CONTENTS
Section I - CURRENTS
(Recent Developments)
General Interests
- Trump Revokes Security Clearances, Denies Access To Federal Buildings To Slew Of Former, Current Officials - Daily Caller, 09 Feb 25 (Member Contribution)
- U.S. intelligence, law enforcement candidates face Trump loyalty test - Washington Post, 09 Feb 25 (Member Contribution)
- Internet-connected cameras made in China may be used to spy on US infrastructure: DHS - ABC News, 06 Feb 24 (Member Contribution)
- Russia's spies, in retaliation against the CIA, urge Americans to get in touch - Reuters, 06 Feb 25 (Member Contribution)
- C.I.A. Sent an Unclassified Email With Names of Some Employees to Trump Administration - New York Times, 05 Feb 25 (Member Contribution)
- Trump appoints Michael Ellis deputy director of the CIA - Washington Post, 04 Feb 25 (Member Contribution)
- Defection of Morocco’s Second-in-Command in Foreign Intelligence Hajawi Sparks Tensions and Fear of Espionage Disclosures - Dzair Tube, 05 Feb 25
Special Collections
- Counterespionage - Arrests, convictions, expulsions, and more...
- Cyberespionage - New actors, collection and sabotage ops, countermeasures, policy, other...
- Covert Action - Influence ops, assassinations, sabotage, intel agency paramilitary action, countermeasures, etcetera...
Section II - DEEP DIVES
(Research Papers, OpEds, Analysis, Podcasts)
Section III - FORMERS' FORUM
(Legacy Intel Practitioners' Informed Perspectives
and Recent Endeavors)
Section IV - BOOKS, FILM, HISTORY, POP CULTURE
Books: (Forthcoming, New Releases, Overlooked)
True Intelligence Matters on Film: Lioness - Taylor Sheridan (2023)
Intelligence in Pop Culture: Blowing the cover: America’s long-standing affair with television espionage - The Hindu, 07 Feb 25
Intelligence in History - A Collection of Recently Released Content
Walking Tours: "The Spies of Embassy Row" and "Spies of Georgetown" - Washington, DC. (Sundays, Dates/Times Vary)
Section V - Obituaries and Classifieds
(Research Requests, Academic Opportunities, Employment)
Obituaries
Richard Slarb — Career NSA Officer
Research Requests and Academic Opportunities
- Call for Papers: Twenty Years After the Butler Review: Have we learned anything? Oxford Intelligence Group Conference. 5-6 June 2025. 01 Apr 25 deadline for proposals.
- Academic Opportunity: The International Security & Intelligence Programmer at Emmanuel College in the University of Cambridge, Summer 2025. Residential Programmer: Cambridge, Sunday 6 July to Saturday 2 August 2025.
- Information Sought: 1969 "KGB Wanted List"
- Call for Collaboration: AFIO member seeks help establishing YouTube channel focused on Russian and Chinese influence operations.
- Internship Opportunity: International private intelligence company accepting applications for analyst internship program.
- Call for Information: Child of former CIA Como Officer Walter E. McLeod seeks information about father's life and work.
- Call for Intelligence Studies Course Syllabi: Florida International University adjunct professor tasked with creating a new course is in search of existing syllabi to help build new content.
- Call for Interviews: Documentary film executive seeking extraordinary, true story material.
- Call for Online Survey Participants: Institution Review Board approved research project from Northeastern University on critical thinking skills for national security intelligence analysts.
- Call for Information and Interview Subjects: In search of information on possible espionage activity in New York City in the WWII and post-war era.
Employment
Section VI - Events
Upcoming AFIO Events
Events of Advertisers, Corporate Sponsors, Others
- 13 Feb 25, 1200-13000 (ET) – Washington, DC – Spy Chat with Special Guest Colin Clarke – Virtual International Spy Museum Program
- 27 Feb 25, 1200-13000 (ET) – Washington, DC – The Heavy Water Sabotage Raid with Mitch Utterback – A Virtual and In-Person International Spy Museum Program
- Tuesday, 11 March 2025, 8 am - 5 pm EST - Hyattsville, MD - Convening to Act: Accelerating Adoption of Quantum Resistant Cryptography by National Cryptologic Foundation
- Thursday, 27 March and Friday, 28 March 2025 - Reston, VA - Convening to Act: Managing High Impact AI National Security Applications by National Cryptologic Foundation
- 30 Apr - 02 May 2025 – In Person – Cryptologic History Symposium - National Cryptological Foundation and NSA Center for Cryptologic History, Johns Hopkins University, Maryland
- 30 Aug - 8 Sep 2025 - Mediterranean Cruise - Spies, Lies & Nukes announce Espionage on the High Seas! Plan NOW to join the late-summer 2025 cruise.
See the AFIO Calendar of Events for scheduling further in the future.
Acknowledgments
The editor thanks the following
contributors of content for this issue:
BG, TM, LR, GR, S
DISCLAIMER
The Weekly Intelligence Notes include a wide range of articles and commentary to
inform our readers. It also includes several paid advertisements. Views expressed in articles and advertising are those of the authors and advertisers; they do not reflect AFIO's support or endorsement. Notices about non-AFIO events do not reflect AFIO endorsement or recommendation.
AFIO does not vet or endorse research inquiries, career announcements, or job offers. Reasonable-sounding inquiries and career offerings are published as a service to readers, who should exercise caution and good judgment when responding and independently verify the source before supplying resumes, career data, or personal information.
THE MARKETPLACE
THE AFIO STORE
Special Gifts for Colleagues, Self, or Others
Gray long-sleeved polo shirts with embroidered AFIO logo. Men's sizes only.
Show your support for AFIO with our new Gray Long-sleeve Polo Shirts. Shirts are shrink and wrinkle resistant of fine cotton with a soft, "well-worn, comfy" yet substantial feel. They feature a detailed embroidered AFIO seal. Get a shirt for yourself and consider as gifts for colleagues, family, and friends. Only $60 each including shipping.
Sizes for men, only: Small, Medium, Large, XL, XXL, and XXXL. $60 per shirt. Order this and other store items online here.
20 oz ceramic Mug with color glazed logo. Made in America. Check out our tapered, sleek AFIO coffee mug. This handsome 20 oz. ceramic mug is made in the USA, has a white matte exterior, sports a beautiful navy-blue interior, and is dishwasher safe. Order yours today! $35 per mug includes shipping to a CONUS address. [includes shipping to U.S. based address, only. For foreign shipments, we will contact you with a quote.] SHIPPING: For shipment to a U.S.-based CONUS address, shipping is included in price. For purchases going to AK, HI, other US territories, Canada, or other foreign countries the shipping fees need to be calculated, so please call our office M-F 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. ET at 703-790-0320 or email afio@afio.com providing following information: 1) your name, 2) mailing address (or addresses where each gift item will be shipped), 3) name of the AFIO store items you wish to purchase, 4) quantity of each, 5) your credit card number and expiration date, 6) amount (except for additional of shipping fees) authorized to charge, and 7) your phone number and email should we have questions. Foreign shipments fees will be calculated and estimates emailed to you, awaiting your approval. Order this and other store items online here.
CIA's In-house Gift Shop

One special benefit of AFIO membership is access to CIA's EAA Store.
After completing the required, quick pre-approval process for all AFIO
members described here, you can purchase directly from the EAA online store their unusual logo'd gift items for self or colleagues.
EAA on 18 January 2025 released the photo above, which features some of their newest CIA items and other gift suggestions.
|
|
|
|
ANNOUNCEMENTS
- AFIO National Spring Luncheon -
Friday, 21 February 2025, 1100 - 1400
Last chance. Registration CLOSES THIS FRIDAY.
