February 2018 Intelligence News

Trump White House Seeks Largest-Ever Black Ops Budget Sputnik 28 Feb 2018 -- US President Donald Trump's administration is requesting an $81.1 billion "black budget" to finance secret US intelligence operations, according to recent announcements made by the Pentagon and Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
Kushner, other White House aides lose security clearance Press TV 28 Feb 2018 -- US President Donald Trump's son-in-law and senior aide Jared Kushner has been stripped of his top security clearance, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Japan Successfully Launches Rocket With Spy Satellite - Space Agency Sputnik 27 Feb 2018 -- Japan's Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) on Tuesday successfully launched a ?2-? rocket with a new reconnaissance satellite from the space center in the prefecture of Kagoshima.
Cybercom Commander Discusses Evolving Cyber Threats AFPS 27 Feb 2018 -- Although competitors such as China and Russia remain the greatest threat to U.S. security, rogue regimes such as Iran and North Korea have increased in capabilities and have begun using aggressive methods to conduct malicious cyberspace activities, the military's top cyber officer told Congress today.
NSA Director: Trump Has Given No Specific Order to Combat Russian Meddling in 2018 Election VOA 27 Feb 2018 -- A top U.S. intelligence official said Tuesday that President Donald Trump has given him no specific instructions to combat Russian meddling in the 2018 congressional elections that mirrors Moscow's interference in the 2016 presidential contest aimed at helping Trump win.
US Not Doing Enough to Counter Russia's Cyberattacks, But Taking Steps - NSA Sputnik 27 Feb 2018 -- The United States is not undertaking enough measures to prevent Russia's cyberattacks in the future despite taking certain actions, National Security Agency (NSA) Director Michael Rogers said in a congressional hearing on Tuesday.
DoD Releases Military Intelligence Program (MIP) Request for Fiscal Year 2019 DoD 27 Feb 2018 -- The Department of Defense released today the Military Intelligence Program (MIP) top line budget request for Fiscal Year 2019. The total, which includes both the base budget and Overseas Contingency Operations funding, is $21.2 billion.
Iran Arrests Three More Ecologists For Spying RFE/RL 25 Feb 2018 -- Iran has arrested three more environmentalists on spying charges, the country's powerful judiciary has said.
Trump Spars with Key Democrat over Surveillance Memos VOA 25 Feb 2018 -- U.S. President Donald Trump is sparring with a key Democratic lawmaker over allegations that the FBI engaged in surveillance abuses in 2016 as it sought to win court approval to monitor a Trump aide's contacts with Russia.
Democrats Release Memo On Russia Probe, Rebut Republicans RFE/RL 25 Feb 2018 -- U.S. Democrats have released a redacted memo challenging Republican claims that the FBI abused government surveillance powers in its investigation of Russia election meddling, a document President Donald Trump had previously blocked in its full form.
White House Releases Democrats' Memo on Russia Probes VOA 24 Feb 2018 -- The White House on Saturday released a redacted version of a Democratic congressional memo that rebuts a Republican account of alleged FBI surveillance abuses.
Trump: White House Chief of Staff to Decide Fate of Kushner Security Clearance VOA 24 Feb 2018 -- It will be up to the White House chief of staff to decide whether the U.S. president's son-in-law is able to maintain his security clearance.
Philippines rejects US intel community's criticism of Duterte Press TV 21 Feb 2018 -- The Philippines' presidential spokesman has rejected a recent official US intelligence assessment that refers to President Rodrigo Duterte as a threat to democracy in Southeast Asia.
Iran Protests Over Sweden's Granting Of Citizenship To Prisoner RFE/RL 20 Feb 2018 -- The Iranian Foreign Ministry says it has summoned the Swedish ambassador to protest over the country's granting of citizenship to a Stockholm-based scientist who is being held in Tehran and faces a death sentence.
US to Jettison Spy Planes, Satellites Due to Russian, Chinese Missiles – Reports Sputnik 20 Feb 2018 -- The US Air Force is about to abandon expensive surveillance aircrafts and satellites, opting for an information network out of concerns over Russia's and China's increased space capabilities.
