January 2015 Intelligence News

CIA helps Israel assassinate Hezbollah commander: Report ISNA 31 Jan 2015 -- The Central Intelligence Agency helped Israel's intelligence service, Mossad, to assassinate Imad Mughniyah, a high-ranking Hezbollah figure, on Feb. 12, 2008, a report said.
CIA, Mossad Involved in Assassination of Hezbollah Commander in 2008 Sputnik 31 Jan 2015 -- The US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) together with the Mossad, Israeli's security service, carried out a clandestine operation aimed at the killing of Hezbollah commander Imad Mughniyah in 2008, former intelligence officials have revealed.
Report: CIA, Israel's Mossad Killed Senior Hezbollah Commander VOA 31 Jan 2015 -- A leading U.S. newspaper says the spy agencies of the United States and Israel worked together in February, 2008 to kill a senior Hezbollah commander in Damascus.
Canada's Spy Agency to Be Given New Counter Terrorism Powers Sputnik 30 Jan 2015 -- The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) is expected to be given more powers in new anti-terrorism measmeasures to be unveiled Friday, CBC News reported.
Washington Classifies Data on Use of $65Bln in Funding of Afghan Forces Sputnik 29 Jan 2015 -- The US government body that reviews Washington's spending in Afghanistan may no longer have to provide information to the US public regarding the $65 billion in taxpayer funded programs aimed at supporting the Afghan National Security Force (ANSF), the Special Inspector General for Afghan Reconstruction (SIGAR) said.
MI5 secret docs expose failure in Libya Iran Press TV 29 Jan 2015 -- UK security service MI5 said on Thursday that a secret UK-Libyan rendition program in which two Libyan opposition leaders were kidnapped and flown to Tripoli along with their families had eventually proved counterproductive.
Germany, Turkey May Sign New Intelligence Agreement to Stop IS Fighters Sputnik 29 Jan 2015 -- Germany is planning to discuss a new intelligence agreement with Turkey to enhance border security to stop German fighters, traveling abroad to join the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, according to German newspaper "Süddeutsche Zeitung".
Russian Spy Scandal Pulls Back Curtain On Often Humdrum World Of Espionage RFE/RL 28 Jan 2015 -- This week's announcement that the FBI had charged three Russian citizens with spying on the United States threatens to send an even deeper chill through already frosty Moscow-Washington ties.
Spy Scandal Keeps Russian, US Diplomats at Negotiation Table for Second Day Sputnik 28 Jan 2015 -- Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov and US Ambassador to Russia John Tefft discussed on Wednesday the bilateral relationship between Moscow and Washington following the arrest of a Russian national in the United States over a conspiracy to act as an unregistered agent of a foreign government, Russia's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Moscow Condemns Arrest of Alleged Russian Spy in NYC VOA 27 Jan 2015 -- Russia on Tuesday condemned the United States for the arrest of an alleged Russian spy, condemning the move as a 'provocation' that would further damage already strained ties.
Moscow Says US Fails to Provide Evidence for Accusations of 'Russian Spies' Sputnik 27 Jan 2015 -- The United States has not provided any evidence to support the charges against three Russian nationals accused of gathering data and recruiting agents in the United States, Alexander Lukashevich, the spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, said Tuesday.
Prosecutor's Mysterious Death Prompts Argentina to Dissolve Spy Agency Sputnik 27 Jan 2015 -- Argentinian President Cristina Fernandez has announced plans to dissolve Argentina's intelligence agency, reports BBC.
Russian Bank Identifies Alleged Russian Spy as Employee Sputnik 27 Jan 2015 -- Russia's Vnesheconombank (VEB) confirmed Tuesday that Russian citizen Evgeny Buryakov, detained in the United States on spying charges, served as a deputy representative to the bank in New York.
Questions Remain Unanswered: Inquiry Into Litvinenko's Case Opens in UK Sputnik 27 Jan 2015 -- More than eight years after the death of ex-Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko, a public inquiry into his case opens on Tuesday, the Telegraph reports.
