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EYE SPY
INTELLIGENCE MAGAZINE
A BRIEF REVIEW
ISSUE NUMBER 75 PUBLICATION DATE SEPTEMBER 2011
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EYE SPY 75 VOLUME X NUMBER THREE (ISSUE 75) ISSN 1364 8446 publication date: September 2011
“9/11 was a crime not an act of war”
Eliza Manningham Buller Former Director-General MI5
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9/11 WAS AN ACT OF WAR - NOT A CRIME From the editor In this edition of Eye Spy, readers can find a fascinating selection of stories, features, news reports, unique articles and tradecraft presentations related to intelligence, espionage and security. However, the world’s attention at this time is quite rightly focused on America and three sites in particular - Lower Manhattan, Shanksville, Pennsylvania and, the Pentagon complex on the outskirts of Washington DC. Ten years ago nearly 3,000 innocent folks lost their lives in a series of terrorist acts that no person will, or should ever forget. The filmed broadcasts and commentary Andrew Card - Chief of Staff interrupts the played out on our television screens, radios and pubPresident as he listens to youngsters at a lished in countless newspapers and magazines thereafter Florida school remain locked in the memory of all those who watched a tragedy unfold. It was truly an appalling day and a moment in time that will forever remain locked in the history books of this world. There’s been lots of debate, shows, presentations and memorial services to mark the 10th anniversary of 9/11. There’s also been plenty of suggestions from so-called ‘experts’ why Osama bin-Laden ordered his thugs to strike in such a manner. I don’t think I’ve found favour with most of them, other than the terror chief’s blind hatred of freedom. Amongst the programmes, were many that reflected the events and emotions of that day. Britain’s ITV produced what I considered the best overview, portraying that fateful day from the eyes of the American public, emergency services, US officials, air traffic controllers, the CIA chief through to President Bush himself. Who can forget the president’s eyes when he was told by the White House’s Chief of Staff that, “a second aeroplane has hit the second tower... Mr President, America is under attack.”
Helpless. US Coast Guard officers watch the horror unfold from their patrol boat
From a UK perspective, I was interested to hear what former MI5 Director-General Dame Eliza Manningham Buller (pictured right) had to say in two documentaries filmed to coincide with the anniversary. She was head of the Service at that time. There was considered conversation and informed comment, but I was shocked to listen to her comments that the events of that day were a “crime... not an act of war.” I’m sorry, but she is wrong, and her comments have caused a huge furore in the United States intelligence community and the wider media. For the best part of a decade before, Osama bin-Laden and his friends had embarked on building an army of terrorists in Afghanistan. Thousands of operatives trained at specially built sites - some of them conducting appalling poison tests. His recruiters were active on every continent as his financiers sought to accrue monies to support his venture. Other agents were tasked with securing links to organised crime: whilst his scientific arm sought to obtain radioactive active materials for use in ‘dirty bombs’. By 1995, he had formed an inner council - a body created by him to help run his army. And by 2000, he was ready to unleash his agents across the world. Osama bin-Laden had built an army in a country lacking government and the ability to stop him. The group’s tentacles and franchises were already spread far and wide. Bin-Laden sought to legitimise terrorism on a scale not seen before. Months before 9/11, his followers were studying America and how to attack its heartland: the country’s culture and openness providing a perfect platform for al-Qaida’s agents to hide, work, socialise and train in plain sight. And then they struck. When the hijacked aeroplanes carrying innocent civilians hit buildings and farmland alike, this wasn’t an act that could fall easily into a category known as ‘crime’. At that time, and just like today, most intel and US government
The impact damage to the Pentagon building is evident
The crash site of Flight 93 and memorial service attended by the President and First Lady officials believed this was indeed an appalling act of war - a declaration of war - performed by an army of terrorists intent to hurt America. Most intel watchers agree with this assessment, including Eye Spy. Eliza Manningham Buller went on to say that it would be “foolish not to talk to al-Qaida,” this in an attempt to manufacture a political solution. Asked, “who do you talk to,” she didn’t have an answer. It is too simplistic to drop the 9/11 case file into a crime category. And this is evident when one considers all the facts and who perpetrated the attack. For on that September morning, war was indeed declared on world freedom, and in particular on a country where that word still means everything. The words of the skilled UK intel counter-terrorist specialist have not go down well with the people of America. One special feature in Eye Spy 75 concerns the security of New York City since 9/11. An astonishing twelve significant terrorist attacks have been thwarted by the city’s security services acting with a variety of federal and international agencies, including the UK’s New Scotland Yard and MI5. And, just hours before the 10th anniversary of 9/11, it seems likely a thirteenth plot has evaporated due to countermeasures and intelligence. And yet the real inception date of America’s troubles with al-Qaida started in 1993. This was the first occasion when terrorists first tried to topple the World Trade Center towers. Other incident followed in the 1990s, but the growing menace of alQaida was not properly understood or recognised. And this is the sad part of the 9/11 story: bin-Laden built his army right in front of the intelligence community’s eyes, and on its doorstep.
