President Barack Obama on January 17, 2014 unveiled a not-so-drastic revamp plan for the National Security Agency rocked by the recent leaks by contractor Edward Snowden. Standing in the cavernous room of the Justice Department, Obama tossed out the recommendations of his own review commission such as
* Court approval of National Security Letters. These letters can be delivered to telecom companies to seek information from them. However, under Obama's reform plan, the companies can now make it public that they have received NSL. NSA doesn't need court approval for NSL.
* Taking away unilateral powers from Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts to appoint judges to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court.
* Shifting the authority of storing the data from NSA to telephone companies themselves or any other independent agency. Instead, Obama asked the Attorney General Eric Holder and Director of National Intelligence James Clapper to develop a plan and asked Congress to help.
* Replacing the current norm of appointing a military personnel to head the NSA by a civilian and subject the appointee to Senate confirmation.
However, in concessions to civil liberties groups, Obama also proposed a privacy advocate to represent public at large before the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. (Source: The Dallas Morning News)
Apparently, president's January 17, 2014, unveiling of surveillance reforms didn't close the chapters of national debate related to NSA's bulk data collection as a 238-page report by an independent federal privacy agency, Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, was obtained by The New York Times and published on January 22, 2014. According to the report, the bulk data collection offered minimal benefit, was illegal and should be shut down. The Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, made an independent agency by Congress in 2007 and became fully operational only recently, took issue with NSA's interpretation of Section 215 of the Patriot Act, which allows FBI to obtain business records deemed relevant to any investigation, as empowering the agency to obtain bulk data from telephone companies. (Source: The Dallas Morning News)
On January 23, 2014, Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board issued its 234-page report that criticized NSA's surveillance program and went further than Obama was willing to embrace. The report was obtained by The New York Times and published a day earlier.
The Dallas Morning News reported in its January 26, 2014, edition that President Barack Obama had signed off on the nomination of Vice Admiral Michael Rogers as the next head of National Security Agency to succeed General Keith Alexander, who will retire on March 14, 2014 after serving the 62-year old agency since 2005. Vice Admiral Michael Rogers will also assume the responsibility for leading U.S. Cyber Command that was launched in 2009. Last month, Obama had decided not to split the leadership of the NSA and U.S. Cyber Command. Also, Obama continued with the tradition of naming a military leader to lead the 62-year-old NSA.
On January 27, 2014, the US Justice Department agreed with Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, Facebook and LinkedIn that would allow the internet companies to share with public in a limited way on the frequency of customer information turned over to the government as part of national security investigations under the program known as Prism. Under the deal reached on January 27, 2014, the companies are allowed to reveal:
* Number of criminal-related orders from the government
* Numbers of national security-related orders (rounded to nearest thousands) from the government investigators
* Numbers of national security-related orders (rounded to nearest thousands) from the FISA (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act) court. (Source: The Dallas Morning News)
A Navy Admiral chosen to head NSA
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel on January 30, 2014 formally announced that President Obama chose Vice Admiral Michael Rogers, head of Navy's Cyber Command, to head National Security Agency.
Canadian Surveillance Agency Named as Tracking Airport Call
In what seems to be a trial run of a tracking software the Canadian counterpart of NSA, Communications Security Establishment Canada, was developing in close cooperation with US surveillance agency, a document leaked by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden indicated that the Canadian spy agency was collecting callers' metadata obtained from an unknown Canadian airport's Wi-Fi network for a period of two weeks. (Source: The Dallas Morning News February 1, 2014)
Paul sues Obama over Collection of Bulk Data
Senator Rand Paul on February 12, 2014 filed a lawsuit against President Barack Obama and the leaders of several intelligence agencies over collection of bulk calls data by the National Security Agency. FreedomWorks, a conservative group, also joined the lawsuit. However, the Obama administration is confident that NSA's program is legal as 15 judges from the FISA court approved the program for 90-day interval dating back to 2006.
No Proof of Tapping Merkel's Cell Phone Found
Chief Federal Prosecutor Harald Range on December 11, 2014 issued a report stemming from a six-month inquiry launched in June 2014 in response to last year's revelation by German magazine Der Spiegel, based on the purported leak by the NSA contractor Edward Snowden, that USA's National Security Agency had tapped and monitored German Chancellor Angela Merkel's cell phone calls, an allegation that overshadowed German-US relations since its disclosure, at Berlin. The report turned out to be lackluster as the investigation didn't find any proof of Merkel's cell phone tapping.
********************************** SURVEILLANCE REFORM ********************
Court Finds NSA's Bulk Phone Records Collection Illegal
As the USA Patriot Act was set to expire by June 1, 2015 and the Congressional lawmakers were deliberating on options on whether to extend the act or replace it by the USA Freedom Act now being considered by the House, a three-judge appellate panel of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on May 7, 2015 that the National Security Agency had misinterpreted the Section 215 of the Patriot Act to sweep the unprecedented volume of Americans' phone records. The Section 215 of the USA Patriot Act stipulates that government could collect "relevant" information for anti-terrorism investigation. However, NSA had swept Americans' phone records, which under the USA Patriot Act government could retain for five years, with assumption that its analysts could scrutinize the records of those who would be linked to terrorism. NSA got a secret FISA court approval before launching the program. The program was kept under secret until July 2013 when former NSA analyst Edward Snowden had spilled the beans. Under the newly introduced USA Freedom Act, the phone companies will collect the phone records, and the government will analyze these records to investigate into any potential links with terrorists. The phone companies can retain records for 18 months under the USA Freedom Act.
