Section I - INTELLIGENCE HIGHLIGHTS

Chinese Ambassador to Iceland Arrested for Espionage. Chinese Ambassador to Iceland Ma Jisheng and his wife Zhong Yue were arrested early this year by Chinese authorities for allegedly spying for Japan, Hong Kong media reported Wednesday.

"According to a Chinese official, the Chinese ambassador and his wife were accused of spying for Japan, and were arrested by China's national security authorities in early 2014," the Chinese-language Ming Pao Daily reported, citing the US-based Mingjingnews.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei told reporters at a regular briefing in Beijing that he has no information on Ma or his whereabouts. Ma became ambassador to Iceland in December 2012, after having previously worked for many years at the Chinese Embassy in Japan.

On the website of the Chinese Embassy in Reykjavik, Iceland's capital, the ambassador's name and photo are now missing from the welcome page, where archived Internet pages show they previously existed, as is his curriculum vitae. [Read more: NikkeiAsianReview/17September2014]

New MI6 Head Revealed As Alex Younger to Replace Sir John Sawers. Britain has a new "M" - the next head of MI6 has been unveiled today.

Alex Younger has been appointed as successor to Sir John Sawers as chief of the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), otherwise known as MI6, Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said.

Described as a career SIS officer, Mr. Younger has for the last two years been overseeing MI6's intelligence operations worldwide.

He will take on the role fictionalised in Ian Fleming's James Bond book and film series through the character M, most recently played by Judi Dench in Skyfall. [Read more: TheTelegraph/3October2014]

US Is at War in Cyberspace, Says House Intelligence Committee Chairman. The United States is at war in cyberspace, although most people can't see it, the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee said Monday in San Antonio.

Thousands of attacks are being launched everyday against US businesses by nation-states like China, Russia and Iran with the potential of creating chaos in our economy if they are successful.

Fortunately, most of these attacks are caught or deflected before they can do any harm, but the threat is serious. Individual companies are outmatched against these organized attacks from nation-states and that is why the US government needs to take an aggressive stand in defending its cyber-borders.

US Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., who chairs the Select Committee on Intelligence, was the keynote speaker Monday for the launch of National Cyber Security Awareness Month at USAA in San Antonio. Gary McAlum, senior vice president and chief security officer for USAA, welcomed Chairman Rogers as he noted string of cyber breaches impacting major businesses in recent months including Target, Home Depot (NYSE: HD), Jimmy John's and JPMorgan Chase (NYSE: JPM).

"These attacks have highlighted the need for more sharing of information between government and private industry," McAlum said. [Read more: Thomas/SanAntonioBusinessJournal/6October2014]

WSU Grad Named Chief Scientist at Air Force Intelligence Agency. A Wright State University graduate was named chief scientist at the National Air and Space Intelligence Center and will be a primary advisor to the military commander at the secretive agency.

Curtis A. Rowland, a 32-year veteran at the intelligence agency, was selected by Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James, according to NASIC. His appointment was effective Sept. 25.

Rowland, of Fairborn, is one of seven senior-level civilian executive positions equivalent to a one-star brigadier general at the intelligence center, the agency said. He will be a chief adviser to NASIC commander Col. Leah Lauderback.

The intelligence agency analyzes air, space and cyber threats and has shared "predictive intelligence" with the White House related to soldiers in combat in the Middle East. [Read more: Barber/DaytonDailyNews/6October2014]

Macedonia Court Convicts 17 in Espionage Case. A court in Macedonia has convicted at least 17 people in a spying case involving an unnamed nation or nations.

The leading suspect was Marijan Efremov, AFP reported, an ex-intelligence agency employee accused of leading a spy ring. He was jailed for 15 years.

Much of the trial was held behind closed doors and the defendants were not officially identified.

It is the country's first espionage trial since independence in 1991. [Read more: BBC/6October2014]

CIA Asks to Destroy Email of Non-Senior Agency Officials. The Central Intelligence Agency has asked for authority to destroy email messages sent by non-senior officials of the Agency. The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) has tentatively approved the proposal.

In an August 18 appraisal of the CIA request, Meredith Scheiber of NARA wrote that any permanently valuable material in the emails would almost certainly be captured in other permanent CIA records.

"It is unlikely that permanent records will be found in these email accounts that is not filed in other appropriate files appraised as permanent," the appraisal said.

"There are multiple records systems to capture the actions and decisions of employees and multiple internal controls in place in the event an employee was engaged in malicious activities." [Read more: Aftergood/SecrecyNews/1October2014]

US Said to Target French Intelligence Defector to al-Qaeda. A former French intelligence officer who defected to al-Qaeda was the target of American airstrikes in Syria last month, according to reports.

