April 2016 Intelligence News

US Discloses Senior Official Sold Nuclear Secrets to China VOA 29 Apr 2016 -- A Taiwan-born American citizen has admitted selling nuclear information to China while he was a senior manager at the U.S. government's Tennessee Valley Authority, federal officials say.
Merkel's Office Accused of Knowing of German Spy Agency Chaos Sputnik 28 Apr 2016 -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel's office was alerted to the dysfunctionality of the country's intelligence agency, BND, but took no action until the sacking of its chief Gerhard Schindler, according to one of the country's most senior journalists.
Germany set to pick foreign intelligence chief Press TV 27 Apr 2016 -- Germany is to replace its foreign spy chief in an ostensible move to compensate repercussions of controversial cooperation between the service and intelligence agencies in the United States.
German Gov't Confirms Intelligence Chief's Retirement Sputnik 27 Apr 2016 -- The German government confirmed on Wednesday that the head of the Federal Intelligence Service (BND) would leave his post before his term had expired.
Ex-PLA spy fails appeal in Taiwan after 4-year sentence CNA 27 Apr 2016 -- The Taiwan High Court upheld Wednesday a ruling by a lower court that sentenced a former Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) officer last year to four years in prison for violation of the National Security Act.
German Spy Chief Steps Down, No Reason Given VOA 27 Apr 2016 -- The head of Germany's intelligence agency is stepping down two years early, with no reason given for the sudden departure.
China Pushes Anti-espionage Campaign VOA 25 Apr 2016 -- China has drawn attention in recent months for its high profile anti-espionage campaign that has included two criminal cases and several public warnings about the dangers of foreign spies.
US judge allows CIA torture lawsuit to proceed Press TV 23 Apr 2016 -- A US judge has allowed a lawsuit against the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)'s military psychologists to proceed, marking a major victory for a group of the agency's torture victims.
US Secret Court Ruling Exposes NSA 'Reform' Sham - Whistleblower Sputnik 23 Apr 2016 -- AT&T/NSA whistleblower Mark Klein claims that the revelation this week that a special court had approved new secret National Security Agency (NSA) operations exposed the 2015 USA Freedom Act as just a new cover for US government abuses.
CIA Director Pays Unannounced Visit to Bosnia - Reports Sputnik 22 Apr 2016 -- US Central Intelligence Agency Director John Brennan is in Bosnia on an unannounced visit for talks with officials, the Web news publication Balkan Insight reported Friday.
Florida Woman Charged in 18-Count Indictment for Conspiracy to Illegally Export Systems, Components and Documents to China US Dept. of Justice 21 Apr 2016 -- An 18-count superseding indictment was unsealed today charging Amin Yu, 53, of Orlando, Florida, with acting as an illegal agent of a foreign government in the United States without prior notification to the Attorney General, conspiring to defraud the United States and to commit offenses against the United States, committing unlawful export information activities, smuggling goods from the United States, conspiring to and committing international money laundering and making false statements to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Florida Woman Charged with Exporting Technology to China VOA 21 Apr 2016 -- A Florida woman is facing charges of conspiring to illegally export technology used in underwater drones to state-owned entities in China, according to an indictment unsealed Thursday.
Snowden Takes Norway to Court to Secure Free-Passage VOA 21 Apr 2016 -- A Norwegian law firm says it has filed a lawsuit with an Oslo court so American whistleblower Edward Snowden - the leaker of U.S. government documents - can safely travel to Norway for a prestigious award ceremony without fear of extradition to the United States.
Critical Infrastructure Vulnerable to Attack, NSA Leader Says AFPS 21 Apr 2016 -- Strong dependence on industrial control systems, or ICS, is a serious vulnerability for industry, the National Security Agency's deputy director said here yesterday.
First Phase Unmanned Aviation on CVN Complete NNS 20 Apr 2016 -- USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) marked a historical milestone April 13 after installing the first unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) command center aboard an aircraft carrier.
Man sentenced to death for selling China's top secrets People's Daily Online 19 Apr 2016 -- A Chinese court sentenced a former scientific researcher to death for espionage and selling state secrets. He has sold tens of thousands of copies of classified information to foreign spy agencies, including 90 top state secrets.
Lawyer Denies Reports Snowden Working With Russia's FSB Sputnik 18 Apr 2016 -- Whistleblower Edward Snowden is not cooperating with any intelligence agency, including Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB), his lawyer Anatoly Kucherena said Monday refuting corresponding media reports.
Pakistan denies involvement in 2009 attack on CIA base Press TV 15 Apr 2016 -- Pakistan has dismissed as "preposterous" US claims that its Inter–Services Intelligence (ISI) agency helped fund a deadly attack on a Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) outpost in Afghanistan in 2009.
Pakistan Rejects Allegation of Plotting Raid on CIA's Afghan Base VOA 15 Apr 2016 -- Pakistan on Friday rejected as "preposterous" allegations that its spy agency had links with the Haqqani network of militants and played a role in the 2009 suicide attack on a CIA base in eastern Afghanistan.
Declassified US Document Suggests Pakistan Link in 2009 CIA Base Attack VOA 14 Apr 2016 -- A newly declassified U.S. document claims that a Pakistani intelligence officer paid $200,000 to a militant network to carry out a suicide attack on a CIA base in eastern Afghanistan in 2009.
Pakistan's ISI suspected of funding attack on CIA outpost: Documents Press TV 14 Apr 2016 -- Pakistan's intelligence agency may have provided terror groups with the necessary funds to carry out a deadly attack on a US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) base in Afghanistan, newly declassified US State Department cables allege.
