AFIO Weekly Intelligence Notes #35-12 dated 11 September 2012

[Editors' Note: The WIN editors attempt to include a wide range of articles and commentary in the Weekly Notes to inform and educate our readers. However, the views expressed in the articles are purely those of the authors, and in no way reflect support or endorsement from the WIN editors or the AFIO officers and staff. We welcome comments from the WIN readers on any and all articles and commentary.]
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CONTENTS

Section I - INTELLIGENCE HIGHLIGHTS

Section II - CONTEXT & PRECEDENCE

Section III - COMMENTARY

Section IV - Books and Documentaries, Obituaries and Coming Events

Books and Documentaries

Obituaries

Coming Educational Events

Current Calendar New and/or Next Two Months ONLY

The CiCentre invites members to attend a free 60-minute briefing.

SPYPEDIA's Global Terrorism Espionage and Cybersecurity is hosting FREE Monthly Briefings
(G-TEC Briefing) on the following dates: Tuesday, 2 October 2012; Wednesday, 7 November 2012; and Tuesday, 4 December 2012. Time: mornings from 8 to 9 a.m.
Location: Microsoft Store, Tysons Corner Center Mall, Level 2, Parking Area: P5, Tysons Corner, Virginia.
To Register: 703 642-7450 or email contact@cicentre.com
Seating is limited; Reservations required.

Are you a CiCentre SPYPEDIA Subscriber? If so, there are many updates. Log in to your subscription to SPYPEDIA to stay abreast of the latest espionage, counterterrorism, security and cybersecurity news from around the globe. All new additions can be found by simply navigating to the "New Content" tab, which features the most recent updates in the SPYPEDIA database. Subscribe to SPYPEDIA with a 30% discount. Use code SPY30

-Centre for Counterintelligence and Security Studies (CI Centre)


A Note from The HALO Corporation
Today is 9/11.
Eleven years ago, America changed forever. Today, the country is united in remembering those we lost on 9/11, and honoring the brave men and women in uniform who defend our freedoms. We also celebrate the strength and spirit that has allowed America to emerge stronger, more vigilant and more prepared to combat terrorism threats in the homeland and abroad. For the newest, relevant content on national security, emergency response, and counter-terrorism fields, check out the newest edition of The Harbinger here. Lastly, don't forget to register today for the HALO Counter-Terrorism Summit (Oct. 29-Nov. 2, 2012). They have assembled a brain trust of renowned names in national security for an unforgettable five days of training scenarios, course instruction, and demonstrations of the latest defense technologies - all in their private, 44-acre homeland security training lab. Register today by calling (619) 881-9125 ext. 3, e-mail info@TheHALOCorp.com or visit www.TheHALOSummit.com.

 

REGISTER FOR
AFIO's FALL LUNCHEON

FRIDAY, 28 September 2012

Space limited. Badge Pick-up at 10:30 a.m.

DIA Seal

The New Director of the
Defense Intelligence Agency

"Accelerating Change: Today's Defense Intelligence Imperative"

Michael T. Flynn, Lt. Gen. USA

Michael Flynn Director DIA

1 p.m. speaker

One Mission. One Team. One Agency.
Committed to Excellence
in Defense of the Nation

- - -

11 a.m. speaker

Colonel Rose Mary Sheldon, PhD

Professor of History at Virginia Military Institute

speaking on

"AMBUSH: Surprise Attack in Ancient Greek Warfare
and Lessons for Today
"
[Frontline Bks, Sept 2012]

Sheldon's Book AMBUSH

- -

3-course Lunch at Noon

- -

Check-in for badge pickup at 10:30 a.m.
Col Sheldon of VMI speaks at 11 a.m.
Lunch served at noon
DIA Director Flynn - speaks at 1 p.m.

Lt Gen Flynn's Remarks are Not For Attribution - Chatham House Rule Applies
[When a meeting, or part thereof, is held under Chatham House Rule, participants are free to use the information received, but neither the identity, nor the affiliation of the speaker(s), nor that of any other participant, may be revealed]

Col Sheldon's new book and other current intelligence books, and others items, for sale during event.

Event closes at 2 p.m.

REGISTER HERE WHILE SEATS REMAIN
EVENT LOCATION: The Crowne Plaza
1960 Chain Bridge Road • McLean, Virginia 22102
Driving directions here or use this link: http://tinyurl.com/boey9vf

AFIO Member in Pacific Northwest Region...please note

Register and place event on your calendar.

David Waltrop, CIA speaks Keyport, WA

03 November 2012, 11 am - 12:30 pm - Keyport, WA - An Underwater Ice Station Zebra, featuring Historian, CIA Officer David Waltrop. This is a CIA Historic Document Release Event at the Naval Undersea Museum.

The Trieste II Deep Sea Vehicle I (DSV-1), the U.S. Navy's most advanced deep sea submersible, surfaced about 350 miles northeast of the Hawaiian Islands in the pre-dawn hours of 26 April 1972 after having salvaged a mysterious item from 16,400 feet below the Pacific Ocean. Publically known as a nondescript "data package," the full story of this little known Cold War operation has remained hidden behind secrecy, rumor, and speculation. With access to sources from three agencies, An Underwater Ice Station Zebra reveals how the CIA and U.S. Navy undertook a dangerous mission, never before attempted, in the deepest undersea expedition of its time – twenty-eight months before CIA's better known salvage involving the Hughes Glomar Explorer. Presentation by David W. Waltrop, program manager in the CIA Historical Collections Division, who served previously as the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) deputy-chief historian, editor of NRO's quarterly publication, and curator of the Defense Intelligence Agency.
LOCATION: Naval Undersea Museum, 1 Garnett Way, Keyport, WA 98345 [for GPS or Google Maps use: Jenson Road, Poulsbo, WA 98345], Phone: (360) 396-4148. The Museum is located 28 miles from downtown Seattle.
REGISTRATION NOT REQUIRED. Just show up and enjoy this important presentation. For more information visit the Museum website at http://www.navalunderseamuseum.org/   This is a FREE CIA event.

 

Section I - INTELLIGENCE HIGHLIGHTS

Worries Intensify Over Syrian Chemical Weapons. Western spy agencies suspect Syria's government has several hundred tons of chemical weapons and precursor components scattered among as many as 20 sites throughout the country, heightening anxieties about the ability to secure the arsenals in the event of a complete breakdown of authority in the war-torn nation, U.S. and Middle Eastern officials say.

Officials are monitoring the storage sites, but they expressed growing fear that they have not identified every location and that some of the deadly weapons could be stolen or used by Syrian troops against civilians. 

"We think we know everything, but we felt the same way about Libya," said a former American intelligence official who was briefed on U.S. preparations for both conflicts. "We had been on the ground in Libya, yet there were big surprises, both in terms of quantities and locations." The former official was one of several people who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss classified information.

The collapse of government control in several Syrian provinces has prompted heightened scrutiny of the weapons depots by the United States and its allies in the region. It also has hastened preparations for securing the sites with foreign troops, the U.S. and Middle Eastern officials said.

Drawing from recent intelligence assessments, the officials believe that the Syrian arsenal contains several hundred tons of chemical weapons and precursors, including sizable quantities of battlefield-ready sarin, the deadly nerve agent. [Read more: Warrick/WashingtonPost/6September2012]

MOSSAD Ups Security Measures for Israeli Tourists in Bulgaria. Special agents of Israel's MOSSAD and the Bulgarian State Agency for National Security, DANS, are monitoring closely and providing security for synagogues and hotels with Israeli tourists in Bulgaria.

The information is reported Friday by the Bulgarian Standard daily, citing as reason the high number of Israeli citizens expected to travel abroad for Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, which is on September 17. This is also the official Day of Bulgaria's capital Sofia.

The Standard report comes on the heels of the July 18 terrorist attack in Bulgaria's Burgas, also known as the Burgas Bus Bombing, which killed 5 Israeli tourists and a Bulgarian bus driver at the Sarafovo Airport.

Israeli security services note that before the attack they did not have any early warnings about it and that they currently have no information on a new terror act planned in Bulgaria, but nevertheless insist to up security measures.