A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF ISSUE 75 NOW FOLLOWS
GROUND ZERO PLUS TEN NEW YORK’S PUBLIC INTELLIGENCE WAR Since terrorists destroyed the World Trade Center on 11 September 2001, New York City security services working in conjunction with domestic and foreign intelligence concerns, have deflected and thwarted at least a dozen potentially deadly al-Qaida attacks. Eye Spy examines a decade of intelligence successes, near misses and reports of a new threat emerging in Africa which has massive implications for the city... EXTRACT: Most of the targets selected by al-Qaida are historical landmarks or powerful symbols or both in New York and American life and culture. Others were identified that if attacked would hurt the country’s economy. However, they were all chosen to cause maximum casualties or have a psychological effect on public morale, all thus far remain unscathed...
Eye Spy associate editor Danny King and former officer of NYPD’s Counter Terrorist Division
THE HOUSE OF PROPAGANDA MOSSAD’S DEADLY SPY GAMES CONTINUE? Iranian intelligence lets loose its media propaganda and disinformation bureau as another Tehran-based nuclear defence scientist allegedly succumbs to the ‘long arm of the Mossad’ At the CIA’s Iranian Desk in Langley, analysts have probably stopped counting the number of Iranian nuclear scientists who have been allegedly assassinated by the Mossad’s menacing Kidon element. But things have been quiet for six months, so just when those brilliant academics in Iran thought it Dariush Rezaei - shot in the neck and throat at point-blank range
was safe to venture outdoors again, another Tehran-based scientist is murdered - shot through the neck and throat at point-blank range in a seemingly unprovoked and meaningless attack. The shooting follows closely on the heels of another happening a few hundred miles northwest of Moscow. Iranian intelligence officials are suspicious over the fate of a RusAir Tupolev 134 which crashed on 20 June. Among the 44 dead - five leading nuclear scientists who just happened to be working on Iran’s Busher nuclear reactor. All very murky - if you believe Iran’s state-run media houses. Eye Spy presents a most informative case file which exposes Iran’s dark attempts to conceal the facts behind the killing of another key nuclear scientist, his work and why the facts surrounding this case are not all what they initially appear...
The Art of Betrayal LIFE AND DEATH IN THE BRITISH SECRET SERVICE Exclusive Interview with Senior BBC Security Correspondent Gordon Corera “...No one from the intelligence services read the book before its publication and so no one from the intelligence services was able to censor anything in it.”
interview GORDON CORERA
CIA INTELLIGENCE CONTROVERSY Former spy chiefs clash on Langley’s pre 9/11 operations Two of America’s most senior intelligence figures have clashed over pre-9/11 intel secured by the CIA, but which was allegedly withheld for 15 months, including important information on two of the 9/11 hijackers
CHINA GRABS US STEALTH HELICOPTER INTEL ISI-CIA FALLOUT OVER BEIJING’S “SECRET DEAL” During the US Special Forces raid on Osama bin-Laden’s compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, the SEALs used at least one adapted Blackhawk helicopter. Eye Spy discovers that much to the annoyance of the CIA, Chinese Intelligence may well have been provided with sensitive details, including a special communications device
SMOKESCREEN?
Another senior intel specialist has now gone public in commenting on the death of MI6 man Gareth Williams... stating he believes a “hostile spy agency” was behind the killing. Eye Spy investigates
THE SECRET MI6 WAR GADDAFI FALLS AS REBELS SEEK TO CEMENT TIES WITH INTEL FRIENDS... ...Gaddafi was doomed the moment MI6 contact man and Libyan spy chief Musa Kusa left the country... A look at the key moments of intelligence game played out by MI6 and the CIA that spelled doom for the Colonel Gaddafi
SURPRISE SPIES AND AGENTS
S N O S I A I L ET
SECR
In recent weeks, the rumour mill has been active in intelligence circles with talk of a number of “fascinating and disturbing” documents having surfaced - some linking well known international figures with participants of Adolf Hitler’s Nazi regime. Most of the material has lain dormant in historical archives for years, but new research and a pre-planned release of wartime material by Britain’s MI5 via the National Archives, suggest strongly that some historical journals will need re-writing...