Will you join your colleagues?
FEATURING:
Schedule:
1030 Check-in (preregistered attendees, no walk-ins)
1100 Panel on Intelligence History with CIA Chief Historian David Robarge, National Cryptologic Museum curator Vincent Houghton, and OSS scholar and CIA historian Nicholas Reynolds.
12-1300 Lunch
1300 Speaker: Washington Post National Security Correspondent Joby Warrick discusses current events in Syria and his 2021 book Red Line: The Unraveling of Syria and the Race to Destroy the Most Dangerous Arsenal in the World.
1400 Event ends
Venue:
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, McLean-Tysons, VA
1960 Chain Bridge Rd, McLean, VA 22102
Registration and Cost:
Registration and credit card payment required before event. Lunch is $60 (members) or $75 (guests, Subscribers).
Registration is now open. Closes 1700 hours (ET), Friday, 16 Feb 2025 or when all seats are sold.
Cancellations: No refund for cancellations after 9 Feb 2025. Payment for reservations canceled 10 to 16 Feb 2025 will be converted to donations to AFIO. Payments for reservations canceled after 16 Feb 2025 are forfeit; the meal will have been guaranteed at the hotel per the contract.
Attendees must be AFIO members or accompanied by a member. For security reasons, no late or last-minute substitutions.
Please direct questions to events@afio.com
Event-Only Initial Release
AFIO 50th Anniversary Coin

Celebrate AFIO's 50th Anniversary with a new coin that reflects support of the Intelligence Community and highlights IC member agencies. First available for purchase at the 21 February 2025 Spring Luncheon for the special "Event-Only" price of $40.00, which includes an acrylic stand. (Note: Stands may vary in appearance.)
The coin will later be available online for $50 (including stand and shipping). Availability will be announced in the Weekly Intelligence Notes in the coming weeks.
- AFIO Scholarship -
Applications Available 1 February 2025
Five Undergrad, Five Graduate Scholarships
$5,000 EACH.
Do not let budget limitations stop you from reaching your potential. Let AFIO offset some of your education costs. Applications for 2025 can be sent to us online starting 1 February 2025 until 1 June 2025. No applications will be accepted after midnight 1 June 2025.
View scholarship requirements here.
- New From the International Spy Museum -
Guided Tour. The International Spy Museum announces new guided public tours for its visitors through its volunteer docent program, The Honorable William H. Webster Docent Corps. On Fridays and Sundays at 11 AM and 1 PM, volunteer docents will lead visitors through a special one-hour long highlights tour of the permanent exhibit and will answer questions about the material. More information: here.
Volunteer Opportunity. If folks are interested in applying to be a volunteer docent, they can submit an application until February 21. Decisions will be made by March 31. Apply here.
Podcast Reboot. The longest-running podcast on intelligence, the International Spy Museum’s SpyCast, gets a full refresh, kicking off the new year with a brand-new host, length, and format. Partnering with creative audio agency Goat Rodeo and curated podcast network Airwave, the Museum will pivot from its longform interview format to the production of shorter, narrative-driven 25-minute episodes that answer specific questions about intelligence tradecraft, headlines, or processes that fascinate and mystify audiences. More information here.
National Intelligence Summer Academy (NISA) - High School Students Grades 10-12
14-18 July 2025 - Cumming, GA
University of North Georgia, Cumming Campus,
300 Aquatic Circle Cumming, GA 30040
Are you thrilled or fascinated by the field of intelligence – spying and counter spying?
Are you considering a career in the U.S. Intelligence Community? Did you know that the U.S. Intelligence Community is made up of 18 separate agencies? Sign up for an intense and exciting five days of learning from intelligence practitioners, University of North Georgia instructors, and highly qualified MA and Ph.D. degree holders.
This Academy will: Lift the veil of secrecy on the hidden world of intelligence, exploring the history, challenges, and controversies;
Provide a context for understanding the important role intelligence has played in our nation's history and continues to play today;
Provide foundational knowledge of intelligence, setting the stage for possible careers in the field;
Provide opportunities to learn from the Academy's instructors include academia, practitioners, and guest speakers.
Hear from experts that have worked with the CIA, FBI, and the former Soviet Union KGB.
Explore, Apply, Learn more
Spyher Winter Savings
Thru 15 March 2025
$15 off and 2-for-1 deals
Book now on Eventbrite
Spyher Gift Cards
Give the Gift of an Exclusive Spy History Tour with a Former Intelligence Officer
Purchase an e-gift card online at https://spyher.co/gift-card/
For a physical gift card - a perfect stocking stuffer - contact rosanna@spyher.co
AFIO Exclusive Content
AFIO NOW

Mickey Bergman
on his co-authored book
In the Shadows:
True Stories of High-Stakes Negotiations
to Free Americans Captured Abroad
Michael "Mickey" Bergman, Global Reach CEO and Richardson Center for Global Engagement VP and ExDir, discusses his book, coauthored with Ellis Henican, about his never-before-divulged negotiations that brought high-profile prisoners home from the likes of North Korea, Russia, and Hamas captors. Cases he worked included Brittney Griner, Danny Fenster, Otto Warmbier, and Trevor Reed.
Interviewer: James Hughes, AFIO President
Recorded: 26 Nov 2024
Duration: 57 minutes, including Q&A
In the Shadows can be purchased here.
WIN Short-form Book Review
(February 2025)
Jeffrey Uncapher
Former defense industry writer,
longtime AFIO member
reviews
The Illusionist:
The True Story of the Man Who Fooled Hitler
by Robert Hutton
(September 2024)
Access review here.
Latest AFIO Now Audio Podcast

Author, Jesse Fink talks with AFIO President, James Hughes about his new book, "The Eagle in the Mirror: The Greatest Spy Story Never Told" on Charles Howard "Dick" Ellis, MI6's Top Agent in America During World War II. In search of war hero, master spy, and alleged traitor Charles Howard "Dick" Ellis.
Interview of Tuesday, 1 Oct 2024. Host: AFIO President James Hughes, a former senior CIA Operations Officer.
The audio-only version of AFIO Now, great for listening to in your car or while accomplishing other tasks, can be downloaded or streamed on any of the following podcast platforms by searching for "AFIO":
Podbean; iTunes; Spotify; Amazon Music; TuneIn; iHeartRadio; Pandora
AFIO Now Archive
AFIO Now interviews, video and audio-only forms, in 2024 and 2023, are sponsored by
Northwest Financial Advisors
Click here to watch interviews in the AFIO Now series released in 2024.
View interviews from 2020 to 2023 here.
Watch public-release interviews on our YouTube channel or listen to them in podcast form at the links in the section above.
Log into the member-only area for member-only features.
|
General Interests
Trump Revokes Security Clearances, Denies Access To Federal Buildings To Slew Of Former, Current Officials - Daily Caller, 09 Feb 25 (Member Contribution)
President Donald Trump has ordered that some former and current federal and state officials lose their security clearance and access to federal buildings, the New York Post reported Saturday. Former Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, New York Attorney General Letitia James and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg are three of the eight officials who are expected to be affected, according to the outlet. The revocations come just a day after Trump revoked the security clearance of his predecessor, former President Joe Biden, and ended Biden’s daily intelligence briefings, citing reciprocity and cognitive decline. (Access here.)