House Outlaws Bulk Collection of Phone Records
Responding to the popular howl over National Security Agency's bulk collection of Americans' phone records that came to light due to leaks by Edward Snowden, the House of Representatives on May 13, 2015 voted 338-88 to pass the USA Freedom Act that unlike its predecessor USA Patriot Act would bar mass collection of phone records.
Surveillance Authority Expires, Senate Curbs the Power and Passes the Freedom Act
After the NSA's surveillance authority expired on May 31, 2015, Senate led by Rand Paul, R-Kentucky, overwhelmingly voted to curb the bulk-data collection authority of NSA on June 2, 2015 over the objection of Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell, who made an impassioned plea to restore the authority. Hours after the US Senate passed the USA Freedom Act by 67-32 vote, President Barack Obama signed the legislation on June 2, 2015.
NSA's Authority for Bulk Collection of Phone Data to Last Until November
The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court on June 29, 2015 ruled that NSA might start collecting phone call data for 180 days after the lapse of the agency's surveillance authority on May 31, 2015. NSA began to collect the bulk phone data in earnest from the following day (June 30, 2015). On November 29, 2015, NSA has to comply with the USA Freedom Act signed by President Obama on June 2, 2015. After November 29, 2015, only phone companies will store the data.
NSA to Destroy Call Data
Director of National Intelligence James Clapper issued a statement on July 27, 2015, saying that NSA would stop using the phone records after November 29, 2015 and destroy them as soon as possible.
Appeals Court Allows NSA to Collect Data
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. ruled on August 28, 2015 against a lower court ruling that had put a stop to the practice of NSA's collection of phone records. Now, NSA can collect those records until November 29, 2015. Although the appeals court ruled against the blanket ban of data collection, it also said that, most likely, government's data collection program violated the constitution's prohibition against unreasonable searches.
Senate Approves Surveillance Reform Measure; Measure Now Goes to House
As the USA Freedom Act expired in mid-March 2020, lawmakers, although pre-occupied with coronavirus response, inched forward with pushing reforms as part of extension to the surveillance act. There was conservative anger after a December 2019 report by the DOJ I-G found error and mistakes in seeking FISA application to surveil against former Trump aide Carter Page. House lawmakers passed the renewal measure in March 2020, and Senate started deliberation only this week and on Thursday, May 14, 2020, passed the renewal of USA Freedom Act by 80-16 votes. However, the version passed by Senate is different from the House-passed bill as an amendment sponsored by Senators Mike Lee of Utah and Patrick Leahy of Vermont has been added to strengthen the third-party oversight. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, under the Lee-Leahy Amendment, is required to appoint an amicus, or a third-party, to oversee the surveillance in a "sensitive investigative matter". The bill also imposes a permanent ban on a controversial phone records collection program in terrorism investigation. The program has been suspended in early 2019. The Senate bill now goes to House for reconciliation.
********************************** SURVEILLANCE REFORM ********************
Snowden Accepts Norwegian Award via Video
Audience stood up on their feet and gave a boisterous ovation as a prestigious award by Norway's Academy of Literature and Freedom of Expression was placed on an empty chair on September 5, 2015. Former NSA contractor Edward Snowden couldn't attend the award giving ceremony in person at the western Norwegian town of Molde, but accepted the award via video from Russia, where he was given asylum.
NSA Contactor Arrested
The U.S. Justice Department issued a 5-page complaint on October 5, 2016 against a National Security Agency contractor, Harold Thomas Martin III, 51, of Glen Burnie, Maryland, who had been arrested in August 2016. The complaint said that Harold Thomas Martin III, 51, whose arrest had not been announced earlier, had illegally removed a huge volume of classified information from work, and stored in his car and home.
WikiLeaks Makes Public of CIA Hacking Tools
Anti-secrecy organization WikiLeaks on March 7, 2017 released the largest trove of CIA documents that described in details how CIA used sophisticated tools and software to spy on people using common devices such as smartphones, internet-connected TV and computers. WikiLeaks said that it had received the document, including 7,818 web pages with 943 attachments, from a former CIA contractor.
Foreign Surveillance Collection Program Extended
The U.S. Senate on January 18, 2018 voted 65-34 to extend a controversial foreign surveillance law that might even sweep Americans' communications for an additional six years. The House already approved the bill that would surveil the foreign targets, but might even drag any American who might be remotely connected to the foreign target into the radar of Intel community.