Obama: Counter-ISIL Campaign Accelerates AFPS 14 Apr 2016 -- The campaign against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant has accelerated, President Barack Obama said yesterday at the headquarters of the Central Intelligence Agency.
Obama at CIA headquarters to discuss US war on Daesh Press TV 13 Apr 2016 -- US President Barack Obama has paid a rare visit to CIA headquarters in the state of Virginia to discuss the country's alleged war on Daesh terror group.
Statement by the President on Progress in the Fight Against ISIL The White House 13 Apr 2016
Obama: US-led Coalition Has Momentum, Islamic State on 'Defensive' VOA 13 Apr 2016 -- U.S. President Barack Obama says the U.S.-led coalition has momentum and plans to keep that momentum in the fight against the Islamic State militant group.
US readies 'Plan B' to supply heavy weapons to militants: Report Press TV 13 Apr 2016 -- The United States and its regional allies have prepared plans to supply more-powerful weapons to militants fighting the Syrian government, amid concerns that a landmark ceasefire is threatening to fall apart.
CIA Prepares to Arm Syrian Rebels With Lethal Weapons if Truce Collapses Sputnik 13 Apr 2016 -- The US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) prepares to supply Syrian rebels with more lethal weapons should the fledgling cessation of hostilities in the Arab republic collapse, US media reported, citing officials.
Navalny Asks Russian Spy Agency To Investigate Media Claims He's Western Agent RFE/RL 13 Apr 2016 -- Russian opposition leader Aleksei Navalny has asked the country's lead domestic spy agency to launch an investigation after state television accused him of serving as a secret operative for the West.
Moscow Jails Lithuanian For 13 Years On Spying Charges RFE/RL 13 Apr 2016 -- Russia's security agency says a Lithuanian national has been sentenced to 13 years in prison for spying on Moscow.
Pakistan Accuses India of Plotting Against Deal With China VOA 12 Apr 2016 -- Pakistan's military chief on Tuesday accused India's intelligence agency of planning subversive activities against his country's recently launched multi-billion-dollar economic cooperation agreement with China.
MND says it has no information about alleged espionage case CNA 12 Apr 2016 -- The United States has not contacted Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND) about a reported case of a Taiwan-born U.S. Navy officer who has been accused of spying for both Taiwan and China, an MND spokesman said Tuesday.
Military Expert: Suspected US Navy Spy Likely Had Valuable Signals Intel VOA 12 Apr 2016 -- A military expert says the U.S. Navy officer who is facing espionage charges for allegedly passing state secrets, possibly to China and Taiwan, may have been in possession of valuable signals intelligence.
MND declines comment on U.S. naval officer's espionage charge CNA 11 Apr 2016 -- The Ministry of National Defense (MND) declined to comment Monday on a report that a Taiwanese-American naval flight officer has been accused of passing secrets to foreign countries.
US Naval cmdr. charged over 'espionage for China, Taiwan' Press TV 11 Apr 2016 -- A US Navy flight commander has been nabbed, facing charges of espionage for China and Taiwan.
US Navy Officer Faces Spy and Prostitution Charges VOA 11 Apr 2016 -- A U.S. Navy officer who is a naturalized citizen from Taiwan is facing espionage and other charges for allegedly passing state secrets, possibly to China and Taiwan.
CIA Director: No Waterboarding, Even if Ordered VOA 11 Apr 2016 -- U.S. CIA Director John Brennan says his agency would not use waterboarding against a detainee, even if a future president ordered such interrogation techniques.
Turkish weapons factory director caught selling state secrets to US Press TV 09 Apr 2016 -- The head of Turkey's state-owned Mechanical and Chemical Industry Corporation (MKEK) weapons factory has been arrested on charges of trying to sell weapon designs to a US company.
Arms Official Tried to Sell Weapons Secrets to US Firm, Turkey Says VOA 08 Apr 2016 -- A top official of Turkey's state-run arms company was arrested this week while trying to sell weapons production plans to a U.S. firm owned by a Turkish national, Turkish authorities said.
Exclusive: N. Korea Uses Overseas Restaurants for Information Gathering VOA 08 Apr 2016 -- North Korea is gathering information from foreigners, mostly South Koreans, through its global network of restaurants, a former worker of a North Korean restaurant abroad told VOA.
Russian Defense Ministry Needs Various Types of Drones Sputnik 07 Apr 2016 -- Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov said that the ministry could spent significant sums of money on the development of different types of the UAVs, including the tactical, strategic and attack drones.
Russia Jails Lithuanian National On Spying Charges RFE/RL 06 Apr 2016 -- A Russian court has sentenced Lithuanian national Aristidas Tamosaitis to 12 years in prison for spying.
Pentagon Spends $86 Million on Spy Plane That Never Got Off the Ground Sputnik 02 Apr 2016 -- The latest embarrassing episode for the US Department of Defense involves the agency failing to upgrade an ATR 42-500 plane that the US Drug Enforcement Administration planned to use in surveillance and anti-drug missions in Afghanistan under a seven-year-long program that has already cost four times more than intended.
Pakistan Asks Tehran for Details About Alleged Indian Spy VOA 01 Apr 2016 -- Pakistani authorities asked Iran to investigate a suspected Indian spy arrested last month in Baluchistan.
Taliban sold Indian spy to Pakistani intelligence: Senior German diplomat Press TV 03 Apr 2016 -- The Taliban sold an Indian spy to Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), says a high-ranking German diplomat.
Russia security agency arrests CIA-trained Ukrainian spy Press TV 01 Apr 2016 -- Moscow says it has captured a CIA-trained Ukrainian officer, who attempted to infiltrate Russia's main security agency.

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