U.S. intelligence, law enforcement candidates face Trump loyalty test - Washington Post, 09 Feb 25 (Member Contribution)
Candidates for top national security positions in the Trump administration have faced questions that appear designed to determine whether they have embraced the president’s false claims about the outcome of the 2020 election and its aftermath, according to people familiar with cases of such screening. The questions asked of several current and former officials up for top intelligence agency and law enforcement posts revolved around two events that have become President Donald Trump's litmus test to distinguish friend from foe: the result of the 2020 election and the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol, according to the people, who, like others interviewed for this report, spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the matter's sensitivity. (Access here.)
Internet-connected cameras made in China may be used to spy on US infrastructure: DHS - ABC News, 06 Feb 24 (Member Contribution)
Internet-connected cameras made in China are giving the Chinese government the ability to "conduct espionage or disrupt US critical infrastructure," according to a Department of Homeland Security bulletin obtained by ABC News. The cameras typically lack data encryption and security settings and, by default, communicate with their manufacturer. It's believed there are tens of thousands of Chinese-made cameras on the networks of critical U.S. infrastructure entities, including within the chemical and energy sectors, the bulletin said. Chinese cyber-operatives have previously exploited internet-connected cameras and the fear is China could gain access and manipulate systems without tighter restrictions on these cameras, the DHS warns. (Access here.)
Russia's spies, in retaliation against the CIA, urge Americans to get in touch - Reuters, 06 Feb 25 (Member Contribution)
Russia's foreign intelligence service released an English-language video on Thursday, urging "true American patriots" who care about world peace to get in touch via secure communication in response to efforts by the CIA to recruit Russians. The U.S.'s Central Intelligence Agency has said the war in Ukraine is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to recruit agents in Russia. It released a video in 2023 targeting Russian officials with an appeal to tell the truth about a system it said is riddled with lying sycophants. (Access here.)
C.I.A. Sent an Unclassified Email With Names of Some Employees to Trump Administration - New York Times, 05 Feb 25 (Member Contribution)
The C.I.A. sent an unclassified email listing all employees hired by the spy agency over the last two years to comply with an executive order from President Trump to shrink the federal work force, in a move that former officials say risked the list leaking to adversaries. The list included first names and the first initial of the last name of the new hires, who are still on probation — and thus easy to dismiss. It included a large crop of young analysts and operatives who were hired specifically to focus on China, and whose identities are usually closely guarded because Chinese hackers are constantly seeking to identify them. The agency normally would prefer not to put these names in an unclassified system. Some former officials said they worried that the list could be passed on to a team of newly hired young software experts working with Elon Musk and his government efficiency team. If that happened, the names of the employees might be more easily targeted by China, Russia or other foreign intelligence services. One former agency officer called the reporting of the names in an unclassified email a “counterintelligence disaster.” (Access here.)
Trump appoints Michael Ellis deputy director of the CIA - Washington Post, 04 Feb 25 (Member Contribution)
President Donald Trump on Monday named Michael Ellis deputy director of the Central Intelligence Agency, putting a lawyer and staunch ally into a powerful role that does not require Senate confirmation. Ellis will be No. 2 to John Ratcliffe, who was confirmed as CIA director last month. Ellis was initially slated to be the CIA’s general counsel, according to two people familiar with the deliberations who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss personnel matters. But as deliberations over Ratcliffe’s potential deputy dragged on, it became apparent that Ellis was a consensus pick for the deputy slot, one of these people said. Ellis, general counsel at the video streaming site Rumble, was a visiting fellow for law and technology at the Heritage Foundation, where he had a hand in producing the intelligence chapter of Project 2025. (Access here.)
Defection of Morocco’s Second-in-Command in Foreign Intelligence Hajawi Sparks Tensions and Fear of Espionage Disclosures - Dzair Tube, 05 Feb 25
In a seismic development shaking both Rabat and Madrid, Mehdi Hajawi, the deputy director of Morocco’s Directorate General for Studies and Documentation (DGED)—the country’s foreign intelligence agency—has fled to an unknown destination after initially seeking refuge in Spain. His defection, first reported by the Spanish outlet El Confidencial on Sunday, marks a catastrophic blow to Morocco’s intelligence apparatus and exposes deep fractures within the kingdom’s power structure. Following his break with the Moroccan regime, Hajawi first sought refuge in France. However, according to El Confidencial, his presence there was met with aggressive intimidation, including threats to his safety and that of his wife and infant daughter. These coercive tactics prompted him to flee to Spain in search of more secure asylum. Yet, sensing a shift in Madrid’s stance—one that suggested a willingness to repatriate him to Rabat—Hajawi disappeared once again, eluding both Spanish authorities and potential Moroccan operatives who may have sought to silence him permanently. (Access here.)
Special Collections
Counterespionage - Recent arrests, convictions, expulsions, and more...
Cyberespionage - New actors, collection and sabotage ops, countermeasures, policy, other...
Covert Action - Influence ops, assassinations, sabotage, intel agency paramilitary action, countermeasures, etcetera...
How the Chinese Communist Party recruits members of the diaspora to serve its interests - The Economist, 04 Feb 25
As the superpower rivalry between China and America deepens, Chinese espionage efforts in America are changing. The Communist Party is recruiting members of the diaspora for surveillance, information-gathering and influence operations. And while coercion is not uncommon, some Chinese Americans are happy to help. Alice Su, The Economist’s senior China correspondent, and James Miles, our China writer-at-large, explore how China co-opts members of its diaspora to serve the Communist Party’s interests, and ask what liberal democracies do about it. (Access here.)
The Spies Are Shown the Door - The Atlantic, 06 Feb 25 (Member Contribution)
This week, CIA personnel came to a “fork in the road.” That’s the official euphemism for a buyout that the Trump administration has offered federal government employees, among them the more than 20,000 who work for the intelligence agency. But many longtime officers and new recruits really do feel like they are at a crossroads as they ask themselves whether they still want their jobs, or will be able to keep them. The buyout, part of a legally dubious proposal called “deferred resignation,” is ostensibly an attempt to cut government spending by reducing the number of employees. But another objective is plainly visible: The president suspects that the CIA harbors people who oppose his policies and might try to undermine them. The buyout is one way to weed these people out. But it’s a strategy that reflects a misunderstanding of how the CIA actually works—and a drawdown that could leave the country exposed at a time of heightened global risk. The measures the administration is taking to thin the ranks further risk doing the very thing that Donald Trump claims he wants to stop: politicizing the intelligence community. (Access here.)
Campus Cloak and Dagger: Spies Targeting U.S. Universities (30 min) - SpyCast Podcast, 04 Feb 25
For decades, colleges and universities have been a destination for espionage. Especially in recent years, the use of international students and faculty as spies on American campuses has been particularly daunting. Why do intelligence services, both foreign and domestic, target colleges and universities? And what is there to gain on these campuses? Award-winning journalist Daniel Golden, author of the book Spy Schools, describes the timeless game. (Access here.)
Science Under Siege: The Rising Threat of Espionage in Global Research - Tovima, 07 Feb 25
In the 1980s, a quiet tug-of-war unfolded high above the clouds. The European Space Agency’s (ESA) Ariane rocket program—designed to end Europe’s dependence on U.S. launchers—rapidly matured into a formidable commercial satellite option. The United States, long dominant in this arena, saw its interests threatened and employed diplomatic and economic pressure to discourage European governments from turning to Ariane. American intelligence services, including the National Security Agency (NSA), also allegedly surveilled European aerospace firms to glean proprietary technical data. Although no concrete evidence of sabotage ever emerged, rumours persist that external interference could have contributed to software and mechanical problems in early Ariane tests. (Access here.)