Intel Heads Contradict President Trump
U.S' intelligence agencies' heads collectively disputed some of President Donald trump's public assertions in a testimony on January 29, 2019 at a hearing in Senate Intelligence Committee. Presenting their annual assessment of global threat, dubbed the Worldwide Threat Assessment, FBI Director Christopher Wray, CIA Director Gina Haspel, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and Defense Intelligence Agency Director Lt. Gen. Robert Ashley touched upon various global hotspots, but U.S.-Mexico borders were not one of them. Instead, they countered almost all of President Donald Trump's public assertions, contending that North Korea was not de-nuclearizing, ISIL remained a worldwide threat and Iran Nuclear deal was working.
Trump Blasts Intel Community
A day after country's top intelligence officials--FBI Director Christopher Wray, CIA Director Gina Haspel, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and Defense Intelligence Agency Director Lt. Gen. Robert Ashley--issued their Worldwide Threat Assessment, an annual assessment on the global threat posed to U.S. and allies, and testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee to dispute President Donald Trump's world view, President Trump on January 30, 2019 took to tweeter to berate what he called the intel officials' naivete when "it comes to the dangers of Iran".
************************************* JULIAN ASSANGE **************************
Julian Assange Evicted, Arrested
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was evicted from Ecuadorian Embassy in London on April 11, 2019. Assange was subsequently arrested by London Police, and presented at the court of Judge Michael Snow, who rebuked Assange for demonstrating the "behavior of a narcissist". Assange was found guilty of violating his bail conditions, facing up to 12 years in prison. Julian Assange pleaded not guilty to the charges of bail bond violation. Julian Assange took refuge at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London in 2012 to avoid deportation to Sweden where he, at that time, faced rape charges related two women. Sweden later dropped those charges. However, Ecuador's present government was irritated by his non-adherence with embassy rules and constant threat of blackmailing, leading to his expulsion at last on April 11, 2019. Hours later, a U.S. indictment was unsealed that alleged Julian Assange to conspire with Chelsea Manning, then Bradley Manning, in 2010 to leak classified information with the potential to harm the U.S.
Assange Locked up at a Southeast London Jail
The new place for Julian Assange for staying in London is Belmarsh Prison in the southeast London.
Assange Sentenced to 50 Weeks of Imprisonment for Jumping Bail
A British judge, Deborah Taylor, on May 1, 2019 sentenced Julian Assange to 50 weeks of jail time for violating bail conditions when he took refuge in Ecuador Embassy in London.
Assange Remains Defiant in Extradition Hearing
A day after receiving a 50-week jail term, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange appeared in a video link on May 2, 2019 from his Belmarsh Prison cell during a pre-trial hearing over the U.S. extradition request. In a defiant attitude, Assange gave no hint that he would easily give in to U.S. demand for extradition. There were many Assange backers present at London's Westminster Magistrates' Court, and they raised chant in favor of Assange. Judge Michael Snow said that a procedural hearing would be held on May 30, 2019 and a follow-up hearing on June 12, 2019. Julian Assange's extradition case may get complicated as Sweden is likely to revive now-dismissed extradition case for rape charges filed by two women as one of them had requested to revive the case.
Sweden Reopens the Rape Case against Assange
Muddying the extradition process that now involves both the U.S. and Sweden, Swedish Deputy Director of public prosecution unit Eva-Marie Persson on May 13, 2019 re-opened the rape case against Julian Assange.
Swedish Court Rules against Extradition
Sweden's Uppsala District Court on June 3, 2019 ruled that Julian Assange didn't need to be extradited to Sweden, but leaving the possibility of continuing the preliminary investigation into rape charges.
Sweden Drops Rape Case
Swedish prosecutor Eve-Marie Persson on November 19, 2019 dropped the rape case against Julian Assange as "nine years have gone" and the "oral evidence has weakened as time has passed".
Trump Offered Amnesty to Assange, WikiLeaks Founder's Lawyer Says
A lawyer of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, Edwards Fitzgerald, told a judge at Westminster Magistrates' court on February 19, 2020 that former U.S. House Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, a fierce Trump ally, had met with Assange in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London on August 16, 2017. Rohrabacher offered Assange, fighting against extradition to the U.S., on behalf of Trump that president would grant him amnesty if Assange could publicly tell that Russia had not worked to get Trump elected in 2016 U.S. Presidential Election. A conservative political activist, Charles Johnson, was also present in the August 16, 2017, meeting.
* Court approval of National Security Letters. These letters can be delivered to telecom companies to seek information from them. However, under Obama's reform plan, the companies can now make it public that they have received NSL. NSA doesn't need court approval for NSL.
* Taking away unilateral powers from Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts to appoint judges to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court.
* Shifting the authority of storing the data from NSA to telephone companies themselves or any other independent agency. Instead, Obama asked the Attorney General Eric Holder and Director of National Intelligence James Clapper to develop a plan and asked Congress to help.
* Replacing the current norm of appointing a military personnel to head the NSA by a civilian and subject the appointee to Senate confirmation.