The unnamed defector was identified by two European Intelligence officers as the highest ranking individual to ever join the terrorist group, McClatchy DC, an American political news site, reported on Sunday.

However, on Monday an official within the French defense ministry dismissed the report in an interview with Reuters.

"After checks this morning, we can assert that the information concerning supposed links between the jihadist cited by the press and French intelligence services is totally erroneous," the official said. [Read more: Jalil/TimesofIsrael/7October2014]

Son Dies as Bomb Explodes in Yemen Intelligence Officer's Car. Unknown attackers placed an explosive device inside the car of a Yemeni military intelligence officer in the port city of Aden which was detonated killing the son of the officer, state media reported on Wednesday.

The explosive device was put in the car of Officer Nasser Meqrih who works for the military intelligence department within the fourth military zone.

"Ameen, the officer's son, died when the bomb exploded on the sea road linking the Almansoura and Khour Maksar districts," the official agency Saba reported.

The agency did not give information about the condition of the officer. The authorities have started an investigation into the latest incident in a series of targeted killings against army and security officers, soldiers, politicians and activists in the country since 2011. A hunt was launched for those involved as well.

Most of the targeted killings including those carried out by militants of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) were carried out with bombs planted in cars of targets. [Read more: [YemenPost/1October2014]

Syrian Rebels Seize Russian Spy Station Near Israeli Border. Syrian rebels have overtaken a joint Russian-Syrian secret facility that they claim was a covert intelligence collection base. Opposition fighters say the post was used to snoop in on the communications of opposition groups - and perhaps even the nearby Israelis.

Free Syrian Army officials, US officials, and independent experts told The Daily Beast that the evidence of Russian involvement in the facility, just a few miles from Syria's border with Israel, if verified, would show a level of Russian involvement in the Syrian civil war that was not previously known. Free Syrian Army officials posted several videos on YouTube showing both the outside and the inside of the facility, which the FSA captured over the weekend during a battle near Al Harah, south of Damascus, next to the Golan Heights.

The videos and accompanying photos show insignias representing a branch of Syrian intelligence and the Russian Osnaz GRU radio electronic intelligence agency. The FSA found photos and lists of senior Russian intelligence and military officials who visited the facility, pictures of Russian personnel running the base, and maps showing the location of Israeli military units. Israeli news reports earlier this year said the Russian government had upgraded an advanced surveillance and intelligence gathering station in that area which could snoop on Israel, large parts of Jordan, and western Iraq, potentially to warn Iran in advance of an Israeli strike. Initial reports said documents from the facility suggested the Russian equipment was used to spy on Israel, Saudi Arabia and Jordan. 

US defense officials told The Daily Beast the photos of the Russian insignia first shared on blogs were legitimate. But that evidence, at the same time, may not necessarily mean the facility captured by the opposition was controlled by Russia's military; it could just mean that Russians were working there, as advisors or partners to Syrian troops. [Read more: Rogan&Lake/TheDailyBeast/7October2014]

Section II - CONTEXT & PRECEDENCE

The Quiet Rise of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. As far as intelligence agencies go, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency has remained relatively low profile - attracting neither the intrigue of, say, the CIA nor the umbrage directed toward the National Security Agency.

But even as other realms of spycraft have been battered by revelations over intrusive government surveillance, the role of geospatial intelligence - interactive mapping and satellite imagery - appears poised for primetime. 

A telling detail that encapsulates the growing primacy of GEOINT in the intelligence world: Prior to taking over as the new NGA director Friday, Robert Cardillo, the 31-year intelligence community veteran, most recently worked in close consult with the White House - Customer No. 1, in intelligence parlance - to compile and present the top-secret Presidential Daily Brief.

"What I want to help NGA with is, how do we take the expertise, how do we take the base of knowledge that we have here and convey it in a way that's meaningful to the customer at their time of decision," Cardillo told reporters after the change-of-leadership ceremony at NGA headquarters in Springfield, Virginia. [Read more: Moore/NextGov/6October2014]

How a Servant Became Churchill's 'Eyes and Ears' During the First World War. The little-known story of how a lowly servant from Sir Winston Churchill's family home became his secret messenger during the First World War is to be disclosed by Lord Fellowes in a new television show about the "real" Downton Abbey.

Lord Fellowes, the creator of Downton Abbey, will present an ITV program, filmed at Blenheim Palace about how the war affected Britain's aristocracy - and their staff.

Blenheim, the Oxfordshire home of the Duke of Marlborough and the Spencer-Churchill family, was the birthplace of Sir Winston, who began the war as First Lord of the Admiralty and later became a battalion commander on the Western Front.

