May 2014 Intelligence News

John Kerry's 'man up' statement on Snowden faces harsh criticism VoR 30 May 2014 -- US Secretary of State John Kerry had to face a lot of harsh criticism for his recent comment regarding Edward Snowden. During his interview on CBS News on Wednesday, Kerry stated, 'This is a man who has betrayed his country. He should man up and come back to the US.'
No chance of clemency for Edward Snowden - White House VoR 30 May 2014 -- The White House says that its position on Edward Snowden has not changed after the NSA leaker told NBC News in an exclusive interview that he wants to return to the United States. 'Look, let's be clear, clemency is not on the table,' White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said. Snowden in a recent interview had said that he wants to return to the US, where he is facing charges of unauthorized leak of classified documents.
US Congress must stop NSA bulk data collection - Chairman of Judiciary VoR 30 May 2014 -- There is a lot of work to be done to rein in the National Security Agency and give Congress adequate means to oversee its activities, Senior Congressman and Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, John Conyers told RIA Novosti.
Russia May Begin Constructing Advanced Military Drones in 2014 – Defense Ministry RIA Novosti 29 May 2014 -- Russia may begin to develop advanced unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UAV) with longer flight endurance in 2014, Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov told reporters Thursday.
Snowden Denies Affiliation with Russian Government RIA Novosti 29 May 2014 -- National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden, who is currently living in Russia under temporary asylum status after leaking United States' secret documents, says he had no ties with the Russian authorities.
China denies any involvement in cyber theft Iran Press TV 29 May 2014 -- China has denied its government's involvement in any form of cyber theft, accusing the United States of fabricating facts.
First flights for Global Hawk over the UK UK MOD 29 May 2014 -- The United States Air Force remotely-piloted aircraft has flown in UK airspace for the first time.
Snowden: I Was 'Trained as a Spy' VOA 28 May 2014 -- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says fugitive intelligence leaker Edward Snowden should 'man up' and return to the United States to face espionage charges.
Kerry demands Snowden toughen up, face justice in US VoR 28 May 2014 -- US Secretary of State John Kerry said on Wednesday that fugitive intelligence leaker Edward Snowden should 'man up' and return to the United States to face justice for revealing the country's security secrets.
China Focus: Report slams 'unscrupulous' U.S. surveillance over world, China People's Daily 27 May 2014 -- A Chinese Internet information body has complained of 'unscrupulous' surveillance by U.S. intelligence agencies over the rest of the world, and called for an immediate cessation of the practice.
US spying revelations anger Afghan government Iran Press TV 27 May 2014 -- The Afghan government has voiced anger at the US for allegedly monitoring almost all the country's domestic and international phone calls after revelations by the whistleblower website, WikiLeaks.
RAF's new surveillance aircraft takes to the skies UK MOD 27 May 2014 -- A Rivet Joint surveillance aircraft has been flown in UK airspace by an RAF aircrew for the first time.
Snowden has a lot to say about US bulk surveillance on Germans VoR 27 May 2014 -- Former NSA contractor Edward Snowden has new information to share with a German parliamentary inquiry investigating US surveillance and he believes all Germans' rights were violated, he hass told a German magazine, Reuters reports.
Report blasts 'unscrupulous' U.S. surveillance in China People's Daily 26 May 2014 -- A Chinese Internet information body has complained of 'unscrupulous' surveillance by U.S. intelligence agencies over the rest of the world, and called for an immediate cessation of the practice.
China attacks United States spying operations Iran Press TV 26 May 2014 -- China has carried out a broadside against the United States spying operations, saying they force their way into every corner of the country.
White House Mistakenly Discloses Afghanistan CIA Chief – Reports RIA Novosti 26 May 2014 -- The White House accidentally disclosed the name of the CIA's resident chief in Afghanistan by including him on a list given to journalists of officials attending a briefing with US president Barack Obama, the Washington Post wrote Monday.
White House mistakenly blows cover of CIA chief in Afghanistan – reports VoR 26 May 2014 -- The White House accidentally blew the cover of the top CIA officer in Afghanistan Saturday, when his name and title were released in an e-mail sent to reporters who traveled with President Obama on his surprise visit to Bagram Air Field.
US spying revelations anger Afghan government Iran Press TV 25 May 2014 -- The Afghan government has voiced anger at the US for allegedly monitoring almost all the country's domestic and international phone calls after revelations by the whistleblower website, WikiLeaks.
