SA Intelligencer #82

It has been a hectic few weeks for me, hence the delay in publication. Old news is not intelligence, but history...the only reason one would carry old information is to contextualise information so that the reader gets a clearer picture of the development of events or trends. This Intelligencer aims to do that by sharing with you developments on our continent the last month. While the news is overshadowed by the debate here in SA over the Protection of Information Bill, the murder of a MI6 spy in London and the Wikileaks saga, very little has been said in the international media over intelligence affairs in Africa. Enjoy!

• Uganda: ripple effect of Al Qaeda attack on intelligence community
• Burundi, Uganda top region’s most corrupt list
• Sudan: Agents of fear: the National Security Service
• CIA training Sudan’s spies as Obama officials fight over policy
• Botswana Security ministry under fire
• Former Botswana Security Minister in court over corruption
• Botswana spy agency boss denies snooping
• Botswana: DIS slush fund claims rock BDP
• Botswana: DIS a smelling rat
• South Africa: Intelligence link in row on Lonmin mine rights
• South Africa: laws to give financial regulator more power
• Nigeria Terrorism-money laundering Bill - Jonathan expresses concern over delay
• Libya and South Korea in conflict over rare espionage case
• Group promotes Egypt’s spy chief for president

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SA Intelligencer #81: the US edition

It is challenging to look at developments in the world of intelligence with a fresh lens, especially after so many people have already given their opinion about the Washington Post investigation... This edition is dedicated to the US...

Editorial                                                                

Ten blockbuster revelations from the Washington Post’s intelligence complex exposé      …

The timing is interesting….

Intelligence nominee vows to take on CIA    

Bond: John Brennan is the real DNI               

The importance and value of an independent press

Foreign policy: America is no longer “Top Secret”          

Security implications of the report…

The disturbing value of the Washington Post’s work

Maybe we can learn from the Post how to produce and distribute intelligence reports?         

It makes a nice case study for organizational experts

A leaner & meaner intelligence system         

 In other news…

Pelosi faces pressure to end standoff over intelligence bill               

US intelligence spending – value for money?

Retired spy hired to run CIA clandestine service

Scientist charged with economic espionage

CIA applicant’s arrest tops wave of China spy cases

Iran’s scientist was part of larger CIA mole operation, officials say                      

Former State Department official sentenced to life in prison for nearly 30 year espionage conspiracy

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Proudly South African!

The Soccer World Cup here in SA was a great success and is testimony to the hard work and commitment of all our people, especially those in the security sector. It has united our nation and continent, and showed the world what a beautiful country we have.

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SA Intelligencer #80

US
The spies who came back from the cold
Spy swap: who’s who?
Tradecraft: lessons to be learnt?
Former top Russian spy Sergei Tretyakov dies at 53
Canada
Spy chief warns of more threats to national security
MP’s also targets of foreign influence, spy chief says
Border agency7 fences off intelligence directorate files from public scrutiny
Israel
Why is the Dagan era ending?
Top Secret IDF base exposed on Facebook
Europe
Italy: Berlusconi: will the Gagger be gagged?
UK: David Cameron moves to allay US fears on intelligence sharing
UK: Former intelligence chief Stella Rimington warns of threat to Britain from Russian spies
UK: too few ethnic minority officers hired by GCHQ
EU parliament ratifies data sharing agreement with US
South America
European Union targeted by Colombian intelligence, documents show
Ecuador: No proof yet of Colombian spying
Asia
CIA and Pakistan locked in counter-intelligence struggle
Philippines: Top security officials named
Japan: New Naicho chief: Japan’s changing face of intelligence
Africa
Nigeria: Jonathan stresses need for accurate intelligence gathering
Ghana: Efforts to check money laundering
Need-to-read
US: Intelligence reform after Five years
US: CIA forerunner’s sabotage manual
UN report: transnational organized crime threat assessment
Financing of terrorism: Risk for Australia
Upcoming events

Open publication - Free publishing - More cia

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GO Ghana GO!

http://www.mg.co.za/zapiro/all

This cartoon by South African Zapiro says it all for the match tonight between Ghana and Uruguay in the quarter finals...

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We enjoy the Soccer World Cup!

I'm taking things deliberately slow these few weeks -not only because it's winter and damn cold, BUT it's Soccer World Cup time here in SA, as I think everyone would know by now! Everything in SA has come to a standstill for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity - and that includes 4Knowledge and the SA Intelligencer! We will start in earnest again on 14 July with our next course!