A Step in the Right Direction for Prepublication Review: - LawFare, 06 Feb 25
On Jan. 17, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines quietly issued a clarification of an intelligence community directive concerning the obligations of former government employees who are bound by “prepublication review” requirements. This is an important step toward fixing a deeply broken system, and one that will make a difference to the ability of millions of former government employees who once held top secret/sensitive compartmented information (TS/SCI) security clearances to write and speak. Background: The U.S. government requires that current and former U.S. government officials who have or had TS/SCI clearance submit their writing for review by the U.S. government prior to publication. This lifetime preclearance requirement currently applies to millions of former government employees. (In 2014, over 5 million people held security clearances—or 1.5 percent of the entire U.S. population.) For nearly a decade, we have written about the many problems with this system, which we have argued constitutes the largest system of prior restraint on speech in U.S. history. Among other things, we have explained that the system doesn’t just apply to national defense information, is plagued by an absence of binding and consistent rules, is subject to unnecessary and seemingly opportunistic delays, drives talent away from government service, leads to an impoverished public discourse, and causes many former government officials to simply opt out. (Access here.)
Anas Khattab: New Syrian Intel Chief Has Terrorist Ties - Grey Dynamics, 06 Feb 25
Syria’s transitional government—led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)—in December 2024 formally named 38-year-old Anas Khattab as the Director of the General Intelligence Service. Known by the alias Abu Ahmad Hdud, he was designated as a terrorist by the United Nations Security Council in 2014. Due to his links with al-Qaeda and ISIS. His history in this regard will likely complicate cooperation with some countries’ security services, while his history of ties to Turkish intelligence makes his appointment a gain for Ankara. Khattab took part in a recent meeting in Damascus between an Iraqi delegation and Ahmed al-Sharaa (also known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani), who is now the leader in Syria. The discussions focused on border security and broader regional developments. This activity is one indicator that he plans to engage with regional players and he has stated an intention to reshape Syria’s security community. (Access here.)
Analysis: Unpacking Iran’s counterintelligence apparatus - Long War Journal, 06 Feb 25
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) recently issued “seeking information” posters for two operatives of the Islamic Republic’s intelligence services implicated in the 2007 abduction of retired FBI agent Robert Levinson on Iran’s Kish Island. The FBI identified Ahmad Khazai and Mohammad Baseri—officials of Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence (MOI), also known as MOIS—as those responsible for Levinson’s kidnapping. At the time, Baseri headed the US team within the MOI’s counterintelligence department, while Khazai served as the deputy head of counterintelligence. Khazai, who holds the clerical title Hojjat al Eslam, was dismissed from his position in 2009 and now leads the Institute for Political Studies and Research at MOI. The US Treasury Department sanctioned both men in 2020 for orchestrating Levinson’s abduction. (Access here.)
What to know about presidents and security clearances - National Public Radio, 08 Feb 25
The question of who should have access to the nation's secrets is one of the utmost importance. In the past two presidential terms, that question has been aimed at former presidents themselves. In 2021, then-President Biden barred then-former President Donald Trump access to intelligence briefings, arguing that Trump could not be trusted because of his "erratic behavior." Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley speaks during a hearing with the House Foreign Affairs Committee on March 19, 2024. The committee held the hearing to question retired U.S. Generals on the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. More specifically, Trump said he would immediately revoke Biden's "security clearances," though in reality, Biden did not have a security clearance to begin with. "He didn't have a security clearance in the way that folks in the military or intelligence agencies or the FBI have them, by going through the security clearance process," said Dakota Rudesill, a law professor at the Ohio State University who has written about national intelligence and secrecy. (Access here.)
Section III - FORMERS' FORUM
(Legacy Intel Practitioners' Informed Perspectives
and Recent Endeavors)
How Might Trump Deploy DHS Intelligence? (40 min) - with former Senior DHS Intelligence Counsel Spencer Reynolds - SpyTalk Podcast, 07 Feb 25
Former Senior DHS Intelligence Counsel Spencer Reynolds talks with host Jeff Stein about the troubled past and uncertain future of the agency’s Intelligence & Analysis wing under President Trump. (Access here.)
Downsizing the US Intelligence Community. Really! (25 min) - with former Canadian Security Intelligence Service Officer Dan Stanton - Target USA Podcast, 05 Feb 25
Dan Stanton, University of Ottawa National Security Program Director, manager of the university's Professional Development Institute, and former Canadian government intelligence official discusses deep concerns he and other former and current intelligence officers have about the changes the Trump administration is making to the intelligence community. (Access here.)
Inside Israeli Military Intelligence (53 mins) - with Former head of Israeli army intelligence Maj. Gen. Tamir Hayman - Intelligence Matters Podcast, 05 Feb 25
Michael Allen speaks with Maj. Gen. Tamir Hayman, former head of Israeli army intelligence, about the current threat landscape to Israeli national security. Tamir discusses Israel’s evolving strategic response since the October 7, 2024, attacks. He also explains the complex approach to negotiating hostage releases and the daunting challenge of gathering intelligence on their whereabouts. Additionally, Tamir shares insights on Iran’s nuclear program and reveals details about Israel’s sophisticated pager and walkie-talkie operation targeting Iranian-backed Hezbollah militants in Lebanon. (Access here.)
Expert Q&A: What the M23 Rebels Want in the Congo Conflict - with former CIA Executive and Operations Officer Darrel Blocker - The Cipher Brief, 04 Feb 25
The Rwanda-backed M23 rebels, who stunned the world with their seizure of the major city of Goma in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, declared a unilateral ceasefire in fighting with Congolese forces on Monday. The rebels said the move was made on humanitarian grounds; they announced the ceasefire after the World Health Organization (WHO) said fighting in Goma, a city of 2 million people, had killed at least 900. The M23 rebels added that they did not intend to capture other areas, including the nearby provincial capital of Bukavu, which they were reportedly advancing towards. The Cipher Brief turned to former Senior CIA Executive Darell Blocker, who served as Chief of the CIA’s Africa Division, to better understand this conflict. Blocker explained that the fighting is steeped in history; M23’s claimed goal of protecting ethnic Tutsis in Congo draws on long-standing Hutu-Tutsi tensions that led to the 1994 genocide of 800,000 Tutsis and others in Rwanda. Blocker also said that Congo’s standing as “the most resource-rich country on the planet” is a critical factor. “At the end of the day, it’s really about money,” he said. “I guarantee you every Western power out there is vying for it, and the Russians and the Chinese, for that same mineral resource.” Blocker spoke with Cipher Brief CEO Suzanne Kelly. Their conversation has been edited for length and clarity. (Access here.)
Shaping Career Through Service (36 min) - with former ODNI and IARPA officer Charles Carithers - INSA's Intelligence Career Conversations Podcast, 06 Feb 25
On this episode of the Intelligence Career Conversations podcast, host Jim Donnelly is joined by Charles Carithers, Principal, Cornerstone Government Affairs. Tune in as he discusses his educational path, how to organically reach out to potential mentors, and the importance of using employer-sponsored learning opportunities. (Access here.)
My Life as a Canadian Spy (54 min) - with former CSIS officer Andrew Kirsch - Spycraft 101 Podcast, 09 Feb 25
Today Justin sits down with Andrew Kirsch. Andrew grew up in Toronto, Canada, and is a graduate of Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. He worked as an investment advisor in London before applying for a position with the Canadian Security Intelligence Service or CCIS. He spent nearly 10 years as an intelligence officer working in several positions, including analyst, investigator, and as a special operations team leader. He now runs the Kirsch Consulting Group, a risk advisory firm based in Toronto. He's here to discuss his career, which he wrote about in his book,. Andrew's memoirs, which were published in 2022, and was the first autobiography ever written by a former CSIS employee. (Access here.)
