March 2021 Intelligence News

Former Intelligence Analyst Pleads Guilty to Disclosing Classified Information US Dept. of Justice 31 Mar 2021 -- A former intelligence analyst and former military servicemember pleaded guilty today to illegally obtaining classified national defense information and disclosing it to a reporter.
Russia 'regrets' Italy's expulsion of diplomats on 'espionage' charge Press TV 31 Mar 2021 -- Russia's Foreign Ministry has expressed its regret for Italy's decision to expel two Russian diplomats on the grounds that they were 'spies.'
Italy arrests navy captain for alleged spying for Russia Press TV 31 Mar 2021 -- Italy has arrested a navy captain on suspicion of spying for Russia, according to Italian police.
Italy Expels Russian Officials As 'Extremely Serious' Spy Case Escalates RFE/RL 31 Mar 2021 -- Rome has ordered the expulsion of two Russian officials over an escalating espionage case that Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio called an "extremely serious incident" between the NATO member state and Russia.
Italy Expels Two Russian Diplomats Accused of Espionage VOA 31 Mar 2021 -- Italy says it expelled two Russian diplomats and arrested an Italian navy captain Tuesday for their alleged involvement in espionage.
Defense Department Linguist Pleads Guilty to Transmitting Highly Sensitive Classified National Defense Information to Aid a Foreign Government US Dept. of Justice 26 Mar 2021 -- A Minnesota woman pleaded guilty today to one count of delivering national defense information to aid a foreign government.
Former US Military Translator Pleads Guilty of Espionage VOA 26 Mar 2021 -- A former U.S. military translator pleaded guilty Friday of divulging classified information to a Lebanese national with suspected ties to the Lebanese Hezbollah.
Russia reserves right to retaliate Bulgaria's expulsion of two diplomats Press TV 23 Mar 2021 -- Russia has denounced Bulgaria's "groundless" decision to expel two Russian diplomats over accusations of espionage, reserving the right to retaliate.
Russia Retains Right to Respond to Bulgaria For Expelling Two Diplomats, Embassy Says Sputnik 22 Mar 2021 -- Bulgaria's decision to declare Russian diplomats personae non-gratae is groundless, and Russia reserves the right to respond, the Russian Embassy in Sofia said on Monday.
Moscow Will Respond to Bulgaria's Potential Steps Against Russian Diplomats, Foreign Ministry Says Sputnik 22 Mar 2021 -- Moscow will respond to Sofia's potential steps against Russian diplomats, Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said on Monday.
Bulgaria Expels Two Russian Diplomats Over Espionage Ring RFE/RL 22 Mar 2021 -- Bulgaria's government has given two Russian diplomats 72 hours to leave the country, after the authorities uncovered the latest in a string of Moscow-linked spy scandals.
UK's New Surveillance Ship to Protect Undersea Cables From Russian 'Interest', Wallace Says Sputnik 21 Mar 2021 -- The United Kingdom's multi-role surveillance ship under construction will protect "critical" undersea cables from Russia's activities, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace told the BBC.
Bulgaria Tells Russia To Stop Spying, Threatens To Expel Diplomats RFE/RL 21 Mar 2021 -- Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov has called on Russia to stop spying on his country, a day after authorities in the NATO member busted an espionage group passing military secrets to Russia.
Bulgaria Preparing to Declare Russian Diplomats Personae Non Gratae in Espionage Case Sputnik 20 Mar 2021 -- Bulgaria is ready to declare Russian diplomats suspected of links to an espionage case personae non-gratae, Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said on Saturday.
Bulgaria Says It Has Broken Up Spy Ring Suspected Of Working For Russia RFE/RL 19 Mar 2021 -- Bulgaria says it has detained and charged six people suspected of passing classified information to Russia.
ODNI, DOJ, and DHS Release Unclassified Summary of Assessment on Domestic Violent Extremism DHS 17 Mar 2021 -- The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), the Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) today released an unclassified summary of the joint comprehensive threat assessment on domestic violent extremism. The unclassified summary is attached and will be available on DNI.gov later today.
Intelligence Agencies Warn Most Lethal Threat to US Is Homegrown VOA 17 Mar 2021 -- U.S. intelligence agencies are warning the country faces a substantial threat from within, fearing a range of domestic extremists could move forward with plans to carry out attacks against fellow citizens or the government itself.
Fourth Circuit Upholds Jury Conviction in Foreign-Agent Prosecution US Dept. of Justice 18 Mar 2021 -- The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit today upheld an Eastern District of Virginia jury verdict convicting a man of acting and conspiring to act as an agent of the Turkish government within the United States without disclosing that relationship to the U.S. government. The Fourth Circuit also vacated an order granting a new trial and remanded the case for further proceedings before the district court.
Lawmakers Confirm Former Ambassador as US Spy Chief VOA 18 Mar 2021 -- Another key piece of U.S. President Joe Biden's team moved into place Thursday, with lawmakers in the Senate confirming former Ambassador William Burns to lead the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
Biden: Putin will 'pay a price' for 2020 election meddling Press TV 17 Mar 2021 -- US President Joe Biden says Russian President Vladimir Putin will "pay a price" for his interference in the US 2020 presidential election with the aim of undermining Biden's candidacy.
Russia rejects allegations of Putin-directed meddling in 2020 US election Press TV 17 Mar 2021 -- Russia has rejected allegations of interference in the United States' 2020 presidential election, saying Washington is seeking to besmirch Moscow's image and blame others for its own problems.
