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Newer News: February 2012

January 2012 Intelligence News

• CIA Claims Publication of Bin Laden Death Photos Would 'Trigger Violence' by David Kravets, Wired Threat Level, January 30. The Central Intelligence Agency says releasing images of a dead Osama bin Laden "could trigger violence, attacks, or acts of revenge against the United States."
• Presidential Notification of Special Forces Operation, communication to Congress, January 27. "At my direction, on January 24, 2012, U.S. Special Operations Forces conducted an operation in Somalia to rescue Ms. Jessica Buchanan, a U.S. citizen. The operation was successfully completed."
• The spy who was undone by his email by Jack Shafer, Reuters, January 27. "Drawing on correspondence obtained via search warrants served on two email accounts associated with Kiriakou, the government has charged him with illegally giving up the identity of a covert officer, disclosing classified secrets and lying to the CIA."
• Ex-CIA official accused of leaks by Shaun Waterman, Washington Times, January 24. "The Obama administration is using a century-old anti-spying law to prosecute federal workers for leaking secrets to the media, drawing criticism that the law is draconian and the prosecutions are chilling efforts to report news."
• Former CIA officer charged in leaks case by Greg Miller, Washington Post, January 23. "The Justice Department on Monday charged a former CIA officer with repeatedly leaking classified information, including the identities of agency operatives involved in the capture and interrogation of alleged terrorists."
• Ex-CIA officer charged in leak case by Jerry Seper, Washington Times, January 23. "A former CIA officer was charged Monday in federal court with leaking classified information to the media about two other CIA officers, including disclosing the name and contact information of one involved in the capture of al Qaeda terrorist Abu Zubaydah."
• Ex-CIA officer charged with disclosing classified information by Ken Dilanian, Los Angeles Times, January 23. "Former CIA officer John Kiriakou could face decades in prison if convicted. He is accused of providing secrets to reporters, according to a federal criminal complaint."
• Former CIA Officer John Kiriakou Charged with Leaking Classified Information, news release, January 23. "A former CIA officer, John Kiriakou, was charged today with repeatedly disclosing classified information to journalists, including the name of a covert CIA officer and information revealing the role of another CIA employee in classified activities, Justice Department officials announced."
• National Maritime Intelligence Center becomes the National Maritime Intelligence-Integration Office, news release, January 23. "The name change better reflects our mission to integrate maritime intelligence by leveraging partnerships at all levels of government, the private sector and with our foreign partners."
• Wikileaks' 16th minute by Jack Shafer, Reuters Magazine, January 17. "instead of flourishing, as Assange had predicted, WikiLeaks all but vaporized in its 16th minute of fame: Its auteur was shackled with a security bracelet, fighting extradition to Sweden, where authorities want to question him regarding charges of sexual assault; WikiLeaks members and allies, alienated by the dictatorial Assange, had abandoned him; and leakers were no longer making their substantial deposits in WikiLeaks computers."
• Ten Must-Read National Security Blogs by Mike Jones, ClearanceJobs.com, January 16. "Blogs are not just for online diarists, they are a medium for professionals to discuss and exchange information about their fields. Nowhere is this truer than in the national security community. Everyday national security practitioners, researchers, writers, and reporters use blogs to publish news, analysis, and commentary on issues ranging from counterinsurgency doctrine to Chinese naval developments."