The program tells of Arthur Hine, a young estate clerk whose family had served at Blenheim for generations and whose job involved "drawing plans and plotting land". He volunteered in 1914 and was selected to be Sir Winston's "eyes and ears", motorcycling through the Belgian port city of Antwerp while it was under German bombardment. [Read more: Furness/DailyTelegraph/7October2014]

'Once a Spy, Always a Spy'. It was January of 1990, and a middle-aged, overweight Vladimir Putin was depressed.

Working as a paper-pushing KGB intelligence officer in Dresden, Germany, Putin spent most of his time attempting to recruit undercover foreign agents and writing reports. News from back home in the Soviet Union caused great concern.

Mikhail Gorbachev had ascended to the head of the Communist Party and was pushing liberalizing policies, and by 1989 the KGB leadership had begun to back some of his reforms. Hundreds of thousands protested in the streets of Communist East Germany for reunification - culminating in the fall of the Berlin Wall in November.

On January 15, 1990, protesters stormed the Stasi state security building where Putin worked in Dresden. Putin called for military assistance, but it only arrived hours later after approval from Moscow. Moscow had kept him waiting. [Read more: Wiser/FreeBeacon/6October2014]

Section III - COMMENTARY

What the United States Can Learn From Israel About Cybersecurity. Two weeks ago, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the creation of a new cyber defense authority to defend Israel's civilian networks. This is the latest in a series of steps taken by Israel's government to bridge the public-private cyber divide and bolster the country's position as a global leader in cybersecurity.

Washington, in contrast, suffers from a severe lack of new ideas on cybersecurity. US policymakers struggle to understand the technical aspects of key issues and avoid meaningful engagement with the private sector, academics, and NGO community. The US government often prioritizes security over innovation, privacy, and access, and unfortunately ignores the long-term risks of its own approach. This week marks the start of the 11th annual National Cyber Security Awareness Month, which is a perfect occasion for the US government to learn from Israel's example and embrace much-needed new thinking on cybersecurity. 

Israel has been labeled the "Startup Nation" because it boasts the highest per capita density of startups worldwide. How Israel ascended to the top of the technology world is a matter of debate, but one factor is undoubtedly the country's precarious security situation and the government's pattern of response. Since its founding, Israel has placed a premium on ingenuity and creative ways to stretch its limited resources, including through technological innovation. Its government has also fostered a sense of individual responsibility among its citizens - including by requiring mandatory military service - to confront the national security threats facing the country. Mandatory military service not only inculcates leadership skills, but also fosters specialized skillsets in fields like engineering that are particularly relevant for the technology industry.

This reality was palpable during my recent visit to Israel as part of a bipartisan think-tank delegation. Israelis from all walks of life exude a sense of common purpose on security issues "especially those involving Iran, whose cyber-attacks are a growing concern. In an interview, Michael McNerney, a Silicon Valley based cybersecurity expert and former Cyber Policy Advisor in the Office of the US Secretary of Defense, stressed how "Israel is smart to focus on a collective and participatory approach to online security because the interconnectedness of online systems and proliferation of mobile devices make every individual a potential access point for a cyber-breach." [Read more: Sugarman/Forbes/7October2014]

Section IV - Upcoming Events

Upcoming AFIO Events

AFIO EDUCATIONAL EVENTS IN COMING TWO MONTHS....

Wednesday, 8 October 2014, 11:30am - Scottsdale, AZ - Arizona's Director of Homeland Security speaks at the AFIO AZ Chapter