The Traitor of Arnhem: The Untold Story of WWII's Greatest Betrayal and the Moment that Changed History Forever
by Robert Verkaik
(Pegasus Books, 04 Feb 25)
Revealing the hidden role of the Cambridge Spies during this Allied defeat, The Traitor of Arnhem relates for the first time the startling betrayal that changed the course of World War II. The end of World War II is in sight. Following the overwhelming victory on D-Day, Churchill, Roosevelt, and Stalin all seek to shape the future to their own ends by winning the race to Berlin. The British launch Operation Market Garden, the greatest airborne operation the world has ever seen. It is a bold roll of the dice that, if successful, will end the war in weeks. But behind the scenes spies are working their craft, the Allies’ plans are betrayed, the operation fails—and thousands of our soldiers die. The Traitor of Arnhem tells the never-before-told story of this famed operation and of the spies working to cause the catastrophic defeat. One traitor is a terrifying giant of a man, a supposed hero of the resistance who sends hundreds of fellow freedom fighters to torture and death; the other is an aristocrat and an English gentleman, working from inside the heart of the Allied war effort in London. Both of them are working for the Russians. Drawn from newly released archives and shedding fresh light on the spies responsible for its failure, The Traitor of Arnhem is the remarkable account of the battle that would transform the conclusion of the European campaign and set the stage for the Cold War.
Order book here.
Vikings in Vietnam: Norwegian Patrol Boat Captains in CIA Clandestine Operations
by Alessandro Giorgi
(Schiffer Military History, 28 Apr 24)
In a little-known episode of the Vietnam War, the CIA hired Norwegian skippers to command fast patrol boats to land South Vietnamese commandos and combat swimmers on the coasts of North Vietnam. This book will explain who the “Vikings” were, describe their missions, and detail their equipment (primarily Swift- and Nasty-class patrol boats). Author Alessandro Giorgi relied heavily on recently declassified source material to piece together the story.
Order book here.
Handbook of Warning Intelligence
by Cynthia Grabo with Jan Goldman
(Rowman and Littlefield Publishers, 10 Sep 15)
This new and final edition is a follow-up to the author’s first book, Anticipating Surprise (University Press of America, 2002) and the Handbook of Warning Intelligence (Scarecrow Press, 2010). The first book was an abridged version of Grabo’s 1972 manuscript, of which only 200 pages were allowed to be published by the government. The second book was published after it was agreed that the last 10 chapters would remain classified. These final 10 chapters have recently been released by the government and complete the manuscript as it was originally intended to be published by the author in 1972. The Handbook of Warning Intelligence was written during the cold war and was classified for 40 years. Originally written as a manual for training intelligence analysts, it explains the fundamentals of intelligence analysis and forecasting, discusses military analysis, as well as the difficulties in understanding political, civil, and economic analysis and assessing what it means for analysts to have "warning judgment." Much of what Grabo wrote in her book seems to appear in many of the numerous commission reports that emerged after the 9/11 attacks. However, her book was written in response to the "surprise attack" of the Soviet Union's invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968. According to the author, that event was no surprise. And while analysts have to take some of the blame for their failure to strenuously present their case that the threat was real and imminent, what occurred was a failure by policymakers to listen to the warning intelligence reports that were written at the time. In these last chapters, Grabo discusses scenarios where the United States will need to take action, especially describing Soviet indicators of such action. She also talks on how to influence policymakers to take, or not take, action based on intelligence. After the Soviet Union fell, the government was hesitant to release this information—especially considering what's going on with Putin today.
Order book here.
True Intelligence Matters on Film - Lioness - Taylor Sheridan (2023)
Inspired by an actual US Military program, albeit highly fictionalized in this rendering, Lioness is an American spy thriller TV (Paramount+) series that follows the life of CIA paramilitary operations officer and manager Joe (Zoe Saldaña) while she attempts to balance her personal and professional life as the tip of the CIA's spear in the war on terror. The Lioness Program, overseen by Kaitlyn Meade (Nicole Kidman) and Donald Westfield (Michael Kelly), enlists an aggressive Marine Raider named Cruz (Laysla De Oliveira) to operate undercover alongside Joe among the power brokers of State terrorism in the CIA's efforts to thwart the next 9/11. Also starring Morgan Freeman as US Secretary of State.
More on this based-on-true-events production here.
Intelligence in Pop Culture - Blowing the cover: America’s long-standing affair with television espionage - The Hindu, 07 Feb 25
or Netflix, 2025 began with a worldwide streaming hit — The Night Agent: Season 2. The pervasiveness of spy entertainment in American media meant that success was more a matter of routine, and Americans have indeed eagerly loved and followed along with the fictional pursuits of their national intelligence agencies. It took a little over a decade since the television boom for spycraft stories to start syndicating over the medium. Since the 1950s, there has not been a decade in American television devoid of a spy staple. With each show shaping, deepening, and reflecting the anxieties of the public watching it, U.S. spy shows have come to define an omnipresent storytelling medium. (Access here.)
Intelligence in History - A Collection of Recently Released Content
Walking Tours - "Spies of Embassy Row" and "Spies of Georgetown" - Washington, DC - Sundays (Dates/Times Vary)
Former intelligence officers guide visitors on two morning and afternoon espionage-themed walking tours: "Spies of Embassy Row" and "Spies of Georgetown." For more information and booking, click here or contact rosanna@spyher.co
(Research Requests, Academic Opportunities, Employment)
Richard Slarb — Career NSA Officer
Richard Slarb passed peacefully on Friday, 07 February 2025. Born in Lodi, OH, he graduated from Northwestern High School in West Salem, OH, where he was a member of the 1959 baseball state championship team. After high school, he entered the Navy and served our country for over 4 years and was stationed in Iceland, Homestead and Pensacola, FL. While in the Navy he was involved in various communications projects including the splashdown support of Gemini space capsules. After leaving the Navy he then started his career at the National Security Agency in Ft. Meade, MD. His career took him to live in Harrogate, England for a few years. Richard was also a proud alumnus of the University of Maryland overseas program. He worked at NSA for 30 years, where he received numerous awards and commendations, retiring in 1997. He was a member of the Phoenix Society.
- Call for Papers: Twenty Years After the Butler Review: Have we learned anything? Oxford Intelligence Group Conference. 5-6 June 2025. 01 Apr 25 deadline for proposals. See flier with full details here.
- Academic Opportunity: The International Security & Intelligence Programmer at Emmanuel College in the University of Cambridge, Summer 2025. Residential Programmer: Cambridge, Sunday 6 July to Saturday 2 August 2025. See flier with full details here.
- Information Sought: Researcher is seeking information about the document known in the West as the “KGB Wanted List,” the 1969 version of which was brought to the West by a KGB defector in 1972. Vladislav Krasnov analysed a portion of the list in his 1986 book titled “Soviet Defectors.” Both CIA and the FBI responded to FOIA requests indicating that they cannot find the 1969 list (although both CIA and NACIC have cited it in various forums). If you have a copy of the 1969 list, suggestions where it might be found in its entirety, or knowledge of any earlier lists in the series, please contact Kevin Riehle at kevin.riehle@brunel.ac.uk.
- Call for Collaboration: AFIO member seeks a collaborator with YouTube technical expertise to launch a channel that will highlight specific examples of Russian and Chinese misinformation. Please contact Greg Rushford at gregrushford@gmail.com.
- Internship Opportunity: U.K.-based private intelligence company Grey Dynamics is accepting applications for its analyst internship program. Excellent resume building experience for aspiring intel analysts and, for intelligence studies students (and graduates) who are interested in analysis and writing, a great entry-level opportunity to exercise your skills in a real editorial and publication setting. See full details and application instructions here.