SURVEILLANCE PHOTOGRAPHY TRADECRAFT FEATURE • PART 4 International surveillance authority PETER JENKINS explains the importance of exposure and metering and provides a number of useful tips for operatives... This feature will help you capture targets in difficult lighting and weather conditions
ANATOMY OF THE MODERN SPY Eye Spy’s senior US editor, Kevin Coleman, looks at the changing face, tradecraft and role of today’s ‘modern spy’ EXTRACT: Spies are the primary component of human intelligence (HUMINT). HUMINT is military intelligence or other targeted information gained from human sources with knowledge of a specific area or subject matter. Today HUMINT assets are in high demand particularly those who have general and advanced computer skills. Today there are private organisations that specialise in the education and training of the ‘modern day spy’; social networking web sites, blogs and special user groups specifically established to support those in the clandestine service of countries, corporate intelligence professionals, and ‘spies for hire’ - mercenaries in the intelligence collection business.
IMAGES: SECRET STASI ARCHIVE by Simon Menner Disguise techniques, undercover surveillance, tradecraft and menace, these are just some of the remarkable unseen STASI spy agency images released to Berlin-based artist SIMON MENNER after he began his researches for a brilliant and acclaimed project in Germany. Eye Spy examines the work of Menner in relation to his deep interest in surveillance, and reproduce a number of the images which featured in his recent exhibition at the Morgen Contemporary Gallery in Berlin
EXTRACT: These quite remarkable STASI photographs are probably disguise training images showing what can be achieved with a little imagination (no pun intended!)... from the relaxed overseas camera-carrying tourist, to the obvious and purposeful display of menace from the high-collared fur-hatted figure. The chap bent-over wearing the brown-leather coat is using his stoop or a bogus limp in order to face downwards and part conceal his face. All of the images seem somewhat amusing, and it’s been suggested they were deliberately posed as a joke. However, they are almost certainly meant to be serious, as evidenced by the officer’s facial expression. Nevertheless, compared with the props department of the CIA, for example, the disguises are shockingly poor. A full overview and examination of these remarkable surveillance and disguise photographs secured from the archives of the once menacing STASI organisation - the secret security service of East Germany
TRADING PLACES THE ART OF ILLUSION Following the release of STASI disguise photographs, Eye Spy examines the work of one London-based make-up professional
ECHOES OF OKLAHOMA WHEN INTELLIGENCE SEES NOTHING Anders Behring Breivik, a terrorist responsible for the murder of over 77 civilians in Norway, surprisingly avoided the radar of Europe’s security services; this despite him being a welltravelled operator with threads to a number of ultra right-wing extremist groups. It’s also believed that Breivik’s name was placed on an intelligence watch list back in March, after trying to secure chemicals from Poland... EXTRACT: Norway’s professional security service has close links to many intelligence and counter-terrorist organisations, and its Special Forces are held in high esteem; but in general, observers believe the country as a whole is a little naive when it comes to the threat posed by terrorists. Government buildings, access roads leading to them and parking is quite easy, though Eye Spy’s Oslo readers say in August 2011, the city authority was set to close part of the government sector to public traffic. This fact will have been known by Breivik...
US NAVY SEALs FALL MAJOR LOSS OF LIFE IN AFGHANISTAN
Elite US Special Forces die following rocket attack by Taliban in Afghanistan
DEATH OF AN SAS WARRIOR Tribute to member of the SAS team which helped end the Iranian Embassy siege in London
THE DEPARTED SPIES, LEGENDS AND ASSASSINS Several famous figures in the intelligence world have recently passed away Eye Spy looks at their careers, achievements and sometimes shadowy work...
RADIO VOICES OF THE CLANDESTINE SERVICES INTELLIGENCE AND PROPAGANDA FRONTS Years before the Internet and satellite technology, radio used as a communication tool often delivered propaganda. For those in government it was seen as an ideal platform to alter public opinion. Some stations had threads to the intelligence world, others were obvious fronts. A number still actually exist. Paul Beaumont examines the controversial world of such stations, often prefixed with the words ‘Voice’ or ‘Radio’...
EXTRACT: The number of international Short Wave broadcast transmissions has diminished. This is doubtless due to the effect of the wide reaching Internet that allows the streaming of the most mundane to the most interesting programmes worldwide. Internet radio is big business indeed. The past international Short Wave broadcasts cost a lot of money to run as excessive powers were used to get the best out of available propagation so that culture and propaganda could be delivered, fade free, to a target country. Britain still has its BBC World Service and America the Voice of America. As I grew up in Aden [now South Yemen] I spent my free time listening to these stations on a Bush Imperial Receiver; the same radio used by Russian spy Gordon Lonsdale in his apartment in the plush Regent’s Park complex called The White House. Two prolific SW stations come to mind with immediacy; Radio Moscow and Radio Peking. Radio Moscow’s Foreign Service was colossal, multilingual and provided a non-stop service to Europe, the Middle and Far East, North and Latin America as well as having outlet Radio Station Peace and Progress, the “voice of Soviet public opinion”. China’s Foreign Service, Radio Peking, was a smaller operation but just as effective with transmissions in English available 23hours-a-day and other world transmissions in French, German, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese and Spanish in specific slots. It was during the withdrawal of US armed forces from Vietnam that I listened to both Radio Peking and the Voice of America to try to ascertain what was really occurring. I should have listened to the BBC World Service, I concluded. On one station American Forces “were holding key areas to allow an orderly withdrawal,” on the other “American forces were a shambles and running like scared dogs.” I suspect the BBC World Service would have stated that US forces were withdrawing in an orderly manner with some urgency; it was known and respected for being a reliable and truthful station.