Gilbert M. Orrantia, Director AZDOHS-Director, Arizona Department of Homeland Security, addresses the AFIO AZ chapter. Orrantia became the Director of the Arizona Department of Homeland Security in June, 2009. Prior to heading Arizona�s Homeland Security efforts at the State, he served in the FBI for 26 years.
Mr. Orrantia brings a national and global perspective on counterterrorism that is gained from vast counterterrorism experience including the supervision of an FBI counterterrorism squad in Phoenix and serving eight years as a Supervisory Special Agent. For four years he helped lead the FBI�s Joint Terrorism Task Force in Phoenix, Arizona located at Arizona�s fusion center, known as the Arizona Counter Terrorism Information Center (ACTIC).
Recognized as an expert in investigations of terrorism, drugs and violent crimes, Mr. Orrantia�s successful FBI law enforcement career is reflected in the numerous awards and commendations he received. Among them are two of the FBI�s highest commendations: the Medal of Valor and the FBI Star. These awards were made to Mr. Orrantia for his role in the deadliest firefight in FBI history;- a gun battle known as the �Miami Shootout� in which two fellow FBI agents were killed.
Mr. Orrantia has lectured to members of the FBI Academy at Quantico, Virginia on officer safety and survival and continues to share his expertise in surviving a deadly encounter with numerous law enforcement agencies.
Director Orrantia currently serves on the Executive Committee of the National Governors Association Homeland Security Advisors Council and also serves as a Tri-Chair of the National Homeland Security Consortium.
In April of 2013, he was appointed by Governor Jan Brewer to serve as Co-Chair of the Governor�s Task Force on Human Trafficking.
Mr. Orrantia, a native Arizonan who is fluent in Spanish, was raised in Mesa, Arizona. He is a graduate of Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education.
LOCATION: McCormick Ranch Golf Course, 7505 McCormick Parkway, Scottsdale AZ 85258 ~ Phone 480.948.0260.
RSVP: simone@afioaz.org
WE NEED an RSVP no later than 72 hours ahead of time; in the past, not reserving or canceling without prior notice (72 hours prior to the meeting) created much grief for those of us organizing the meeting and dealing with the personnel. WE ARE charged for the no-shows and please remember, we are a small organization with a humble coffer.
Our meeting fees will be as follows:
� $20.00 for AFIO members
� $22.00 for guests
For reservations or questions, please email Simone simone@4smartphone.net or simone@afioaz.org or call and leave a message on 602.570.6016

Wednesday, 8 October 2014, 11 am - Albuquerque, NM - CI Specialist Donald Fingleton on Conducting Research in a Threat Environment

Dr. Fingleton founded D4 Enterprise in early 2010 to provide private industry and US Government agencies advice on protecting critical program information from economic collection and industrial espionage activities. Prior to this he was a Counterintelligence Specialist with the Department of Energy�s Counterintelligence Training Academy (CITA) with a focus on providing counterintelligence (CI) training for the national laboratory science and engineering community and CI professional development training for the US intelligence community. He is a frequent keynote speaker at Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Counterintelligence Strategic Partnership conferences and workshops across the country, often teamed with former intelligence officers from hostile intelligence services. Dr. Fingleton also served on the FBI�s Region Nine Counterintelligence Working Group and the US Attorney�s Anti-terrorism Advisory Council.

Before joining CITA he was primarily a physical scientist with positions at New Mexico State University, College of Engineering; Founding Director, Carlsbad Environmental Monitoring & Research Center; the FBI; and Argonne National Laboratory. While at Argonne, he had special assignments at Harvard University and the East-West Center in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Dr. Fingleton has a Bachelors Degree in Physical Science and Mathematics; Masters Degrees in Mechanical Engineering, Atmospheric Science, Geochemistry, and Industrial Hygiene; and a Doctorate in Environmental Chemistry. He has over 150 scientific publications and has delivered more than 400 presentations on a wide variety of topics. In 2007, Dr. Fingleton received commendation from FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III for �Exceptional Service in the Public Interest.�

Dr. Fingleton is a unique member of the intelligence community in that he is an experienced counterintelligence specialist with significant academic and research experience who as an environmental chemist, with no access to classified information (i.e., no clearance), was targeted by hostile intelligence services and terrorists. He has firsthand experience conducting research in a threat environment
Location: �The Egg & I,� 6909 Menaul Blvd (just East of Louisiana), Albuquerque.
RSVP: Please come to what should be a very interesting meeting. Your Chapter officers look forward to seeing you, and hope you will bring guests whom you think might also be interested. Questions to Pete Bostwick at (505) 898-2649 or foreigndevil@yahoo.com or Mike Ford at (505) 294-6133 or Secpro39@yahoo.com

Wednesday, October 8, 2014 (6:00-10:00 PM), Scottsdale, Arizona - Wanted: former or retired DDP, DDO or NCS officers for a Black Tie Event in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Your Assignment: Should you choose to accept it. Table Host for unwitting art patrons at Gala Opening of the Covert Affairs, art Exhibit.
Sponsors: Arizona AFIO and Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art
Uniform required: Black tie
Details: Dinner and gallery admission provided in exchange for "war stories" and anecdotes about life and times in the clandestine services. One officer per each of fifteen tables will represent the CS to the attendees.
Contact: Maurice Gralnek, Chapter President - info@afioaz.org or Simone S Lopes, Chapter Director - simone@afioaz.org

Wednesday, 8 October 2014, 7:30 pm - Palo Alto, CA - AFIO SF Chapter reconvenes to hear former DIRNSA, Mike Hayden, speak on "Inside the NSA"

Event being held at Stanford University's Cemex Auditorium
General Michael Hayden, former Director of the National Security Agency and Central Intelligence Agency will be speaking in Cemex Auditorium, GSB, Stanford Campus, on Wednesday, October 8 from 7:30 to 8:30pm. Stanford in Government, in collaboration with the Stanford Law School, FSI, CISAC, and Continuing Studies, welcomes General Hayden to campus to commence a year-long "Security Conundrum" speaker series. There will be a post-event reception from 8:30pm to 10:00pm in the GSB's Seawell Conference Room. General Hayden, Professor Phil Taubman, and Hoover Institution Associate Director and CISAC Co-Director Amy Zegart will also be at the reception.