- Call for Information: Child of former CIA Como Officer Walter E. McLeod seeks information on her father's life and work to help build a better understanding of the family's history. McLeod EODed in 1951 and served in Saipan, Havana, WTC, Caracas, Jakarta, Saigon, Paris, Phnom Penh, Vientiane, and Bangkok. He retired in 1975. If you have information to share, contact Kathy McLeod katherinemacleod@gmail.com.
- Call for Intelligence Studies Course Syllabi: An adjunct professor in the criminology department at Florida International University in Miami is developing a course in intelligence studies for the school and would welcome the opportunity to review syllabi used by other intel studies teachers. If you have a syllabus that you are willing to share, contact Salvador Rivas at salvador.rivas@fiu.edu or (786) 547-0428.
- Call for Interviews: Kingston Trinder is a Los Angeles-based nonfiction author and documentary film and television executive who is seeking extraordinary true, untold, stories featuring unforgettable characters, and unbelievable narrative arcs. He develops compelling factual storytelling with a variety of international publishing houses and television networks, and is in search of primary source material from former intelligence officers about their lives, specific cases or projects that they can get cleared for discussion, or other aspects of working in the shadows that would be informative and entertaining for readers who live outside of that world. Please email hello@kingstontrinder.com or call (323) 570-5715.
- Call for Online Survey Participants: Northeastern University is conducting an Institution Review Board approved research project on critical thinking skills for national security intelligence analysts and welcomes the input, via online survey, of AFIO members. Access survey here.
- Call for Information and Interview Subjects: In search of information on possible espionage activity in New York City in the WWII and post-war era to help a family investigating their heritage. Specifically looking at The Plaza (1955), Hotel Pierre (1935 through 1970), and Hotel Delmonico (1945) (now Trump Park Avenue) as well as "Office of 39" Room 3603, and the OWI (Office of War Information) (1945). Details on the Grand Central Station underground and Waldorf Astoria Secret Elevator are also of interest. Other areas of interest for any information on the following people or more generally who may be able to speak to the climate include Swiss involvement in the Abwehr, The Nestle Company 1935-1945, Reinhard Gehlen, German Soldier Thilo Von Trotha in Addis Ababa in 1948-53, Michael Wardell in London, John B. McNair, Canada, Lord Beaverbrook in Cromarty 1948-49. Contact Rosanna Minchew at Rosanna@spyher.co.
- Assistant Professor in Intelligence and National Security Studies - University of Texas, El Paso
The University of Texas at El Paso invites applications for the position of Assistant Professor of Intelligence Studies in the Department of Criminal Justice and Security Studies. We seek applicants with demonstrated research expertise in one or more of these areas: Open-Source Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Cyberwarfare, or Intelligence Analysis. Successful candidates will indicate how they can contribute to establishing and growing UTEP's Open-Source Intelligence Center. More information about our program and dynamic campus, as well as application materials, can be found here.
- 2 Assistant Professors in Intelligence and Security - Institute of Security and Global Affairs, University of Leiden - Netherlands
The successful candidates will have demonstrable research records in themes related to the vacancy and strong teaching background in intelligence and security, or a related field, as well as in topics related to the Institute's Bachelor's and Master's programme offerings. The candidate will be expected to teach across several programmes in the Institute, notably the master's programme Crisis and Security Management and the bachelor programme Security Studies, and our minor in Intelligence Studies. The positions are aimed at strengthening the Institute's teaching, research and grant-acquisition capacities in a phase of growth and exciting interdisciplinary research opportunities. Full details on qualifications, duties, and application here.
- Assistant Professor of Intelligence Studies - Mercyhurst University - Erie, Pennsylvania
Mercyhurst University in Erie, PA, invites applications for the position of Assistant Professor of Intelligence Studies in the School of Intelligence, Computing and Global Politics. The position is at the Erie campus and begins Fall Semester 2024. Successful candidates will teach introductory and applied courses in Crime and Law Enforcement intelligence analysis at the undergraduate and graduate levels, in addition to the ability to teach undergraduate or graduate courses in: Leadership in Intelligence; Advanced Analytic Techniques; Intelligence Collection and Analysis. Additional information and application instructions here.
- Associate Professor and Chair of National Security - University of New Haven, Connecticut
The Department of National Security invites nominations and applications for a tenured Full/Associate Professor and Chair of National Security. The department includes a dynamic undergraduate program encompassing four distinct bachelor's degrees (Security & Defense Policy, Intelligence Analysis, Homeland Security, and International Affairs), a robust master's degree program, and several practitioner-oriented certificates. Qualifications: A terminal degree in national security, public policy, political science, or related field is required; Ph.D. preferred. The successful applicant will have a record of teaching excellence at the university level, established catalog of academic publications, and an innovative research agenda. Applicants should also possess experience in university-level service and leadership. The department is particularly interested in candidates with policymaking experience in national security at either the federal, state, or local level. Tenurable Assistant Professors may also be considered in accordance with the aforementioned qualifications. Application Instructions: Please submit a brief cover letter explaining teaching experience and philosophy, publication record, practitioner-oriented experience (if applicable), CV, and the name and contact information for three references. Applicants may also include up to 3 artifacts of teaching ability (examples include syllabi, student evaluations, learning exercises, assignments, or other feedback) that illustrate teaching experience. More information and application here or contact Search Committee Chair, Dr. Jeffrey Treistman at jtreistman@newhaven.edu.
- Wanted: Former intelligence officers to lead spy-themed walking tours in Washington D.C. - Spyher Tours
These are 90-120 minute historical tours with an interactive "operational" component. Most tours start at 10am on select Thursdays-Sundays. The immediate opportunity is for dates in March, but additional opportunities are available through June, and new opportunities are likely to become available throughout the year. This is a fun way to get back out on the streets, engage/educate the public on the world of espionage, and make some extra cash. The next opportunities to see a tour in action (and train before the Spring rush) are Sunday 2/18 and Sunday 3/3. Please contact Rosanna at 571-236-9052 or rosanna@spyher.co. Visit https://spyher.co.
- Assistant/Associate Professor of Intelligence Studies (Global Security and Intelligence Studies) - Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Prescott, Arizona
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's Prescott, Arizona campus is accepting applications for a tenure-track assistant or associate-level professor of intelligence studies to teach intelligence courses to students in the Global Security and Intelligence program. The successful candidate will teach students about the intelligence community, strategic intelligence, the intelligence cycle and intelligence analysis, writing, and briefing. Prior experience working in the intelligence community is strongly preferred. We are interested in candidates with teaching acumen in intelligence analysis and writing using structured analytical techniques.
Additional information and application here.
Friday, 21 February 2025, 1100 - 1400 - McLean, VA - AFIO National Spring Luncheon - Registration has Opened.
Event features: The History of Intelligence - A Panel Discussion. Panelists: CIA's Chief Historian David Robarge, National Cryptologic Museum curator Vincent Houghton, and OSS scholar and CIA historian Nicholas Reynolds. And Joby Warrick, Author and a National Security Correspondent for The Washington Post.
Schedule: 1030 - Check-in for preregistered attendees (no walk-ins); 1100 - Panel on Intelligence History. Panelists: CIA's Chief Historian David Robarge, National Cryptologic Museum curator Vincent Houghton, and
OSS scholar and CIA historian Nicholas Reynolds. 12-1300 - Lunch; 1300 - Joby Warrick, Author and a National Security Correspondent for The Washington Post, discussing current events in Syria and his 2021 book "Red Line: The Unraveling of Syria and the Race to Destroy the Most Dangerous Arsenal in the World."