Russian Alleged Agents Worked to Obtain Intelligence on Sanctions Sputnik 27 Jan 2015 -- A Russian alleged intelligence ring broken up by the FBI on Monday was working for the economic branch of Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) and directed to obtain intelligence on sanctions against Russia and US energy markets, court documents filed in the US District Court for Southern New York reveal.
Former CIA Officer Convicted For Unauthorized Disclosure of National Defense Information and Obstruction of Justice US Dept. of Justice 26 Jan 2015 -- A former CIA officer was convicted today by a federal jury in Alexandria, Virginia, of illegally disclosing national defense information and obstructing justice.
Attorney General Holder Announces Charges Against Russian Spy Ring in New York City US Dept. of Justice 26 Jan 2015 -- Attorney General Eric Holder (...) announced charges against Evgeny Buryakov, aka "Zhenya," Igor Sporyshev and Victor Podobnyy in connection with Buryakov's service as a covert intelligence agent on behalf of the Russian Federation (Russia) in New York City, without notifying the U.S. Attorney General of Buryakov's status as an agent of Russia, as required by federal law.
FBI Breaks Up Alleged Russian Spy Ring in New York City VOA 26 Jan 2015 -- U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder says federal agents have broken up an alleged Russian spy ring in New York City where three suspects tried to recruit U.S. residents.
Russian Army to Introduce Advanced, Long-Range UAV Sputnik 25 Jan 2015 -- The sophisticated drone will be capable of performing reconnaissance missions and destroying targets that have been detected, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov said, according to the Russian News Service network.
CIA's top spy to step down amid infighting: Report Iran Press TV 24 Jan 2015 -- The director of the CIA's National Clandestine Service (NCS) is resigning amid reports of infighting over a reorganization of the spy agency.
Rogue agents behind Argentine prosecutor's death: Buenos Aires Iran Press TV 24 Jan 2015 -- Argentina says rogue agents from its own intelligence services were behind the death of the prosecutor of the 1994 AMIA bombing case.
Report: U.S. Intelligence Links Litvinenko Killing To Kremlin RFE/RL 24 Jan 2015 -- A report in the British newspaper 'The Telegraph' says the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) intercepted communications between the primary suspects in the murder case of former Russian spy Aleksandr Litvinenko, linking his poisoning to the Russian government.
Marine Corps Officer Takes Defense Intelligence Agency Reins AFPS 23 Jan 2015 -- Surrounded by senior leaders in the defense and intelligence communities, the first Marine Corps officer to become director of the Defense Intelligence Agency took office here today in a ceremony at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling.
CIA Whistleblower Jeffrey Sterling's Case Now in Jury's Hands Sputnik 23 Jan 2015 -- A federal jury is now in deliberation after hearing the closing arguments in the case of former CIA officer Jeffrey Sterling, who is charged with leaking classified information about a mission to slow Iran's nuclear program to a New York Times journalist, the Associated Press reported.
Vickers: Defense Intelligence Enterprise Poised for Historic Transition AFPS 21 Jan 2015 -- The defense intelligence enterprise faces unprecedented geopolitical challenges and technological change and at the same time is poised for its most significant transformation in decades, Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence Michael G. Vickers said today.
Intel Official: 2016 Budget Factors Asymmetrical Warfare Needs AFPS 21 Jan 2015 -- The 2016 budget will reflect how intelligence capabilities and other investments align with defense challenges such as asymmetrical warfare, a Pentagon official said today during the 2015 Potomac Officers Club second annual Intel Summit.
Russian Spy Ship Arrives In Havana Ahead Of U.S.-Cuba Talks RFE/RL 21 Jan 2015 -- A Russian intelligence warship has docked in Cuba's capital, Havana, ahead of historic talks there between U.S. and Cuban diplomats.