The event is free. You can RSVP at here.

MEETING CANCELED - Thursday, 9 October 2014, 11:30 a.m. - San Francisco, CA - The AFIO Andre LeGallo Chapter hosts Lt. Col. BC Thomas, USAF, ret. speaking about the SR-71.

Chapter recommends you meet them at event with Hayden on Oct 8 - see above.
The now canceled event would have featured Lt. Col. BC Thomas, USAF(Ret) addressing the chapter on the subject of the SR-71. 11:30AM no host cocktails; meeting starts at noon.
Event location: United Irish Cultural Center, 2700 45th Ave, San Francisco (between Sloat/Wawona).
RSVP required by 9/7/14 to Mariko Kawaguchi: afiosf@aol.com with meal choice (fish or meat) and mail check made out to "AFIO" to: Mariko Kawaguchi, P.O. Box 117578, Burlingame, CA 94011. Members and students: $25; non-member guests $35 (must be accompanied by a member). This event has been canceled. Chapter recommends you meet them at event with Hayden on Oct 8 - see event above this one.

Tuesday, 14 October 2014, noon - MacDill AFB, FL - The Florida Suncoast AFIO Chapter hears from Dr. Bill Costanza, retired CIA, Professor at Marymount University.

William Costanza, DLS, has more than two decades of experience at CIA. He retired in 2004 as a senior operations officer after 24 years of service. During his Agency career he designed and implemented operational targeting and intelligence collection strategies in the areas of counterterrorism, counter-narcotics, WMDs, telecommunications and strategic technologies. He also conducted operations in high-threat environments against high-priority terrorist targets in Africa and Central Asia.
Costanza received a doctoral degree in liberal studies from Georgetown University in 2012. His doctoral dissertation examined the psychology of radicalization and proposed an interdisciplinary framework to study the radicalization process across cultures.
What began as an initiative to introduce one or two intelligence-related courses into the forensic psychology curriculum at Marymount University in northern Virginia is now evolving into a process to create a series of skills-based intelligence courses geared to meet the analytic needs of the IC.
LOCATION: MacDill AFB Surf�s Edge Club, 7315 Bayshore Boulevard, MacDill AFB, FL 33621.
TO ATTEND: RSVP to Michael F. Shapiro at sectysuncoastafio@att.net no later than Wednesday, October 8, with your name and the names and email addresses of any guests. Not providing contact information for your guests will delay your reservation. If you (or any of your guests) have not previously attended one of our meetings and need base access, instructions will be sent to you upon your RSVP (or, if a chapter member, consult the newsletter which describes how to have your name added to the Gate Access List). If you make a reservation, and need to cancel but fail to get a cancellation confirmation by the response deadline and do not show up, you will be responsible for the cost of your luncheon.
QUESTIONS: Contact Michael Shapiro, Secretary, Florida Suncoast Chapter of AFIO at (813) 832-1164 or sectysuncoastafio@att.net

Saturday, 18 October 2014, 2 pm - Kennebunk, ME - AFIO Maine Chapter meets to hear Dr. John Park, Harvard University and MIT, on "Dealing with North Korea."

"Dealing with North Korea" will be the subject of guest speaker Dr. John Park at this meeting of the AFIO Maine Chapter. Park is an Adjunct Lecturer at Harvard University and a Research Associate at MIT. He was the 2012-2013 Stanton Nuclear Security Junior Faculty Fellow at MIT’s Security Studies Program. He previously worked at the U.S. Institute of Peace in Washington, D.C.; and earlier in Goldman Sachs’ M&A Advisory Group in Hong Kong and the Boston Consulting Group’s Financial Services Practice in Seoul. Dr. Park has contributed to a number of books and publications on North Korea. His current research focuses on the North Korean regime’s accumulated learning in evading targeted sanctions. He received his M.Phil. and Ph.D. from Cambridge University and completed his pre-doctoral and post-doctoral training at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center.

The meeting, open to the public, starts at 2 p.m. at the Brick Store Museum Program Center, 4 Dane Street, Kennebunk, Maine. For information call: 207-967-4298.

Monday, 20 October 2014, 1000-1230 - Miami, FL - The AFIO Ted Shackley Miami-Dade Chapter hosts Lt Gen Patrick Hughes and a seminar on “Threat to the Homeland and US Interests Abroad – Addressing Growing Radicalization.”

