February 2025 Intelligence News

Concern grows in Washington, Seoul about China's disinformation campaign VOA 28 Feb 2025 -- South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol in the closing statements of his impeachment trial this week said that a Chinese-backed disinformation campaign is threatening South Korea's democracy.
Iranian intelligence forces bust Takfiri terror network, seize weapon cache Press TV 27 Feb 2025 -- In a major counterterrorism operation, Iranian intelligence forces have dismantled a Takfiri terrorist network and seized a large cache of weapons and explosives in the country's southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchestan.
Meeting of Federal Security Service Board President of Russia 27 Feb 2025 -- Vladimir Putin spoke at a meeting of the board of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation.
The Government approved the algorithm for responding to cable damage in the Baltic Sea proposed by the Ministry of National Defence and the Ministry of the Interior Lithuania MND 27 Feb 2025 -- The Government has approved the algorithm of response to incidents against underwater infrastructure where key role in action against diversion and detention of suspect ships is played by the State Border Guard Service in cooperation with the Lithuanian Armed Forces.
Palace to beef up security after arrest of alleged Chinese spies Philippine News Agency 27 Feb 2025 -- Malacañang is set to heighten security measures following the arrest of alleged Chinese spies supposedly involved in surveillance activities targeting the presidential palace, the military, and the police.
How To Protect The Baltic Sea From The Russian Shadow Fleet RFE/RL 25 Feb 2025
Kremlin disinformation campaigns aim to discredit French military in Sahel, analysts say VOA 25 Feb 2025 -- On Feb. 20, Ivory Coast became the latest African nation to expel French troops, taking control of the last remaining French military base in the country.
Suspension of Security Clearances and Evaluation of Government Contracts The White House 25 Feb 2025
Chinese tech firm employee punished for leaking confidential information to overseas spy agency: MSS Global Times 24 Feb 2025 -- China's Ministry of State Security (MSS) on Monday disclosed a case involving an employee at a major domestic technology company, who switched jobs multiple times within three years, disclosed a substantial amount of classified information to foreign intelligence agencies in exchange for personal financial benefits.
Administration backs intelligence forces in protecting national security: Pezeshkian IRNA 22 Feb 2025 -- President Masoud Pezeshkian says his administration lends it support to Iranian intelligence forces in fulfilling their responsibility to maintain security, while cooperating with them in thwarting hostile plans against the country.
Israeli cabinet calls for Shin Bet chief's dismissal after bus blasts near Tel Aviv IRNA 21 Feb 2025 -- The Israeli cabinet has called for the dismissal of Ronen Bar, the director of Shin Bet (Israel's internal security agency) following the explosion of three buses in the settlement of Bat Yam, south of Tel Aviv.
National Bureau of Investigation to conduct a preliminary inquiry into suspected cable damage in Baltic Sea Police of Finland 21 Feb 2025 -- The National Bureau of Investigation has started a preliminary inquiry into the suspected cable damage which was discovered in Sweden's exclusive economic zone on 19 February 2025.
China's homegrown tech boosts global surveillance, social controls: report Radio Free Asia 20 Feb 2025 -- Homegrown AI and other cutting-edge technology is boosting internal surveillance by the ruling Chinese Communist Party and expanding its overseas influence and infiltration operations, and is already in use far beyond its borders, according to a recent report.
IRGC dismantles Israeli-US linked networks in northern Iran IRNA 19 Feb 2025 -- The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) intelligence forces have successfully dismantled networks linked to the U.S. and the Israeli regime, and other hostile nations in Mazandaran province, northern Iran.
IRGC dismantles multiple US, Israeli spying networks in northern Iran Press TV 19 Feb 2025 -- Intelligence forces with Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) have dismantled multiple espionage networks linked to the United States and Israel in the country's northern province of Mazandaran.
Iran Charges Detained British Couple With Espionage RFE/RL 18 Feb 2025 -- Iran has charged British citizens Craig and Lindsay Foreman with espionage, the country's judiciary spokesman announced on February 18.
Jailed British couple charged with espionage: Iran's judiciary Press TV 18 Feb 2025 -- Iran's judiciary spokesman says that two British nationals recently arrested in the country's southeastern city of Kerman have been charged with spying for Western intelligence services.
Two British nationals detained in Iran charged with espionage: Judiciary IRNA 18 Feb 2025 -- Iran's Judiciary spokesperson Asghar Jahangir has announced that two British nationals detained in Iran have been charged with espionage.
National security authorities uncover case involving individual sending military secrets to foreign spy agencies Global Times 18 Feb 2025 -- Recently, national security authorities in China uncovered a case involving an individual colluding with foreign espionage agencies to steal military secrets, including information on troop deployment locations, weapon configurations, and barracks conditions, according to an article released on the WeChat account of China's Ministry of State Security (MSS) on Tuesday.
