AFIO Weekly Intelligence Notes #14-16 dated 5 April 2016

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CONTENTS

Section I - INTELLIGENCE HIGHLIGHTS

Section II - CONTEXT & PRECEDENCE

Section III - COMMENTARY

Section IV - JOBS AND RESEARCH REQUESTS

Section V - Events

Upcoming AFIO Events

Other Upcoming Events

For Additional AFIO and other Events two+ months or more... Calendar of Events 

WIN CREDITS FOR THIS ISSUE: The WIN editors thank the following special contributors:  fm, kc, jm, mr, jg, th, and fwr.  They have contributed one or more stories used in this issue.

The WIN editors attempt to include a wide range of articles and commentary in the Weekly Notes to inform and educate our readers. However, the views expressed in the articles are purely those of the authors, and in no way reflect support or endorsement from the WIN editors or the AFIO officers and staff. We welcome comments from the WIN readers on any and all articles and commentary.
CAVEATS: IMPORTANT: 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 our members, and for researchers, educators, and subscribers. You are urged to exercise your usual caution and good judgment when responding, and should verify the source independently before supplying any resume, career data, or personal information.]
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Attend the National Cryptologic Museum's 75th UK-US COMINT Anniversary Program
Monday, 11 April 2016, 1100-1200
in the Magic Room at the NCM
for a special talk by GCHQ historian Tony Comer presenting the British perspective
of this UK-US Agreement.

8 February 1941 was the first visit to the UK codebreaking center, Bletchley Park, by U.S. government representatives in World War II.
This visit marked the beginning of a SIGINT (Signals Intelligence) relationship between these two countries that has continued to this day

Seating is limited, and thus, reservations are encouraged.
Questions? Contact Greg Nedved, event POC.
Also consider touring the new exhibit at the National Cryptologic Museum which celebrates US-UK COMINT Cooperation.

HELP THESE GRAD STUDENTS

Johns Hopkins School of Advanced Studies (SAIS)
seeks AFIO member assistance with some student research projects.

"Intelligence, Politics and Policy in Asia" - a course at the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) Johns Hopkins University, Spring 2016, has a number of students seeking assistance from AFIO members for their projects. Four are outlined below but the fifth paragraph lists studies underway by other students who are hoping current/former officers-members will assist on a variety of these topics.

  1. Dan Young:
    I am researching the Philippines intelligence services and would like to communicate with former intelligence officers who have worked with the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) and other Philippine intelligence services.  I am primarily interested in the structure of the Philippine intelligence community, in particular, ISAFP, and how, if at all, the intelligence services are transitioning from a focus on the internal insurgency threat to the external maritime threat. REPLY TO: dyoung52@jhu.edu
  2. David Rubin:
    I am interested in speaking with former intelligence officers who served in Japan or were otherwise involved in the development of or are familiar with Japanese intelligence capabilities from 1990 to 2015.  My research is focused on the revitalization of Japan's intelligence apparatus (particularly by PM Abe, post-Koizumi), the institutional and structural reform of Japan's intelligence community (particularly CIRO, PSIA, DIH, and Japan Security Bureau/NPA), Japan's new State Secrets law, and recent developments in U.S.-Japan bilateral security cooperation and intelligence sharing. REPLY TO: drubin16@jhu.edu
  3. Mugi Bayarlkhagva:
    I am writing on Mongolia’s Intelligence Community, the recent structural reforms it has undergone, and its relation to the ongoing democratization process.  I want to speak to former military or intelligence cadre who have been stationed in Mongolia, or are familiar with Mongolia’s intelligence services, or have been exposed to Mongolian nationals through the U.S. International Military Education and Training Program (IMET). In the latter case, this could be US-funded counter-terrorism training at Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies and George Marshall Center for European Security Studies. REPLY TO: mbayarl1@jhu.edu
  4. Caitlin Coyle:
    I would like to talk to anyone familiar with Myanmar’s intelligence services, their organization, missions, and operations.  I am especially interested in their role during recent and past election cycles and the prospects for change as Myanmar transitions from authoritarian rule to democracy and from an inward-looking state to one also concerned with regional traditional and non-traditional threats. REPLY TO: ccoyle4@jhu.edu

OTHER ASSISTANCE NEEDED: Others students in the class are researching Iran’s intelligence capabilities, Indonesian intelligence services’ operations in domestic conflict areas and against ISIS in Indonesia, and North Vietnam’s counterintelligence operations against U.S.-South Vietnam agent operations in the North during the Vietnam War. AFIO members willing to discuss these research topics with SAIS students are requested to contact Professor William M. Wise, Practitioner-in-Residence and Senior Associate Director of Asian and Southeast Asia Studies, wwise2@jhu.edu, 202-587-3221.

Wednesday, 13 April 2016, noon to 1:15 p.m.

at the International Spy Museum

Join the CI Centre for their
April Global Terrorism, Espionage, and Cyber Security
FREE monthly update!

Up to 5 guests per person (All must RSVP) * New updated material every month! * Can't make it? No problem, sign onto SPYPEDIA.net to get the full, downloadable PowerPoint of the presentation.

Location: The International Spy Museum, 800 F St NW, Washington, DC 20004
RSVP: Meaghan.Smith@CICentre.com

 

Section I - INTELLIGENCE HIGHLIGHTS

US Airstrike Targets Senior Leader of Shabaab's Security and Intelligence Service.  The US military targeted a senior al Qaeda leader who also serves in the Amniyat, a key security and intelligence organization within Shabaab, al Qaeda's offical branch in Somalia, in an airstrike last week. The US military has not confirmed the death of Hassan Ali Dhoore, the dual hatted al Qaeda and Shabaab leader, who was the focus of the airstrike.