However, in concessions to civil liberties groups, Obama also proposed a privacy advocate to represent public at large before the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. (Source: The Dallas Morning News)
Apparently, president's January 17, 2014, unveiling of surveillance reforms didn't close the chapters of national debate related to NSA's bulk data collection as a 238-page report by an independent federal privacy agency, Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, was obtained by The New York Times and published on January 22, 2014. According to the report, the bulk data collection offered minimal benefit, was illegal and should be shut down. The Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, made an independent agency by Congress in 2007 and became fully operational only recently, took issue with NSA's interpretation of Section 215 of the Patriot Act, which allows FBI to obtain business records deemed relevant to any investigation, as empowering the agency to obtain bulk data from telephone companies. (Source: The Dallas Morning News)
On January 23, 2014, Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board issued its 234-page report that criticized NSA's surveillance program and went further than Obama was willing to embrace. The report was obtained by The New York Times and published a day earlier.
The Dallas Morning News reported in its January 26, 2014, edition that President Barack Obama had signed off on the nomination of Vice Admiral Michael Rogers as the next head of National Security Agency to succeed General Keith Alexander, who will retire on March 14, 2014 after serving the 62-year old agency since 2005. Vice Admiral Michael Rogers will also assume the responsibility for leading U.S. Cyber Command that was launched in 2009. Last month, Obama had decided not to split the leadership of the NSA and U.S. Cyber Command. Also, Obama continued with the tradition of naming a military leader to lead the 62-year-old NSA.
On January 27, 2014, the US Justice Department agreed with Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, Facebook and LinkedIn that would allow the internet companies to share with public in a limited way on the frequency of customer information turned over to the government as part of national security investigations under the program known as Prism. Under the deal reached on January 27, 2014, the companies are allowed to reveal:
* Number of criminal-related orders from the government
* Numbers of national security-related orders (rounded to nearest thousands) from the government investigators
* Numbers of national security-related orders (rounded to nearest thousands) from the FISA (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act) court. (Source: The Dallas Morning News)
A Navy Admiral chosen to head NSA
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel on January 30, 2014 formally announced that President Obama chose Vice Admiral Michael Rogers, head of Navy's Cyber Command, to head National Security Agency.
Canadian Surveillance Agency Named as Tracking Airport Call
In what seems to be a trial run of a tracking software the Canadian counterpart of NSA, Communications Security Establishment Canada, was developing in close cooperation with US surveillance agency, a document leaked by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden indicated that the Canadian spy agency was collecting callers' metadata obtained from an unknown Canadian airport's Wi-Fi network for a period of two weeks. (Source: The Dallas Morning News February 1, 2014)
Paul sues Obama over Collection of Bulk Data
Senator Rand Paul on February 12, 2014 filed a lawsuit against President Barack Obama and the leaders of several intelligence agencies over collection of bulk calls data by the National Security Agency. FreedomWorks, a conservative group, also joined the lawsuit. However, the Obama administration is confident that NSA's program is legal as 15 judges from the FISA court approved the program for 90-day interval dating back to 2006.
No Proof of Tapping Merkel's Cell Phone Found
Chief Federal Prosecutor Harald Range on December 11, 2014 issued a report stemming from a six-month inquiry launched in June 2014 in response to last year's revelation by German magazine Der Spiegel, based on the purported leak by the NSA contractor Edward Snowden, that USA's National Security Agency had tapped and monitored German Chancellor Angela Merkel's cell phone calls, an allegation that overshadowed German-US relations since its disclosure, at Berlin. The report turned out to be lackluster as the investigation didn't find any proof of Merkel's cell phone tapping.
********************************** SURVEILLANCE REFORM ********************
Court Finds NSA's Bulk Phone Records Collection Illegal
As the USA Patriot Act was set to expire by June 1, 2015 and the Congressional lawmakers were deliberating on options on whether to extend the act or replace it by the USA Freedom Act now being considered by the House, a three-judge appellate panel of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on May 7, 2015 that the National Security Agency had misinterpreted the Section 215 of the Patriot Act to sweep the unprecedented volume of Americans' phone records. The Section 215 of the USA Patriot Act stipulates that government could collect "relevant" information for anti-terrorism investigation. However, NSA had swept Americans' phone records, which under the USA Patriot Act government could retain for five years, with assumption that its analysts could scrutinize the records of those who would be linked to terrorism. NSA got a secret FISA court approval before launching the program. The program was kept under secret until July 2013 when former NSA analyst Edward Snowden had spilled the beans. Under the newly introduced USA Freedom Act, the phone companies will collect the phone records, and the government will analyze these records to investigate into any potential links with terrorists. The phone companies can retain records for 18 months under the USA Freedom Act.
House Outlaws Bulk Collection of Phone Records
Responding to the popular howl over National Security Agency's bulk collection of Americans' phone records that came to light due to leaks by Edward Snowden, the House of Representatives on May 13, 2015 voted 338-88 to pass the USA Freedom Act that unlike its predecessor USA Patriot Act would bar mass collection of phone records.
Surveillance Authority Expires, Senate Curbs the Power and Passes the Freedom Act
After the NSA's surveillance authority expired on May 31, 2015, Senate led by Rand Paul, R-Kentucky, overwhelmingly voted to curb the bulk-data collection authority of NSA on June 2, 2015 over the objection of Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell, who made an impassioned plea to restore the authority. Hours after the US Senate passed the USA Freedom Act by 67-32 vote, President Barack Obama signed the legislation on June 2, 2015.