Bulgaria is not on the list of countries with travel advisories over Rosh Hashanah, but it is among those that have been asked by Israeli's National Security Council's Counterterrorism Bureau to increase security measures. Other such countries include Greece, Thailand, and Cyprus. [Read more: Novinite/7September2012]

Pentagon: We Don't Spy on Journalists. The Pentagon, in executing a new directive to root out classified leaks, will not spy on journalists at work.

That's the Defense Department's formal answer to concerns of Pentagon journalists over a July 19 order from Defense Secretary Leon Panetta to clampdown on classified leaks from the building.

Panetta directed his massive public affairs staff to work in coordination with the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence to plug leaks. One of those directives said the groups "will monitor all major, national level reporting."

That raised quick alarms in the press corps, which wondered if DOD intended to monitor the act of reporting - such as spying on phone calls or other surveillance - or simply to scan finished products for possible leaked information. Reporters immediately pressed Pentagon press secretary George Little, at the time, for further explanation in a heated gaggle - the daily on-record, off-camera press briefing in his office. They again asked for clarity at the following press conference in the briefing room. Little at the time said his office had not determined how they would enforce the directive, though never indicated there was intent to outright spy on journalists.

Still, the Pentagon Press Association, which represents journalists who cover the building, demanded further explanation in writing from Panetta and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Martin Dempsey.

"The phrase 'monitor all major, national level reporting' could be interpreted by some as authorizing intrusive actions aimed at members of the news media who report on defense issues," the group wrote. Of particular alarm to journalists was the prospect of intelligence officials now working in cahoots with public affairs staff as they read the morning papers - or more. [Read more: ForeignPolicy/7September2012]

US Army Intelligence Software Flexes Some New Capabilities During Enterprise Challenge. The primary U.S. Army intelligence system demonstrated some of its capabilities for program managers and U.S. Army military intelligence students alike during Exercise Enterprise Challenge 2012, here, last week.

Exercise Enterprise Challenge allows agencies within the Department of Defense, including coalition partners to test new and existing technologies in an operationally realistic environment. The exercise is executed by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency under the authority of the Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance Programs, Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence. Several locations hosted this year's exercise, including the Joint Interoperability Test Command's Fort Huachuca test site.

One of this year's participants was the U.S. Army's Distributed Common Ground System-Army. This system allows soldiers and intelligence analysts to share information across a broader intelligence network that integrates with other services allowing for real-time information and intelligence sharing.

For U.S. Army Maj. Shermoan Daiyaan participation in EC12 was a welcome opportunity. Daiyaan is the assistant product manager for the DCGS-A Tactical Intelligence Ground Station at the Program Executive Office for Intelligence, Electronic Warfare and Sensors, but is the Army's Lead for EC12.

"There's basically a DCGS for each of the services, including SOF [Special Operations Forces]," said Daiyaan. "It [Enterprise Challenge] is an opportunity and venue for all of us [DCGS family] to start sharing data, to work together to being more interoperable." [Read more: Ragan/DVIDS/7September2012]

Hackers Could be Running Company Computers, GCHQ Chief Warns. Hackers may already be secretly running company computer systems because firms are too complacent and falsely believe they are protected, the head of GCHQ warned yesterday. 

Iain Lobban, director of the intelligence agency, said too many businesses have "misplaced" confidence over their security against cyber attacks and need to take the threat more seriously.

He said some may not realise their systems have already been compromised, sensitive information stolen or even have their entire network until the control of criminals.

The agency revealed one, unnamed, security firm that ran large Government contracts went bankrupt after hackers released sensitive emails and data.

Another, a world leading pharmaceutical company, had a five-year, �1 billion product research programme compromised after the data was stolen in a cyber attack and allowed a cheaper rival product to hit the market before it was launched.

Mr. Lobban told business leaders last night that the size and pace of cyber attacks was now at an unprecedented level and threatened the UK's economic security. [Read more: Whitehead/TheTelegraph/6September2012]

Intelligence Warns of Attacks Against US and Israeli Embassies. The Egyptian General Intelligence Service warned that a radical jihadi group is planning to launch terrorist attacks against the US and Israeli embassies in Cairo.

Tel Aviv had accused the same group, Global Jihad, of perpetrating an attack in Sinai against Egyptian border guards, which left 16 dead on 5 August.

Al-Masry Al-Youm obtained a copy of a top secret letter addressed to Major General Samy Sedhom, first assistant Interior Minister for Social Security, on 4 September which stated that intelligence notified the ministry's national security body that elements from the organization in Egypt and Gaza were planning attacks on the two embassies.

Informed security sources said the letter was forwarded to all security sectors across Egypt to undertake the necessary measures. The same sources added that Military Intelligence informed the Interior Ministry one week ago that 22 militants in Sinai, three of whom have been determined, are planning to sabotage and bomb vital facilities and police checkpoints.

Throughout the month of August, the Egyptian Armed Forces launched a military operation that targeted radical elements in Sinai who are believed to have perpetrated the attack on Egyptian security guards.

Israeli media reports had said elements from Global Jihad likely carried out the attack. [Read more: EgyptIndependent/11September2012]

Ex-KGB Opposition Lawmaker Faces Duma Expulsion. A highly connected former KGB officer who has openly rebelled against President Vladimir Putin faces expulsion from Parliament in a case critics say may pave the way for a crackdown on other opposition lawmakers.

The Kremlin-controlled Duma is set to decide whether to strip Gennady Gudkov of his seat this week after a parliamentary committee on Monday approved an unfinished investigative report questioning his business activities, a decision Gudkov insists is political payback from authorities.

The case highlights the growing split among Russia's political elite. One of the few Duma deputies to have taken part in rallies against his fellow former KGB officer Putin, Gudkov is seen as a dealmaker who can win over government supporters and negotiate with authorities through his connections to Russian intelligence and police - but the Kremlin has grown increasingly impatient with his outspokenness. [Read more: Vasilyeva/AP/10September2012]

No 'Credible or Specific' Terror Threat on 9/11 Anniversary. Intelligence sources tell ABC News that there is no "credible or specific" information that al Qaeda or any other terrorist organizations are plotting attacks timed to coincide with the 11th anniversary of 9/11.

Heightened vigilance in the nation's big cities and a strong, visible police presence at ground zero in New York will signify law enforcement's readiness to respond to any anniversary terror attack.

Federal and local counterterrorism officials tell ABC News that a heightened awareness of terror threats is now the "new normal."

"There is no credible or specific intelligence to indicate terrorist organizations are plotting attacks to coincide with the 11th anniversary of 9/11," Department of Homeland Security spokesman Matt Chandler told us. "However, we know from the intelligence gathered from the Osama bin Laden raid that al Qaeda has shown an interest in specific dates and anniversaries, such as 9/11." 

Just before last year's anniversary, intelligence sources were hearing incessant "chatter" on radical Islamist websites and communications channels that some kind of attack was coming to mark the 10th anniversary. Fortunately, nothing materialized, but officials said they were not letting down their guard. [Read more: ABCNews/11September2012]


Section II - CONTEXT & PRECEDENCE

Nowhere to Hide: Secret Spy Sat Agency Plans Unblinking Array. The U.S. has a vast constellation of spy satellites in orbit. But these surveillance spacecraft have traditionally only been able to gaze down on a few small areas of the planet at a time, like flashlights probing the dark. And this, only with careful advance planning by human operators on the ground. America's satellites helped monitor and map bin Laden's Abbottabad, Pakistan, compound, but had to be told where to look by intel agents who gleaned key information from detained terror suspects and al-Qaida couriers they were tracking.

The National Reconnaissance Office, America's secretive spy satellite agency, wants to expand the current flashlight-like satellite deployment to a horizon-spanning, overhead spotlight that can illuminate vast swaths of the planet all at once. The agency also wants new spacecraft that can crunch the resulting data using sophisticated computer algorithms, freeing the satellites somewhat from their current reliance on human analysts.

If it works as planned, missions like the years-long hunt for bin Laden could become a lot easier for the U.S. But that's assuming the technology can be developed on time and on cost.