The Pentagon announced that it targeted Dhoore "in cooperation with the Federal Government of Somalia, on Thursday, March 31." Dhoore was described as "a senior leader of Shabaab, who is part of al Qaeda" and "a member of Shabaab's Amniyat (security and intelligence) wing and was heavily involved in high profile attack planning in Mogadishu."

Dhoore "had planned and overseen attacks resulting in the death of at least three US citizens," the statement continued. He was directly linked to two assaults, one in December 2014 at Mogadishu's airport, and another at a hotel in the Somali capital. Two Americans were killed in the ambushes.

Leaders and members of the Amniyat have been the focus of multiple US airstrikes. Over the past two years, the US killed the previous two leaders of the Amniyat.  The Amniyat is instrumental in executing suicide attacks inside Somalia as well as in Kenya and other African nations, conducting assassinations, providing logistics and support for operations, and integrating the group's local and regional commands. Additionally, the Amniyat has ben instrumental in suppressing internal dissent within Shabaab as well as challenges to its primacy in Somalia from the Islamic State.  [Read more:  Roggio/TheLongWarJournal/3April2016]

$1.75B Federal Intelligence Center to Be Built in St. Louis, MO.  The federal government announced Friday a satellite intelligence facility that employs about 3,000 people will remain in St. Louis, Missouri instead of moving to Illinois.

The federal government announced Friday that a new construction project worth about $1.75 billion will keep the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency facility in the city of St. Louis. The NGA already has a massive facility in the area. The new one would serve as its replacement.

The new western campus will be build on the site of the failed Pruitt-Igoe public housing complex which was demolished in the '70s. Missouri donated the land as part of its bid.

Competition for the project was strong. NGA director, Robert Cardillo, said, "The future of our agency and our profession rests on our present talent and that of the next generations we can recruit onto our team. We face tough competition, and offering an environment that appeals to these future generations is critical to our success. Studies point to a desire by today's millennials to be in urban environments, and this trend is expected to continue."  [Read more:  ConstructionEquipment/4April2016]

Vancouver's UrtheCast partners With US Intelligence Agency for Earth Observation.  A Vancouver tech startup specializing in ultra-high-definition cameras for outer space is partnering up with a US intelligence agency.

UrtheCast (TSX:UR) says an agreement with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) would allow the two groups to co-operate on research and development for highly specialized Earth observation satellites.

The NGA is a combat-support agency under the US Department of Defense. Its mandate is to assist with mapping in support of national security.

This isn't the Vancouver company's first connection to the American intelligence agency.  [Read more:  Orton/BusinessInVancouver/4April2016]

Joint Intelligence Training With US, Morocco, Mauritania Strengthen Tactical Level Intelligence.  US service members completed a Basic Intelligence Course for members of the Moroccan Royal Armed Forces and the Armed Forces of Mauritania, March 3-25, at the Moroccan Southern Zone headquarters in Agadir, Morocco.

The three-week course is the first of what US service members are hoping will be more intelligence training events with Moroccan partners. It is designed as both an introduction to the intelligence process, particularly in support to tactical operations, and as preparation for students participating in the upcoming exercise, African Lion 2016.

"I envision that the knowledge gained from this course will help the Moroccan and Mauritanian students become proficient with basic intelligence concepts and be better able to reduce uncertainty for their commanders," said the US Marine intelligence security cooperation officer with Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force-Crisis Response-Africa.

A joint instructor cadre from the US Marine Corps, US Army, and instructors from the Regional Joint Intelligence Training Facility instructed 14 Moroccan Officers, six Moroccan NCO's, and eight Mauritanian Officers in several methods of intelligence gathering and analyzation methods.  [Read more:  DVIDS/4April2016]

Argentina to Open FBI-Backed Intelligence Center.  After years of tension between Washington and Buenos Aires, the new Argentine government of President Mauricio Macri has opened its doors to US meddling in internal affairs and as part of this new bilateral relation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation will assist the South American country in opening an intelligence center after an agreement was struck during President Barack Obama's visit to the Latin American nation last week, El Telegrafo reported Thursday citing press releases from both governments.

Little information was divulged from either government although the White House says the FBI will help Argentina's Ministry of Security "establish a nationwide network of Intelligence Fusion Centers to detect and disrupt terrorism and organized crime."

"The Treasury Department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network has taken steps to normalize its relationship with its Argentine counterpart and signed a memorandum of understanding that will help increase cooperation to combat money laundering and terrorist financing," the White House statement continued.

The two presidents also agreed that the US will aid Argentina in its crackdown on drug trafficking which Macri declared as one of the country's most severe problems. US authorities will look to "reduce drug demand, train Argentine officials at the International Law Enforcement Academy," the White House said in a statement.  [Read more:  Telesur/31March2016]

Intel Analysts: We Were Forced Out for Telling the Truth About Obama's ISIS War.  Two senior intelligence analysts at US Central Command say the military has forced them out of their jobs because of their skeptical reporting on US-backed rebel groups in Syria, three sources with knowledge of their claim told The Daily Beast. It's the first known instance of possible reprisals against CENTCOM personnel after analysts accused their bosses of manipulating intelligence reports about the US-led campaign against ISIS in order to paint a rosier picture of progress in the war.

One of the analysts alleging reprisals is the top analyst in charge of Syria issues at CENTCOM. He and a colleague doubted rebels' capabilities and their commitment to US objectives in the region. The analysts have been effectively sidelined from their positions and will no longer be working at CENTCOM, according to two individuals familiar with the dispute, and who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The analysts' skeptical views put them at odds with military brass, who last year had predicted that a so-called moderate opposition would make up a 15,000-man ground force to take on ISIS in its self-declared caliphate. An initial $500 million program to train and arm those fighters failed spectacularly. And until the very end, Pentagon leaders claimed the operation was more or less on track. Lawmakers called the plan a "joke" when Gen. Lloyd Austin, the CENTCOM commander, finally testified last September that there were just "four or five" American-trained fighters in Syria.