My boys are soccer crazy, although the sport has not yet permeated the Afrikaans schools. Armand's primary school has done a great deal: each day had a discussion of the countries participating, every class representing on country, with flags, soccer matches between the classes etc. Above is a photo I took of the 2 of them with hubby when we watched the Argentina/South Korea game last week at the magnificent Soccer City near Johannesburg. The calabash form was an excellent architectural idea!
They are off to watch the match between  Italy and Slovakia this afternoon, and like the previous times, will take the train from Pretoria to Johannesburg, Now this might sound like old hat for my European and American friends who are used to taking the metro, but for us who are used to our poor public transport system and take the highway with our own cars, this is a novel experience.  The train took 2,5hours but it was clean, safe and we chatted endlessly to an Ecuadoran woman who have stayed in SA for the last 3 years and say we have the most beautiful country and people in the world. AMEN and AMEN on that!

This is Armand with his favourite team's flag...Tomorrow they will watch the Spain and Chile match here in Pretoria, and next week the whole family is off to watch the match between the winners of Group D against runner-up in Group E.
In the meantime, we hope Ghana will fly the flag for Africa to the semi's...

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SA intelligencer #79

The upcoming Soccer World Cup here in SA has created more than enough press coverage on the possibility of a terrorist attack, with intelligence officers from the world descending on our country. Godspeed to all those working to ensure a safe event… The consequences of the Israeli attack on the Gaza aid flotilla last week will reverberate in the security and intelligence realm in the weeks to come… As was expected, Pres Obama of the US announced James Clapper as the new DNI on Saturday. In a further development in the US, there is more focus on the CIA’s drone war against terrorists. In Europe, spying activities of Russia and China concerns more countries, while North/South Korea espionage will raise tensions there further.

Africa:
Uganda: Army gets intelligence training school

Paper: Africa’s irregular security threats: challenges for US engagement

African security-intelligence experts meet in Brazzaville

Zimbabwe: Gov spied on diamond monitor

SA: revised bill keeps harsh penalties for information peddling

Middle East

Mossad chief: Israel less important to US

Former Mossad agent ridicules Gaza ship raid

Yemen sentences Iranian spies to death

America

Obama wants quick OK of choice for spy chief

National Security Advisor describes new strategy

UN criticism not likely to stop CIA drone attacks

US intelligence analyst arrested in Wikileaks video probe

State Dept loses round in CIA cover case

House approves GAO role in intelligence oversight

Europe

Turkey appoints top spy as security threats shift

Turkey’s MIT’s new model: the CIA

UK: Ex-spy chief review 2012 security

Ukraine ends counterintelligence work on Russian FSB officials-paper

French Secret Service fear Russian cathedral a spying front

Czech intelligence reports on China’s technological, Russian spying attempts

Czech Rep: Russian spies “less active”

NATO’s spy academy

NATO and the spy from Estonia

Terrorists seeking nuclear materials: Russian official

CIA director lauds efforts of Bulgaria’s Borisov government

CIA director Leon Panetta visits Romania

Germany: BND spy jailed for passing secrets to gay Balkan lover

Germany: Russia, China engaging in industrial espionage

Asia

India: German national arrested in Punjab was on a spying mission, claims police

Iran “breaks world record” for intelligence and security related work

South Korea: Army general accused of spying for N Korea

North Korean female spy arrested

Tradecraft

Al Qaida’s mother of all spy manuals

Must read: UN compilation of good practices on legal and institutional frameworks & measures that ensure respect of human rights by Intel agencies while countering terrorism

 

Open publication - Free publishing - More terrorism

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IfItWasMyHome.com - Visualizing the BP Oil Disaster in SA context

IfItWasMyHome.com - Visualizing the BP Oil Disaster

Until now the Oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico sounded sad, far away and we hope from a distance that they will do something about this quickly... but seeing it in South African context changes your understanding completely:

The whole economic engine of SA (Gauteng= Johannesburg, Pretoria) PLUS the gold mines on the West Rand, platinum mines around Rustenburg, the coal mines around Delmas) is GONE!
Agricultural activities destroyed: Maize, meat and game farms in North West Province, Limpopo (Bela Bela) and the Highveld region...

This is huge...let's pray for a swift solution... and realisation that our greed and comfort kills mother earth...

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