Taiwanese army officer's failed defection to China ends in 13-year sentence Radio Free Asia 17 Feb 2025 -- A Taiwanese court jailed a former army officer for 13 years for attempting to recruit an active-duty military pilot to defect to China with a helicopter, the latest in a series of national security cases involving retired military and law enforcement personnel.
China wants tunnel, basement rooms at planned London 'mega-embassy' Radio Free Asia 17 Feb 2025 -- An architect working on China's controversial plans for a new 'mega-embassy' in London has revealed some of the details of the project, including a tunnel connecting two of the former Royal Mint buildings, basement rooms and accommodation for hundreds of staff.
Intelligence agencies close in on Islamic State caliph VOA 14 Feb 2025 -- A growing number of countries think they have unmasked the man running the Islamic State terror group's global operations.
Supreme Court upholds High Court decision in military espionage case CNA 14 Feb 2025 -- The Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the decision of the Taiwan High Court to hand eight people, including several active-duty military officers, sentences ranging from 18 months to 13 years for collecting intelligence for China.
Baltic Sea region police chiefs strengthen cooperation in the event of maritime incidents Police of Finland 13 Feb 2025 -- Police authorities from the EU Baltic Sea region convened in Helsinki on Wednesday 12 February 2025 to strengthen cooperation in the event of maritime incidents.
Former lawmaker indicted over alleged China-led election interference CNA 13 Feb 2025 -- A former Taiwanese lawmaker was indicted for violations of Taiwan's Anti-Infiltration Act on Wednesday over allegedly helping Beijing interfere in Taiwan's 2024 presidential election, according to prosecutors on Thursday.
U.S. Senate confirms Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence People's Daily 13 Feb 2025 -- U.S. Senate on Wednesday confirmed former Hawaii Representative Tulsi Gabbard, who ran for president as a Democrat in 2020, as director of national intelligence.
U.S Director of National Intelligence calls on Prime Minister (February 12, 2025) India MEA 12 Feb 2025 -- The U.S. Director of National Intelligence, Ms. Tulsi Gabbard, called on Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today.
Intelligence Community Welcomes Lt. Col. Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence Director of National Intelligence 12 Feb 2025 -- Today, Lieutenant Colonel Tulsi Gabbard took the oath of office to serve as the eighth Senate-confirmed and first female combat veteran Director of National Intelligence (DNI).
New US intelligence chief promises to deliver for Trump VOA 12 Feb 2025 -- U.S. President Donald Trump's effort to overhaul the country's intelligence apparatus appears set to move forward, with lawmakers confirming Tulsi Gabbard as the nation's next director of national intelligence.
President Trump Announces the President's Intelligence Advisory Board The White House 11 Feb 2025
MAC warns of legal consequences over possessing Chinese IDs CNA 11 Feb 2025 -- Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) reiterated Tuesday that active military personnel and civil servants who apply for Chinese identity documents will face the full force of the law, including potentially being stripped of citizenship, after a soldier was found to hold a Chinese ID card.
Iranian officials, Turkish intelligence chief discuss regional issues, anti-terror fight Press TV 09 Feb 2025 -- The visiting head of the Turkish Intelligence Organization, Ibrahim Kalin, has met Iranian officials in Tehran to discuss the latest developments in the region and the fight against terrorism.
Trump revokes security clearances for Biden's top aides People's Daily 09 Feb 2025 -- U.S. President Donald Trump has revoked former Secretary of State Antony Blinken and other Democrats' security clearances, multiple U.S. media reported on Saturday.
China cracks case involving consulting firm luring retired personnel to steal state secrets: MSS Global Times 09 Feb 2025 -- China's state security authorities recently cracked a case in which a foreign espionage agency commissioned a consulting firm operating in China to conduct investigations by recruiting retired personnel from key positions. They used tactics such as emotional manipulation, financial inducement, contract packaging, and project collaboration to lure these individuals into collecting and stealing China's state secrets, according to an article published by the Wechat account of the Ministry of State Security (MSS) of China on Sunday.
China opposes linking Canada's internal affairs with China-related factors: embassy on reports of campaigns targeting Canadian politician Global Times 08 Feb 2025 -- In response to media reports that Canadian agencies recently detected that an information campaign targeting Canadian Liberal Party leader candidate Ms. Chrystia Freeland took place on the Chinese social media app WeChat, a spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in Canada said on Friday that I am not aware of the so-called information campaign mentioned.