Earlier allegations from CENTCOM, the military command responsible for overseeing the Middle East, had focused on leaders there fudging intelligence reports about US efforts to attack ISIS and undermine its financing operations. That analysts are now raising red flags around reporting on Syrian rebel groups suggests that, at least from the analysts' perspective, there is a broader systemic problem than was previously known.  [Harris/TheDailyBeast/3April2016]

Former Intelligence Chairman: More Foreign Spies in US Than Ever.  There are currently more foreign intelligence operatives in the United States than at any point in the country's history, the former head of the House Intelligence Committee claimed on Wednesday.

"There are more spies in the United States today from foreign nation states that at any time in our history " including the Cold War," former Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.) said in an address at the Heritage Foundation.

"And they're stealing everything. If it's not bolted down, it's gone," Rogers added. "And if it's bolted down, give them about an hour - they'll figure out how to get that, too."

When asked for the source of his claim, Rogers appeared to credit American intelligence agencies.  [Read more:  Hattem/TheHill/30March2016]

Romanian President Lauds Intelligence Services, Says Country 'Is Safe'.  Romanian President Klaus Iohannis yesterday (29 March) praised the country's intelligence services and insisted that Romania is a safe country.

During an annual review meeting of the Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI), Iohannis commended the institution for carrying out its remit and for "making Romania safer in a time of many problems and risks".

The president, who was joined by the head of the SRI, Eduard Hellvig, said that, "Romania is a safe country that has been spared security and terror incidents." He also added that SRI's efforts have been "essential to the fight against corruption", mentioning also its role in combating tax evasion and organised crime.

The head of state stressed that collaboration and coordination between European intelligence services is essential, given the backdrop of the increasing terrorist threat on the continent.  [Read more:  Mihai/EurActiv/30March2016]

Section II - CONTEXT & PRECEDENCE

Intelligence Community Olive Branch on Data Sharing Greeted With Skepticism. Top Intelligence Community lawyer Robert Litt has offered a rare olive branch to privacy advocates, in the form of information.

In a post on one of the intelligence community's favorite blogs on Wednesday, Litt, general counsel for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, outlined new intelligence data-sharing guidelines that he said will be released soon.

The post, on Just Security, was essentially a response to reporting last month from the New York Times's Charlie Savage that the NSA would soon be sharing with other government agencies the raw, unfiltered intelligence from the depths of its massive overseas spying programs.

"There has been a lot of speculation about the content of proposed procedures that are being drafted to authorize the sharing of unevaluated signals intelligence," Litt wrote.  [Read more:  McGlaughlin/TheIntercept/1April2016]

A Real-Life Stan Beeman Talks The Americans and What It's Really Like to Turn KGB Spies.  Each week, on Slate's TV Club Insider podcast, June Thomas sits down with the creators, cast, and crew of The Americans as they reveal behind-the-scenes details about the making of the FX drama's fourth season.

On this installment for Episode 3, "Experimental Prototype City of Tomorrow," former FBI counter intelligence agent Richard Kollmar joins June and show runners Joel Fields and Joe Weisberg to talk about what it's really like to try and turn KGB spies. Plus, line producer Mary Rae Thewlis and Senior Vice President of Productions for Fox 21 Bob Lemchen stop by to discuss their roles in this latest episode.

Note: This podcast contains spoilers and is meant to be enjoyed after you watch the episode.

Podcast produced by Henry Molofsky.  [Read more:  Thomas/Slate/31March2016]

Navy Moves to End Long Period With Intelligence Chief Who Can't View Intelligence.  The Navy is finally moving to end a long spell during which its intelligence chief hasn't been able to see, hear or read any military secrets.

Navy officials say Vice Adm. Jan Tighe, now the commander of the US Fleet Cyber Command, will soon be nominated to become the chief of naval intelligence. If confirmed by the Senate, she would replace Vice Adm. Ted "Twig" Branch, whose access to classified information was suspended in November 2013 when he was swept up in a still-unfolding Justice Department corruption investigation.

Branch has been under scrutiny for his ties to Leonard Glenn Francis, an Asian defense contractor commonly known in Navy circles as Fat Leonard. Francis has pleaded guilty in federal court to bribing scores of Navy personnel with cash, prostitutes and luxury hotel rooms in exchange for classified or sensitive information about ship movements and competitors' secrets.

Several Navy officers have pleaded guilty in the case so far, and more than 100 other personnel remain under investigation for possible criminal or ethical violations in what is shaping up as the worst corruption scandal in Navy history.  [Read more:  Whitlock/TheWashingtonPost/1April2016]

Technology Partnership Helps Information Security and Intelligence Students Experience Data Extraction.  A leading manufacturer of mobile device forensics equipment has entered into a significant partnership with Ferris State University's Information Security and Intelligence program.

Cellebrite Forensics, a company based in Israel, has provided an Ultimate UFED, or universal forensic extraction device, to extract information from personal computers, and other equipment including cabling kits, according to ISI adjunct instructor Jason Otting.

"The amount of material, in terms of its dollar value on the market, could come to $60,000 to $70,000," Otting said. "This is a great situation for our program, as bar none, Cellebrite is the industry leader for mobile forensics equipment."

Otting said that the equipment allows students to practice and complete data extraction from GPS units, Smartphones, SIM cards, SD cards and other handheld devices. The program's Advanced Digital Forensics class is part of the technical track for the ISI program's Homeland Security: Digital Security and Forensics minor.   [Read more:  FerrisStateUniversity/1April2016]

ODNI: Intelligence Community Unveils New Website for Job Seekers.  The US Intelligence Community has unveiled a website aimed at job seekers who are interested in launching a career in the IC.

IntelligenceCareers.gov features videos and interactive tools designed to educate individuals on the different careers and types of intelligence involved within 17 agencies and organizations under the federation, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said Wednesday.