NSA's Authority for Bulk Collection of Phone Data to Last Until November
The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court on June 29, 2015 ruled that NSA might start collecting phone call data for 180 days after the lapse of the agency's surveillance authority on May 31, 2015. NSA began to collect the bulk phone data in earnest from the following day (June 30, 2015). On November 29, 2015, NSA has to comply with the USA Freedom Act signed by President Obama on June 2, 2015. After November 29, 2015, only phone companies will store the data.
NSA to Destroy Call Data
Director of National Intelligence James Clapper issued a statement on July 27, 2015, saying that NSA would stop using the phone records after November 29, 2015 and destroy them as soon as possible.
Appeals Court Allows NSA to Collect Data
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. ruled on August 28, 2015 against a lower court ruling that had put a stop to the practice of NSA's collection of phone records. Now, NSA can collect those records until November 29, 2015. Although the appeals court ruled against the blanket ban of data collection, it also said that, most likely, government's data collection program violated the constitution's prohibition against unreasonable searches.
Senate Approves Surveillance Reform Measure; Measure Now Goes to House
As the USA Freedom Act expired in mid-March 2020, lawmakers, although pre-occupied with coronavirus response, inched forward with pushing reforms as part of extension to the surveillance act. There was conservative anger after a December 2019 report by the DOJ I-G found error and mistakes in seeking FISA application to surveil against former Trump aide Carter Page. House lawmakers passed the renewal measure in March 2020, and Senate started deliberation only this week and on Thursday, May 14, 2020, passed the renewal of USA Freedom Act by 80-16 votes. However, the version passed by Senate is different from the House-passed bill as an amendment sponsored by Senators Mike Lee of Utah and Patrick Leahy of Vermont has been added to strengthen the third-party oversight. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, under the Lee-Leahy Amendment, is required to appoint an amicus, or a third-party, to oversee the surveillance in a "sensitive investigative matter". The bill also imposes a permanent ban on a controversial phone records collection program in terrorism investigation. The program has been suspended in early 2019. The Senate bill now goes to House for reconciliation.
********************************** SURVEILLANCE REFORM ********************
Snowden Accepts Norwegian Award via Video
Audience stood up on their feet and gave a boisterous ovation as a prestigious award by Norway's Academy of Literature and Freedom of Expression was placed on an empty chair on September 5, 2015. Former NSA contractor Edward Snowden couldn't attend the award giving ceremony in person at the western Norwegian town of Molde, but accepted the award via video from Russia, where he was given asylum.
NSA Contactor Arrested
The U.S. Justice Department issued a 5-page complaint on October 5, 2016 against a National Security Agency contractor, Harold Thomas Martin III, 51, of Glen Burnie, Maryland, who had been arrested in August 2016. The complaint said that Harold Thomas Martin III, 51, whose arrest had not been announced earlier, had illegally removed a huge volume of classified information from work, and stored in his car and home.
WikiLeaks Makes Public of CIA Hacking Tools
Anti-secrecy organization WikiLeaks on March 7, 2017 released the largest trove of CIA documents that described in details how CIA used sophisticated tools and software to spy on people using common devices such as smartphones, internet-connected TV and computers. WikiLeaks said that it had received the document, including 7,818 web pages with 943 attachments, from a former CIA contractor.
Foreign Surveillance Collection Program Extended
The U.S. Senate on January 18, 2018 voted 65-34 to extend a controversial foreign surveillance law that might even sweep Americans' communications for an additional six years. The House already approved the bill that would surveil the foreign targets, but might even drag any American who might be remotely connected to the foreign target into the radar of Intel community.
Intel Heads Contradict President Trump
U.S' intelligence agencies' heads collectively disputed some of President Donald trump's public assertions in a testimony on January 29, 2019 at a hearing in Senate Intelligence Committee. Presenting their annual assessment of global threat, dubbed the Worldwide Threat Assessment, FBI Director Christopher Wray, CIA Director Gina Haspel, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and Defense Intelligence Agency Director Lt. Gen. Robert Ashley touched upon various global hotspots, but U.S.-Mexico borders were not one of them. Instead, they countered almost all of President Donald Trump's public assertions, contending that North Korea was not de-nuclearizing, ISIL remained a worldwide threat and Iran Nuclear deal was working.
Trump Blasts Intel Community
A day after country's top intelligence officials--FBI Director Christopher Wray, CIA Director Gina Haspel, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and Defense Intelligence Agency Director Lt. Gen. Robert Ashley--issued their Worldwide Threat Assessment, an annual assessment on the global threat posed to U.S. and allies, and testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee to dispute President Donald Trump's world view, President Trump on January 30, 2019 took to tweeter to berate what he called the intel officials' naivete when "it comes to the dangers of Iran".