President Says Time's Up For 'Mad Dog' Uzbek Security Service RFE/RL 19 Feb 2018 -- Uzbekistan's National Security Service (SNB) has wielded immense power for decades but its "time is up," according to the new sheriff in town.
Was Britain's Labour Leader a Communist Spy? VOA 19 Feb 2018 -- A former Czech spy who was expelled by the British government in the 1980s has claimed Britain's leader of the opposition, Jeremy Corbyn, was a source of his – one of 15 senior Labour lawmakers he met regularly when based in London. And the former spy says they knew he was an intelligence officer rather than a diplomat, which was his official cover.
Sweden Confirms Citizenship For Iranian Scientist Facing Death Penalty RFE/RL 17 Feb 2018 -- The Swedish Foreign Ministry On February 17 confirmed that it has granted citizenship to a Stockholm-based scientist who is being held in Iran and faces a death sentence.
South African Faces Death Penalty in South Sudan Espionage Case VOA 16 Feb 2018 -- A South African man is facing a possible death sentence in South Sudan, after none of the key defense witnesses showed up at his trial on espionage charges and conspiracy to overthrow the government.
Small Unmanned Aircraft Prove Worth in Battlefield Reconnaissance Role AFPS 16 Feb 2018 -- Small drone aircraft the Army is using are proving their worth as a useful tool for battlefield reconnaissance and intelligence gathering.
Pakistan Slams US Intelligence Threat Report, Cites Bias VOA 15 Feb 2018 -- Pakistan has criticized as "extremely unfortunate" a new U.S. report labeling the south Asian country's weapons a continued threat to regional American interests.
Fearing Spying, US Intelligence Warns Against Using Chinese Smartphones Sputnik 15 Feb 2018 -- US intelligence leaders have publicly warned US citizens not use smartphones made by Chinese companies Huawei and ZTE, as those companies are "beholden to foreign governments," and they fear those companies' products could be used for espionage, information theft or foreign influence.
Top US Intel Officials: Russia Bent on Influencing US Midterm Elections VOA 13 Feb 2018 -- With U.S. congressional primary elections just weeks away, top intelligence officials are warning that Russia appears intent on trying to disrupt the 2018 vote much as it did during the 2016 presidential election.
US Social Media Firms Step Up Help on Security Efforts, Intelligence Leaders Say VOA 13 Feb 2018 -- Leaders of U.S. national security and law enforcement agencies said Tuesday the U.S. private sector has been helpful in efforts to keep the country safe.
Cyber Tops List of Threats to U.S., Director of National Intelligence Says AFPS 13 Feb 2018 -- It's a measure of the growth of cyber and America's vulnerability to it that the cyber threat was at the top of the list of worldwide threats the director of national intelligence chose to highlight at a Senate Select Committee on Intelligence hearing today.
Russia may target 2018 US midterm elections: US intelligence chief Press TV 13 Feb 2018 -- US Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats has claimed that Russia views the 2018 midterm congressional elections as "potential target," and may try to influence or undermine them.
New US Intelligence Report Shed Light on Possible Attacks on US, Allies Sputnik 13 Feb 2018 -- US National Intelligence Director Dan Coats has revealed the latest in a series of US accusations against North Korea, Russia, Iran and some other states.
UK judge refuses to withdraw WikiLeaks founder's arrest warrant Press TV 13 Feb 2018 -- WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has lost his legal battle to overturn a British arrest warrant against him, after being held up for more than five years in the Ecuadorian embassy in London.
London Court Upholds Assange's Arrest Warrant Sputnik 13 Feb 2018 -- Julian Assange will continue to face detention if he leaves the Ecuadorian embassy in London after a British judge's decision to uphold a warrant for his arrest.
Iran reveals new details on spying from its missile program IRNA 13 Feb 2018 -- Top Iranian judicial official revealed new details of the spying by the US and Israel from Iran's missile program.