The website has a job exploration tool for students and professionals with educational background in science, technology, engineering and mathematics as well as those in the fields of business, human resources and law enforcement, ODNI said.

The agency added that IntelligenceCareers.gov also contains application process, security clearances and descriptions of government service benefits on top of featured job and internship opportunities.  [Adams/ExecutiveGov/4April2016]

Hitler's Commando Lt-Col Otto Skorzeny 'Worked As an Assassin for Israeli Intelligence'.  A notorious former SS officer known as "Hitler's commando" reportedly worked as an assassin for Israeli intelligence.

Lt-Col Otto Skorzeny, once described by British and American intelligence as "the most dangerous man in Europe", was secretly recruited by Mossad after the Second World War, according to Israel's Ha'aretz newspaper.

In 1962 he assassinated a former Nazi rocket scientist, the newspaper claimed. Heinz Krug, who worked under Wernher von Braun on the programme to develop the V2 rockets that were used to devastating effect against London in the final stages of the war, disappeared without trace from Munich. He was working on a missile programme for the Egyptian government at the time.

It has long been suspected he was targeted by Israel, nervous of its then-enemy Egypt's intentions.  [Read more:  Huggler/TheTelegraph/29March2016]

Section III - COMMENTARY

Why Intelligence Is Missed.  The man captured on airport surveillance video wearing a white jacket and black hat, is unidentified and reportedly on the run. The two jihadist brothers are dead - killed in the suicide bombings. Radical Najim Laachraoui is also reportedly dead - and a second unknown who took part in the metro attack is missing. But one day before the Brussels bombings, Belgian police named Laachraoui as a major suspect in the Paris attacks back in November. On top of that, his DNA was found on the suicide vests in Paris, in a Brussels apartment and a house at Auvelais in southern Belgium, which were both used by the Paris bombers before those attacks. Until this week, he had only been known by an alias, Soufiane Kayal, and had rented the Auvelais house using the false name.

Laachraoui, age 24, was born in Morocco, holds a Belgian passport and grew up in the northern Brussels district of Schaerbeek. Records indicate that he studied electromechanical engineering at a local Catholic high school, the Institut de la Sainte-Famille d'Helmet. In February 2013 he traveled to Syria where he reportedly received training in constructing explosive devices from Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). He returned to Belgium last year and is thought to be the weapons expert for one of the ISIL cells operating in Belgium. On top of all that, he was named as an accomplice by the main suspect in the Paris attacks.

Just a few months earlier, eight people, three teams, AK-47 rifles and suicide vests resulted in the murder of 130 people and wounding of 368 more across Paris in mid-November. Three weeks later in California a husband and wife team armed with pistols, rifles, thousands of rounds of ammunition, pipe bombs and remote activated IEDs (improvised explosive devices) killed 14 and wounded 21 more.

The attacks were spread across thousands of miles, but there are common links - dots. Dot one was their radical interpretation of Islam. The second dot was ISIL being vocal about them all. Dot number three is that every shred of intelligence and evidence collected in Paris and California pointed to radical Islamist terrorism and preliminary collection in Brussels mirrors the same.

So with all these apparent dots on the map, why didn't the intelligence services connect them?  [Read more:  Smith/AmericanThinker/4April2016]

The NSA Must Adapt to Survive the Digital Age.  Every US intelligence agency must change with the times to stay relevant. Change is especially urgent as America's adversaries become more adept at using the digital tools that the global technology revolution has made available within just a few clicks.

So it's understandable - and admirable - that the Director of the National Security Agency Adm. Mike Rogers has set out to overhaul the agency and ensure it remains the world's preeminent foreign signals intelligence and information assurance organization in the next decade and beyond.

The effort - known as NSA21 - is the largest agency reorganization since 9/11 and reflects how much the world has changed over the past 15 years. The NSA must adapt and be organized to thwart international terrorism, provide enhanced cybersecurity, offer force protection to our men and women in uniform, and defend our national security communication systems, and enable our strategic weapons with highly sophisticated encoding.

As the NSA21 transformation gets underway, the three major areas of focus are clearly personnel, integration, and innovation.  [Read more:  Shedd/ChristianScienceMonitor/4April2016]

China's Intelligence Shake-Up Mirrors Its Political Tumult.  China's intelligence service, the Ministry of State Security, offers a snapshot of the political intrigue taking place within the regime of President Xi Jinping.

The MSS has replaced two vice ministers within the past four years, after reports of political infighting and scandal. The current minister is said to be a figurehead, with the real power held by a hard-line Xi loyalist who was drafted last year from the party's discipline commission.

This shake-up within the intelligence service mirrors China's broader political turmoil, stemming largely from Xi's anti-corruption campaign. This effort, which began soon after Xi became Communist Party chief in 2012, has targeted prominent military, security and political figures - and created what many China-watchers say is a backlash against Xi.

Recent newspaper headlines convey the unrest that's swirling in China: "Grumbling mounts in China, even in the party. Is President Xi losing his grip?" asked a Post news article this week. "Anonymous Call for Xi to Quit Rattles Party Leaders in China," the New York Times reported. But experts caution that despite such talk, Xi's hold on power probably remains firm.  [Read more:  Ignatius/WashingtonPost/31March2016]

Section IV - JOBS AND RESEARCH REQUESTS

Cyber Threat Intelligence Specialist:  Royal Bank of Canada. What is the opportunity?

You would provide security and technical competence in the area of Cyber Security for security services designed to provide protection for global RBC business, application and infrastructure teams across the Enterprise. You would also provide security expertise and a depth of skill in the domains of Cyber Security and Cyber Threat Intelligence.

What will you do?