The event is co-hosted by the Miami Police Department Intelligence Unit at a location in Miami, Florida, to be sent following formal RSVPs.

The principal speaker will be Lt. Gen Patrick Hughes, (US Army, Ret.), formerly Director, Defense Intelligence Agency. Lieutenant General Hughes was the first long‐term Assistant Secretary for Information and Analysis (Intelligence) at the stand‐up of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

A panel discussion around General Hughes’s remarks will include:
• Major Jorge Martin, Miami Police Department
• Matthew E. White, Director Global Security and Response. Helmerich & Payne, Oil and Gas.
• Special Agent Ricardo R. Hernadez, FBI – Joint Terrorism Task Force
• Larry Soriano, formerly Senior Civilian Intelligence Analyst, (J2) SOUTHCOM, and presently Managing Director, Intelligence, Hazelwood Street Consultants, LLC
This seminar is classified “For Official Use Only”, and is for a restricted audience. NO RECORDINGS PERMITTED.
Refreshments and a snack will be offered.
RSVP by 15 October 2014 for clearance purposes to tsmdc.afio@gmail.com. Provide your full name, corporate or agency affiliation, AFIO National Membership Number (if a member), email, and a contact phone number.

8 November 2014, 1130 - Indian Harbour Beach, FL - The Florida Satellite Chapter presents its own Tyler Wasson on Al Qaeda's Network Threat.

The Florida Satellite Chapter presents its own Tyler Wasson. FSC member and recent Henley-Putnam University graduate with the degree of Master of Science in Intelligence Management will discuss his thesis “Al Qaeda’s Collective Network Threat.” Tyler’s work examines the threat posed by AQ’s collective network by reviewing the evolution of AQ’s network structure, evaluating AQ’s network collectiveness and breaking down its network capacity. 

A core, six affiliates and up to thirteen allied groups comprise the Al Qaeda (AQ) network.  The groups that comprise AQ are simultaneously independent and part of a collective network.  They often work together and benefit each other in both defensive and offensive actions that enable al Qaeda to conduct devastating attacks and sustain itself since 1988.  Despite efforts to remove AQ from safe havens, the AQ remnants counter by retreating, regrouping, and reconstituting once allied forces leave.  The collective network enables AQ groups to move into other safe havens, regroup, and sustain itself for over two and a half decades.  To prevent AQ from expanding in sanctuary and having the opportunity to attack the US homeland, this presentation will discuss recommendations on how best to mitigate the AQ threat.  Note: Time will be allocated for questions and answers.

Event location: Eau Gallie Yacht Club, 100 Datura Drive, Indian Harbour Beach, FL 32937
For reservations and further details, contact Barbara Keith, 1024 Osprey Drive, Melbourne, Florida 32940. Telephone: 321.777.5561, email:bobbie6769@juno.com

Friday, 14 November 2014 - Tysons Corner, VA - US Representative Mike Rogers, Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, addresses us as he leaves this important national security post, as does outgoing AFIO National President S. Eugene Poteat, former CIA S&T. DNI James Clapper will also speak at this final 2014 AFIO National Luncheon.

US Representative Mike Rogers, Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence;
DNI James Clapper;
and Outgoing President Gene Poteat
will address our group at this final 2014 AFIO National Luncheon.

US Representative Mike Rogers, Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, will frankly discuss the growing threats of ISIS/ISIL, Cyberwar, China, Iran, North Korea, and other challenges to the nation as he leaves this important national security post and ends his 14-year career in Washington.
Outgoing President Gene Poteat will speak on the just released revision of George O'Toole's Honorable Treachery: A History of US Intelligence, Espionage, and Covert Action from the American Revolution to the CIA [GroveAtlantic 2014], and of his more unusual or amusing CIA experiences, as he departs after 15 years leading AFIO;
and James R. Clapper, the Director of National Intelligence, will stop in at this final 2014 AFIO National Luncheon.

Includes special ceremony for the retirement* of AFIO's president of 15 years, S. Eugene Poteat.

* 'retirement' - for both of these men (as with most other intel officials) means leaving one well-served post and heading to another.
'Kicking back' - not in their dictionaries.

Timing: Check-in for badge pickup at 10:30 a.m.; Gene Poteat begins presentation at 11 a.m.; Cake-Cutting, Tributes, and Comments for Poteat at 11:45 to noon. Lunch served at noon; DNI James Clapper arrives to make special remarks; HPSCI Chairman Rogers begins his presentation at 1:05 pm. Event closes at 2 p.m.
Morning and Afternoon programs are On The Record

The latest intelligence books, and many others, on display and for sale throughout event.