Trump says he is ending Biden's security clearances, daily intelligence briefings People's Daily 08 Feb 2025 -- U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that he is ending former President Joe Biden's security clearances and stopping his daily intelligence briefings.
Initially exempted, US intelligence faces 'fork in the road' VOA 07 Feb 2025 -- A handful of key U.S. intelligence agencies have given most of their employees a chance to walk away, offering them the opportunity to take the deferred resignation option extended to the government's civilian workforce.
Rapid Response Mechanism Canada detects information operation targeting a candidate for the leadership campaign of the Liberal Party of Canada Canada 07 Feb 2025 -- "Global Affairs Canada's Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM Canada), in its mandate as part of the Security and Intelligence Threats to Elections (SITE) Task Force to monitor the digital information ecosystem during the Liberal Party of Canada [LPC] leadership campaign, has identified an information operation targeting Chrystia Freeland."
Secret-related personnel betrays to overseas spy agency, captured within 48 hours: Ministry of State Security Global Times 07 Feb 2025 -- China's Ministry of State Security on Friday disclosed an espionage case involving a key confidential employee who voluntarily defected to an overseas spy agency. The state security authorities promptly investigated and halted the act of selling sensitive information, safeguarding national security.
How not to get seduced by foreign spies: China's spy agency Radio Free Asia 07 Feb 2025 -- Since China's secretive spy agency -- the Ministry of State Security -- got itself a WeChat account, it has been churning out cautionary tales about spies as warnings to an unsuspecting public.
Government submits to Parliament bill on restricting real estate transactions by Russians Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland 06 Feb 2025 -- On 6 February 2025, the Finnish Government submitted to Parliament a proposal for legislation banning foreign real estate acquisitions. Permits would not be granted to persons whose country of nationality is waging a war of aggression and may pose a threat to Finland's national security. This ban would also apply to entities who are domiciled in the territory of such a country or owned or influenced by citizens or entities of such a country.
3 active military officers indicted for leaking intelligence to China CNA 05 Feb 2025 -- Three active duty military officers and an alleged accomplice have been indicted on suspicion of leaking military intelligence to China, the Taiwan High Prosecutors Office Kaohsiung Branch said Wednesday.
Philippines' accusation of 'Chinese Spies' backfires as Chinese Embassy presents evidence Global Times 05 Feb 2025 -- The US Naval Institute (USNI) News reported on Monday that following the arrest of a Chinese citizen in Manila on charges of "espionage" — allegedly for possessing detailed maps of Philippine government facilities and military bases while being accused by the Philippine government of having ties to Chinese military academies — Philippine authorities arrested five more Chinese nationals late last month on similar charges. The Philippine side claimed that these five individuals were "illegally gathering intelligence" on facilities, ports, and vessels of the Philippine Navy and Coast Guard stationed near the South China Sea in Palawan province.
Former U.S. Federal Reserve adviser pleads not guilty in spy case Radio Free Asia 05 Feb 2025 -- An economist who advised the Federal Reserve, the central bank of the United States, pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to economic spying charges that prosecutors say could have helped Chinese officials reap enormous profits.
Trump pick for intelligence chief edges closer to confirmation VOA 04 Feb 2025 -- Former Democratic congresswoman turned President Donald Trump supporter Tulsi Gabbard is one step closer to leading the U.S. intelligence community following a party-line vote in the Senate Intelligence Committee.
Superseding Indictment Charges Chinese National in Relation to Alleged Plan to Steal Proprietary AI Technology US Dept. of Justice 04 Feb 2025 -- A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment today charging Linwei Ding, also known as Leon Ding, 38, with seven counts of economic espionage and seven counts of theft of trade secrets in connection with an alleged plan to steal from Google LLC (Google) proprietary information related to AI technology.
Ex-British soldier sentenced to 14 years in prison for alleged spying for Iran IRNA 03 Feb 2025 -- A British court has sentenced a former army soldier to 14 years and three months in prison on charges of spying for Iran.
British Ex-Soldier Daniel Khalife Sentenced To 14 Years For Spying For Iran RFE/RL 03 Feb 2025 -- A British court has sentenced former soldier Daniel Khalife to 14 years and three months in prison for spying for Iran and escaping prison.
Seizure of suspected ship in the cable damage incident is suspended Swedish Security Service 03 Feb 2025 -- The seizure of the ship suspected of gross sabotage of a communications cable between Sweden and Latvia in the Baltic Sea has been suspended by the prosecutor, the reason being that the investigation revealed that it is not a question of sabotage.
Gov't calls for heightened vigilance against suspected spies Philippine News Agency 02 Feb 2025 -- The Bureau of Immigration (BI) said alleged foreign spies recently arrested by authorities have seemingly embedded themselves in society.

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