A National Reconnaissance Office budget document for this fiscal year, obtained by Secrecy News' Steven Aftergood through a Freedom of Information Act request, includes references to the technologies the secretive spy agency is acquiring today, and hopes to develop in coming years. Most of the details are blacked out in the heavily redacted, 450-page document. But "it is still possible to glean at least fragmentary insight into the current state of the NRO," Aftergood wrote. That includes the technological aspirations of the agency, which employs around 3,000 engineers, analysts and technicians around the globe. [Read more: Axe/Wired/4September2012]

Talking to the Spooks About Cyber Security. The dangers to businesses of a cyber attack are all too real. Cybercrime is no longer just about teenage hacking, but a well-organised activity focused on financial gain.

For a large quoted company, the damage caused by an advanced attack can cost more than �100m, and wipe 12 per cent of its stock market value, according to figures from management consultants PA Consulting Group.

A separate study by Norton, a division of security software company Symantec, puts the worldwide cost of cybercrime at US$110bn (�70bn), if malware and phishing attacks are taken into account.

Against this backdrop, governments worldwide are scrambling to boost their cybercrime and cyber attack defences.

In the UK, the 2010 Strategic Defence Review increased resources for fighting cyber warfare, and defending against cyber attacks is now considered as important as military programmes.

But governments are also starting to look more deeply at how cyber attacks and cybercrime can affect business. Protecting government and military assets is no longer enough. Critical national infrastructure - such as power grids and transportation - are in private hands. And attacks that create disruption to a large company, are bound to disrupt the wider economy.

So this week, the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills teamed up with the Government's electronic intelligence agency, GCHQ, to provide new guidance to business about defending themselves from cyber attacks.

National cyber security agencies, or CERTS, have issued guidance to businesses before. But GCHQ, through its information security arm CESG, is specifically targeting senior executives and boards.

The new advice will help companies identify their critical information assets and to understand the risks they face, at both a technical and financial level. [Read more: Pritchard/ITPro/6September2012]

Selecting Syrians To Chat With. Turkey and Jordan have found themselves with an intelligence dilemma on their hands. That's because nearly one percent of the Syrian refugees to come across their borders in the last few months have some connection with army and police intelligence agencies. These guys know a lot about how things work inside the Assad dictatorship. Jordan, which has over 160,000 Syrian refugees so far, collected most of its intelligence service defectors into a special camp. There, these men are allowed to have their families with them and communicate with the FSA (Free Syrian Army, the main rebel group) but not with anyone else. These men have all been interrogated extensively and some have been allowed to go join the FSA.

In addition to collecting information about conditions inside Syria, the Jordanians are also looking for Syrian government spies who are posing as defectors. Several of these have already been caught. Jordan also knows that Syria has a spy network inside Jordan, with many agents who are still active.

Turkey is using a similar technique, of interrogating intelligence defectors and looking for useful data, and seeking out spies for the Assad government in Syria. As a member of NATO Turkey has access to the intelligence collection capabilities of other members and that makes interrogation results more useful. [Read more: StrategyPage/7September2012]

Does the F.B.I. Have an Informant Problem? There's an American trope we all know and love - the loose-cannon cop who doesn't play by the rules. Whether it's Dirty Harry, Raylan Givens, or Jack Bauer, the story is as reassuring as it is trite. There's someone out there who can get the job done and doesn't worry about coloring inside the lines.

In counterterrorism circles, that figure is known as the professional informant. And the truth is far more complicated and troubling than the comforting fiction. Professional informants are paid by law enforcement to infiltrate criminal or extremist circles, sometimes on a full-time basis. Yet they're not considered employees of the government and are not subject to the same rules. From warrantless searches to sex with targets to constructing terrorist plots out of thin air, the informant problem is not new, but this powerful investigative tool is under pressure like never before after being exposed to the harsh light of day in a series of recent terrorism trials. Growing media scrutiny and a pending civil lawsuit in California are aggressively challenging whether the benefits of aggressive informant tactics outweigh the risk to civil liberties and are raising troubling questions about the legitimacy of terrorism investigations.

The risks to recruiting informants from within criminal organizations have been amply documented over the years - but usually with mobsters, not terrorists. Law enforcement can get too cozy with informants inside criminal organizations, leading to corruption and other complications, as in the cases of Whitey Bulger and Gregory Scarpa.

Other challenges are less obvious. Consider the professional informant, who is not primarily employed by a criminal enterprise but by a law enforcement agency. In a number of cases, these informants are chosen because they fit a profile - such as "wealthy Muslim" or "pretty girl" - and not because they have any prior connection to the targets of the investigation.

Because they are not insiders but infiltrators, these informants exist in a netherworld somewhere between snitch and cop. But while agents are rigorously trained about what's legal, ethical, and fair, informants are often just given a stipend and sent to work. In an ideal world, that work is supposed to be limited in scope.

"Usually what the informant provides is an opportunity to introduce an undercover operative," says Mike German, a former FBI undercover agent who now works for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). "And then you push the informant out of the case because you want the FBI agent there. He understands the law. He or she would be much more sensitive to any kind of privilege issues or sensitive techniques."

In a significant number of cases, however, the informant simply becomes the undercover operative, sometimes for months or years at a stretch. The practice has endured for decades, though details have only become available to the public in recent years. [Read more: Berger/ForeignPolicy/7September2012]

Istanbul, A City Of Spies In Fact And Fiction. Headlines today in Turkey feature stories of alleged Iranian spies, gathering information about Kurdish militants who are responsible for many deaths in Turkey this summer.

But these tales of deception and intrigue pale in comparison with the city's storied past as a mecca for spies. Turkey's golden age of espionage was World War II, a period that continues to serves as a muse for writers of historical thrillers.

A favorite setting for spy scenes is the bar at the Park Hotel, which stood next to the German Consulate. Had you poked your head in during the mid- to late- 1940s, you might have spied Elyeza Basna, the Albanian from Kosovo who became a legendary World War II Nazi spy known as "Cicero."

You might also have bumped into Kim Philby, said to be one of the most successful traitors in British history. As it happens, one of the British agents exposed by Philby to his Soviet masters was David Cornwell, better known as John le Carre, who dramatized the hunt for Philby in the classic thriller Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.

The story was re-filmed last year, with Gary Oldman starring as head mole hunter George Smiley.

A recent addition to the thriller genre is Joseph Kanon's Istanbul Passage. In a promotional video posted on his website, Kanon makes clear that this exotic and much fought-over city is a major character in the book.

"Istanbul was a city of Greeks and Armenians and Sephardic Jews and Circassian slave girls - all the peoples of a vast empire," Kanon says. "It was also a city of spies." [Read more: Kenyon/NPR/9September2012]

The Situation: The State of U.S. National Security in 2012. Sept. 10, 2008 and today, Sept. 10, 2012, are almost identical when you consider several national security facts.

Then, as now, top U.S. national security officials were preoccupied with capturing or killing top al-Qaida leaders, returning Iraq to a peaceful U.S. ally and turning the tide against the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Also hanging over their heads were Iranian speedboats harassing U.S. Navy vessels in the Persian Gulf and rumblings that North Korea was about to launch another missile that could possibly reach U.S. territory.

But most profoundly, then, as now, being approximately 60 days away from a presidential election, they worried about whether they would keep their jobs.

In 2008, very few of them did as a president from a different party was elected. On Jan. 15, 2009, President George W. Bush told the nation goodbye saying, "And so my fellow Americans, for the final time, goodnight. May God bless this house and our next president. And may God bless you and our wonderful country."

Five days later, as Bush flew off into history, President Barack Obama assumed the mantle of responsibility. Around the same time, some dark and disturbing clouds were gathering.

"There were people out there who if they could conduct mass casualty attacks would," said Michael Hayden, director of the Central Intelligence Agency at the time. [Read more: Green/WTOP/10September2012]


Section III - COMMENTARY

Syria's Eerie Parallel to 1980s Afghanistan. The United States and its allies are moving in Syria toward a program of covert support for the rebels that, for better or worse, looks very much like what America and its friends did in Afghanistan in the 1980s.