EVENT LOCATION: The Crowne Plaza, 1960 Chain Bridge Rd, Tysons Corner, VA
Driving directions here or use this link: http://tinyurl.com/boey9vf
Register while space available. Register HERE

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

Other Upcoming Events

Sunday, 12 October 2014, 1pm - Washington DC - Sylvia Rafael: The Life and Death of a Mossad Spy by Moti Kfir - a book signing at the Spy Museum

Sylvia Rafael was a young Mossad spy when she was chosen to be one of the lead intelligence agents tracking Ali Hassan Salameh, leader of the Palestine Liberation Organization�s Black September division. Her pursuit of Salameh, the infamous mastermind of the kidnapping and murder of eleven Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games, led her team to Lillehammer, Norway. The mission went tragically wrong resulting in the death of an innocent named Ahmed Bouchiki. Join co-author Moti Kfir as he discusses Sylvia Rafael, a page-turning account of the dedicated Mossad spy he trained. Kfir held a number of senior positions in the Special Operations Unit of Mossad, including Director of the School for Special Operations. He and his co-author Ram Oren drew on extensive research and interviews to weave together the stories of Rafael and Ali Hassan Salameh, how the intelligence failed, and the impact of that day in Norway.

Tickets: Free! No registration required. Visit www.spymuseum.org

15 October 2014 - Laurel, MD - National Cryptologic Museum Foundation [NCMF] 16th General Membership Meeting and Annual Symposium

"Effects of Internet, Social Media, & Open Source Data on Intelligence Analysis" - Alex Borhani, FBI Cyber Division and Martin Petersen, former CIA
"The Aftermath of the Snowden Disclosures" - John "Chris" Inglis, Chair for Cyber Studies, US Naval Academy
Invited Guest Speaker: Richard Ledgett, NSA Deputy Director.

Location: John Hopkins APL - Kossiakoff Auditorium

Registration/Check-In for the program begins at 0800. A continental breakfast and lunch will be served. Speaker presentations are from 0900-1500. A detailed tentative agenda is available here.

The fee for members is $25 and the guest fee is $50 (including a one-year guest membership). Please register online here or send a check made out to the NCMF to P.O. Box 1682, Fort George G. Meade, MD 20755-9998.

Tuesday, 21 October 2014, 4:30 PM - Washington, DC - Robert Anders' Winning Paktika: Counterinsurgency in Afghanistan discussed at the Institute of World Politics

"We can win the war without killing a single person."

This is the story of the Wolfhounds in 2nd Platoon, Bravo Company through the eyes of a young platoon leader. He details their adventures on the frontier in a little-known dangerous place called Paktika Province, centrally located along Afghanistan's volatile border with Pakistan. It is the story of ordinary men, cast into a treacherous and unfamiliar world with the mission to destroy the enemy's sanctuary, not just the enemy. It is the story of triumph and failure, elation and frustration through a hard-fought struggle with their identity as infantrymen, evolving from trained tactical killers to strategic nation builders in their quest to win Paktika.

Author Rob Anders was beginning his senior year at the United States Military Academy at West Point on 9/11. Rob and his men deployed to Afghanistan in early 2004, facing a complex and confusing war. In addition to his responsibility of executing tactical level orders with his platoon, he also served as a primary liaison to the highest ranking Afghan leaders in Paktika Province where he had a close-up account of life in the trenches as well as the operational and strategic tectonics of the battlefield.
Location: The Institute of World Politics, 1521 16th St NW, Washington, DC 20036
For Parking, consult this map.
RSVP: Register here or contact sdwyer@iwp.edu with any questions.

3-4 November 2014 - Lexington, VA - The Enduring Legacy: Leadership and National Security Affairs During the Ronald Reagan Era

Virginia Military Institute presents this 2-day conference on “The Enduring Legacy: Leadership and National Security Affairs during the Ronald Reagan Era” bringing together scholars and national security professionals to discuss strategy, policy, and leadership during the Reagan administration.

It features a keynote address by former NATO commander Admiral James Stavridis, USN (ret.), and a dinner presentation by former U.S. ambassador to the Soviet Union Jack F. Matlock, Jr.

In addition, seven panels of historians and former Reagan administration officials will examine aspects of the Reagan presidency—and the connections between the Cold War and contemporary national security affairs. Panel topics will include:
•The Leadership of Ronald Reagan
•The Organization and Function of the National Security Establishment
•The Soviet Union and the United States
•Reagan and World: The Americas
•Reagan and the World: The Middle East and Africa
•Reagan and the World: The Great Powers
•The Reagan Legacy

Panelists to include Mr. Lou Cannon, author of President Reagan: The Role of a Lifetime, Dr. Archie Brown of Oxford University, Dr. Beth Fischer of the University of Toronto, Dr. Kyle Longley of Arizona State University, Dr. James Graham Wilson of the Department of State, Dr. Ronald Granieri of the Office of the Secretary of Defense and Dr. David Crist of The Joint Staff.
Fees: Attendee Rates Regular Rates (August 16 - October 17) $245; Late Rates (From October 18) $310. Full-Time Students - $65. (Registration rates include all conference sessions and meals, and coffee service throughout.)

