Espionage

The Australian government will be authorising new criteria for the use of lethal force by the Australian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIS). Under the Intelligence Services Amendment Bill, ASIS officers will be able to use reasonable force when necessary in overseas operations to protect themselves and friendly parties. Hitherto, ASIS officers could only use their weapons for self-protection […]

The Lockheed U-2, which often goes by the name “Dragon Lady” is among the most legendary U.S. military aircraft. The development of the high altitude reconnaissance plane was a technological triumph of the era, and sightings of the mysterious craft being tested around locations like “Area 51” in Nevada undoubtedly informed crackpot theories about flying […]

Bellingcat has uncovered the identity of a second Russia military intelligence officer involved in a failed 2016 coup d’état attempt in Montenegro. According to the British-based group, Vladimir Nikolaevich Moiseev is the second GRU officer (the first Russian military intelligence officer, Eduard Shishmakov, had been uncovered in the wake of the 2016 events). Both men are […]

Chinese intelligence agents using fake LinkedIn accounts have managed to ensnare thousands of senior French business executives and civil servants. According to a joint report by the DGSE and DGSI, the French versions of the CIA and FBI, over 4,000 French financial and government ‘high-value targets’ have been pursued by Chinese intelligence. The report states that […]

China’s aviation advancements are on full display this week at the China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition and Airshow in Zhuhai, but for those who are well versed in U.S. military aircraft, the event may feel eerily familiar… almost as though you’ve seen all this before. China’s J-20 and J-31 programs, both considered fifth-generation fighters […]

On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Justice unsealed charges against two more members of the Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS) relating to a concerted effort to steal commercial aviation secrets from U.S. based companies. This marks the third time that members of the Chinese government have been directly implicated in espionage and the theft […]

One of the perks of studying at an elite U.S. university is that top companies, organisations, and agencies congregate in search of talent. What follows is my experience attending a Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) recruiting brief and simulation session at Johns Hopkins University. Names have been altered to preserve personal security. It all began with […]

On Wednesday, October 10, the U.S. Justice Department announced that a Chinese citizen indicted on espionage charges had been taken into custody in Belgium, and will soon be extradited to the United States to face trial. “This unprecedented extradition of a Chinese intelligence officer exposes the Chinese government’s direct oversight of economic espionage against the […]

Lyon, France—The Interpol chief has seemingly vanished after a visit to China. Interpol President Meng Hongwei, who is Chinese and a former Senior Communist Party official, went to his native country for a visit a week ago. He hasn’t been heard or seen since. An official investigation began only after Meng’s wife, alarmed by his […]

On Thursday, the Justice Department announced the indictment of seven Russian intelligence officials, as accusations and allegations regarding Russia’s intelligence community continue to mount. All seven defendants are members of Russia’s GRU, KGB’s successor and rough equivalent to the CIA. The charges include hacking, wire fraud, identity theft, and money laundering carried out in an […]

London, UK—The British intelligence agencies are once again in the limelight for the wrong reasons. MI5, MI6, and GCHQ are accused of stealing private data from the Privacy International rights charity. Only a week ago, the GCHQ had been targeted by the European Court of Human Rights for a breach of human rights over a […]

A 27-year-old Chinese citizen living in the United States was has been arrested on espionage charges in Chicago. According to statements provided by authorities, Ji Chaoqun has been charged with acting as an agent of a foreign government without notifying the U.S. Attorney General. The charge stems from allegations that Ji actively gathered intelligence and […]