Tensions With Russia Flare As Biden Says Putin Will 'Pay A Price' For Election Meddling RFE/RL 17 Mar 2021 -- Already tense relations between Russia and the United States are fraying further as U.S. President Joe Biden suggested Russian President Vladimir Putin will soon "pay a price" for alleged meddling in U.S. elections and Russia summoned its ambassador to the United States back to Moscow for consultations.
Russia Rejects U.S. Report That Putin Authorized Election Meddling, But Braces For More Sanctions RFE/RL 17 Mar 2021 -- The Kremlin has denied a U.S. report saying President Vladimir Putin authorized misinformation operations to try to influence last year's presidential election but said Russia is readying for new sanctions over the issues.
Moscow Sees US Intelligence Report on 'Election Meddling' as Unsubstantiated Hoax Sputnik 17 Mar 2021 -- The US intelligence's claims about Moscow's interference in the 2020 presidential vote are nothing but an unsubstantiated hoax, as the report is just adjusted to some conclusions that were invented in advance, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told Sputnik on Wednesday.
Five Things To Know About The U.S. Intelligence Report On Russian Election Interference RFE/RL 17 Mar 2021 -- In late January 2020, as the U.S. presidential campaign started to take shape, a video documentary appeared on U.S. television -- part of an effort, according to the U.S. intelligence community, to bolster Donald Trump's reelection bid and denigrate one of his strongest challengers, former Vice President Joe Biden.
Joint Statement from the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security Assessing the Impact of Foreign Interference During the 2020 U.S. Elections DHS 16 Mar 2021 -- The Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), including the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), released today key findings and recommendations from a joint report to the President issued last month on the impact of foreign governments and their agents on the security and integrity of the 2020 U.S. federal elections.
ODNI Releases Intelligence Community Assessment of Foreign Threats to the 2020 U.S. Elections Director of National Intelligence 16 Mar 2021 -- The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) today released the declassified Intelligence Community (IC) assessment of foreign threats to the 2020 U.S. federal elections. The document is a declassified version of a classified report that the IC provided to the President, senior Executive Branch officials, and Congressional leadership and intelligence oversight committees on January 7, 2021.
U.S. Intelligence Says Iran, Russia Carried Out Influence Operations During 2020 Election RFE/RL 16 Mar 2021 -- Russia and Iran both conducted misinformation operations to influence the 2020 U.S. presidential race between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, according to a U.S. intelligence report.
US: Russia, Iran Meddled in November's Election; China Held Back VOA 16 Mar 2021 -- A just-released assessment by U.S. intelligence officials finds Russia and Iran, joined by a handful of other countries and groups, did seek to influence the outcome of the November 2020 presidential election. But the assessment also concludes that, despite repeated warnings by a number of top officials, China ultimately decided to sit it out.
Australian Intel Head Warns About Use of Covert Means to Obtain Sensitive Research Sputnik 11 Mar 2021 -- The head of the Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) Mike Burgess on Thursday warned the country's research agencies and universities that foreign governments use deceptive means to get access to their critical research.
EU Report Says Germany Is Leading Target Of Russian Disinformation RFE/RL 09 Mar 2021 -- Russia has targeted Germany more than any other country in the European Union in its disinformation efforts, a new report by the 27-member bloc shows.
Germany's Spy Chiefs Urge Court to Agree on Monitoring of Far-Right AfD VOA 08 Mar 2021 -- Germany's domestic intelligence agency says there's sufficient evidence to warrant labeling the country's main opposition party, the populist far-right Alternative for Germany, AfD, as "anti-constitutional" and an organization hostile to democracy.
U.S. Senator Holds Up CIA Nomination To Force Biden To Stop Nord Stream 2 RFE/RL 07 Mar 2021 -- U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (Republican-Texas) says he is holding up the confirmation of the next Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) chief in order to pressure President Joe Biden to stop Russia's Nord Stream 2 pipeline.
China's internet cable in Europe likely to fuel tensions with US Press TV 06 Mar 2021 -- China's underwater internet cable that will emerge in France later this year is expected to fuel further tensions between Beijing and the US and put Europe under additional pressure by Washington, says a report.
Afghan Intelligence Agency's Chief Prosecutor Killed In Car-Bomb Attack RFE/RL Gandhara 06 Mar 2021 -- The chief prosecutor of the Afghan National Directorate of Security has been assassinated in a car-bomb attack.
US, UK spy agencies snooping on Middle East via Red Sea cables: Report Press TV 05 Mar 2021 -- The mushrooming of fiber optic cable networks in the Middle East has provided a tool to Western intelligence agencies to make inroads into the region's sensitive data and communications traffic.
US Intel Officials Admit They Were in the Dark About Looming Capitol Breach VOA 03 Mar 2021 -- The top intelligence officials of the FBI and Department of Homeland Security made a troubling acknowledgement in congressional testimony Wednesday: Neither agency had garnered intelligence indicating that supporters of former President Donald Trump would storm the U.S. Capitol on January 6 in an effort to overturn the November election results.
South Korea Fights to Guard Its Trade Secrets From China VOA 03 Mar 2021 -- South Korea's leading role in high-tech industries has made it an attractive target for fast-rising Chinese rivals in search of enhanced capabilities in semiconductors, computer displays and shipbuilding, among other technologies.
German Intel Agency Puts Far-Right AfD Under Surveillance VOA 03 Mar 2021 -- Germany's domestic intelligence agency recently put the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) Party under surveillance for suspected extremist links that pose a potential threat to democracy, German media outlets report.

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