A SECRET HISTORY INTELLIGENCE HONOURS AND MARKERS A fascinating look at several new and important plaques, signs, memorials and markers that have recently been unveiled that have relevance to the intelligence world...
Yuri Gagarin statue, London Using a French supplied agent, one of President Reagan’s first Cold War disruption operations against the Soviet Union was tackling a huge KGB network intent on grasping the world’s most advanced technology... EXTRACT: Thirty years ago this August, the CIA was presented with a golden opportunity to disrupt KGB operations and create all manner of confusion in the Soviet Union. At an economic summit in Canada, 1981, President Reagan was approached by his French counterpart Francois Mitterrand, who had an interesting proposition. French Intelligence had a high-level agent in the KGB and could America make use of him?
THE UNWITTING POWER OF
COMMUNICATION GCHQ, BlackBerry, Intelligence, Cyber and the UK Riots
“The absence of senior official instruction and ministerial guidance left New Scotland Yard police officers vulnerable. Instant communication between the thugs undoubtedly played a part...”
THE UNCONVENTIONAL ROAD TO
VALKYRIE To free German soldiers from their oath of loyalty to Adolf Hitler Reichswehreid), his death was required. In 1944, a secret German plot initiated by disgruntled generals failed - this after a bomb blast only injured the Fuhrer. Had it succeeded, an operation, better known as Valkyrie would have been initiated and could have led to a new leadership, the dismantling of the SS and a cessation of hostilities.
Though historical documents chart various Allied and ‘home-based’ attempts to kill Hitler, new information has been secured that reveals a subtle British Intelligence operation that could well have changed Hitler’s personality... leading to a change of direction. Eye Spy examines this strange affair plus other fascinating wartime operations and facts concerning WWII have recently surfaced - leading to a heightened interest in the undercover activities of British and German Intelligence...
MIND CONTROL PRINCIPLES IN THE INTELLIGENCE CYCLE
RADIO FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM PART 12
In this feature MIKE FINN looks at the incredibly important and fast emerging, yet shrinking technology of the Radio Frequency Identification System (RFID) and the role it is already playing in intelligence collection
THE SECRET MOSSAD WAR WITH IRAN
Eye Spy has collected various open source reports that combine to present a convincing case that Israel’s spy agency, the Mossad, continues to track and disrupt Iran’s nuclear bomb programme...
BEST OF THE REST AL-QAIDA NO.2 KILLED BY CIA DRONE An unmanned armed drone controlled by the CIA, killed al-Qaida’s recently appointed deputy terror leader to Ayman Zawahiri on 22 August. The demise of Libyan-born Atiyad Abd al-Rahman, who had a $1 million bounty on his head, represents another significant blow to al-Qaida - coming so...
THE MOSSAD’S MAN IN EGYPT? Eye Spy looks at the detention of an alleged Mossad agent, and the contents of an interesting briefcase...
IRAN JAILS “AMERICAN SPIES” Two US backpackers who crossed the Iraq border into Iran have been sentenced to eight years in prison. Another propaganda coup for Iran?
IRAQ WAS NO THREAT Former MI5 Director-General Dame Eliza Manningham Buller says Iraq was no threat to the UK before invasion. Eye Spy asks is this a domestic intelligence issue?
CIA DEEP BLACK No action over destroyed CIA interrogation tapes of al-Qaida suspects...
DEATH OF MI5 MAN Eye Spy looks back at the MI5 career of Anthony Sale, a well known figure at Britain’s Bletchley Park who recently passed away.
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The Insider’s Guide to 150 Spy Sites in London Eye Spy editor Mark Birdsall with BBC Security Correspondent Gordon Corera filming for the documentary on London’s spy sites
The Insider’s Travel Guide to 150 Spy Sites in London • intelligence service headquarters • branch locations • operations’ and planning centres • watcher surveillance residences • front companies • interrogation rooms • special spy training schools • equipment centres • spy and spy chief residences • branch locations • dead letter drops • covert agent meeting points • safe houses • notorious spy residences • spy recruitment locations • entertainment and clubs • codebreaking buildings • assassins • garages and lock-ups • honeytraps • plots • disguises • strange twists of fate • heroes
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