- Provide subject matter expertise and depth of experience in the delivery, operationalization and optimization of Cyber Threat Intelligence capability, services and solutions.
- Analyzing and contextualizing Cyber Threat Intelligence data into actionable intelligence
- Delivering Threat Intelligence research and reporting for various audiences, including Executives and Technical Analysts.  [Read more:  RBC/4April2016]

If you have questions about this cyber threat position, contact Paul G Cavicchia II, Associate Director – Cyber Threat Intelligence, Royal Bank of Canada, 30 Hudson St 26th Fl, Jersey City, NJ 07302 - Office 212-301-1655

HELP THESE GRAD STUDENTS: Johns Hopkins School of Advanced Studies (SAIS) seeks AFIO member assistance with some student research projects.

"Intelligence, Politics and Policy in Asia" - a course at the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) Johns Hopkins University, Spring 2016, has a number of students seeking assistance from AFIO members for their projects. Four are outlined below but the fifth paragraph lists studies underway by other students who are hoping current/former officers-members will assist on a variety of these topics.

  1. Dan Young:
    I am researching the Philippines intelligence services and would like to communicate with former intelligence officers who have worked with the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) and other Philippine intelligence services.  I am primarily interested in the structure of the Philippine intelligence community, in particular, ISAFP, and how, if at all, the intelligence services are transitioning from a focus on the internal insurgency threat to the external maritime threat. REPLY TO: dyoung52@jhu.edu
  2. David Rubin:
    I am interested in speaking with former intelligence officers who served in Japan or were otherwise involved in the development of or are familiar with Japanese intelligence capabilities from 1990 to 2015.  My research is focused on the revitalization of Japan's intelligence apparatus (particularly by PM Abe, post-Koizumi), the institutional and structural reform of Japan's intelligence community (particularly CIRO, PSIA, DIH, and Japan Security Bureau/NPA), Japan's new State Secrets law, and recent developments in U.S.-Japan bilateral security cooperation and intelligence sharing. REPLY TO: drubin16@jhu.edu
  3. Mugi Bayarlkhagva:
    I am writing on Mongolia’s Intelligence Community, the recent structural reforms it has undergone, and its relation to the ongoing democratization process.  I want to speak to former military or intelligence cadre who have been stationed in Mongolia, or are familiar with Mongolia’s intelligence services, or have been exposed to Mongolian nationals through the U.S. International Military Education and Training Program (IMET). In the latter case, this could be US-funded counter-terrorism training at Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies and George Marshall Center for European Security Studies. REPLY TO: mbayarl1@jhu.edu
  4. Caitlin Coyle:
    I would like to talk to anyone familiar with Myanmar’s intelligence services, their organization, missions, and operations.  I am especially interested in their role during recent and past election cycles and the prospects for change as Myanmar transitions from authoritarian rule to democracy and from an inward-looking state to one also concerned with regional traditional and non-traditional threats. REPLY TO: ccoyle4@jhu.edu

OTHER ASSISTANCE NEEDED: Others students in the class are researching Iran’s intelligence capabilities, Indonesian intelligence services’ operations in domestic conflict areas and against ISIS in Indonesia, and North Vietnam’s counterintelligence operations against U.S.-South Vietnam agent operations in the North during the Vietnam War. AFIO members willing to discuss these research topics with SAIS students are requested to contact Professor William M. Wise, Practitioner-in-Residence and Senior Associate Director of Asian and Southeast Asia Studies, wwise2@jhu.edu, 202-587-3221.

Section V - Events

AFIO EDUCATIONAL EVENTS IN COMING TWO MONTHS....

Wednesday, 6 April 2016, 6 pm - North Las Vegas, NV - The AFIO "Roger McCarthy" Las Vegas Chapter hears from Art Lindberg, USN(Ret), on "Operation Lemonade."

Member Arthur Lindberg, Retired United States Navy, retired Executive with Jersey Central Power and Light, Las Vegas Civic Leader, will speak on " Operation Lemonade"
Lindberg was born in 1935 to Swedish immigrant parents in New Jersey. He graduated from the University of New Mexico and went on to a decorated career in the U.S. Navy. Near retirement, while serving as the Director of the Major Field Procurement Office, he was asked by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to participate in a counter-espionage operation against the Soviet intelligence officers submerged in the Soviet delegation to the United Nations. Mr. Linberg’s participation directly led to the arrest and conviction of two senior Soviet spies. The FBI billed the operation as one of the most significant of its kind, and furthered that in addition to getting two top Soviet spies off the streets, had far reaching benefits to US security. For his leading role in the operation, Mr. Lindberg received the Legion of Merit award from President Jimmy Carter.

Event will be held in the Conference Center at Texas Station Gambling Hall and Casino; 2101 Texas Star Ln, North Las Vegas, NV (corner of Rancho Blvd. and West Lake Mead Blvd.) North Las Vegas, NV 89032.

RSVP to Christy Zalesny, at christyzalesny@yahoo.com or call her at 702-271-5667.

Tuesday, 12 April 2016, 11:30 a.m. - MacDill AFB, FL - The Florida Suncoast Chapter hosts Col Derek Harvey, USA(R) on "The Middle East, the Battle Within Islam and US Policy" - and chapter holds elections.

The Florida Suncoast Chapter's luncheon meeting features Col Derek Harvey (USA, ret), Co-Director of the Global Initiative at the University of South Florida, speaking on 'The Middle East, the Battle Within Islam and US policy'.
The Chapter is also holding its elections.
Check-in starting at 1130 hours
Cash wine and soda bar open at 1130 hours for those who wish to come early to socialize
Opening ceremonies, lunch and business meeting at noon, followed by our speaker

Please RSVP to the Chapter Secretary at michaels@suncoastafio.org no later than noon on Tuesday, April 5, for yourself and any guests. You will receive a confirmation via email. If you do not get a confirmation, please contact the Chapter Secretary.
You must present your $20 check payable to 'Suncoast Chapter, AFIO' (or cash) at check-in to cover the luncheon. If you make a reservation, and fail to cancel and get a cancellation confirmation by the response deadline and then don't show up, you will be responsible for the cost of the luncheon.
Anyone with special AFIO Base Access should proceed to the Bayshore Gate. If you need directions, let us know.
Location: the Surf's Edge Club, MacDill AFB, 7315 Bayshore Boulevard, MacDill AFB, FL 33621. Badge pick-up at 11:30 a.m.; program starts at noon.