1400 - Event ends
Registration and Fee: Registration and credit card payment required before event. Lunch is $60 (members) or $75 (guests, Subscribers).
Venue: DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, McLean-Tysons, VA
1960 Chain Bridge Rd, McLean, VA 22102
Registration has opened here and available while space remains. Registration closes 1700 hours, Friday, 16 Feb 2025 or earlier when all seats taken.
Attendees must be AFIO members or accompanied by a member. For security reasons, no late or last-minute substitutions.
Please direct any questions to events@afio.com.
13 Feb 2025, 1200-1300 (ET) - Washington, DC – Spy Chat with Special Guest Colin Clarke – Virtual International Spy Museum Program
Join us for an online discussion of the latest intelligence, national security, and terrorism issues in the news. Spy Museum Executive Director Chris Costa, a former intelligence officer of 34 years, will be joined by Colin P. Clarke, Senior Research Fellow at The Soufan Center. At The Soufan Group, Clarke's research focuses on domestic and transnational terrorism, international security, and geopolitics. Prior to joining The Soufan Group, Clarke was a professor at Carnegie Mellon University, and a senior political scientist at the RAND Corporation, where he spent a decade researching terrorism, insurgency, and criminal networks. At RAND, Clarke led studies on ISIS financing, the future of terrorism and transnational crime, and lessons learned from all insurgencies since the end of World War II. Clarke is also an Associate Fellow at the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism – The Hague, a non-resident Senior Fellow in the Program on National Security at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, an Associate Fellow at the Global Network on Extremism and Technology, and a member of the "Network of Experts" at the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime. In 2011, he spent several months as an analyst with Combined Joint Interagency Task Force-Shafafiyat at ISAF headquarters in Kabul, Afghanistan, working for General H.R. McMaster, the former U.S. National Security Advisor, where he was responsible for analyzing criminal patronage networks in Afghanistan and how these networks fueled the insurgency. He has published several books on terrorism, including his most recent, After the Caliphate: The Islamic State and the Future Terrorist Diaspora. Visit www.spymuseum.org.
27 Feb 2025, 1200-1300 (ET) Washington, DC – The Heavy Water Sabotage Raid with Mitch Utterback – A Virtual and In-Person International Spy Museum Program
Join us for an intense exploration of Operation Gunnerside on the 82nd anniversary of the mission. One of the Allies' most dramatic sabotage missions of WWII, Gunnerside was a daring plan to derail the Nazis' scheme to build an atomic bomb. A key component of their bomb recipe was heavy water—deuterium oxide. When Germany occupied Norway, the remote Vemork Norsk Hydro plant, which produced heavy water, came under Nazi control. The Allies, desperate to prevent a nuclear-armed Germany, devised the daring Operation Gunnerside to disable the plant. The epic tale of the Norwegian commandos who parachuted onto the Vidda (mountain plateau) in the winter and skied, climbed, and clawed their way to the plant to blow up the heavy water reserves, sounds like a movie, and did become one starring Kirk Douglas. Retired US Army Special Forces Lieutenant Colonel Mitch Utterback was drawn to the famous World War II sabotage mission and recently retraced the ski tracks of the Heroes of Telemark. In 2023, for the 80th anniversary, Utterback and a team of 11 other military veterans recreated the perilous journey that the saboteurs took across the Vidda. Their expedition was captured in the short documentary film Hardangerfolk which brings the danger and intensity of the mission to life. Utterback's background in special forces and his experience of the conditions that the saboteurs endured has given him a unique perspective on this epic mission which the Spy Museum features in our Covert Action gallery. Visit www.spymuseum.org.
Tuesday, 11 March 2025, 8 am - 5 pm EST - Hyattsville, MD - Convening to Act: Accelerating Adoption of Quantum Resistant Cryptography by National Cryptologic Foundation
Join the NCF for Accelerating Adoption of Quantum Resistant Cryptography (QRC), the 3rd QRC-focused Convening to Act. The program theme will focus on QRC adoption and implementation efforts - including inventory progress and how companies are progressing through the transition. The program may also include demos of tools that are available and being used for the migration. This Convening to Act will feature keynote speaker Neal Ziring, Technical Director, Research Directorate, National Security Agency. Click here to view the draft agenda or to register.
Where: College Park Marriott Hotel & Conference Center, 3501 University Blvd East, Hyattsville, MD 20783.
Registration Fee: $99. Register here.
Includes: Light Buffet Breakfast, Snack Breaks, and Buffet Lunch. A complimentary reception will be held from 5:00-6:00 PM, after the program concludes.
Thursday, 27 March and Friday, 28 March 2025 - Reston, VA - Convening to Act: Managing High Impact AI National Security Applications by National Cryptologic Foundation
Join the NCF for a multidisciplinary dialogue, including government and industry, to discuss "Managing High Impact AI National Security Applications" for the Defense Industrial Base (DIB) and beyond, including small and medium-sized businesses. This will be a robust two day program with the option of attending an onsite dinner and fireside chat on the first day.
Critical issues for the use of AI in national security to be addressed at the conference include:* Legal;
* Policy;
* Compliance;
* Security;
* Equality;
* Privacy implications and considerations. Agenda and other details here.
Registration: Open here.
A vegan dinner option is available. Stay tuned for additional details about dinner.
Location: Carahsoft Conference & Collaboration Center, 11493 Sunset Hills Road, Suite 100, Reston, VA 20190.
30 Apr - 02 May 2025 – In Person – Cryptologic History Symposium - National Cryptological Foundation and NSA Center for Cryptologic History, Johns Hopkins University, Maryland
Since 1990, the Cryptologic History Symposium has served as an opportunity to present historical scholarship found in unclassified and declassified cryptologic records and engage in discussion about their significance to history. The event is an occasion for historians and those interested in history to gather for reflection and debate on relevant and important topics from the cryptologic past. Regular speakers include historians from CCH, the Intelligence Community, the defense establishment, the military services, scholars from American and international academic institutions, veterans of the cryptologic profession, graduate and undergraduate students, and noted authors. Past symposia have featured scholarship that set out new ways to consider our cryptologic heritage. The conference provides many opportunities to interact with leading historians and other experts. The mix of practitioners, scholars, and interested observers guarantees a lively debate that promotes an enhanced appreciation for past events and their applicability to current and future issues. More information and registration here.
30 Aug - 8 Sep 2025 - Mediterranean Cruise - Spies, Lies & Nukes announce Espionage on the High Seas! Plan NOW to join the late-summer 2025 cruise. Instead of their traditional Spies, Lies & Nukes conference in 2024, Valerie Plame and other intelligence colleagues are thrilled to introduce an exciting variation for 2025: Spies at Sea. A combined cruise and conference through the breathtaking Mediterranean, from
August 30 to September 8, 2025! See brochure here.
What to Expect:
• Intimate Conference Setting: Enjoy the same close-knit, engaging environment you've come to expect, with unparalleled access to our expert speakers.
• Exclusive Shore Excursions: Explore clandestine meeting spots, delve into espionage history, and more on excursions EXCLUSIVE TO OUR GROUP.
• Seminars at Sea: Participate in lectures and presentations led by Valerie Plame and other top intelligence professionals, all the while cruising through some of the Mediterranean's most iconic destinations.
• Special Events: Enjoy exclusive cocktail receptions, surprise activities, and one-on-one conversation time.
Exclusive Spies, Lies & Nukes Itinerary Highlights:
• Barcelona, Spain: Begin your adventure in this vibrant city.