N Korea poses existential threat to America: US intelligence chief Press TV 13 Feb 2018 -- The US director of national intelligence says North Korea poses an existential threat to the United States.
US Official: N. Korea Will Be 'Most Confrontational' Mass Destruction Threat to US, Allies VOA 13 Feb 2018 -- U.S. National Intelligence Director Dan Coats told the Senate Intelligence Committee Tuesday during its annual worldwide threats hearing that North Korea's weapons of mass destruction will pose a significant danger to the U.S. and its allies in the near future.
China's newest stealth drone takes to the sky for its maiden flight People's Daily 12 Feb 2018 -- China's top aircraft research center on Monday announced the successful test flight of the country's newest stealth drone, a long-endurance unmanned aircraft that can fly under the radar.
Russian FSB Detains Ukrainian In Crimea On Suspicion Of Spying RFE/RL 12 Feb 2018 -- Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) says it has detained a Ukrainian national in Russian-controlled Crimea on suspicion of espionage.
Belarus Puts Ukrainian Journalist On Trial For Espionage RFE/RL 12 Feb 2018 -- The Supreme Court of Belarus says it has started the trial of a Ukrainian journalist charged with espionage.
Alleged Iranian Drone Captured By Israel is 'Copy' of US' Sentinel UAV Sputnik 12 Feb 2018 -- A drone captured by the Israeli Air Force over the weekend, which Israel claims belongs to Iran, is essentially a "copy" of a Lockheed Martin Sentinel drone made for the US Air Force and Central Intelligence Agency that was shot down in Iranian skies in 2011 by Iranian forces.
Sudan president picks new intelligence chief amid protests Press TV 11 Feb 2018 -- Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir has picked a new intelligence chief amid a widening crackdown on protests against price hikes.
Iran makes new arrests in spying case: Prosecutor Press TV 11 Feb 2018 -- Tehran's prosecutor says Iranian security forces have identified and arrested several people in connection with a spying case.
Estonia, Russia Swap Convicted Spies After Presidential Pardons RFE/RL 11 Feb 2018 -- Estonia and Russia have swapped two convicted spies after both men received presidential pardons, Estonian authorities say.
Trump blocks release of memo rebutting Republican claims about Russia probe Press TV 10 Feb 2018 -- US President Donald Trump has blocked the release of a classified Democratic memo which rebuts a Republican document alleging bias and misconduct in investigation of the president's ties to Russia.
Trump Says Democrat Memo On Russia Probe 'Very Political' RFE/RL 10 Feb 2018 -- U.S. President Donald Trump says a classified memo written by congressional Democrats to rebut a Republican document made public last week is "very political and long" and must be "heavily redacted."
How a Russian Spy Reportedly Outsmarted US NSA Agents Sputnik 10 Feb 2018 -- US intelligence officials striving repossess stolen cyberweapons reportedly paid $100,000 to a Russian operative who claimed he possessed not solely the hacking tools but what Russians call "kompromat" (compromising material) this time, on President Donald Trump.
UK court rejects Julian Assange's bid to drop arrest warrant Press TV 06 Feb 2018 -- A court in the UK has upheld an arrest warrant for founder of WikiLeaks anti-secrecy group Julian Assange, who is currently taking refuge at the Ecuadorian embassy in London.
U.S. House Panel Approves Release Of Democratic Rebuttal Of Memo RFE/RL 06 Feb 2018 -- The Intelligence Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives has voted unanimously to release a memo authored by its Democrat members that was written in response to a similar document from Republicans that accused the FBI and Justice Department of being biased against the White House.
Russian Foreign Intelligence Chief Explained His Visit to US Despite Sanctions Sputnik 06 Feb 2018 -- Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service Head Sergei Naryshkin said Tuesday that he was performing his professional duties as the intelligence service chief during his recent visit to the United States.
Democrats Hoping to Release Rebuttal to Republicans' Russia Memo VOA 06 Feb 2018 -- White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders says the White House has received a Democratic rebuttal to a Republican memo alleging FBI abuses of power during a probe into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, and will follow the same process that led to the public release of the Republican document.