Saturday, 14 May 2016, 11:30 am - 2:30 pm - Melbourne, FL - Dr. Joseph Finley, Jr. on "Technical Surveillance and Countermeasures" is theme at this Florida Satellite Chapter Meeting.

Dr. Joseph Finley, Jr., a member of the Florida Satellite Chapter, will speak on Technical Surveillance and Countermeasures. Dr. Finley spent 28 years as a Special Agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and in 1987, was assigned to the Special Operations Group of the FBI (17 years) and while assigned to the New York Division, actively conducted Technical Surveillance Countermeasure Sweeps (TSCM) and surreptitious entries. His talk presents an opportunity for all of us and our guests to meet and hear an expert in this esoteric field.
Location: At East Club, Indian River Colony Club, 1936 Freedom Dr, Melbourne, FL 32940.
Timing: 11:30 AM - 12:15 PM: Social Hour, greet old, new members and guests (cash bar); 12:15 PM: Sit-Down lunch
Menu Choices are: Chef Salad (mixed greens, tomato, cucumber, egg, ham, turkey, American and Swiss cheeses with Ranch and Italian dressings on table (S), or Sliced Pork loin with roasted potatoes and vegetable (P)
Above come with coffee, tea, rolls and butter and Chef’s choice of dessert
Cost: $25.00; Student and active duty military: $18.00
TO ATTEND: Prepaid reservations are required and must be received by Thursday, 28 April 2016. To reserve, send check and meal choice to contact FSC Chapter President at afiofsc@afio.com.

Friday, 20 May 2016 - Tysons, VA - Ambassador Chas W. Freeman, Jr., (USFS, Ret) discusses "America's Continuing Misadventures in the Middle East" - AFIO National Luncheon

Freeman Chas America's Continuing MisadventuresUnraveling the tangle of wars in which the US is now engaged with or against Arabs, Berbers, Hazaras, Israelis, Kanuris, Kurds, Palestinians, Persians, Pashtuns, Somalis, Syrians, Tajiks, Tuaregs, Turkmen, Turks, and Uzbeks – as well as Alawites, Christians, Druze, secular Muslims, Salafis, Shiites, Sunnis, and Yazidis – will not be easy. In large measure through our involvement, their conflicts have become interwoven. Ending one or another of them might alter the dynamics of the region but would not by itself produce peace. [...]
Ambassador Freeman looks at the skein of bluffs, rivalries, competing interests, promises and betrayals in the Middle East, and the diplomatic cards remaining for the U.S. to play. His presentation begins at 1 p.m.
Morning speaker - 11 a.m. - TBD.
His new book by the same title of his talk will be released for the first time at this event.
Location: Crowne Plaza Hotel Mezzanine, 1960 Chain Bridge Rd, Tysons Corner, VA 22102. Hotel: 703 893-2100. Driving directions here or use this link: http://tinyurl.com/boey9vf No reservations at the hotel.
REGISTER: Early online Registration is here.

Thursday, 2 June 2016 - San Francisco, CA - The AFIO Andre LeGallo Chapter hosts Dr. Matthew Brazil, Research Fellow, Jamestown Foundation

Mr. Matt Brazil will discuss China's Harder Line Against Foreign Influence - Implications for US Business.
Venue: United Irish Cultural Center, 2700 45th Avenue, San Francisco. 11:30am no host cocktail; meeting and luncheon at noon.
Register here.

Reservation and pre-payment is required before May 26, 2016. The venue cannot accommodate walk-ins.
Please contact Mariko Kawaguchi, Board Secretary at afiosf@aol.com or Mariko Kawaguchi, c/o AFIO, P.O. Box 117578, Burlingame, CA 94011 for questions.

Wednesday, 22 June 2016, 6 pm - New York, NY - Len Predtechenskis, former FBI, discusses "Operating Techniques for Recruiting Foreign Nationals" - at this Metro NY Chapter Meeting.

The next AFIO NY meeting will feature Len Predtechenskis, retired FBI Special Agent after 27 years of distinguished service.
He recruited and directed many Soviet/Russian agents, debriefed and resettled dozens of Russian defectors, operated undercover and has been an instructor at the FBI Academy.

Location: The Society of Illustrators building, 128 East 63rd St, NYC.

To attend or for more information contact chapter president Jerry Goodwin or call 646-717-3776.

Other Upcoming Events

Wednesday, 6 April 2016, noon - Washington, DC - The Untold Story of Intelligence Briefings to America's Presidents from Kennedy to Obama - The President's Book of Secrets - presentation by David Priess at the International Spy Museum

Every day, the President receives a report revealing the most sensitive intelligence reporting and analysis of world events: the President’s Daily Brief (PDB). The CIA’s spies, the NSA’s listening posts, and the nation’s reconnaissance satellites steal secrets for it, while America’s enemies send undercover agents to try to unearth its classified content. No major foreign policy decisions are made without it. Join Dr. David Priess, who served during the Clinton and George W. Bush administrations as an award-winning intelligence officer and daily intelligence briefer at the CIA, as he shares the untold stories of the PDB. Every living former President and Vice President, along with most former CIA Directors, and other senior intelligence leaders, shared with Priess their personal PDB stories. Priess also dug through millions of pages of declassified CIA raw intelligence reports to write The President’s Book of Secrets his fascinating look into the most tightly controlled document in the modern world.

No charge. The International Spy Museum, 800 F St NW, Washington, DC 20004. For more info.