The parallels are spooky. In Syria, as in Afghanistan, CIA officers are operating at the borders (in this case, mostly in Jordan and Turkey), helping Sunni insurgents improve their command and control and engaging in other activities. Weapons are coming from third parties (in Afghanistan, they came mostly from China and Egypt; in Syria, they're mainly bought on the black market). And finally, a major financier for both insurgencies has been Saudi Arabia.

There's even a colorful figure who links the two campaigns: Prince Bandar bin Sultan, who as Saudi ambassador to Washington in the 1980s worked to finance and support the CIA in Afghanistan and who now, as chief of Saudi intelligence, is encouraging operations in Syria.

What does this historical comparison suggest? [Read more: Ignatius/WashingtonPost/5September2012]

Privacy Hawks Fret as FBI Upgrades Biometrics Capacities. The computer revolution arrived late at the FBI, which was still collecting and matching fingerprints in 1999 in much the same way that it did when the agency first began collecting the images in 1924. But that's been changing lately and privacy hawks are watching closely. 

As the millennium neared, the agency finally traded in its manual system for one in which a database of fingerprints and associated criminal histories could be searched and updated. Now, the next step.

The FBI is going ahead with an advanced biometric identification service that it has been testing and will phase into operation around the nation over the next couple of years. The official launch of the so-called Next Generation Identification program is part of the agency's billion-dollar upgrade of the agency's national fingerprint database, though some states have already participated in a pilot program by already uploading their photos. (It's about 60 percent deployed.)

It's a big step for the FBI, which is hoping to take advantage of recent advances in the field to make faster arrests. 

Indeed, since 1993, the error rate of face recognition systems has dropped by a factor of 272, Acquisti told a U.S. Senate subcommittee earlier this summer. But as the hit rate gets more accurate, the FBI's capabilities will inevitably raise concerns about how it uses that new technology. The FBI's Jerome Pender told the Senate in July that the tests involved only included mugshots of known criminals and that future searches would be subject to rules governing criminal justice agencies.

He testified that each participating pilot state or agency must submit written statements detailing how they will use and protect the information from unauthorized disclosure.

"Pilot participants are informed that information derived from pilot search requests and resulting responses is to be used only as an investigative lead. Results are not to be considered as positive identifications," he added.

Sounds nice in theory, but privacy groups still want to see the fine print. [Read more: Cooper/CNET/7September2012]

Privileged Spies and Frequent Travelers. Actor Daniel Craig, who will once again feature as British agent 007 in the upcoming movie Skyfall, carries a real passport under the namesake James Bond issued by the British Home Office to give some authenticity to the successful movie franchise. His real life counterparts may not enjoy such privilege.

Ahem, I have a confession. I always fancy having a smorgasbord of passports, each bearing a different name, citizenship and photo.

Just like the spies as we know them, or at least as what we understand from spy fictions and movies like James Bond and CIA agent Jason Bourne in the Bourne Trilogy movies.

However, airport security checks and immigration clearance must be a nightmare for spies, undercover agents and intelligence officials these days.

The increased tight security measures at airports over the world have created lots of inconvenience for the intelligence community.

And the pseudo passports probably don't work, given the facial recognition checks on top of those fingerprint hassles that have become commonplace at immigration checkpoints across the globe.

The spy bosses know and they care. So in late July, there were media reports that the US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) - the agency within the US Department of Homeland Security that exercises authority over the security of the traveling public in America - has included employees of three US intelligence agencies to pass through airport security checks with convenience by joining its
"pre-check" program, called the TSA Pre.

"It is a voluntary program. So, if for example you have a NOC [a non official cover or spy without any open connection to the government] who doesn't want to be identified in any way, it's optional," TSA chief John Pistole reportedly said.

The reports and TSA homepage did not mention the name of these three agencies and number of intelligence agents approved under the program - which is "seeing exponential growth in participation," according to the TSA homepage.

So far, this program has approved 2 million people with some 800,000 waiting for the green light.

Now I am very curious: who are these people? [Read more: Soo/TheStandard/10September2012]

The Problem with Prosecuting a SEAL. Some lamebrain local prosecutor once contemplated indicting America's superspy, Richard Helms, for an infraction involving his role in a national intelligence matter. Wiser heads prevailed, however, and the idea was dropped rather promptly.

The short-lived affair caused a Capitol Hill wag to remark that bringing the former Central Intelligence Agency director before the bar on anything short of murder would be like indicting the atomic bomb. The risk of catastrophic explosion and the resulting fallout was too great. He meant that the vast storehouse of information Helms possessed about the nation's secrets, going back to the days of the Office of Strategic Services, made him pretty much immune from any such action. Just putting him on the witness stand would be dangerous.

That is what the Pentagon faces in contemplating the prosecution of a decorated veteran of a whole bunch of Navy SEAL operations. [Read more: Thomasson/MetroWestDailyNews/10September2012]

A Dose of Real-World Intel on Iran. I've been out of the intelligence business for many years now, so I've stayed out of the debate over Iran's nuclear program. I learned a long time ago that when people who don't have access to highly classified intelligence about an issue like this one prattle on about what they think is happening, or is likely to happen, they tend to get it wrong. But the debate over Iran's nuclear program has become so feckless - so disconnected from reality - that perhaps it's time to inject a dose of what those of us who served on the national security side of the Reagan administration used to call "real-world intelligence." 

Let's focus on the three big questions that lie at the core of this potentially literally explosive issue: [Read more: Meyer/AmericanThinker/11September2012]


Section IV - Books and Documentaries, Obituaries and Coming Events


Books and Documentaries

The Gatekeepers. Israel's internal security service, better known as the Shin Bet, was formed in 1949 with the motto, "Defender that shall not be seen." As one of the principal organizations of the Israeli Intelligence Community, its primary duties are to safeguard the state and its officials, expose terrorist rings and interrogate terror suspects, in addition to providing intelligence for counter-terrorism operations in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Given Israel's tumultuous history with war, civil unrest and terrorism, the Shin Bet has been in the thick of things for several decades.

Director Dror Moreh's The Gatekeepers shines a light on an otherwise unknown entity, affording the world a disquieting expos� of the Shin Bet by interviewing six former heads of the historically secretive agency. These men provide candid accounts of their time in office, much of which revolved around various destructive assaults against their Palestinian neighbours.

Among the interview subjects is Yuval Diskin, who headed the Shin Bet until 2011, providing the most recent memories of his experience while in office. Diskin also delivers some of the most unsettling dialogue in the documentary, detailing bombings intended for terrorist targets that often led to the deaths of innocents. The older Carmi Gillon, having served in the mid-'90s, provides a different vantage point of the organization, claiming that when it comes to terrorism, there are no morals. [Read more: Pratt/Exclaim/7September2012]

Edinburgh Spy Maps Help Reveal Scotland's Lost Gardens. Maps drawn by spies in the 16th Century have helped to reveal the original design and also tell the history of forgotten and abandoned gardens.

New book Scotland's Lost Gardens, covers the period from Early Christian times to the end of the reign of Queen Anne in 1714.

Author Marilyn Brown has drawn on archive material, including spy maps of Edinburgh from the 1500s.

Gardens near Selkirk, on Canna and Aberdeen also feature.

Published by Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), the book starts with the 6th Century monastic gardens of St Columba on Iona.

It goes on to include palace gardens of James IV and James V, royal refuges of Mary Queen of Scots and the garden below Stirling Castle.

Modern aerial photography, medieval charters and even renaissance poetry are used in the book to reveal the design and scale of the gardens.

The spy maps were drawn for Henry VIII during a period of time known as the Rough Wooing.

It saw the King of England attempt to secure a marriage between Mary Queen of Scots and his own infant son, Edward.

Fearing an English takeover, Scottish nobles resisted and Henry invaded Scotland in his search for Mary, who was sent to France for her safety.

Scotland's Lost Gardens will be released mid-September. [Read more: BBC/31August2012]


Obituaries

Martin Maltenfort. Martin Maltenfort died comfortably in his home in Boynton Beach Fl at the age of 90 on 5 September 2012. Martin was the product of the New Jersey school system including a B.A. and an M.A. in Mathematics from Montclair State College. Following WWII Army duty in the U.S., Europe and the Pacific theatres, Martin worked as an Assistant Professor of Mathematics at Manhattan College in NY. At the same time, he did post graduate work at Columbia University. With the Korean War underway, the U.S. Army decided they could not do without Martin's services and he was recalled to Washington, D.C. for service with the National Security Agency. For the next 28 years, first as a military officer and then as a civilian, he directed people involved in complex technological, operational and production work as well as participated in Research and Development. In 1977, he was awarded NSA's Meritorious Civilian Service Award by Admiral Bobby Inman.