• Valletta, Malta: Walk through history with guided tours led by espionage experts who will lift the veil on area spy stories and meeting sites.
• Mykonos, Greece: Discover the charm and beauty of this picturesque island.
• Ephesus, Turkey: Explore ancient ruins with a private guide and enjoy a unique group lunch, all while learning about intelligence activities that took place at each spot.
• Santorini, Greece: Experience the iconic beauty of Santorini with endless photographic opportunities.
• Naples, Italy: Enjoy a group lunch at a local restaurant and an exclusive walking tour with a private guide while learning a few spy secrets from Naples,
Capri, and the Amalfi Coast.
We've secured a discounted rate that includes your stateroom, meals, classic beverage package, wi-fi, exclusive excursions, and all conference activities. These
cabins will get booked quickly, so don't wait—
Gray long-sleeved polo shirts with embroidered AFIO logo. Men's sizes only.
Show your support for AFIO with our new Gray Long-sleeve Polo Shirts. Shirts are shrink and wrinkle resistant of fine cotton with a soft, "well-worn, comfy" yet substantial feel. They feature a detailed embroidered AFIO seal. Get a shirt for yourself and consider as gifts for colleagues, family, and friends. Only $60 each including shipping.
Sizes for men, only: Small, Medium, Large, XL, XXL, and XXXL. $60 per shirt. Order this and other store items online here.
20 oz ceramic Mug with color glazed logo. Made in America. Check out our new tapered, sleek AFIO coffee mug!! This handsome 20 oz. ceramic mug is made in the USA, has a white matte exterior, sports a beautiful navy-blue interior, and is dishwasher safe. Order yours today! $35 per mug includes shipping to a CONUS address. [includes shipping to U.S. based address, only. For foreign shipments, we will contact you with a quote.] SHIPPING: For shipment to a U.S.-based CONUS address, shipping is included in price. For purchases going to AK, HI, other US territories, Canada, or other foreign countries the shipping fees need to be calculated, so please call our office M-F 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. ET at 703-790-0320 or email afio@afio.com providing following information: 1) your name, 2) mailing address (or addresses where each gift item will be shipped), 3) name of the AFIO store items you wish to purchase, 4) quantity of each, 5) your credit card number and expiration date, 6) amount (except for additional of shipping fees) authorized to charge, and 7) your phone number and email should we have questions. Foreign shipments fees will be calculated and estimates emailed to you, awaiting your approval. Order this and other store items online here.
Black short-sleeved polo shirts with Embroidered AFIO logo
Show your support for AFIO with our new Black Short-sleeve Polo Shirts. Shirts are shrink and wrinkle resistant of fine cotton with a soft, "well-worn, comfy" yet substantial feel. They feature a detailed embroidered AFIO seal. Get a shirt for yourself and consider as gifts for colleagues, family, and friends. Only $50 each including shipping.
Sizes for (M) men, only; Small, Medium, Large, XL, XXL, and XXXL. $50 per shirt.
You may pay by check or credit card. Complete your order online here or mail an order along with payment to: AFIO, 7600 Leesburg Pike, Ste 470 East, Falls Church, VA 22043-2004. Phone orders at 703-790-0320. Questions? Contact Annette at: annettej@afio.com.

PopSocket for cellphones or tablets
Show your support to AFIO while enjoying the convenience offered by our AFIO Logo PopSocket. The PopSocket is most commonly used as a stand and as a grip for your mobile phone or tablet; handy for taking selfies, watching videos, and for texting. The PopSocket looks like a small button or sticker which, when closed, sticks flat to your mobile device. However, its accordion-like design enables it to pop open for use. The benefits of using a PopSocket make it a must-have accessory for your mobile phone or tablet. It also aids in keeping your phone from slipping off your hand during use, falling, or breaking.
Price: $15. Order this and other store items online here.

Duffel Bags - Royal Blue and Black with Full Color AFIO Logo This duffel has it all when it comes to value, style and organization.
600 denier polyester canvas with polyester double contrast; D-shaped zippered entry for easy access. Front pocket with hook and loop closure. End mesh pocket Easy-access end pockets. Four durable, protective feet and built-in bottom board for added strength. Web handles with padded grip. Detachable, adjustable shoulder strap.
Dimensions: 11"h x 19.75"w x 9.75"d; Approx. 2,118 cubic inches
Price: $50. Order this and other store items online here.

Caps - Dark Navy with Navy AFIO Logo
An authentic silhouette with the comfort of an unstructured, adjustable fit. Fabric: 100% cotton. Unstructured. Fabric strap closure with adjustable D-clip. Price: $30. Order this and other store items online here.
AFIO's Guide to the Study of Intelligence...and...When Intelligence Made a Difference
"AFIO's Guide to the AFIO's Guide to the Study of Intelligence has sold out in hard-copy.
It is available in digital form in its entirety on the
AFIO website here.
Also available on the website here are the individual articles of AFIO's
history project "When Intelligence Made a Difference" that have been
published to date in The Intelligencer journal.
More articles will be appear in future editions.
PUBLISHED IN 2023—Be informed on career opportunities in the U.S. Intelligence Community
Intelligence as a Career - with updated listings of colleges teaching intelligence courses, and Q&As on needed foreign languages, as well as the courses, grades, extracurricular activities, and behavioral characteristics and life experiences sought by modern U.S. intelligence agencies.
AFIO's popular 47-page booklet reaches thousands of high school, college students, university guidance offices, and distributed in classes teaching intelligence, to help those considering careers
in the U.S. Intelligence Community.
This is the fifth edition.
The publication is also popular with University Career Guidance Centers, professors and academic departments specializing in national security, and parents assisting children or grandchildren in choosing meaningful, public service careers.
This booklet is provided online as a public service from the generosity of AFIO board, volunteer editors/writers, donors, and members.
We thank all for their support which makes this educational effort possible.
Careers Booklet (2023 Fifth Edition) can be read or downloaded here
Address Technical Issues Or Unsubscribe
To unsubscribe from the WIN email list, please click the "UNSUBSCRIBE" link at the bottom of the email. If you did not subscribe to the WIN and are not a member, you received this product from a third party in violation of AFIO policy. Please forward to afio@afio.com the entire message that you received and we will remove the sender from our membership and distribution lists.
Disclaimer and Legal Protection
Weekly Intelligence Notes (WINs) are a carefully selected collection of timely open source reports and announcements and other media focused on intelligence and related national security matters that is produced for non-profit educational use by AFIO members and WIN subscribers. WINs are protected by copyright and intellectual property laws. They may not be reproduced or re-sent without specific permission from the Producer. Opinions expressed in the materials contained in the WINs are solely those of the content creators listed with each item. Notices in the WINs about non-AFIO events do not constitute endorsement or recommendation by AFIO.
(c) 1998 thru 2025
AFIO Members Support the AFIO Mission - sponsor new members! CHECK THE AFIO WEBSITE at www.afio.com for back issues of the WINs, information about AFIO, conference agenda and registrations materials, and membership applications and much more!
AFIO | 220 Spring St Suite 220, Herndon, Virginia 20170-6205 | (703) 790-0320 (phone) | (703) 991-1278 (fax) | afio@afio.com
About AFIO | Membership Renewal | Change of Address | Upcoming Events | Chapter Locations | Corporate/Institutional Memberships | Careers in Intelligence Booklet | Guide to the Study of Intelligence | Intelligencer Journal | Weekly Intelligence Notes | Make A Donation | AFIO Store | Member-Only Section | Code of Ethics | Home Page
RETURN TO TOP
|