************************************* JULIAN ASSANGE **************************
Julian Assange Evicted, Arrested
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was evicted from Ecuadorian Embassy in London on April 11, 2019. Assange was subsequently arrested by London Police, and presented at the court of Judge Michael Snow, who rebuked Assange for demonstrating the "behavior of a narcissist". Assange was found guilty of violating his bail conditions, facing up to 12 years in prison. Julian Assange pleaded not guilty to the charges of bail bond violation. Julian Assange took refuge at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London in 2012 to avoid deportation to Sweden where he, at that time, faced rape charges related two women. Sweden later dropped those charges. However, Ecuador's present government was irritated by his non-adherence with embassy rules and constant threat of blackmailing, leading to his expulsion at last on April 11, 2019. Hours later, a U.S. indictment was unsealed that alleged Julian Assange to conspire with Chelsea Manning, then Bradley Manning, in 2010 to leak classified information with the potential to harm the U.S.
Assange Locked up at a Southeast London Jail
The new place for Julian Assange for staying in London is Belmarsh Prison in the southeast London.
Assange Sentenced to 50 Weeks of Imprisonment for Jumping Bail
A British judge, Deborah Taylor, on May 1, 2019 sentenced Julian Assange to 50 weeks of jail time for violating bail conditions when he took refuge in Ecuador Embassy in London.
Assange Remains Defiant in Extradition Hearing
A day after receiving a 50-week jail term, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange appeared in a video link on May 2, 2019 from his Belmarsh Prison cell during a pre-trial hearing over the U.S. extradition request. In a defiant attitude, Assange gave no hint that he would easily give in to U.S. demand for extradition. There were many Assange backers present at London's Westminster Magistrates' Court, and they raised chant in favor of Assange. Judge Michael Snow said that a procedural hearing would be held on May 30, 2019 and a follow-up hearing on June 12, 2019. Julian Assange's extradition case may get complicated as Sweden is likely to revive now-dismissed extradition case for rape charges filed by two women as one of them had requested to revive the case.
Sweden Reopens the Rape Case against Assange
Muddying the extradition process that now involves both the U.S. and Sweden, Swedish Deputy Director of public prosecution unit Eva-Marie Persson on May 13, 2019 re-opened the rape case against Julian Assange.
Swedish Court Rules against Extradition
Sweden's Uppsala District Court on June 3, 2019 ruled that Julian Assange didn't need to be extradited to Sweden, but leaving the possibility of continuing the preliminary investigation into rape charges.
Sweden Drops Rape Case
Swedish prosecutor Eve-Marie Persson on November 19, 2019 dropped the rape case against Julian Assange as "nine years have gone" and the "oral evidence has weakened as time has passed".
Trump Offered Amnesty to Assange, WikiLeaks Founder's Lawyer Says
A lawyer of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, Edwards Fitzgerald, told a judge at Westminster Magistrates' court on February 19, 2020 that former U.S. House Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, a fierce Trump ally, had met with Assange in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London on August 16, 2017. Rohrabacher offered Assange, fighting against extradition to the U.S., on behalf of Trump that president would grant him amnesty if Assange could publicly tell that Russia had not worked to get Trump elected in 2016 U.S. Presidential Election. A conservative political activist, Charles Johnson, was also present in the August 16, 2017, meeting.
Assange's Extradition Request by the U.S. Put on Hold
A London court judge, Old Bailey Court Judge Vanessa Baraitser, on January 4, 2021 put a hold on WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange's extradition request by the U.S. authorities for violating the Espionage Act because Assange could be at a heightened suicide risk in American jail system.
Assange
Denied Bail
The
same London judge who on January 4, 2021 had rejected U.S. request to extradite
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to U.S. to face trial on espionage
charges, on January 6, 2021, denied his bail on the ground that Assange
might flee. London Judge Vanessa Baraitser’s January 6, 2021, ruling
ensures that Assange will remain behind the bar in the high-security prison of Belmarsh
as the U.S. appeal against Judge Baraitser’s January 4, 2021, ruling
proceeds in the British High Court.
British Supreme Court Refuses to Entertain Assange's anti-Extradition Legal Move
British Supreme Court on March 14, 2022 shut the door on WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange's legal maneuvering to fight the U.S. extradition effort. Assange's lawyers argued before the apex court that their client would be at a higher risk of committing suicide under the cruel situation in the U.S. custody. The U.K. Supreme Court apparently didn't buy the argument.
British Court Denies Assange's Extradition
A British court on March 26, 2024 ruled that Julian Assange couldn't be extradited to the U.S. until Washington assured that the Australian reporter wouldn't face death penalty. Two High Court judges--Judge Victoria Sharp and Judge Jeremy Johnson--said that the WikiLeaks founder should be accorded the same "First Amendment protections as a United States citizen, and the death penalty is not imposed".
Julian Assange's wife, Stella Assange, demanded that the U.S. should drop the case altogether.
************************************* JULIAN ASSANGE **************************
DNI Coats Resigns
President Donald Trump announced in a tweet on July 28, 2019 that Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, who had never been comfortable with president's casual handling and assessment of national security and threat, was resigning. Trump added that he was naming North Texas Congressman John Ratcliffe as the new director. Ratcliffe is relatively unknown in national security, but earned attention of the president after his grueling grilling of Special Counsel Robert Mueller during a testimony before two House panels days ago. Coats, a former senator from Indiana, rankled Trump in July 2018 during a speech at a security conference at Aspen, Colorado in which he said that if the president had asked his suggestion whether to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin at Helsinki, he would have advised not to do so. In January 2019, Dan Coats testified before Congress that North Korea would very "unlikely to completely give up its nuclear weapons and production capabilities", putting him square at the opposite of what Trump held views about North Korea.