During these years, he did a few other things including marrying Ruth, his wife of 56 years until her death in 2010. They had one son, Mark, who is an executive with the Boeing Company. Martin also acquired an MBA from American University, did post graduate work there and served on the faculty of the American University Graduate School. He also graduated from the Harvard Graduate School of Business Middle Management Program. In the late 1970's, he took a two year leave of absence from NSA and served as an Associate Professor of Management at Towson State University in Maryland. In 1980, he retired from NSA and moved to Florida. As a Florida resident, he had been active in community and educational affairs when not playing tennis until recent years when poor health first sidelined Ruth and then Martin. 


Coming Educational Events

EDUCATIONAL EVENTS IN COMING TWO MONTHS....

MANY Spy Museum Events in September, October, and beyond, with full details are listed on the AFIO Website at www.afio.com. The titles for some of these are in detail below and online.

12 September 2012, 1100 - 1300 hrs - Albuquerque, NM - AFIO NM Chapter Hosts Fall Meeting features Col. Roger Knight.

Speaker is Col. Roger Knight, USA(Ret), a Special Forces Officer with varied and distinguished background, who served in Germany, Vietnam, and Iran.
Location: "The Egg & I" at 6909 Menaul Blvd NE, east of Louisiana. Inquiries to: foreigndevil@yahoo.com or call 505-898-2649.

13 September 2012 - Fairfax, VA - SOLD OUT - "The DCI Papers" - a CIA Historical Documents 'Release Event' Conference co-hosted with George Mason University's School of Public Policy.

Intelligence, Policy and Politics: The DCI, the White House and Congress Thursday, September 13, 2012 from 1:30 PM to 5:30 PM (ET) Arlington, VA

The CIA and George Mason School of Public Policy host "Intelligence, Policy and Politics," featuring panel discussions with former DCIs including Michael Hayden (confirmed), James Woolsey (confirmed), Leon Panetta (confirmed), Porter Goss (confirmed), William Webster, and other invited officials, and a keynote from CIA Chief Historian Dr. David Robarge.
This event takes place at George Mason University, Founders Hall, 3351 N Fairfax Dr Arlington, VA 22201
EVENT has sold out.

Thursday, 13 September 2012, 10:15 - 11:45 am - Washington, DC - Stealing Soviet Secrets from the Bottom of the Sea - CIA's Attempt to Recover Soviet Sub by CIA's David Sharp, at the International Spy Museum

When the CIA attempted to recover a Soviet sub from the floor of the North Pacific Ocean in 1974, David Sharp was there. As a CIA officer, he was personally involved in both the development and the operation of the recovery system created to raise the Soviet ballistic missile submarine K-129. Sharp, author of The CIA's Greatest Covert Operation: Inside the Daring Mission to Recover a Nuclear-Armed Soviet Sub, will share his story and will give you an insider's perspective on the advanced technology required to attempt such an audacious project. He'll also discuss the complex cover story under which the CIA disguised the entire recovery program as a commercial ocean mining venture under the ostensible sponsorship of the famous Howard Hughes with his ship, the Hughes Glomar Explorer. More information at www.spymuseum.org

14-15 September 2012 - Syracuse, NY - 3rd Annual Seminar on Teaching Law and National Security: Educating the Next Generation of Decisionmakers: The Intersection of National Security Law and International Affairs
In modern foreign affairs and national and international security governance, the policy and subject area experts and lawyers attend the same meetings, hash out common policy positions, and worry about how to implement their prescriptions. Yet the international affairs experts and national security lawyers work in parallel, not together. They speak different professional languages, and their analytic reference points and methods are normally divergent, if not inharmonious. At times, a good deal of energy in governance is spent finding common ground between the lawyers and the policy experts. The objective of the Conference is to explore ways to enrich the education in our related but disparate disciplines by exposing one side and its methods and ways of approaching problems to the other.
$150 registration fee. For more information or to register: http://insct.org/teaching-national-security-law-seminar/

Saturday, 15 September 2012, noon - Washington, DC - Alexandra Hamlet, speaks about her novel: "The Right Guard" at this Spy Museum book signing.

Hamlet is a Harvard-trained cultural anthropologist, an international lecturer, a defense anthropologist, and a member of AFIO. This is her first novel, a winner in three categories of the 2012 International Book Awards.

CIA operative Eric Brent and his revolutionary light weapon invention are being used by the CIA to reveal members involved in a take-over of the United States Government. It's the mid-'70s, and the Vietnam War has finally ended. The Founding Fathers made clear the right of the people to rise against tyranny and institute new government and some extremely powerful Americans have taken that to heart. They work to assemble their own, "private" army by stealing armaments from National Guard armories around the country, spiriting away the ordnance into huts and unused factories. Believing the government is taking away civil liberties and becoming too intrusive into the lives of ordinary Americans, this group calls itself The Right Guard. It has been preparing for what they call Wings Day, they plan to capture the president and keep him hostage until a government of their making can take control. Brent has to stop the imminent takeover and the elderly fanatic leader who dreams of putting the United States under martial law in order to tailor the fabric of American life to his liking.

The book reads like a film, the scenes rapidly progressing back and forth between the CIA and The Right Guard with a dizzying amount of characters appearing so quickly it is impossible to keep track of where they stand. Days later I found my mind drifting back to the book after reading current political news. This one will stay with you. Free! No registration required. Further info at www.spymuseum.org

18-19 September 2012 - Chantilly, VA - 2-day symposium on "Foreign Engagement & Global Coverage under the New Defense Plan: FAOs, Security Cooperation, and the Defense Attach� System"

Event is jointly sponsored by NMIA and the FAO Association (FAOA). Senior personnel from each of the components will be speaking, plus a panel of Service representatives will be discussing their specific service involvement with the Attach� System. There will be presentations on Attach� Training, Current Attach� Topics, What the new Senior Defense Officer looks like, and an examination of the Future Attach� Program. Where: TASC Heritage Center, 4805 Stonecroft Blvd, Chantilly, VA.
This event will be held at the SECRET/NOFORN Level. NMIA events are always worthwhile and members with clearances are urged to consider attending. Register here.

Wednesday, 19 September 2012, 11:30am - Scottsdale, AZ - AFIO Arizona features Police Chief John J. Bennett on Law Enforcement Perspectives of Homeland Security

Chief John Bennett will discuss how local law enforcement partners with state and federal agencies on homeland security issues.
He is a 40 year veteran of Law Enforcement and was appointed Chief of Police for the Town of Paradise Valley in June, 2008. Prior to that, he was Chief of Police in Caln Township, PA from 2002 – 2008 and retired as Deputy Chief of Police in 2002 from Marple Township, PA after 30 years of service. Both prior agencies are located in suburban Philadelphia.
He holds a B.A. degree from Villanova University and has attended over 200 management, supervision and advanced training seminars in his career. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy (188th session); FBI LEEDS at Princeton University and Penn State University’s POSIT & POLEX executive development programs.
In PA, he was elected to the Executive Board of the Chester County Chiefs of Police Association, served on the PA Chiefs of Police Association’s Legislative and Membership/By-Laws Committees and currently serves on the InternationalChiefs of Police (IACP) Civil Rights Committee. He was also an instructor for 12 years for the PA Municipal Officers’Education and Training Commission.
In 2009, Chief Bennett was elected to serve on the Executive Board of the Arizona Association of Chiefs of Police (AACOP) and is currently the 2012 President. He is also a member of the East Valley (AZ) Chiefs of Police Association.
Where: McCormick Ranch Golf Course, 7505 McCormick Parkway, Scottsdale AZ 85258 ~ Phone 480.948.0260
TO REGISTER: We need an RSVP no later than 72 hours ahead of time; in the past, not reserving or cancelling without prior notice (72 hours prior to the meeting) created much grief for those of us organizing the meeting and dealing with the personnel!
The chapter is charged for no-shows and please remember, we are a small organization with a humble coffer!
Fees: $20 AFIO members; $22 for guests
RSVP or Questions to Simone – simone@4smartphone.net or simone@afioaz.org. To call please leave a message on 602.570.6016

Thursday, 20 September 2012, 11:30 am - Colorado Springs, CO - The Rocky Mountain Chapter presents Major General Thomas R. Csrnko (Ret) Commanding General, U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School.