US surveillance drone arrives at Japanese air base for first time VoR 24 May 2014 -- A US surveillance drone arrived at an air base in northern Japan on Saturday for the first deployment of the spy aircraft in the country, the US Air Force said.
Snowden leaks did staggering damage to US national security: Pentagon report Iran Press TV 23 May 2014 -- The extent of damage to the US national security from the leak of secret NSA documents by Edward Snowden is staggering, a US Department of Defense report reveals.
Snowden's leaks damage US intelligence operations - Top-secret Pentagon report VoR 23 May 2014 -- A top-secret Pentagon report to assess the damage to national security from the leak of classified National Security Agency documents by Edward Snowden concluded that 'the scope of the compromised knowledge related to US intelligence capabilities is staggering'. Report contains one sensational line: 'The scope of the compromised knowledge related to US intelligence capabilities is staggering.'
Afghanistan is second country where NSA records all mobile calls - WikiLeaks VoR 23 May 2014 -- Today, in a statement on WikiLeaks' official page Julian Assange has announced Afghanistan was the second country that was targeted by the NSA's Somalget program 'recording and storing nearly all the domestic [and international] phone calls'.
US House Passes Bill to Curb NSA's Collection of Phone Records VOA 22 May 2014 -- The U.S. House of Representatives has passed legislation to curb the National Security Agency's bulk collection of Americans' phone records. Supporters say the USA Freedom Act strikes a balance between protecting privacy and safeguarding national security. Critics say the legislation's reforms have been "watered down."
US House passes bill curbing NSA bulk collection of phone data VoR 22 May 2014 -- The US House of Representatives passed landmark reforms Thursday curbing bulk collection of Americans' telephone records, the first step toward restricting NSA intelligence-gathering since Edward Snowden divulged the secret program last year.
U.S. spying, including on Chinese telco, seeks economic edge: NYT People's Daily 22 May 2014 -- U.S. media revealed Wednesday the U.S. government routinely spies on foreign companies to seek economic advantage.
White House Authorized NSA Spying on OSCE – Report RIA Novosti 22 May 2014 -- The US National Security Agency has been spying on the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) by authority of the White House, Austrian newspaper Die Presse reported Thursday, citing a German journalist acquainted with documents released by Edward Snowden.
Spy charges expose U.S. cyber hegemony mentality People's Daily 21 May 2014 -- BEIJING, May 21 -- The United States has indulged in its cyber hegemony mentality again as it filed ungrounded commercial cyber espionage charges against five Chinese military officers.
China's Alleged Cybertheft Could Cost US Billions VOA 21 May 2014 -- A U.S. manufacturer was in the midst of a trade dispute with Asian competitors it said was flooding the market with cut-rate solar panels when it learned of a glaring new vulnerability: Its online communications were being hacked.
Spying Charges Underscore US, China National Security Differences VOA 21 May 2014 -- The U.S. indictment of Chinese army officers on charges that they spied on American industries reveals a basic disagreement about what the two nations consider as their legitimate national security interests. That disagreement is affecting relations between Washington and Beijing.
NSA illegally surveilles big companies all over the world to steal trade secrets VoR 21 May 2014 -- The US National Security Agency has never said what it was seeking when it illegally invaded the computers of Petrobras, Brazil's huge national oil company, but Brazilians assumed: the company's troves of data on Brazil's offshore oil reserves, or perhaps its plans for allocating licenses for exploration to foreign companies, the New York Times reports.
US to reveal justification for drone strikes on US citizens VoR 21 May 2014 -- The White House will reportedly comply with a court order to reveal a secret memo describing its legal justification for using drones to kill US citizens suspected of terrorism overseas. The Justice Department had been weighing whether to appeal a court order to disclose the memo but informed the White House on Tuesday that it would not, the official said. The decision came on the eve of a Senate vote on President Obama's nomination of David J. Barron, one of the memo's authors, to a federal appeals court judgeship.
Russian Army to Train Military Personnel to Operate Drones RIA Novosti 20 May 2014 -- Russian defense experts will train the country's soldiers to operate the latest unmanned aerial vehicles, the Defense Ministry said Tuesday.
China slams US 'double standards' on hacking Iran Press TV 20 May 2014 -- Chinese Defense Ministry slams the United States for double standards, amid a cyber-espionage row between the two sides.
Britain's MI5 accused of complicity in torture Iran Press TV 20 May 2014 -- Britain's domestic spying apparatus MI5 has been accused of complicity in torture.
