September 2016 Intelligence News

New US Background Investigations Bureau to Open VOA 30 Sep 2016 -- A new U.S. government bureau opens Monday to strengthen the security clearance process that has suffered from backlogs and a security breach that compromised the information of more than 20 million Americans.
Eavesdropping Norway Rolls Out Two New Spy Ships Sputnik 28 Sep 2016 -- The Nordic states have been pouring billions into their militaries, citing an imaginary Russian "threat." For the first time in history, Norway possesses two spy ships due to an unprecedented measure. It insists these are necessary due to Russia's accumulation of forces and increased activity in the North.
Intelligence chiefs warn of 'terrorist diaspora' after Daesh fall Press TV 28 Sep 2016 -- US intelligence and counterterrorism officials warn that the military campaign to rout Daesh in Iraq and Syria will create a "terrorist diaspora" in the West, putting the US in a period of "sustained vulnerability" for years to come.
Cardillo Discusses Importance of Geospatial Intel at Senate Hearing AFPS 27 Sep 2016 -- National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency Director Robert Cardillo drew back the curtain a bit on his organization's activities during a rare open session of the Senate Intelligence Committee here today.
Turkey sacks 87 people from spy agency Press TV 27 Sep 2016 -- Turkey has dismissed 87 staff members of the country's spy agency in its latest instance of purging government employees deemed linked to the failed July 15 coup.
Expert: Putin's Reported Plan to Restore KGB May Reflect Fear of Overthrow VOA 26 Sep 2016 -- The consolidation of Russia's intelligence agencies into a massive security ministry, in effect recreating the old Soviet KGB, is a worrisome prospect for some Kremlin watchers.
UK military, MI6 need to be scaled back: Labour leader Press TV 26 Sep 2016 -- UK Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn has backed an official inquiry into British troops' possible crimes abroad, while calling for smaller armed forces and intelligence services in Britain.
Swiss voters approve new surveillance law Press TV 26 Sep 2016 -- Voters in Switzerland have supported a new surveillance law which provides the country's security apparatus with enhanced powers to fight terrorism and cyber crimes.
Swiss Voters Approve Law Enhancing Intelligence Agencies Powers Sputnik 26 Sep 2016 -- The Swiss voted in favour of a new law providing the country's intelligence services with a wide range of surveillance options, the preliminary results on the government website indicated.
Global U-2 Flying Operations Not Impacted by recent crash AFNS 23 Sep 2016 -- Worldwide flying operations for the U-2 have not been impacted as a result of a recent crash here on Sept. 20.
Kremlin Reportedly Planning to Revive KGB-style Security Behemoth VOA 23 Sep 2016 -- The Russian newspaper Kommersant, citing unnamed sources, reported this week that before the next presidential election, scheduled for March 2018, the Kremlin plans to create a gigantic new ministry that will absorb most of Russia's existing security agencies.
Putin Taps Duma Speaker As New Foreign Spy Boss In Latest Kremlin Shakeup RFE/RL 22 Sep 2016 -- President Vladimir Putin has appointed parliament speaker Sergei Naryshkin as head of Russia's foreign intelligence agency, the latest in a series of personnel firings, appointments, and shuffles at the Kremlin and top security agencies.
UK intelligence agency to work with private sector to develop cyber security technologies People's Daily 23 Sep 2016 -- A groundbreaking partnership in Britain to develop world-leading cyber security technology was given a 65-million-U.S.-dollar boost Friday.
Unwise to share intelligence with Russia on Daesh: Top US general Press TV 22 Sep 2016 -- The top US military officer says it would be unwise to share intelligence with Russia if Washington and Moscow were to ever work together against the Daesh (ISIL) terrorist group in Syria.
Putin Names Duma Speaker As New Spy Boss RFE/RL 22 Sep 2016 Russian President Vladimir Putin has decided to appoint former parliament speaker Sergei Naryshkin as the chief of the country's foreign intelligence agency (SVR).
Iran Sentences Lebanese IT Expert To 10 Years In Prison RFE/RL 20 Sep 2016 -- A Lebanese information technology expert detained in Iran for more than a year has been sentenced to 10 years in prison and given a $4.2 million fine, his U.S. lawyer told RFE/RL on September 20.
Israel to 'Spy on the Middle East, Russia and China' With US-Funded Satellite Sputnik 16 Sep 2016 -- On Tuesday, Israel launched into orbit its seventh spy satellite, Ofek 11, which is set to provide the Israeli military with surveillance imagery of the developments in the Middle East; however experts tell Sputnik that the Israeli space program, which is financed by the US, is also aimed at Russia and even China.
Spike in US Intel Ops Against Russia Signals Relations at 'Point of No Return Sputnik 16 Sep 2016 -- On Wednesday, US media reported that America's intelligence agencies have expanded the scope and breadth of their operations against Russia to Cold War levels. Commenting on the news, Russian experts have said this is the clearest indication yet that Washington has shifted Russia's status from a 'geopolitical rival' into an outright 'enemy'.
Snowden Hits Out At Scathing U.S. House Report RFE/RL 16 Sep 2016 -- Former U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) contractor Edward Snowden has rejected a scathing report issued by a U.S. House committee.
US congressional panel blasts former NSA contractor Snowden Press TV 16 Sep 2016 -- A US congressional intelligence committee has released a report condemning intelligence whistleblower Edward Snowden for leaking information that "caused tremendous damage" to US national security and urging President Barack Obama not to pardon him.