MG Csrnko was Commanding Officer of the Green Berets at Ft Bragg, NC, he will talk about Intelligence and how it is used by Special Forces and Special Ops. To be held at The Inn at Palmer Divide, 443 S. Highway 105 Palmer Lake, CO, Exit 161 westbound off I-25, West on Highway 105. Please RSVP to Tom VanWormer at robsmom@pcisys.net

20 September 2012 12:30 - 2 pm - Los Angeles, CA - The AFIO Los Angeles Area Chapter luncheon focuses on "Intelligence & Security Issues Facing Los Angeles Harbor.

The Port of Los Angeles is the number one port by container volume and cargo value in the United States, its world-class security operations which include Homeland Security operations and the nation's largest dedicated port police force, will be the topic of discussion. Location: The LMU campus. RSVP to attend to afio_la@yahoo.com. Lunch will be served.

Thursday, 20 September 2012, 10:15 - 11:45 am - Washington, DC - History of U-2, A-12, OXCART, and SR-71 by Gene Poteat, at the International Spy Museum

S. Eugene Poteat, retired senior CIA Scientific Intelligence Officer, and current President of the Association of Former Intelligence Officers, helped develop and launch some of the most incredible technology of the Cold War. He'll brief you on the history of the U-2, A-12 OXCART, and SR-71 aircraft; stealth; past, current, and future drones; and the roles of these craft in past crises, such as the Missile and Bomber Gap, Berlin Crisis, Cuban Missile Crisis, and the current struggle against terrorism. Poteat received the CIA's Medal of Merit and the National Reconnaissance Office's Meritorious Civilian Award for his technological innovations.

Thursday, 20 September 2012 - Mahwah, NJ - IACSP 20th Annual Terrorism, Trends & Forecasts Symposium

Location: Bergen County Law & Public Safety Institute.
Top presenters will be featured in the areas of antiterrorism, homeland security, consequence management, and other related areas.
The event is attended by a combined audience of law enforcement and emergency responders, corrections, homeland security, military, intelligence community, academia, and corporate security personnel.
Several writers and staff for the IACSP's longstanding publication, The Journal of Counterterrorism & Homeland Security International, will be on hand at the symposium, as well as members of the IACSP advisory board. The IACSP's journal has been in publication since the 1980's (over 25 years).
Further information available at www.iacsp.com

Friday, 21 September 2012, 6:30 pm – Washington, DC - ARGO: A Book Launch Party at the International Spy Museum

A gripping true story of the history-making collusion between Hollywood and high-stakes espionage!
Join International Spy Museum Board Member Tony Mendez in celebrating the book launch of ARGO, the inside story of his ingenious yet incredibly risky plan to rescue six Americans who escaped from the US embassy in Tehran on November 4, 1979 during the Iranian Hostage Crisis. Armed with foreign film visas, Mendez traveled to Tehran posing as the production manager for a location scouting team looking for sites for a fake film called Argo. While pretending to find the perfect scenery and backdrops, Mendez and a colleague succeeded in contacting the escapees and smuggling them out of Iran without a single shot being fired. Join Mendez as he launches his new book ARGO which finally details the mind-bogglingly complex and dangerous operation he led more than three decades ago. He'll also brief you on the soon-to-be released major motion picture ARGO directed by and starring Ben Affleck.
Join the author for an informal chat and book signing.
Free! Advance online registration required. Cash bar and complimentary light refreshments.
For further information, registration, or directions visit www.spymuseum.org

Thursday, 27 September 2012 - Washington, DC - Geospatial Intelligence and the Lay of the Land by Keith Masback, USGIF at the International Spy Museum

How can you plan humanitarian assistance projects, disaster relief, or pinpoint an enemy—perhaps in Abbottabad—from great distances with as few surprises as possible? Geospatial intelligence. GEOINT is the combined use of imagery, imagery intelligence, and geospatial information to give the clearest possible picture of an area - including its "human terrain" - before boots hit the ground. Keith J. Masback, President of the United States Geospatial Intelligence Foundation, will explain the basics of this relatively new category of intel, and he will discuss the general techniques that could be used in varying missions, from responding to natural and man-made disasters, to watching suspected nuclear sites, to tracking down high value targets like Osama bin Laden.
Tickets: $90. Internet Quick Tix code for the program: 1M2-627 or call 202 633-3030. Visit www.spymuseum.org

Friday, 28 September 2012 - Tysons Corner, VA - AFIO Fall Luncheon features DIA Director Lt Gen Michael T. Flynn, and Colonel Rose Mary Sheldon, PhD of VMI

Lt. Gen. Michael T. Flynn, USA, the Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, will discuss the greater global scope of DIA, and the acceleration of change - Today's Defense Intelligence Imperative. He speaks at 1 p.m. following lunch.
Registration is at 10:30 am; Morning speaker is Col. Rose Mary Sheldon, PhD Professor of History at Virginia Military Institute speaking on "AMBUSH: Surprise Attack in Ancient Greek Warfare and Lessons It Provides for Today" [Frontline Bks, Sept 2012]. Her talk presentation starts at 11 am; 3-course Lunch at Noon; Event ends promptly at 2 pm.
NOTE TO MEDIA and all attendees: Director Flynn's presentation will be conducted under the Chatham House Rule. When a meeting, or part thereof, is held under Chatham House Rule, participants are free to use the information received, but neither the identity, nor the affiliation of the speaker(s), nor that of any other participant, may be revealed.
TO REGISTER: Proceed here to register while space remains.

29 September 2012, 1000 - 1430 - Milford, MA - The AFIO New England Chapter meeting features Ken Sawka, expert on Competitive Intelligence, Early Warning Systems, and Strategy Development.

Schedule: Registration & gathering, 1000 - 1130, membership meeting 1130 – 1200. Luncheon at 1200 followed by our speaker, with adjournment at 2:30PM.
Where: At the Courtyard by Marriott in Milford, Mass. The hotel web site is here: http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/bosml-courtyard-boston-milford
Ken Sawka is President and CEO of the private intelligence consulting firm Outward Insights. Ken is a nationally recognized competitive intelligence, early warning system, and strategy development expert. He has had a long and acclaimed career as both an intelligence practitioner and consultant, having developed competitive intelligence programs with numerous Fortune 500 companies. An expert commentator, Ken is a published author and has been quoted extensively on competitive strategy and intelligence matters in Time, Investor's Business Daily, American Banker, and other prominent journals. He is a regular contributor to the Kiplinger.com Business Resource Center, and has appeared on CNBC's acclaimed Squawk Box.
Prior to joining Outward Insights, Ken directed pricing and competitive analysis at Deloitte Consulting and also served as a Practice Leader in Deloitte's Strategy and Operations Group, managing the delivery of services in strategy development, competitive analysis, and scenario planning. Key clients were in the telecommunications, healthcare, and financial services industries. He was also an Intelligence Analyst with the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency.
Ken holds a Bachelors Degree in Political Science (cum laude) and Masters Degree in International Relations from American University. Ken is based in the Outward Insights headquarters office in Andover, MA.
Note, as this meeting is a one day event we have not made any hotel arrangements.
For additional information contact us at afionechapter@gmail.com

Advance reservations are $25.00, $30.00 at the door - per person.
********Luncheon reservations must be made by 15 September 2012.**************
Mail your check and the reservation form to: Arthur Hulnick, 216 Summit Ave # E102, Brookline, MA 02446; 617-739-7074 or send questions to hlnk@aol.com

Tuesday, 2 October 2012, 8-9 am - Tysons Corner, VA - SPYPEDIA's Global Terrorism Espionage and Cybersecurity is hosting FREE Monthly Briefings
(G-TEC Briefing)
Location: Microsoft Store, Tysons Corner Center Mall, Level 2, Parking Area: P5, Tysons Corner, Virginia.
To Register: 703 642-7450 or email contact@cicentre.com
Seating is limited; Reservations required.