Ratcliffe Withdraws Nomination
Five days after President Donald Trump named John Ratcliffe as the nation's next Director of National Intelligence, the Heath lawmaker withdrew his nomination as there was a bipartisan opposition to his selection as the Texas conservative lacked relevant experience.
Maguire to Replace Coats
As Dan Coats' last day in office is August 15, 2019, country's new DNI is Joseph Maguire.
Trump Fires Bolton
President Donald Trump on September 10, 2019 fired his National Security Adviser John Bolton.
Trump Names a Controversial Figure as Nation's New Intel Chief
As required by law either to name a new intel chief or seek confirmation for his acting intel chief, Joseph Maguire, President Donald Trump on February 19, 2020 has named Richard Grenell, an unabashed Trump ally and controversial figure who is currently serving as U.S. ambassador to Germany, as the next Director of National Intelligence.
Trump Erupts against Maguire after Intel Official's Testimony of Russian Penchant for Trump
The New York Times reported on February 20, 2020 that after the February 13, 2020, testimony before the House Intelligence Committee by Shelby Pierson, one of the senior intelligence officials in charge of election security, in which Pierson said of Russian "preference" for Trump in 2020 Presidential Election and Russian act to interfere again in the election process, President Trump erupted in anger against Joseph Maguire the following day, February 14, 2020, at an Oval Office Meeting. Pierson's February 13, 2020, testimony was an absolute breaking point for Trump. Trump on February 19, 2020 named Richard Grenell as his next acting DNI.
Trump Pitches in for Ratcliffe
President Donald Trump on February 28, 2020 raised the political stakes one more time after he named John Ratcliffe as the replacement of acting director of national intelligence, Joseph Maguire.
Ratcliffe Wins Senate Confirmation
Former Heath Mayor and three-term House member John Ratcliffe, one of the Congress' staunchest pro-Trump backers, on May 21, 2020 won the Senate confirmation to become the head of 17 intelligence agencies, including CIA and NSA. However, his 49-44 votes, where no Democratic Senators had cast vote to back his nomination, belied any semblance of unity that this key security position deserved and should be expected for.
Trump Admin Tries to Block Publication of Bolton's Book
The U.S. Department of Justice on June 17, 2020 moved to a federal court for a temporary restraining order of the upcoming publication of former National Security Adviser John Bolton's book, The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir, in which he had many bombshell revelations, including the president seeking help of Chinese President Xi Jinping at a June 2019 meeting of G-20 nations at Osaka, Japan to help him win reelection in 2020.
Ratcliffe Ruffles Democrats with Foregoing in-Person Briefing
On August 28, 2020, Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe informed Congress that he would no more give in-person briefings on foreign meddling in the U.S. election, instead informing Congress all the pertinent intelligence in written memo. Although Ratcliffe cited leaks as the primary concern and reason to halt in-person briefing, many Democrats pounced on him to come up with an excuse [leak] to skirt tough questioning and follow-up action from Congress.
DNI Coats Resigns
President Donald Trump announced in a tweet on July 28, 2019 that Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, who had never been comfortable with president's casual handling and assessment of national security and threat, was resigning. Trump added that he was naming North Texas Congressman John Ratcliffe as the new director. Ratcliffe is relatively unknown in national security, but earned attention of the president after his grueling grilling of Special Counsel Robert Mueller during a testimony before two House panels days ago. Coats, a former senator from Indiana, rankled Trump in July 2018 during a speech at a security conference at Aspen, Colorado in which he said that if the president had asked his suggestion whether to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin at Helsinki, he would have advised not to do so. In January 2019, Dan Coats testified before Congress that North Korea would very "unlikely to completely give up its nuclear weapons and production capabilities", putting him square at the opposite of what Trump held views about North Korea.
Ratcliffe Withdraws Nomination
Five days after President Donald Trump named John Ratcliffe as the nation's next Director of National Intelligence, the Heath lawmaker withdrew his nomination as there was a bipartisan opposition to his selection as the Texas conservative lacked relevant experience.
Maguire to Replace Coats
As Dan Coats' last day in office is August 15, 2019, country's new DNI is Joseph Maguire.
Trump Fires Bolton
President Donald Trump on September 10, 2019 fired his National Security Adviser John Bolton.
Trump Names a Controversial Figure as Nation's New Intel Chief
As required by law either to name a new intel chief or seek confirmation for his acting intel chief, Joseph Maguire, President Donald Trump on February 19, 2020 has named Richard Grenell, an unabashed Trump ally and controversial figure who is currently serving as U.S. ambassador to Germany, as the next Director of National Intelligence.