China Dismisses Allegations of US F-35 Stealth Fighter Data Theft Sputnik 19 Jan 2015 -- China has rejected accusations that it stole 'huge volumes' of sensitive military data, including the US's F-35 stealth fighter design plans, after Der Spiegel publicized documents blaming the Chinese government for cyber espionage activities.
UK Intelligence Intercepted Emails From Reuters, New York Times, BBC Sputnik 19 Jan 2015 -- The British Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) has been intercepting the emails of US and UK media employees, the Guardian reported Monday citing a new batch of documents leaked by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden.
China Anti-Graft Probe Puts Chief Spy in the Spotlight Sputnik 16 Jan 2015 -- Ma Jian, a top Chinese intelligence is being investigated by China's top anti-graft agency, the South China Morning Post reported.
CIA Insists White House Knew About Spying on Senate Committee Sputnik 16 Jan 2015 -- A report by the CIA's Office of the Inspector General, released on Wednesday, reveals that the White House failed to take measures to prevent the CIA from gaining access to the computer drive used by the Senate Intelligence Committee investigating the CIA's torture program, despite being aware of its intentions, the Huffington Post reported on Thursday.
German Spies Abroad At Risk As Double Agent Steals List of Their Real Names Sputnik 15 Jan 2015 -- Up to 3,500 German intelligence officers working abroad, posing as diplomats and serving in countries where Germany has its military missions, now risk being uncovered, according to a report published by the German tabloid Bild.
Senate Torture Report Staffers Should Have Been Aware of Monitoring: Report Sputnik 15 Jan 2015 -- The CIA's accountability board found the intelligence agency did not illegally spy on Senate staffers conducting an investigation into the agency's enhanced interrogation techniques as they were informed of possible monitoring, according to declassified top secret documents released by the CIA on Wednesday.
Report: No Software Alternative to Bulk Data Collection VOA 15 Jan 2015 -- No software-based technique can fully replace bulk collection of communications data for electronic intelligence gathering, the U.S. National Research Council said in a report released on Thursday.
Feinstein Statement on CIA Accountability Review Board, IG Reports Office of Sen. Feinstein 14 Jan 2015 -- “"Let me be clear: I continue to believe CIA’s actions constituted a violation of the constitutional separation of powers and unfortunately led to the CIA’s referral of unsubstantiated criminal charges to the Justice Department against committee staff."
Statement By Senator Evan Bayh Regarding the Findings of the Agency Accountability Board Central Intelligence Agency 14 Jan 2015 -- "The Board found that no discipline was warranted for the five CIA personnel under review because they acted reasonably under the complex and unprecedented circumstances involved in investigating a potential security breach in the highly classified shared computer network, while also striving to maintain the sanctity of SSCI work product."
Statement By CIA Regarding the Findings of the Agency Accountability Board Central Intelligence Agency 14 Jan 2015 -- CIA today announced that it has accepted the recommendations of an Agency Accountability Board convened last year to review CIA Office of Inspector General (OIG) findings regarding five individuals at CIA and to issue recommendations on possible accountability and any systemic issues identified.
Russian Security Service Denies to Comment on Reports of Recruiting Snowden Sputnik 12 Jan 2015 -- The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) refused to give comment to RIA Novosti on Monday concerning Western media reports stating that the FSB allegedly tried to recruit former CIA employee and NSA contractor Edward Snowden.
Stalled Probe Into CIA Prisons in Lithuania Needs US Info to Progress Sputnik 07 Jan 2015 -- The success of any investigation into the secret CIA prisons in Lithuania depends on whether the United States will provide necessary information, Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite said Wednesday.
Hezbollah Leader Admits to Existence of Israeli Spy in Top Leadership Sputnik 06 Jan 2015 -- The Deputy Secretary General of the Lebanese political party and militant group Hezbollah appears to have confirmed the arrest of a senior party official on charges of spying for Israel, Lebanon's The Daily Star has reported.

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