Cisco CEO warns Obama NSA spying threaten the entire US tech industry Iran Press TV 20 May 2014 -- Cisco's CEO John Chambers has asked US president Barack Obama to consider new rules preventing agencies hijacking networking equipment at it moves through the supply chain — or risk undermining confidence in the multi-billion dollar US technology sector.
China Warns of More Repercussions Over US Cyber Indictments VOA 20 May 2014 -- China has lodged a protest with the U.S. Ambassador in Beijing in response to accusations that five Chinese military officers engaged in cyber theft and espionage targeting American companies and labor groups. China also says it could take further steps in response to the indictments.
CIA vows not to use fake vaccination programs to cover spy operations VoR 20 May 2014 -- The White House has promised the United States will not use vaccination programs as cover for spy operations - after the move was attempted during the hunt for Osama bin Laden in Pakistan, AFP reports. As Pakistan suffers a resurgence of polio, a top White House official pledged in a letter dated May 16 that intelligence agencies would foreswear the tactic, which is partly blamed for the spread of the crippling disease.
Maintaining NATO's Technological Edge NATO 19 May 2014 -- The largest ever test of NATO's intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities began on Monday (19 May 2014) at Ørland Air Station in Norway.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Carlin Speaks at the Press Conference Announcing U.S. Charges Against Five Chinese Military Hackers for Cyber Espionage US Dept. of Justice 19 May 2014
Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the Press Conference Announcing U.S. Charges Against Five Chinese Military Hackers for Cyber Espionage US Dept. of Justice 19 May 2014
US files criminal charges against Chinese military Iran Press TV 19 May 2014 -- The Justice Department has filed criminal charges against members of the Chinese military, accusing them of conducting economic cyber-espionage against the United States, officials said.
China slams US hacking claims against military personnel Iran Press TV 19 May 2014 -- China has slammed the US for indicting five Chinese military personnel for hacking, warning that the allegation will jeopardize relations between the two countries.
U.S. Charges Five Chinese Military Hackers for Cyber Espionage Against U.S. Corporations and a Labor Organization for Commercial Advantage US Dept. of Justice 19 May 2014 -- A grand jury in the Western District of Pennsylvania (WDPA) indicted five Chinese military hackers for computer hacking, economic espionage and other offenses directed at six American victims in the U.S. nuclear power, metals and solar products industries.
US Indicts 5 Chinese Military Members for Cyber Spying VOA 19 May 2014 -- A U.S. grand jury has indicted five members of the Chinese military for allegedly cyber spying on American companies in the nuclear power, metals and solar products industries, the Department of Justice said on Monday.
Washington to spend over $300 mln on largest intelligence hub outside US VoR 18 May 2014 -- Washington is planning to spend $317 million to convert its military base in the UK into the largest spying center outside the United States, the Independent reported on Sunday.
FBI Wary Of Possible Russian Spies Lurking In U.S. Tech Sector RFE/RL 17 May 2014 -- During the heady days of the U.S. 'reset' policy with Russia, the high-tech sector emerged as a potential centerpiece for bilateral commercial and scientific cooperation, underscored by Internet-savvy Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's 2010 visit to Silicon Valley.
UK's GCHQ faces legal challenge over spying malware Iran Press TV 14 May 2014 -- Britain's eavesdropping agency, the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), is facing a legal challenge for using a spy malware to hijack electronic devices without their users' consent.
Japan-based US drones to spy on China: Media report Iran Press TV 13 May 2014 -- Japanese media reports say the United States seeks to deploy a fleet of drones in Japan to monitor the Chinese military activities in the troubled Asia-Pacific region.
NSA tampers with US-made internet routers Iran Press TV 13 May 2014 -- The US National Security Agency has been secretly intercepting US Internet servers heading overseas in an attempt to spy on all data transactions of targeted customers.
NSA, GCHQ Spy on, Discredit Dissenters Challenging Gov't Power – Glenn Greenwald RIA Novosti 13 May 2014 -- The US and British surveillance agencies routinely spy on political opponents of their governments and employ controversial techniques to discredit them, according to an extract from a new book published in The Guardian Tuesday by journalist Glenn Greenwald, an associate of NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden.
Metadata may be only basis for killing people - ex-director of CIA and NSA VoR 13 May 2014 -- The former CIA and NSA director Michael Hayden confirmed that metadata is used as the basis for killing people in the course of the recent discussion regarding the National Security Agency's surveillance programs. He declared that during a debate at Johns Hopkins University.