Democrats, Republicans Dispute Trump 'Vindication' Claim RFE/RL 05 Feb 2018 -- Democratic lawmakers and several Republicans have disputed U.S. President Donald Trump's contention that a GOP-produced classified memo on FBI surveillance powers cleared him in the Russia investigation.
Spy Sentenced in Iran for Selling Nuclear Data Sputnik 05 Feb 2018 -- A court in Iran has sentenced a spy to six years in prison for working for the US and European intelligence services and passing on Tehran's sensitive nuclear information, Prosecutor General Abbas Jafari Dowlatabadi said.
House Committee Votes to Send Democratic Version of Memo to Trump VOA 05 Feb 2018 -- The House Intelligence Committee has voted to release the Democratic rebuttal to a Republican-approved memo alleging that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) abused its power in probing Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.
Iran Jails 'Nuclear Spy' For Six Years RFE/RL 04 Feb 2018 -- Tehran's prosecutor says an unnamed person has been sentenced to six years in prison for relaying information about Iran's nuclear program to a U.S. intelligence agent and a European country.
Trump Claims Republican Memo 'Totally Vindicates' Him In Russia Probe RFE/RL 04 Feb 2018 -- U.S. President Donald Trump is claiming that he has been completely vindicated by a Republican-written congressional memo that alleges the FBI abused its surveillance powers during an investigation of the Trump presidential election campaign's possible ties to Russia.
Claims and Counterclaims Surround Russia Probe Memo VOA 04 Feb 2018 -- U.S. President Donald Trump is contending that a controversial memo alleging that the FBI abused its power in probing Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election "totally vindicates" him, but that view was challenged Sunday by one of the memo's own authors.
US-Led Gallant Phoenix Secret Op Aimed at Preventing the Return of Daesh Sputnik 03 Feb 2018 -- The operation involves dozens of countries and is supposed to prevent possible terrorist attacks in Europe.
Trump tweets that GOP memo 'totally vindicates' him in Russian probe Press TV 03 Feb 2018 -- US President Donald Trump has defended a recent recent release of once-classified congressional memo on FBI, saying it "totally vindicates" him in an investigation into his presidential campaign's alleged collusion with Russia.
Trump Says Republican Memo on Russia Probe 'Totally Vindicates' Him VOA 03 Feb 2018 -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Saturday a disputed Republican memo that alleges FBI investigators abused their powers in their Russia probe "totally vindicates" him, despite a contrarian view held by most Democrats.
What Is in the Nunes Memo? VOA 02 Feb 2018 -- A controversial document prepared by Republican members of Congress accuses U.S. law enforcement officials of abusing their surveillance authorities during the Russia investigation.
Republican Memo Accuses Top Law Officers of Abusing Power VOA 02 Feb 2018 -- The House Intelligence Committee has released a bitterly disputed memo outlining allegations by Republicans that FBI investigators abused their powers in their probe of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
Controversial Nunes Memo Criticized as Political Tool VOA 02 Feb 2018 -- The Nunes memo is a four-page document creating a big controversy in Washington, despite few people outside Congress having read it. It has even become the subject of a rift between U.S. President Donald Trump and his FBI director, Christopher Wray.
Trump Approves Full Release of Classified Republican Memo Despite Objections VOA 02 Feb 2018 -- U.S. President Donald Trump has approved publication of a Republican memo that argues that top law enforcement officials abused their investigative authority for partisan ends during and after the 2016 presidential campaign. Shortly after the House released the memo.
FBI Director in Spotlight Amid Furor Over Nunes Memo VOA 02 Feb 2018 -- Christopher Wray, director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, is one of the central figures in the furor over the release of the so-called "Nunes memo."
Statement from the Press Secretary The White House 02 Feb 2018 -- "Earlier today, President Donald J. Trump declassified a memorandum from the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. "
Trump accuses FBI, Justice Dept. of bias in favor of Dems in Russia probe Press TV 02 Feb 2018 -- US President Donald Trump has accused the top officials with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Justice Department of siding with Democrats in their investigations on the alleged Washington-Moscow links in the 2016 presidential elections.
