August 2022 Intelligence News

Can a Former US President Claim 'Executive Privilege' Over His Presidential Records? VOA 31 Aug 2022 -- The FBI's seizure of classified documents during its recent search of former President Donald Trump's Florida residence has renewed a debate over whether a former president can assert executive privilege, or the right to shield documents from disclosure.
Trump team may have moved classified papers amid probe: Justice Dept. Press TV 31 Aug 2022 -- The US government says it is in possession of evidence showing that former president Donald Trump's team tried to obstruct a probe into the discovery of classified documents at the former president's residence.
Trump Accuses FBI of Staging Photos of Scattered Documents During Mar-a-Lago Raid Sputnik 31 Aug 2022 -- Former US President Donald Trump accused the FBI of staging a scene during its August 8 raid of his Florida residence, claiming that they strewed documents on the floor and took photos of them for the public.
Enforced disappearance a serious human rights violation, used to spread terror UN News 30 Aug 2022 -- Observed this Tuesday, the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances reaffirms the need for victims' families to know the truth about what happened to missing relatives.
FBI Completes Initial Review of Documents Seized in Raid on Trump's Mar-a-Lago Residence Sputnik 29 Aug 2022 -- The FBI has already completed its initial review of the documents it took from former President Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence during the raid on August 8 and has set aside those potentially covered by the attorney-client privilege, according to a court filing on Monday.
Some Trump Contacts with Lawyers Found Amidst Seized Classified Documents VOA 29 Aug 2022 -- The U.S. Justice Department said Monday that it found "a limited set of materials" that might contain information about President Donald Trump's private contacts with his attorneys that should be excluded from the government's investigation of highly classified documents it seized three weeks ago from Trump's oceanside estate in Florida.
Mossad Chief to Reportedly Visit US as Israel Looks to Kill New Iran Nuclear Deal Sputnik 28 Aug 2022 -- Tel Aviv has historically opposed the Iran nuclear deal, claiming that it allows Tehran to arm its "proxy" groups without preventing it from developing nuclear weapons, which Iran says it has no intention of developing.
US spy agency threaten Turkish businessmen over Russia trade Press TV 28 Aug 2022 -- Local offices of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in Turkey have "openly" threatened Turkish businessmen for trading with Russia while snooping into their real estate deals over concerns about possible evasion of US-led sanctions against Moscow, local news outlets reported.
Greek PM Admits to Tapping Political Rival's Phone, Refuses to Say Why VOA 27 Aug 2022 -- Greece's main opposition leader has called on the country's prime minister to resign after he admitted that the nation's spy chief bugged the phone of a senior political leader. The scandal is being dubbed Greece's Watergate.
US Justice Dept.: Trump papers included material on intelligence, sources Press TV 26 Aug 2022 -- The US Department of Justice has released the court papers that justified the unprecedented FBI search of former President Donald Trump's home in Florida.
US Air Force Orders $840Mln in Three Contracts for Geospatial Intelligence - Pentagon Sputnik 26 Aug 2022 -- Altamira Technologies Corporation, Radiance Technologies and Centauri have each been awarded a $280 million US Air Force modification contract worth $840 million in all for Advanced Technical Exploitation Program II support for geospatial intelligence research and development, the US Defense Department announced.
Judge Orders Justice Department to Unseal Trump Search Affidavit VOA 25 Aug 2022 -- A federal judge directed the U.S. Justice Department late Thursday to unseal its redacted version of an affidavit it used to obtain a recent search warrant for former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort.
U.S. judge orders release of redacted Mar-a-Lago affidavit People's Daily 26 Aug 2022 -- A U.S. judge on Thursday ordered the Department of Justice (DOJ) to release a redacted version of the affidavit used to seek the search warrant on former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate.
U.S. Department of Justice submits redacted Mar-a-Lago search affidavit People's Daily 26 Aug 2022 -- The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed its proposed redactions to the affidavit used to seek the search warrant on former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate, a spokesperson said on Thursday.
For First Time, Facebook, Twitter Take Down Pro-US Influence Operation VOA 25 Aug 2022 -- This summer, for the first time, Facebook and Twitter removed a network of fake user accounts promoting pro-Western policy positions to foreign audiences and critical of Russia, China and Iran, according to a new report.
Interview: How Russia's Intelligence Agencies Have Adapted After Six Months Of War RFE/RL 24 Aug 2022 -- It was supposed to be a lightning strike that could see Russian forces in Kyiv after three days of fighting, but six months after Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, the Kremlin instead finds itself locked in a grinding war that has left its military and intelligence services humiliated.