Wednesday, 03 October 20126:30 pm - Washington, DC - The Man Nobody Knew: In Search of My Father, CIA Spymaster William Colby - a screening at the International Spy Museum

"A public convinced of the CIA's value will help protect its true secrets." — William Colby, Honorable Men, 1978.
When Carl Colby decided to make a documentary film on his late father William E. Colby, he found the perfect vehicle for telling the story of American espionage and special operations in the second half of the 20th century. From his days as an OSS Jedburgh officer in WWII; to his assignments in Stockholm, Rome, and Saigon as CIA Station Chief; then as Chief of the Far East Division; followed by Head of CORDS/Pacification Program (and Phoenix Program) during the Vietnam War; and finally as Director of Central Intelligence during the Church and Pike Hearings into CIA wrong-doing in the 1970's; Colby's career is the quintessential spy story. He knew everyone and he knew their secrets. This very personal film includes interviews with veteran CIA officers, OSS veterans, government officials, and nationally recognized journalists. Join Carl Colby for a special screening and discussion of his well-received real life spy thriller.
Tickets: $9. For further information or directions visit www.spymuseum.org

Friday, 5 October 2012, 6-7:30 pm - Washington, DC - "The Precipice of Nuclear Annihilation: Through the Eyes of the Cuban Missile Crisis - 50 Years Later" - talk by former CIA Scientific Officer Gene Poteat at the Institute of World Politics

You are cordially invited to attend a special lecture on the topic of "The Precipice of Nuclear Annihilation: Through the Eyes of the Cuban Missile Crisis Fifty Years Later - The Value of Evidence over Speculation"
by Gene Poteat, current President, Association of Former Intelligence Officers, is a Retired Senior CIA Scientific Intelligence Officer.
With the emergence of unstable nuclear-armed nations and their despotic leaders, what lessons should we have learned from the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 when dealing with today's crises? How was the U.S. blindsided by the Soviet missile build-up in Cuba ...just a few miles south of Florida? How close did we come to a nuclear exchange and, during the showdown, who blinked first? What secret agreements were made that ended the crisis and how did they differ from face-saving press releases? What were the long-term consequences of the agreement that ended the Crisis.
CIA Scientific Officer Gene Poteat was on the scene in 1962. His first-hand account and revelations will answer these questions.
Location: The Institute of World Politics, 1521 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036
Please RSVP to kbridges@iwp.edu.

9 October 2012 - MacDill AFB, FL - AFIO Suncoast Chapter Meeting

Speaker TBA. Location – Surf's Edge Club on MacDill AFB.
Questions or registrations? Email or call the Chapter Secretary at mfshapiro@att.net. Check-in at 1130 hours; opening ceremonies, lunch and business meeting at noon, followed by our speaker.
Note that our meetings have moved to a new facility, the Surf's Edge Club, where the luncheon cost is $20.
You must present your $20 check payable to "Suncoast Chapter, AFIO" (or cash) at check-in to cover the luncheon.
Anyone with special AFIO Gate Access should proceed to the Bayshore Gate. If you need directions, please let us know.
The cash wine and soda bar will open at 1100 hours for those that wish to come early to socialize. Inquiries to Michael Shapiro Secretary, Florida Suncoast Chapter of AFIO at (813) 832-1164 or at mfshapiro@att.net or visit www.suncoastafio.org

Wednesday, 10 October 2012, noon - Washington, DC - Castro's Secrets: The CIA and Cuba's Intelligence Machine - a author book presentation at the International Spy Museum

In Castro's Secrets, Brian Latell, former National Intelligence Officer for Latin America and long-time Cuba analyst, offers a strikingly original image of Fidel Castro as Cuba's supreme spymaster. Latell exposes many long-buried secrets of Castro's lengthy reign, including numerous assassinations and assassination attempts against foreign leaders. In writing this book, Latell spoke with many high-level defectors from Cuba's powerful intelligence and security services; some had never told their stories on the record before. Latell also probed dispassionately into the CIA's most deplorable plots against Cuba, including previously obscure schemes to assassinate Castro and presents shocking new conclusions about what Castro actually knew of Lee Harvey Oswald prior to the assassination of John F. Kennedy.
Join the author for an informal chat and book signing.
Free! For further information or directions visit www.spymuseum.org

Tuesday, 16 October 2012 - Annapolis, MD The US Naval Institute and US Naval Academy co-host "The History and Future Challenges of Cyber Power."
The symposium will be held at the Alumni Hall on the Academy Yard in Annapolis, Maryland. Gen James Cartwright, USMC (Ret.), Former Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will begin the session as the morning keynote. The program will include a luncheon keynote address by Kevin Mitnick and two panels:
Combating Cyber Warfare: The Evolution of Alliances Between the Public and Private Sectors
Forging the Links for Cyber Operations: Command, Control, and Policy
The keynote speakers and panelists will include renowned active-duty and civilian experts and leaders in the field ranging from preeminent historians to those on the cutting edge of cyber power in the armed forces, government, the private sector, and academia.
To register or for additional information visit http://www.usnihistoryconference.org.

Wednesday, 17 October 2012, 6:30 – 8:30 pm - Washington, DC - "Minute-by-Minute: The Role of Intelligence in the Cuban Missile Crisis: A Hands-on Simulation" at the International Spy Museum. Event features AFIO President Gene Poteat.

For two weeks in October 1962, the world held its breath while President Kennedy and Premier Khruschev navigated one of the most intense showdowns of the Cold War. Marking the 50th anniversary of the Cuban Missile Crisis, this hands-on workshop offers participants an insider view into this pivotal event in history. Experience the drama surrounding the Soviet attempt to secretly place ballistic missiles in Cuba. Learn how raw intelligence, analysis, and back channel exchanges enabled, or in some cases hindered, Kennedy as he sought to avert a nuclear war. Step into the shoes of a CIA analyst in October 1962 through a simulation using declassified U-2 photographs and documents to make recommendations to President Kennedy at various stages of the crisis. Following the simulation, Eugene Poteat, a retired senior CIA Scientific Intelligence Officer will speak about overhead reconnaissance and its role in the Cuban Missile Crisis and his personal experience during this tense time. Tickets: $15. To register visit www.spymuseum.org

Wednesday, 17 October 2012, 0915 - 1500 - Laurel, MD - The Annual NCMF General Membership Meeting

HOLD DATE ON YOUR CALENDAR: The event takes place at the JHU/APL Kossiakoff Center in Laurel, Maryland.
Registration and breakfast are from 0800-0900. The morning session will open with outgoing NCMF President, Mr. Eugene Becker, who will introduce the new NCMF President, Mr. Richard Schaeffer, to the membership. At 0915, NSA Deputy Director, Mr. Chris Inglis, will give the opening remarks. The remainder of the morning will feature DIA Director, Lt Gen Michael Flynn, who has been invited to be keynote speaker and Mr. Patrick Weadon, who will give an update on the National Cryptologic Museum. Lunch will be served from 1200-1300.
The afternoon session will be held from 1300-1500 and features Joel Brenner, author of America the Vulnerable: Inside the New Threat Matrix of Digital Espionage, Crime and Warfare who has been invited to speak on the cyber security threat to the civilian sector. The afternoon also features a panel of SCE senior commanders, chaired by Billy Bingham, Brig Gen, Ret., discussing cyber and how it pertains to their overall mission. Rod Isler, Maj Gen, Ret., will close the program with an update on the New Museum Project.
Registration information will appear here in late August. To jump the gun...or if you have questions, email
cryptmf@aol.com   Also...View the just released online version of the NCMF Web Link

25-27 October 2012 - Gregynog Hall, Wales , UK - The Cuban Missile Crisis: A Fifty Year Retrospective Assessment - A Cambridge UK Intelligence Seminar!

Call for Papers.  Delegate registration. Places now available!  First come first served!

