January 2022 Intelligence News

Over 15 Israeli spy networks dismantled in massive Lebanese operation: Report Press TV 31 Jan 2022 -- Lebanon's security forces have dismantled more than 15 Israeli spy networks over the past few weeks, according to a report, marking one of the largest security operations in the Arab country since 2009.
India Bought Pegasus Spyware From Israel in an Alleged Deal Concerning Palestinians, Claims NYT Sputnik 29 Jan 2022 -- The Indian government has categorically rejected claims that it bought the Pegasus spyware from NSO Group, as per a written reply by the Defence Ministry in parliament last year. A joint investigation last year claimed that the spyware has been used to snoop on 50,000 mobile numbers in more than 50 countries since 2016, including India.
Germany Arrests Russian For Allegedly Spying On European Space Program RFE/RL 27 Jan 2022 -- German prosecutors say they have arrested a Russian scientist accused of spying for Moscow, alleging he passed on classified information about Europe's Ariane rocket program while working at a German university.
US Obsession With Secrecy Destroys Trust, Harms National Security, Intelligence Chief Says Sputnik 27 Jan 2022 -- The US intelligence community's system of classifying and withholding information erodes national security because it withholds far too much information from the public, Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Avril Haines said in a letter to lawmakers revealed on Thursday.
Human Rights Watch: Spyware from Israeli Company Used to Hack Senior Staffer VOA 26 Jan 2022 -- A senior staff member of Human Rights Watch had her phones hacked with spyware developed by an Israeli technology company that the United States says was "maliciously" used to target activists, journalists and other people of interest.
Required App Raises Fears China Will Track Sensitive Data During Olympics VOA 26 Jan 2022 -- American 2018 Olympic silver medalist Chris Mazdzer is worried about being hacked as he heads into the Beijing Winter Olympics next month. Like everyone there, he's required to use China's My 2022 health-monitoring app despite fears about encryption problems.
UK court allows WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to appeal decision to extradite him to US Press TV 24 Jan 2022 -- WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has won the right to challenge a UK court ruling allowing him to be extradited to the United States to face espionage charges.
University of Arkansas Professor Pleads Guilty to Lying to Federal Agents About Patents in China US Dept. of Justice 21 Jan 2022 -- An Arkansas man and University of Arkansas Professor pleaded guilty today to one count of making a false statement to the FBI about the existence of patents for his inventions in the People's Republic of China (PRC).
US Still Looking for 'Havana Syndrome' Answers VOA 21 Jan 2022 -- The top U.S. spy agency has concluded a mysterious illness plaguing American diplomats and other officials around the world is not nearly as widespread as initially feared and is most likely not the work of a foreign adversary.
CIA Finds Russia, Foreign Actor Unlikely Behind Havana Syndrome RFE/RL 21 Jan 2022 -- The CIA assesses it is unlikely that Russia or another foreign government is behind hundreds of mysterious health incidents affecting U.S. diplomats and intelligence officers worldwide that has come to be known as Havana Syndrome, an official with the spy agency said.
Havana Syndrome Not Result of Deliberate Campaign by Hostile Country, CIA Interim Finding Says Sputnik 20 Jan 2022 -- The US Central Intelligence Agency says it does not consider Havana syndrome to be the result of a deliberate global campaign by any hostile power, while allowing the possibility of foreign involvement in some cases, according to an interim assessment.
Memorandum on Improving the Cybersecurity of National Security, Department of Defense, and Intelligence Community Systems The White House 19 Jan 2022
Biden Signs Memo Improving Cybersecurity Across US Defense, Intelligence Communities Sputnik 19 Jan 2022 -- US President Joe Biden on Wednesday signed a memorandum to bolster the cybersecurity of the US defense and intelligence communities' networks.
Israel Offers Intelligence & Security Support to UAE Amid Growing 'Strategic Capability' of Houthis Sputnik 18 Jan 2022 -- Global leaders have rallied around the United Arab Emirates (UAE) since Yemen's Houthi group attacked one of its oil depots using drones and missiles, killing three workers. Strategic analysts say that the attack indicates a significant shift in the strategic capability of militants targeting energy infrastructure in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
CIA chief secretly visited Ukraine amid rising tensions with Russia: Report Press TV 18 Jan 2022 -- Director of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) William Burns paid a secret visit to Kiev last week, discussing the escalation of tensions with Russia over Ukraine.
Ukrainian Official Says Belarusian Intelligence Likely Behind Cyberattack RFE/RL 15 Jan 2022 -- A top Ukrainian official says a Belarusian intelligence agency is likely behind the hacking of several Ukrainian government websites this week.
China Seen Backing 'Digital Authoritarianism' in Latin America VOA 14 Jan 2022 -- Chinese technology and expertise is making it possible for Venezuela and Cuba to exercise suffocating control over digital communications in the two countries, according to insider accounts and several international investigations.
Blinken Says U.S. Has Raised Mysterious Illness With Russia That Is Afflicting Diplomats RFE/RL 14 Jan 2022 -- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the United States has raised an illness with Russia that has afflicted American diplomats as it works to find out what the ailment is and what causes it.
British Intelligence Shines Light on Chinese Spy 'Hiding in Plain Sight' VOA 14 Jan 2022 -- Britain's domestic intelligence agency, MI5, is coming under political pressure to explain why it did not alert lawmakers sooner about the activities of a suspected Chinese spy, who the security service now say was "knowingly engaged in political interference in the U.K."
Some people have seen too many James Bond films, Chinese FM responds to UK allegation of 'political interference' Global Times 14 Jan 2022 -- Chinese Foreign Ministry stressed that China has always adhered to the principle of non-interference in other countries' internal affairs, after UK Military Intelligence, Section 5 (MI5) is reported to have alleged that a British lawyer of Chinese descent is "involved in political interference activities" in the UK Parliament on behalf of the Communist Party of China (CPC).
Four Israeli Women Arrested For Providing Intelligence To Iran RFE/RL 12 Jan 2022 -- Four Israeli women who sent pictures and other information to an Iranian operative have been accused of spying for Iran, Israel's domestic intelligence service said.
European Court Says Bulgarian Eavesdropping Law Violates Rights Convention RFE/RL 11 Jan 2022 -- The European Court of Human Rights has ruled that Bulgaria's law on secret surveillance and how data is held violates the European Convention of Human Rights.
Danish Military Intelligence Head in Custody Over Leak of Classified Information, Reports Say Sputnik 10 Jan 2022 -- The head of the Danish Defence Intelligence Service (DDIS), Lars Findsen, has been put under arrest on a court order following allegation that the agency violated privacy laws and withheld information, Danish state-owned broadcaster TV 2 reported on Monday.
Serbia's Back-Door Bid To Embed Chinese Snooping Tools In Kosovo RFE/RL 08 Jan 2022 -- Kosovo risks becoming a reluctant laboratory for invasive Chinese surveillance technology at the hands of neighboring Serbia, an "iron-clad" friend to Beijing.
Chinese National Pleads Guilty to Economic Espionage Conspiracy US Dept. of Justice 06 Jan 2022 -- Xiang Haitao, 44, a Chinese national formerly residing in Chesterfield, Missouri, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit economic espionage.

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