Russian Prosecutor Seeks Five Years In Prison For Anarchist Couple That Criticized FSB RFE/RL 23 Aug 2022 -- The prosecution has asked a court to sentence a couple, who are self-declared anarchists, to five years in prison each for criticizing the Federal Security Service (FSB), the successor to the Soviet-era KGB, with a protest banner they unfurled at the agency's headquarters in 2018.
US National Archives: Trump Took 700 Pages of Classified Documents to Florida VOA 23 Aug 2022 -- Former U.S. President Donald Trump left Washington with more than 700 pages of classified documents, including some containing the government's top secrets, when his presidency ended last year, the National Archives disclosed Tuesday.
National Archives Retrieved 700 Pages of Classified Files From Mar-a-Lago in January, Letter Reveals Sputnik 23 Aug 2022 -- Former US President Donald Trump has tried to protect his papers from one government inquiry after another through the repeated assertion of executive privilege, or his right as head of state to maintain confidential communications. However, the Supreme Court has set definite limits on what the rule can and cannot protect from scrutiny.
Trump held over 300 classified documents after leaving office: Report Press TV 23 Aug 2022 -- Former US President Trump had more than 300 classified documents in his possession after leaving office, which were retrieved by the National Archives in January, a damning new report has revealed.
Trump Asks for Special Master to Review Seized Documents VOA 23 Aug 2022 -- Lawyers for former U.S. President Donald Trump have asked a federal court to temporarily block the FBI from reviewing documents recovered from his Florida estate until a special master can be appointed to separate out any materials covered by executive privilege and return them to him.
Trump asks for appointment of "special master" to oversee handling of materials taken in Mar-a-Lago search People's Daily 23 Aug 2022 -- Former U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday asked for the appointment of a "special master" to oversee the handling of materials taken in the Mar-a-Lago search earlier this month.
Russia's Wording On Ukraine Invasion Limits Its Coercive Powers, Says British Intelligence RFE/RL 22 Aug 2022 -- Russia may be hindering its ability to recruit and keep soldiers by insisting on calling its invasion of Ukraine a "special military operation" instead of officially designating it a war, Britain's Ministry of Defense said in its daily intelligence bulletin on August 22.
Senior Ukrainian Intelligence Official Found Dead RFE/RL 22 Aug 2022 -- A regional head of Ukraine's SBU intelligence service has been found dead at his home in central Ukraine, the Prosecutor-General's Office said on August 21.
Two Russians, One Ukrainian Arrested As Alleged Spies In Albania RFE/RL 21 Aug 2022 -- Albanian authorities have arrested two Russians and one Ukrainian who were trying to enter a military plant in the central Albania, the country's Defense Ministry said in a statement on August 20.
Four Czech Nationals Detained in Albania While Photographing Military Site - Reports Sputnik 21 Aug 2022 -- Four Czech nationals were detained in the Albanian city of Polican, allegedly for taking photographs of a military facility, the Czech Television reports.
Biden administration officials raise concern about documents Trump took to Mar-a-Lago: Report Press TV 20 Aug 2022 -- Officials in the US President Joe Biden administration have expressed "deep concern" about the documents that former President Donald Trump had taken with himself to his private residence in Florida after leaving office, a report says.
DOJ in Quandary as It Mulls Disclosing Trump Search Document VOA 19 Aug 2022 -- A federal judge has given the U.S. Justice Department one week to redact an affidavit used to justify the recent search of former President Donald Trump's Florida residence before the rest of the document could be made public.
American Investor Known For Russian Nightclub, Pro-Ukrainian Stances, Found Dead In Washington RFE/RL 18 Aug 2022 -- An American stockbroker, who made a fortune in the Russian market in the 1990s and 2000s and later co-founded a posh Moscow nightclub before leaving the country, died after being found lying on a sidewalk in Washington, police said.
Judge Considers Releasing Redacted Affidavit Used in Trump Search VOA 18 Aug 2022 -- A federal judge in Florida ordered the Department of Justice to propose redactions to the affidavit that justified the warrant used last week to search former President Donald Trump's Florida estate.
U.S. Department of Justice opposes request to unseal Mar-a-Lago search affidavit People's Daily 16 Aug 2022 -- The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) said in a court filing Monday that it opposes any attempts to unseal the affidavit laying out the probable cause for the search of former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate.