This autumn sees the fiftieth anniversary of the Cuban Missile Crisis, the quintessential Cold War crisis which Arthur Schleslinger, Jr. termed 'the most dangerous moment in human history'.  In order to mark this seminal event the Centre for Intelligence and International Security Studies (CIISS) at Aberystwyth University and the Cambridge Intelligence Group (seminar), University of Cambridge are hosting a major international conference at Gregynog Hall (http://www.wales.ac.uk/en/UniversityConferenceCentre/GregynogHall.aspx) in the idyllic setting of rural Wales.  The conference will seek to address the legacies and lessons of the  Cuban Missile Crisis by means of a number of papers and roundtable discussions.  The conference will feature contributions from a number of the most eminent international scholars of nuclear history, intelligence, espionage, political science and the Cold War.  The continuing relevance of the lessons of 1962 cannot be overstated and this  multidisciplinary conference will be of interest to intelligence professionals, historians, political scientists, sociologists, and policymakers.

Speakers include:

Professor Christopher Andrew (University of Cambridge, official historian of MI5)
Professor Len Scott (CIISS, Aberystwyth University)
Dr. Michael S. Goodman (King's College London, Official Historian of the UK JIC)
H. Keith Melton (Intelligence specialist)
Professor Don Munton (University of Northern British Columbia)

Book now to avoid disappointment! (http://www.wales.ac.uk/en/UniversityConferenceCentre/GregynogHall.aspx)
Gold Pass CMC2012: Full-board and Conference Fee (including Conference Dinner and Wine receptions): �325 all inclusive
In order to be considered as a presenter please provide a 300 word abstract and your institutional affiliation to: David Gioe (dvg21@cam.ac.uk) Cambridge Intelligence Seminar, University of Cambridge.

Please return all booking forms to: Dr. Kris Stoddart (kds@aber.ac.uk) Centre for Intelligence and International Security Studies, Aberystwyth University
For further information please e-mail kds@aber.ac.uk or David Gioe, (dvg21@cam.ac.uk) Cambridge Intelligence Seminar, University of Cambridge

Saturday, 3 November 2012, noon - Indian Harbour Beach, FL - "Briefing Candidates and Presidents-Elect" the topic at the AFIO Florida Satellite Chapter meeting

Dennis Bowden, former CIA analyst and Managing Editor of the President’s Daily Brief will discuss "Mutual Introductions: Briefing Candidates and Presidents-Elect."
Where: At the Eau Gallie Yacht Club. For those who may not be familiar with the PDB, it is frequently described as the world’s smallest newspaper, a CIA product that is put together each night from all-source intelligence so that a CIA analyst can brief the president the following morning. CIA briefings are also available to candidates and presidents-elect. There are many anecdotes about the way in which individual presidents have received their PDBs, some of them quite amusing and others less so, and we hope that our speaker will share some of the better of these with us.
To register or for more information contact Donna Czarnecki, donnacz12@aol.com.

Seattle, Washington Area Members and Guests - CIA & Naval Museum Event to put on your calendars

Saturday, 03 November 2012, 11 am - 12:30 pm - Keyport, WA - An Underwater Ice Station Zebra, featuring Historian, CIA Officer David Waltrop. This is a no-cost CIA Historic Document Release Event at the Naval Undersea Museum.

The Trieste II Deep Sea Vehicle I (DSV-1), the U.S. Navy's most advanced deep sea submersible, surfaced about 350 miles northeast of the Hawaiian Islands in the pre-dawn hours of 26 April 1972 after having salvaged a mysterious item from 16,400 feet below the Pacific Ocean. Publically known as a nondescript "data package," the full story of this little known Cold War operation has remained hidden behind secrecy, rumor, and speculation. With access to sources from three agencies, An Underwater Ice Station Zebra reveals how the CIA and U.S. Navy undertook a dangerous mission, never before attempted, in the deepest undersea expedition of its time – twenty-eight months before CIA's better known salvage involving the Hughes Glomar Explorer. Presentation by David W. Waltrop, program manager in the CIA Historical Collections Division, who served previously as the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) deputy-chief historian, editor of NRO's quarterly publication, and curator of the Defense Intelligence Agency.
LOCATION: Naval Undersea Museum, 1 Garnett Way, Keyport, WA 98345 [for GPS or Google Maps use: Jenson Road, Poulsbo, WA 98345], Phone: (360) 396-4148. The Museum is located 28 miles from downtown Seattle.
REGISTRATION NOT REQUIRED. Just show up and enjoy this important presentation. For more information visit the Museum website at http://www.navalunderseamuseum.org/  There is no fee to attend.

Wednesday, 7 November 2012, 8-9 am - Tysons Corner, VA - SPYPEDIA's Global Terrorism Espionage and Cybersecurity is hosting FREE Monthly Briefings
(G-TEC Briefing)
Location: Microsoft Store, Tysons Corner Center Mall, Level 2, Parking Area: P5, Tysons Corner, Virginia.
To Register: 703 642-7450 or email contact@cicentre.com
Seating is limited; Reservations required.

Friday, 9 November 2012, 9:30 am - 5:30 pm (reception to follow) - Washington, DC - FAS hosts 2012 Symposium on Preventing Catastrophic Threats and Awards Ceremony

The Federation of American Scientists (FAS) hosts this important 2012 Symposium at the National Press Club Ballroom, 429 14th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20045
The next President of the United States and his national security team will need to make urgent decisions about protecting the nation from catastrophic attacks. To advise the next administration, just three days after the election, FAS will host a symposium featuring distinguished experts on policy and technological aspects of conventional, nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons, bio-technology, nuclear safety, electricity generation, distribution, and storage, and cyber security. At the symposium, these experts will present their recommendations for preventing and reducing risks from catastrophic threats.
The event will also feature an awards ceremony luncheon to honor outstanding people who have made a distinctive contribution to national security. Dr. John Ahearne will be honored with the 2012 Richard L. Garwin Award, Dr. Sidney Drell will be honored with the 2012 Public Service Award and Dr. Stanford Ovshinsky will be honored with the 2012 Hans Bethe Award. Dr. Drell will share the honor of the Public Service Award with Dr. Henry Kissinger, Senator Sam Nunn, Dr. William J. Perry, and Mr. George P. Shultz.
Sponsorship Opportunities: Please contact Katie Colten at kcolten@fas.org or 202-454-4694 for more information, or visit www.fas.org

Monday, 3 December 2012, 5:30 pm - 8 pm - AFIO New York Chapter Meeting Features ESPIONAGE IN GOTHAM

Speaker: Bob Wallace - CIA 32 years, retired. Author Topic: "Two Centuries of Espionage in Gotham" (based on new book: Spy Sites in New York City). Book reveals NYC as a city of mystery, adventure and intrigue - a hub of espionage - nearly 200 sites where spies lived, plotted and operated. Location: "Society of Illustrators" 128 East 63rd Street (between Park & Lexington).
5:30 PM Registration 6:00 PM Meeting Start. Cost: $45/person. Cash or check at the door only. Buffet dinner and cash bar. Reservations: Strongly suggested, not required. 347-334-1503 or email: afiometro@yahoo.com

Friday, 7 December 2012, 09:30 am - 2 pm - Tysons Corner, VA - AFIO WINTER Luncheon - Film Screening on DCI William Colby; Presentation on The Internal IC Hunt and Unmasking of CIA Traitor Aldrich Ames

Place on your calendar. A very special day. In the a.m. we will have an introduction and screening of Carl Colby's [Jedburgh Films] acclaimed - controversial to some - documentary: THE MAN NOBODY KNEW: In Search of My Father, CIA Spymaster William Colby. Please note: Event is starting one hour earlier than usual. Film and Q&A starts at 10 am, concludes at noon. 3 course luncheon. 1 p.m. speaker will be Sandy Grimes and Jeanne Vertefeuille, two former CIA officials [26 yrs and 38 yrs, respectively] - the principals behind the dogged search and unmasking of the spy in their midst, described in their just released book: Circle of Treason: A CIA Account of Traitor Aldrich Ames and the Men He Betrayed. Registration will open October 1. Link will be provided here.


For Additional Events two+ months or greater....view our online Calendar of Events


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