Intelligence Committee Approves Snowden Report US House of Representatives Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence 15 Sep 2016 -- The House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence today unanimously voted to adopt an investigative report on Edward Snowden, the former National Security Agency contractor who fled to China and then Russia after stealing 1.5 million classified documents. The result of a two-year inquiry, the report describes Snowden's background, likely motivations, and methods of theft, as well as the damage done to U.S. national security as a result of his actions.
'Spy Nation' Film Alleges Abuse of N. Korean Asylum Seekers VOA 15 Sep 2016 -- In South Korea, a new documentary is attempting to make the case that the Seoul government's National Intelligence Service (NIS) is engaging in abusive and coercive techniques to falsely uncover North Korean spies posing as defectors.
9/11 Drove Change in Intelligence Community, NSA Chief Says AFPS 15 Sep 2016 -- The 9/11 attacks drove "fundamental change" in the way the U.S. government uses and shares intelligence, the director of the National Security Agency said during a panel discussion yesterday.
Israeli spy sat shows signs of malfunctioning after launch: Reports Press TV 14 Sep 2016 -- Hours after its launch into space, an Israeli spy satellite reportedly shows signs of experiencing multiple malfunctions.
Transparency Has Place in Intelligence World, DoD Official Says AFPS 13 Sep 2016 -- Transparency and intelligence seem like mutually exclusive terms, but they are not, the undersecretary of defense for intelligence said here today.
Senior Officials: DoD Supports Strong Encryption for Defense, Commercial Security AFPS 13 Sep 2016 -- The Defense Department supports strong encryption to protect military capabilities and commercial encryption technology that is critical to U.S. economic security, senior DoD officials said here today.
White House Rejects Calls To Pardon Snowden For Leaking State Secrets RFE/RL 13 Sep 2016 -- The White House has rejected a call by the director of a new film on former intelligence contractor Edward Snowden for President Barack Obama to pardon him for leaking state secrets.
Russia to Start Mass Production of Korsar Surveillance UAVs in 2017 Sputnik 08 Sep 2016 -- Serial production of the Russian Korsar UAVs will start in 2017, a manufacturing UIMC firm spokesperson told Sputnik on Thursday.
German Intelligence Services Seeking Budget Increase of Over $170Mln in 2017 Sputnik 08 Sep 2016 -- Two German intelligence services, the Federal Intelligence Service (BND) and the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), have requested a budget increase of over 152 million euros ($171 million) amid heightened terrorism and the threat of cyberattacks, local media reported, citing secret budget documents.
Close Intercepts of US Units by Russia Could 'Unnecessarily Escalate Tensions' Sputnik 07 Sep 2016 -- Close-range intercepts of US military aircraft have the potential to unnecessarily escalate tensions between Russia and the United States, and could result in a miscalculation or accident which results in serious injury or death, according to statement of the US Department of Defense.
Russian Intercept of US Spy Plane Performed Safely - Russian Ministry of Defense Sputnik 07 Sep 2016 -- Russian planes performed in strict adherence to international flight safety, according to the official statement of the Russian Defense Ministry.
Russian SU-27 Jet Intercepts US Navy Spy Plane Over Black Sea Sputnik 07 Sep 2016 -- A Russian fighter jet carried out an intercept of US spy plane flying over the Black Sea, according to US Defense officials, cited by the Reuters news agency.
New Snowden Leak: NSA's 'Collect All the Signals' Spy Strategy Started in the UK Sputnik 07 Sep 2016 -- While mass metadata collection may be most closely associated with US intelligence agencies, new Snowden documents reveal that the tactic was originally deployed across the Atlantic.
US Spy Chief: Russians Do It 'All the Time,' But Won't Blame Moscow in DNC Hack Sputnik 07 Sep 2016 -- US Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said Wednesday at the annual Intelligence and National Security Summit in Washington that Russian hackers attempt to penetrate American networks "all the time," but he stopped short of attributing recent hacks on the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and other Democratic institutions to Moscow.
UK G20 delegation warned against being seduced by Chinese female spies Press TV 04 Sep 2016 -- UK Prime Minister Theresa May's officials are being warned to avoid "honey traps" in Hangzhou, China, where global leaders are convening for the G20 summit.
Russian-Built Surveillance Plane Superior to Foreign Rivals - Defense Minister Sputnik 02 Sep 2016 -- The Russian-built Beriev A-100 airborne early warning and control (AWACS) aircraft will surpass its foreign rivals, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Friday.
German Intelligence Service Accused of 'Systematically' Violating Constitution Sputnik 02 Sep 2016 -- In a leaked report from the government's representative for data protection, Bundesnachrichtendienst (BND), Germany's Federal Intelligence Service was blamed for serious abuses of law.
Spouse of US Woman Charged as Spy: China Hiding Evidence VOA 02 Sep 2016 -- The husband of an American woman who has been charged of spying on China said Thursday that Beijing is trying to cover up evidence that could exonerate her.
Pakistani National Extradited and Sentenced for Attempting to Export Sensitive Technology for Pakistani Military US Dept. of Justice 01 Sep 2016 -- Syed Vaqar Ashraf, 71, of Lahore, Pakistan, was sentenced today to 33 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Rosemary Marquez of the District of Arizona. Ashraf previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to export defense controlled items without a license.
Czech Spy Agency: Russian Agents Waging Information War RFE/RL 01 Sep 2016 -- Russian intelligence services are conducting "an information war" in the Czech Republic, warns the Central European country's counterintelligence agency, the BIS.

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