NSA bugs exported US-made network equipment VoR 13 May 2014 -- The National Security Agency covertly installs back-door surveillance bugs into routers intended for foreign markets, according to the new book "No Place to Hide" penned by the journalist Glenn Greenwald.
African Union Urges Global Intelligence-Sharing Against Terrorism VOA 12 May 2014 -- The deputy chairman of the African Union (AU) has called for robust international cooperation and intelligence-sharing to help defeat increasing terrorism on the continent, following the abduction of Nigerian school girls by militant group Boko Haram, last month.
Iran succeeds in copying US drone VoR 12 May 2014 -- Iran said on Sunday it has succeeded in copying a US drone it captured in December 2011, with state television broadcasting images apparently showing the replicated aircraft. Tehran captured the US RQ-170 Sentinel in 2011 while it was in its airspace, apparently on a mission to spy on the country's nuclear sites, media in the United States reported.
Israel denies accusations of spying on US VoR 11 May 2014 -- Israeli Intelligence Minister Yuval Steinitz on Saturday angrily denied the latest media charge of Israeli spying on its US ally and said that someone was trying to sour bilateral relations.
UK MPs call for intelligence overhaul amid leaks Iran Press TV 09 May 2014 -- British lawmakers have called for radical reforms in the oversight of the country's intelligence system, following disclosures by the American whistleblower Edward Snowden.
Australian military is to use new cyber warfare after Snowden's revelations VoR 08 May 2014 -- The Australian Defence Force is about to begin using cyber warfare for various military operations in the near future. Official ADF documents do not explain how the use of it will influence the Australian people. Previously, the Australian government has expressed the desire and need to protect their country from cyber threats and various foreign spying. However, it is due to the release of the ADF new 'Information Activities' report last November that launches the start of Australia being engaged in the cyber activities.
Emails reveal close relationship between Google, NSA Iran Press TV 08 May 2014 -- The US National Security Agency and Google have had a far closer relationship than previously believed, Al Jazeera America reported, citing email exchanges between the agency's officials and Google executives.
German lawmakers want to quiz Snowden on mass surveillance VoR 08 May 2014 -- German lawmakers decided on Thursday they want to question former US intelligence contractor Edward Snowden as part of a parliamentary inquiry into the mass surveillance of German citizens, which he exposed, Reuters reports.
Israeli espionage on US at alarming level - report VoR 07 May 2014 -- Israel spies on the United States more than any other ally does and these activities have reached an alarming level, Newsweek magazine reported on Tuesday. The main targets are US industrial and technical secrets, the weekly said, quoting classified briefings on legislation that would make it easier for Israeli citizens to get visas to enter America.
Eyes in the sky AFNS 06 May 2014 -- With an aim to enhance comprehensive base safety and security, the 30th Security Forces Squadron is bolstering its Small Unmanned Aircraft System program.
Yuma Proving Ground major player in unmanned aircraft world Army News 05 May 2014 -- At the conclusion of World War II, nearly 70 years ago, Army Air Corps General Hap Arnold made an interesting observation. He said that the war had been won partially through the efforts of Americans flying aircraft, but predicted 'the next war may be fought by airplanes with no men in them at all.'
Ukraine's security service denies consultations with CIA VoR 05 May 2014 -- The state security service of Ukraine (SBU) denies it is consulting with experts of the US Central Intelligence Agency, Marina Ostapenko, spokesperson for the SBU said Monday. 'As far as I know, there are no consultations with the CIA at the level of the security service,' she said.
Everyone is under constant surveillance - Snowden VoR 04 May 2014 -- Edward Snowden, the former US intelligence contractor who has been leaking information about government data collection programs, said Friday before a debate on state surveillance that entire populations, rather than just individuals, now live under constant surveillance.
US seeks immunity for surveillance firms Iran Press TV 03 May 2014 -- The US government is seeking to offer legal immunity for those telecommunications firms that provide costumers' data, a new report says.
UK spymasters beg to feast at NSA table: Snowden Iran Press TV 01 May 2014 -- A document has surfaced from the Snowden collection showing that British spy chiefs secretly sought "unsupervised" access to the NSA's vast trove of private communications.
NSA gathers more data on US citizens than on any other foreigners - Snowden VoR 01 May 2014 -- Former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden said that NSA gathers more data on American citizens than it does about foreigners. Does the NSA know more about Americans in America than Russians in Russia?' Snowden said, appearing by live video during an awards ceremony in Washington.

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