Friday, 8 April 2016, 11:30 am - Washington, DC - WTOP Radio's JJ Green discusses "National Security and the Media" at the Daniel Morgan Academy.

AFIO members and guests are invited to hear a presentation by JJ Green, WTOP Radio National Security Correspondent, discuss "National Security and the Media."
Green will discuss the relationship between the media and the intelligence/national security communities, the important role journalists play in informing the public about their activities, and the challenges of developing relationships with these communities.
JJ Green reports daily on international security, intelligence, foreign policy, terrorism and cyber developments. He also provides regular on-air analysis and guidance on global security matters. He hosts the weekly program "The Hunt," which goes in-depth with experts on al-Qaida, the Taliban and emerging terror threats. He has traveled extensively throughout the Middle East, Central Asia, Europe and Africa covering national security matters.

While embedded with the U.S. Air Force in 2006, during the height of the Iraq War, he traveled with the military 18,000 miles, to 10 countries in 31 days, covering the wars in Iraq, Africa and Afghanistan.

Event location: Daniel Morgan Academy, 1620 L St NW, 7th Flr, Washington, DC 20036. Near Farragut North and West Metro Stations
RSVP here. Or contact Frank Fletcher, Director of Lectures and Seminars, at events@DanielMorgan.academy or call 202-759-4988

If you are not able to attend, you can watch the live stream of this event at the following link:  danielmorgan.adobeconnect.com/liveevent.

Monday, 11 April 2016, 11 - noon - Ft. Meade, MD - 75th Anniversary of the UK-US COMINT Agreement - The British Perspective by GCHQ Historian Tony Comer.

GCHQ Historian Tony Comer will provide the British Perspective on the UK-US COMINT Agreement which celebrates its 75th anniversary.

Event location: National Cryptologic Museum's Magic Room- Ft. Meade, MD
To register, send an email to one of the following: History@nsa.gov OR gjnedve@nsa.gov, state your desire to attend, and include the number of attendees in your party. You will then receive an acknowledgement.
For further questions, please contact Greg Nedved, event POC at gjnedve@nsa.gov; 301-688-2336.

Tuesday, 12 April 2016, 11:30 am to 1 pm - Washington, DC - Brig Gen Jaroslaw Strozyk discusses "Polish Perspectives on Russia, Ukraine, NATO and European Security" at the Daniel Morgan Academy

"Polish Perspectives on Russia, Ukraine, NATO and European Security" will be the theme of the presentation by Brigadier General (retired) Jaroslaw Strozyk, Former Polish Defense Attache in Washington, DC, when he addresses the Daniel Morgan Academy.
General Strozyk will discuss the strategic situation that Poland and NATO are in relative to the security challenges that confront them. He will offer his thoughts on how these challenges might be met.
His biography and registration information can be found at this link for the invitation-only event.

Event location: Daniel Morgan Academy, 1620 L St NW, 7th Flr, Washington, DC 20036. Near Farragut North and West Metro Stations
RSVP here. Or contact Frank Fletcher, Director of Lectures and Seminars, at Events@DanielMorgan.academy or call 202-759-4988

If you are not able to attend, you can watch the live stream of this event at the following link:  danielmorgan.adobeconnect.com/liveevent.

Friday, 15 April 2016, 11:30 am - Washington, DC - Dr. Vaidotas Urbelis, Defence Policy Director, Ministry of National Defence Republic of Lithuania, discusses Baltic Regional Security Issues, at the Daniel Morgan Academy.

AFIO members are invited to the invitation-only Daniel Morgan Academy national security lecture: "Baltic Regional Security Issues" by Dr. Vaidotas Urbelis, Defence Policy Director, Ministry of National Defence Republic of Lithuania. Dr. Urbelis will discuss the security issues confronting the Baltic region of Europe. His biography appears here.
Reception at 11:30 am, address by Dr. Urbelis at Noon.

Event location: Daniel Morgan Academy, 1620 L St NW, 7th Flr, Washington, DC 20036. Near Farragut North and West Metro Stations
RSVP here. Or contact Frank Fletcher, Director of Lectures and Seminars, at events@DanielMorgan.academy or call 202-759-4988
If you are not able to attend, you can watch the live stream of this event at the following link:  danielmorgan.adobeconnect.com/liveevent.

19 April 2016 , noon - 2 pm - McLean, VA - The Defense Intelligence Forum hosts David Shedd on "Intelligence and Maintaining Relevancy-Adjusting to an Ever-Changing World in the 21st Century."

Mr. David R. Shedd will speak on 'Intelligence and Maintaining Relevancy-Adjusting to an Ever-Changing World in the 21st Century.' Mr. Shedd served in the US government for nearly 33 years. Since leaving government in February 2015, he has been serving as a Heritage Foundation Distinguished Fellow, an Adjunct Professor at Patrick Henry College on intelligence and national security, an independent consultant, on several Corporate Boards, and supporter of several NGO initiatives.
In August 2014, he was named Acting Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency following four years' service as its Deputy Director. From May 2007 to August 2010, he served as the Deputy Director for Policy, Plans, and Requirements for the Director of National Intelligence (DNI). From May 2005 to April 2007, Mr. Shedd served as Chief of Staff and later as Acting Director of the Intelligence Staff to the Director of National Intelligence. He held intelligence policy positions at the National Security Council (NSC) from February 2001 to May 2005. These positions involved serving as the NSC's Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Intelligence Program and Reform and implementing intelligence reforms based on 9/11 Commission findings, the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, and the weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Commission's report to the President in March 2005. Earlier, he served in US Embassies in Costa Rica and Mexico and a variety of senior management assignments at the Central Intelligence Agency.
Mr. Shedd holds a B.A. degree from Geneva College in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania and a M.A. degree from Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service in Latin American Studies. He was born in Bolivia and grew up in Latin America.