Heads of 3 Russian intelligence agencies met with CIA director in US: Report Press TV 02 Feb 2018 -- The heads of three Russian intelligence agencies traveled to the United States to meet with CIA Director Mike Pompeo, amid a series of political rifts between the two sides over US President Donald Trump's alleged collusion with Russian officials and Washington's renewal of sanctions against Moscow.
U.S. Republicans Release Controversial Memo On FBI Surveillance With Trump's OK RFE/RL 02 Feb 2018 -- Republicans on the U.S. House Intelligence Committee released a controversial memorandum that accuses the FBI and the Justice Department of being biased against President Donald Trump just moments after he declassified it.
Russian Court Extends Detention Of Norwegian Spying Suspect RFE/RL 02 Feb 2018 -- A Russian court has extended the detention of a Norwegian man suspected of spying after he allegedly received classified documents from a Russian man who is also under arrest.
Trump Lashes Out At FBI Amid Debate Over Controversial Memo RFE/RL 02 Feb 2018 -- U.S. President Donald Trump has lashed out at the FBI amid a controversy over a memo that has heightened tension in Washington during investigations into alleged Russian meddling in the election that put him in office.
Congress Releases Republican Memo Alleging FBI Abuse of Power Sputnik 02 Feb 2018 -- The long-awaited memo compiled by the US House Intelligence Committee (HIC) that alleges surveillance abuses undertaken by the FBI and Justice Department (DOJ) against campaign officials of US president Donald Trump was finally released to the public Friday afternoon.
FBI, Trump clash over Republican memo about Russia probe Press TV 01 Feb 2018 -- The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has warned it has "grave concerns" over the accuracy of a secret memo by Republican lawmakers in Congress alleging bias against US President Donald Trump within the Department of Justice.
In New Letter To DNI Director Coats, Senate Democratic Leader Schumer Demands Answers On Top Russian Spy Chief's Seemingly Authorized Trip To U.S. And His Meetings With U.S. Intel Officials; Letter Comes In Wake Of Trump Admin's Announcement Of No New Sanctions On Russia Senate Democrats 01 Feb 2018 -- U.S. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today demanded answers from the Director of the Office of National Intelligence, Dan Coats, in light of the news that the chief of Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service, Sergey Naryshkin, was allowed into the country to meet with top American intelligence officials despite U.S. sanctions forbidding his entry without the Trump Administration's approval.
Trump at Odds with FBI, Justice Dept. Over Release of Classified Russia Memo VOA 01 Feb 2018 -- U.S. President Donald Trump is at odds with both the FBI and the Justice Department over whether to release a classified memo alleging that top law enforcement officials were biased against the president.
CIA Director Defends Meeting With Russian Spy Chiefs RFE/RL 01 Feb 2018 -- The director of the CIA has defended his decision to meet in Washington with the chiefs of Russian intelligence agencies, saying there was nothing untoward about it and that it was a routine practice.
Chiefs Of Three Russian Intelligence Agencies Travel To Washington RFE/RL 01 Feb 2018 -- The directors of Russia's three main intelligence and espionage agencies all traveled to the U.S. capital in recent days, in what observers said was a highly unusual occurrence coming at a time of heightened U.S.-Russian tensions.
CIA Would Put US Lives at Greater Risk if It Does Not Work With Russia - Pompeo Sputnik 01 Feb 2018 -- US Central Intelligence Agency agents would be putting American lives at risk if they failed to work with their Russian counterparts, CIA Director Mike Pompeo said on Thursday in a letter to Democratic Senator Charles Schumer.
Honey-Trapped Indian Air Force Officer Held for Passing on Info to Foreign Spy Sputnik 01 Feb 2018 -- Indian intelligence agencies have busted a mole in the Indian Air Force (IAF) who had been compromising sensitive information including classified documents of the IAF headquarters in New Delhi.

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