REGISTER now.

Wednesday, 5 November 2014, 4:30pm - Washington, DC - "Iran's Strategic Penetration of Latin America" by editor Joseph Humire, at the Institute of World Politics

In recent years, significant attention has focused upon the Islamic Republic of Iran's nuclear ambitions, and the threat they pose to the United States and the West. Far less well understood, however, has been the phenomenon of Iran's regional advance in America's own hemisphere-an intrusion that has both foreign policy and national security implications for the United States and its allies. In this collection, noted specialists and regional experts examine the various facets of Iran's contemporary presence in Central and South America, and detail what the Islamic Republic's growing geopolitical footprint south of the U.S. border signifies, both for Iran and for the United States.

While serving as the Director of Institute Relations at the Atlas Economic Research Foundation, Joseph Humire began developing the Center for a Secure Free Society (SFS) network by running programs around the world focused on promoting security and defense issues to the global free market community. In 2012, SFS spun-off from Atlas into its new home at the International Freedom Educational Center, where Mr. Humire now serves as the Executive Director.

Mr. Humire is an eight-year veteran of the United States Marine Corps having served combat tours in Iraq and Liberia, as well as taking part in the first multinational training exercise in Latin America and the Caribbean. After leaving the U.S. military, Mr. Humire studied Economics at George Mason University, which is renowned for the quality of its economic scholars. Mr. Humire's blend of military experience coupled with his free market education offers a unique perspective to global security issues, as he focuses on the nexus between security, defense and economic freedom.

As a rising star in the U.S. foreign policy and national security community, Mr. Humire has testified before the U.S. Congress and the Canadian Parliament on issues related to regional security in the Western Hemisphere. Moreover, Mr. Humire has published in Fox News, the Miami Herald and the Washington Times and has a regular column in the Huffington Post. He has featured scholarly articles in the Small Wars Journal and the Journal of International Security Affairs and appears regularly on major Spanish-language broadcasts throughout the hemisphere, to include CNN Español, Sun News Network (Canada), Nuestra Tele Noticias NTN-24 (Colombia), Ahora con Oscar Haza on Mega TV (Miami), and the Foro Inter-Americano of Voice of America (Washington D.C.).

In the private sector, Mr. Humire is the co-founder of the Cordoba Group International LLC, a strategic consulting firm that offers premier research and analytical services to U.S. and international clients, and is the co-editor of the forthcoming book Iran's Strategic Penetration of Latin America published by Lexington Books in 2014

Event location: The Institute of World Politics, 1521 16th St NW, Washington, DC 20036.
For Parking, consult this map.
RSVP: Register here or contact sdwyer@iwp.edu with any questions.

Saturday, 8 November 2014, 6:45 p.m. - Henderson, NV - The Nevada Aerospace Hall of Fame honors four Inductees including a former CIA Official, John Parangosky.

The Nevada Aerospace Hall of Fame has selected four individuals this year for induction. These individuals all have contributed significantly to aviation history and, in one case, U.S. National Security. That individual is: John Parangosky (a.k.a. Thomas P. McIninch) inducted for having brought to fruition some of the world's most sophisticated aerial and space-based technical intelligence collection systems from the mid-1950s through the mid-1970s. In the mid-1950s, Parangosky joined the CIA's highly classified IDEALIST program management, where he participated in all aspects of the U-2's development, flight testing at Groom Lake and early deployments. Parangosky was the CIA�s OXCART program executive officer and program manager, overseeing the A-12's first test flight at Groom Lake on April 30, 1962, its operational certification in November 1965, and deployment overseas as part of operation BLACK SHIELD. In 1967, in recognition of his per-formance and contributions to the A-12 Program, Parangosky received the Distinguished Intelli-gence Medal, one of the CIA's highest awards.
The induction dinner is being held at The Landings Restaurant, Henderson Executive Airport, 3500 Executive Terminal Dr. A no-host social begins at 6 p.m. and dinner is at 6:45 p.m. The induction program begins at 7:30 p.m.
TO REGISTER: Advance reservations and payment must be received by Oct. 31. Cost is $75 per person; dress is business casual. The public is invited but seating is limited; corporate tables are available.

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