This forum will follow a modified Chatham House rule. You may use the information, but with the exception of speaker's name and subject, you may make no attribution. Everything will be off the record.
Location: Pulcinella Restaurant, 6852 Old Dominion Drive, McLean, VA. Registration starts at 11:30 AM, lunch at 12:00 PM.
Fees: Make reservations by April 19, 2016 by email to diforum@diaalumni.org. Include names, telephone numbers, and email addresses. For each attendee, choose among chicken cacciatore, tilapia puttanesca, lasagna, sausage with peppers, or fettuccini with portabella for your luncheon selection. Please send your luncheon selection with your reservation to reduce the wait time for your food.
Pay at the door with a check for $ 29.00 per person, payable to DIAA, Inc. Checks are preferred, but will accept cash; however, credit card payments are discouraged.

Thursday, 21 April 2016, 5-6 PM - Washington, DC - "The Law and Active Cyber Defense" Conference by the Daniel Morgan Academy and the Office of Senator Mark Kirk

AFIO members are invited to attend a special, invitation-only Capitol Hill event on: The Law and Active Cyber Defense. The event is co-sponsored by the Daniel Morgan Academy and the Office of Senator Mark Kirk.

This event advances thinking on active cyber defense (aka cyber offense). Does U.S. law allow a private sector actor to retaliate for an intrusion by hacking back -- committing the same offense? It has long been accepted that the U.S. Government can engage in a robust, active cyber defense, yet the private sector cannot. Accordingly, the question is whether U.S. law can be interpreted to permit retaliation or is a new law needed?

Presenters: Anthony Glosson, Associate, Government & Regulatory Affairs, Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP; Jeremy Rabkin, Professor of Law, George Mason University.
Commentators: Michael Mukasey, Partner, Debevoise & Plimpton, Former Attorney General of the United States; Paul Rosenzweig, Founder of Red Branch Consulting PLLC, and a Senior Advisor to The Chertoff Group, Former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, Department of Homeland Security; Abram Shulsky, Senior Fellow, Hudson Institute, former adviser to the undersecretary of Defense for Policy.
Moderator: Kenneth D.M. Jensen, Senior Research Fellow, Daniel Morgan Academy

More information or to RSVP, do so here
or contact Wilson@DanielMorgan.academy or events@DanielMorgan.academy or call 202-759-4988.

NOTE: This conference is at being held at Capitol Hill, 2 Constitution Ave NE, Russell Senate Office Building Room 188, Washington, DC 20002.

Friday, 29 April 2016 - Austin, TX - Gala Dinner Honoring Admiral Bobby R. Inman

A Gala Dinner Honoring Admiral Bobby R. Inman has been announced by University of Texas/Austin President Gregory L. Fenves to take place at the Four Seasons Hotel in Austin, Texas.
Presented by the Clements Center for National Security and the Strauss Center for International Security and Law, a gala dinner for Admiral Bobby R. Inman will feature former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates as the keynote speaker. Mr. Red McCombs will serve as the Honorary Gala Chair. Admiral Inman is on AFIO's Honorary Board.

To attend or for more information, contact the Clements Center at 512-471-2601 or explore this link.

Wednesday, 11 May 2016 - Washington, DC - Night of Heroes Gala - The PenFed Foundation 2016 Gala

PUT THIS DATE ON YOUR CALENDAR and then Join the PenFed Foundation, our partners and friends, Wednesday, 11 May 2016, as we honor those who lead the way in supporting our military and veterans. All proceeds benefit the PenFed Foundation, helping members of the military secure the financial future they deserve.
DINNER ★ HERO AWARDS PRESENTATION ★ LIVE AUCTION
Consider having your corporation or foundation be a sponsor for this worthwhile event. SPONSORSHIP LEVELS are as follows:
$100,000 Circle of Honor; $50,000 Legendary Hero; $25,000 Distinguished Hero; $10,000 Inspirational Hero; $5,000 Patriotic Hero; $1,000 Individual Sponsor
More details coming soon. More info here.
Location: Ronald Reagan Building & International Trade Center, Washington, DC.

15 - 18 May 2016 - Orlando, FL - 2016 USGIF GEOINT Symposium - "The GEOINT Revolution"

The United States Geospatial Intelligence Foundation's (USGIF) GEOINT 2016 Symposium takes place May 15-18 at the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center in Orlando, FL. The GEOINT 2016 theme is "The GEOINT Revolution" ― in recognition of the advent and confluence of multiple technologies advancing geospatial intelligence and promoting its ubiquity.

Options include GEOINT Foreword, the pre-symposium science and technology-focused day, and some 60 hours of training and education sessions! To explore the main program and the options, visit here.

Monday, 27 June 2016, 6:30-9 pm - Washington, DC - Lockpicking 101 - International Spy Museum Spy School Workshop

Spying today may seem dominated by the digital realm of hackers, cryptography, and eavesdropping, but the field operative will never go away. In the physical world, where secrets are under lock and key, sometimes the only way in is to pick the lock.
In this workshop, led by Preston Thomas, president of the DC Chapter of The Open Organization Of Lockpickers, you'll learn the art and science of how locks work-and how to open them. From classical picking to field expedient methods, we will survey the tools and techniques necessary to attack many common locks. Try your hand at getting out of handcuffs and zip ties. Discover if you really can escape with just your wits and a bobby pin. Participants will work in small groups getting hands-on practice with lockpicking experts, and once you've got "the touch," you can put your skills to the test against other students.
Location: City Tap House, 901 9th St NW, Washington, DC - Gallery Place/Chinatown Metrorail Station
High-quality lock picking kits will be available to take home after the class for $25 (cash or check). Please email soltmans@spymusem.org if you would like one.
Food and drink will be available for purchase throughout the event.
TICKETS: $35. Space limited to 30 - advance registration required. No tickets available at event. To register contact aabrell@spymuseum.org

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