The Honorable Ronald S. Moultrie, Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence & Security (USDI&S) and GEN Paul M. Nakasone, Commander, U.S. Cyber Command; Director, National Security Agency; Chief, Central Security Service, will participate in a joint Fireside Chat.

The Early Bird & NCF Member Rate of $150.00 is EXTENDED until 12 September 2023
Individual Tickets = Early Bird & Members Rate of $150 - until 12 September 2023
Full Price Tickets = $189 per person (after September 4th)
Event location: The Hotel at Arundel Preserve: 7795 Arundel Mills Blvd, Hanover, MD 21076

Register now, or for more information, do so here.

14 - 25 April 2024 - Gary Powers' Cold War Espionage Tour of Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia & Hungary - Travel Dates: April 14 to 25,2024 - 12 days/10 nights

Join author & historian Gary Powers Jr. on this 12-day tour of Cold War and espionage related sites in Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia & Hungary
The deadline to enroll is 11/30/23 with a required deposit of $495. Final payment is due 12/30/23.
What's Included: • Round-trip air transportation from Washington, DC; • 10 nights in centrally located, four-star hotels; • Full-time CHA Tour Director; • Valuable insight & informative commentary by Gary Powers Jr.; • On-tour transportation by private motorcoach; • Breakfast & dinner (or lunch) daily; • Sightseeing tours & visits shown in itinerary (subject to change based on availability)
Tour Prices: Full Tour Price: $5,695 per person; Land Tour Price: $4,645 per person (does not include round-trip airfare and airport transfers); Repeat Gary Powers travelers will receive a $200 discount! Price based on double occupancy.
A $600 single room fee will apply for travelers without roommates.
The deadline to enroll is 11/30/23 with a required deposit of $495. Final payment is due 12/30/23.
Questions? Call 1-800-323-4466 or email info@cha-tours.com.
Enroll Online at: www.cha-tours.com/GaryPowers

Gifts for Friends, Colleagues, Self


Now available: Black short-sleeved polo shirts with Embroidered AFIO logo
Show your support for AFIO with our new Black Short-sleeve Polo Shirts. Shirts are shrink and wrinkle resistant of fine cotton with a soft, "well-worn, comfy" yet substantial feel. They feature a detailed embroidered AFIO seal. Get a shirt for yourself and consider as gifts for colleagues, family, and friends. Only $50 each including shipping.
Sizes for (M) men, only; Small, Medium, Large, XL, XXL, and XXXL. $50 per shirt.
You may pay by check or credit card. Complete your order online here or mail an order along with payment to: AFIO, 7600 Leesburg Pike, Ste 470 East, Falls Church, VA 22043-2004. Phone orders at 703-790-0320. Questions? Contact Annette at: annettej@afio.com.





PopSocket for cellphones or tablets
Show your support to AFIO while enjoying the convenience offered by our AFIO Logo PopSocket. The PopSocket is most commonly used as a stand and as a grip for your mobile phone or tablet; handy for taking selfies, watching videos, and for texting. The PopSocket looks like a small button or sticker which, when closed, sticks flat to your mobile device. However, its accordion-like design enables it to pop open for use. The benefits of using a PopSocket make it a must-have accessory for your mobile phone or tablet. It also aids in keeping your phone from slipping off your hand during use, falling, or breaking.
Price: $15. Order this and other store items online here.







Duffel Bags - Royal Blue and Black with Full Color AFIO Logo This duffel has it all when it comes to value, style and organization.
600 denier polyester canvas with polyester double contrast; D-shaped zippered entry for easy access. Front pocket with hook and loop closure. End mesh pocket Easy-access end pockets. Four durable, protective feet and built-in bottom board for added strength. Web handles with padded grip. Detachable, adjustable shoulder strap.
Dimensions: 11"h x 19.75"w x 9.75"d; Approx. 2,118 cubic inches
Price: $50. Order this and other store items online here.




AFIO Mug with color glazed seal.

Made in the U.S.A., dishwasher-safe.
$35 includes shipping.

Sip your morning joe in style or use it to stash pens, cards, paperclips, or candy.

Order this and other store items online here.



Caps - Dark Navy with Navy AFIO Logo
 An authentic silhouette with the comfort of an unstructured, adjustable fit. Fabric: 100% cotton. Unstructured. Fabric strap closure with adjustable D-clip. Price: $30. Order this and other store items online here.


 

PUBLISHED IN 2023
Be informed on career opportunities in the U.S. Intelligence Community
Intelligence as a Career - with updated listings of colleges teaching intelligence courses, and Q&As on needed foreign languages, as well as the courses, grades, extracurricular activities, and behavioral characteristics and life experiences sought by modern U.S. intelligence agencies.

AFIO's popular 47-page booklet reaches thousands of high school, college students, university guidance offices, and distributed in classes teaching intelligence, to help those considering careers in the U.S. Intelligence Community.
This is the all new fifth edition.
The publication is also popular with University Career Guidance Centers, professors and academic departments specializing in national security, and parents assisting children or grandchildren in choosing meaningful, public service careers.
This booklet is provided online as a public service from the generosity of AFIO board, volunteer editors/writers, donors, and members.
We thank all for their support which makes this educational effort possible.
  Careers Booklet (new 2023 Fifth Edition) can be read or downloaded here
  



Guide to the Study of Intelligence...and...When Intelligence Made a Difference

"AFIO's Guide to the Study of Intelligence" has sold out in hard-copy.
It is available in digital form in its entirety on the AFIO website here.

Also available on the website here are the individual articles of AFIO's history project "When Intelligence Made a Difference" that have been published to date in The Intelligencer journal. More articles will be appear in future editions.



Address Technical Issues Or Unsubscribe

Some features of the email version of the WIN do not work for readers who have chosen the Plaintext Edition, some AOL users, and readers who access their email using web mail. You may request to change from Plaintext to HTML format here afio@afio.com. For the best reading experience, the latest web edition can be found here: https://www.afio.com/pages/currentwin.htm

To unsubscribe from the WIN email list, please click the "UNSUBSCRIBE" link at the bottom of the email. If you did not subscribe to the WIN and are not a member, you received this product from a third party in violation of AFIO policy. Please forward to afio@afio.com the entire message that you received and we will remove the sender from our membership and distribution lists.



Disclaimer and Legal Protection

Weekly Intelligence Notes (WINs) are a carefully selected collection of timely open source reports and announcements and other media focused on intelligence and related national security matters that is produced for non-profit educational use by AFIO members and WIN subscribers. WINs are protected by copyright and intellectual property laws. They may not be reproduced or re-sent without specific permission from the Producer. Opinions expressed in the materials contained in the WINs are solely those of the content creators listed with each item. Notices in the WINs about non-AFIO events do not constitute endorsement or recommendation by AFIO.

(c) 1998 thru 2023


AFIO Members Support the AFIO Mission - sponsor new members! CHECK THE AFIO WEBSITE at www.afio.com for back issues of the WINs, information about AFIO, conference agenda and registrations materials, and membership applications and much more! .

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