Republican Lawmakers Threaten to Investigate FBI Actions VOA 16 Aug 2022 -- With his allies in Congress laying the groundwork for an investigation into the FBI's search of his Florida home last week, former President Donald Trump on Monday said in an interview that "the temperature has to be brought down" in the country, even as he continued to suggest without evidence that federal agents may have planted evidence.
Senator Paul calls for repeal of Espionage Act to protect Trump Press TV 15 Aug 2022 -- Senator Rand Paul has called for the repeal of the Espionage Act days after the Justice Department revealed that former President Donald Trump is under investigation for possible violations of the law.
US Justice Dept. Opposes Release of Trump Investigation Affidavit - Court Filings Sputnik 15 Aug 2022 -- The US Justice Department opposes the public release of an affidavit used in the federal investigation into former President Donald Trump's handling of potentially sensitive materials after leaving office, according to filings with the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida.
US Lawmakers Call for Closer Look at Search of Trump Resort, Documents FBI Agents Found VOA 14 Aug 2022 -- Key U.S. lawmakers called Sunday for a closer look at the justification for last week's court-authorized search of former President Donald Trump's oceanside resort in Florida and whether he damaged U.S. national security by taking highly classified documents with him when he left the White House in early 2021.
Trump calls for return of privileged documents seized by FBI from his home Press TV 14 Aug 2022 -- Former US President Donald Trump has called on the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to return documents reportedly seized from his Florida home that are protected by attorney-client and executive privileges.
Greek Intelligence Spying on Thousands of Citizens - Reports Sputnik 14 Aug 2022 -- Greek intelligence services keep tabs on thousands of citizens under the banner of national security protection, while the government effectively removed mechanisms ensuring democratic control over these special services, Greek newspaper Documento reported on Sunday.
Wave of badly written Kindle titles on Pelosi, Taiwan hits Amazon's Kindle platform Radio Free Asia 13 Aug 2022 -- Amazon's Kindle e-publishing platform has been flooded with poorly written books pushing Beijing's line on Taiwan, according to a U.K.-based publisher.
US government: FBI seized top secret docs at Trump's home Press TV 13 Aug 2022 -- FBI agents who searched former President Donald Trump's Florida home Monday seized 11 sets of classified documents, including some marked as top secret, the US Justice Department says.
Trump's Lawyer Confirmed Return of Classified Documents - Reports Sputnik 13 Aug 2022 -- A lawyer for former US President Donald Trump made a written statement in June that the politician had returned all classified documents from his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida to the US government, the New York Times reported on Saturday, citing people familiar with the document.
Trump Investigated for Possible Violation of Espionage Act VOA 12 Aug 2022 -- The U.S. Department of Justice is investigating former President Donald Trump for possible violations of the Espionage Act and other crimes after the Federal Bureau of Investigation recovered 11 sets of classified documents from his Florida home, Mar-a-Lago, earlier this week.
FBI Reportedly Recovered Eleven Sets of Classified Documents in Mar-a-Lago Search Sputnik 12 Aug 2022 -- Former US President Donald Trump may have violated provisions of the Espionage Act related to the mishandling of documents by bringing home classified documents after he left office, some experts have said. However, others have noted that the World War I-era law is only used to prosecute offenders of low rank, or whistleblowers.
Statement from Director Wray FBI 11 Aug 2022
FBI Search of Trump Resort Sparks Uptick in Online Violent Rhetoric VOA 11 Aug 2022 -- The FBI's search this week of former President Donald Trump's Florida resort has led to a sharp spike in online extremist rhetoric, raising concerns about a fresh wave of political violence.
Attorney General Merrick Garland Delivers Remarks US Dept. of Justice 11 Aug 2022
US Justice Department Seeks to Unseal Trump Search Warrant VOA 11 Aug 2022 -- The U.S. Justice Department asked a federal court on Thursday to unseal a warrant used to search former president Donald Trump's home in Florida in connection with an investigation into Trump's handling of White House records.
Trial Begins Of German Reserve Officer Charged With Spying For Russia RFE/RL 11 Aug 2022 -- A German military reserve officer has gone on trial on charges of spying for Russia in the western German city of Dusseldorf.
Statement by National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on Iran's Continued Targeting of U.S. Citizens The White House 10 Aug 2022
Member of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Charged with Plot to Murder the Former National Security Advisor US Dept. of Justice 10 Aug 2022 -- An Iranian national and member of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was charged by complaint, unsealed today in the District of Columbia, with use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire and with providing and attempting to provide material support to a transnational murder plot.
Iran rejects 'baseless myth' of planning to kill Bolton Press TV 10 Aug 2022 -- Iran has brushed aside the "baseless myth" by the US government, accusing an Iranian national of plotting to assassinate former President Donald Trump's notorious national security advisor John Bolton.
U.S. Charges Iranian Operative With Plotting To Kill Ex-National-Security Adviser Bolton RFE/RL 10 Aug 2022 -- The U.S. Justice Department has charged a member of Iran's elite Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) in connection with an alleged plot to kill former White House national-security adviser John Bolton.
US Warns Iran of 'Severe Consequences' After Plot to Murder Bolton Uncovered Sputnik 10 Aug 2022 -- The United States is warning Iran of "severe consequences" if any US citizen is attacked after an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps member was charged in an alleged plot to kill former National Security Advisor John Bolton, current National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said on Wednesday.
Iranian Operative Charged in Plot To Murder John Bolton VOA 10 Aug 2022 -- An Iranian operative has been charged in a plot to assassinate former U.S. national security adviser John Bolton in presumed retaliation for a U.S. airstrike that killed a powerful Iranian general, the U.S. Justice Department said Wednesday.
Former Twitter Employee Found Guilty of Acting as an Agent of a Foreign Government and Unlawfully Sharing Twitter User Information US Dept. of Justice 10 Aug 2022 -- A federal jury yesterday convicted a former Media Partnerships Manager for the Middle East/North Africa (MENA) region at Twitter of acting as a foreign agent without notice to the Attorney General, conspiracy, wire fraud, international money laundering, and falsification of records in a federal investigation. The verdict follows a two-week trial before the Honorable Senior U.S. District Judge Edward M. Chen for the Northern District of California.
Saudi Arabia investing aggressively in Israeli cyber espionage companies: Report Press TV 10 Aug 2022 -- A report reveals that Saudi Arabian authorities are investing hugely in Israeli companies that specialize in developing cyber espionage tools, in a move that could help Riyadh hunt down dissidents and opponents of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MbS).
Disinformation Trackers Say Myth-Spreading Sites Doubled After Russian Invasion Began RFE/RL 09 Aug 2022 -- The number of websites spreading Russia-Ukraine disinformation has more than doubled since Russia's unprovoked invasion was launched in late February, says a New York-based group that rates trustworthiness across media.
FBI, Justice Department Routinely Prosecute Misuse of Classified Documents VOA 09 Aug 2022 -- Federal officials are saying little so far about Monday's FBI search of former President Donald Trump's home in Mar-a-Lago, Florida, but Trump and one of his sons have said the move is part of an investigation into Trump's removal of official documents from the White House.
Trump Says Mar-a-Lago Home in Florida Raided by FBI VOA 08 Aug 2022 -- Former U.S. President Donald Trump said FBI agents have raided his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida.
Trump says Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida raided by FBI agents People's Daily 09 Aug 2022 -- Former U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday evening that his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, had been raided by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Summary of the Reengagement of Detainees Formerly Held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba Director of National Intelligence 09 Aug 2022 -- The Director of National Intelligence submits this summary consistent with direction in Section 506I of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. § 3105), which states:
Greek Prime Minister Says He Will Not Resign Over Wiretapping Scandal Sputnik 08 Aug 2022 -- Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Monday that he does not intend to resign over the scandal related to the wiretapping of Nikos Androulakis, the leader of the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK), but intends to propose a number of changes to the Greek National Intelligence Service (EYP).
Greece Reportedly Launches Probe Into Leak of Classified Documents on Wiretapping Sputnik 06 Aug 2022 -- Greece's Supreme Court Prosecutor Isidoros Dogiakos will personally conduct a preliminary criminal investigation into the leak of top secret state documents from the country's National Intelligence Service (EYP), related to the wiretapping of politicians and journalists, Greek media reported on Saturday.
National Reconnaissance Office Looks for More Commercial Services DoD News 04 Aug 2022 -- In May, the National Reconnaissance Office announced the award of three contracts to private-sector companies for commercial imagery. It's something the agency would like to do more of, said its director.
Last Chief Of Soviet KGB, Vadim Bakatin, Dies At 84 RFE/RL 01 Aug 2022 -- Vadim Bakatin, the last chief of the Soviet Union's Committee of State Security, widely known under its Russian acronym KGB, has died at the age of 84.

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