Trump Erupts against Maguire after Intel Official's Testimony of Russian Penchant for Trump
The New York Times reported on February 20, 2020 that after the February 13, 2020, testimony before the House Intelligence Committee by Shelby Pierson, one of the senior intelligence officials in charge of election security, in which Pierson said of Russian "preference" for Trump in 2020 Presidential Election and Russian act to interfere again in the election process, President Trump erupted in anger against Joseph Maguire the following day, February 14, 2020, at an Oval Office Meeting. Pierson's February 13, 2020, testimony was an absolute breaking point for Trump. Trump on February 19, 2020 named Richard Grenell as his next acting DNI.
Trump Pitches in for Ratcliffe
President Donald Trump on February 28, 2020 raised the political stakes one more time after he named John Ratcliffe as the replacement of acting director of national intelligence, Joseph Maguire.
Ratcliffe Wins Senate Confirmation
Former Heath Mayor and three-term House member John Ratcliffe, one of the Congress' staunchest pro-Trump backers, on May 21, 2020 won the Senate confirmation to become the head of 17 intelligence agencies, including CIA and NSA. However, his 49-44 votes, where no Democratic Senators had cast vote to back his nomination, belied any semblance of unity that this key security position deserved and should be expected for.
Trump Admin Tries to Block Publication of Bolton's Book
The U.S. Department of Justice on June 17, 2020 moved to a federal court for a temporary restraining order of the upcoming publication of former National Security Adviser John Bolton's book, The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir, in which he had many bombshell revelations, including the president seeking help of Chinese President Xi Jinping at a June 2019 meeting of G-20 nations at Osaka, Japan to help him win reelection in 2020.
Ratcliffe Ruffles Democrats with Foregoing in-Person Briefing
On August 28, 2020, Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe informed Congress that he would no more give in-person briefings on foreign meddling in the U.S. election, instead informing Congress all the pertinent intelligence in written memo. Although Ratcliffe cited leaks as the primary concern and reason to halt in-person briefing, many Democrats pounced on him to come up with an excuse [leak] to skirt tough questioning and follow-up action from Congress.
DNI Report Reiterates Integrity of 2020 Election
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence issued a comprehensive report on March 16, 2021, clearly and indisputably stating that the 2020 election integrity was protected although Russia and Iran sought to influence the outcome. The DNI report adds another ammunition to the same conclusion arrived separately by the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security that the 2020 election has been secure and repudiate Trump's repeated false claims of a stolen election.
*********************************** JOURNALISTS' RECORD SEIZURE *********************
Trump Administration Secretly Collected Journalist Calls Info
The New York Times reported on June 3, 2021 that U.S. Department of Justice had seized the phone records of four of its journalists as part of the investigation into the sources of national security leaks during early months of Trump administration. The four journalists targeted by Trump DOJ are Matt Apuzzo, Adam Goldman, Eric Lichtblau and Michael S. Schmidt. Lichtblau has since left the Times. DOJ spokesperson Anthony Coley said during the day that a day earlier, June 2, 2021, the department had notified the four journalists that their phone toll records had been obtained last year as part of "a criminal investigation into the unauthorized disclosure of classified information".
Trump
DOJ Seizes House Panel Members’ Phone Data
As
if the news of secret seizure of reporters’ call logs and other information is
not bad enough, The Associated Press reported on June 10, 2021
that Trump administration’s Justice Department looked to Apple to get access to
data related to about 12 House Intelligence Committee members and aides
as part of the probe into leaks. Rep. Adam Schiff and Rep. Eric Swalwell
are among the House members whose records have been obtained by the Trump
Administration’s DOJ.
DOJ
IG to Review Trump DOJ Practice to Obtain Data
A
day after Trump administration’s Department of Justice’s quest for records
related to two prominent Democratic House members came to light, political furor
erupted as DOJ Inspector-General Michael Horowitz announcing on June 11,
2021 that he would launch a review of data seeking and collection practices
of the then-Trump admin’s DOJ against Democratic lawmakers, reporters and
Congressional aides as part of cracking down on leaks.
Former
Counsel’s Information Sought by DOJ
Apple
separately notified Former White House Counsel Donald McGahn and his wife
last month that his boss’s administration had sought information about them in
2018, according to a June 13, 2021, report carried by The New York
Times.
Garland Prohibits Practice of Seizing Journalists' Records
As promised in June 2021, Attorney-General Merrick Garland on July 19, 2021 prohibited, barring some high-level cases, the infamous practice that Trump administration's Justice officials had pursued in seizing records of journalists to find out leak sources related to Russia-Trump campaign relationship. Attorney-General's approach is immediately lauded by media groups.
*********************************** JOURNALISTS' RECORD SEIZURE *********************
************************************************************* PEGASUS
Pegasus Spyware Scandal Unravelling
A media consortium made public some of the most unnerving details of spying, involving a malware of the Israeli commercial cybersecurity firm NSO Group that targeted politicians, journalists and human-rights activists, based on the leaked information, The Associated Press reported on July 18, 2021. The list of about 50,000 cellphone numbers targeted by Pagasus spyware was provided by a journalist non-profit based in Paris, Forbidden Stories, and Amnesty International. The consortium that includes 16 news organizations such as The Washington Post, The Guardian, Le Monde and Sueddeutsche Zeitung, published its "Pegasus Project", referring to the Pegasus spyware that targeted 189 journalists, more than 600 politicians and government officials, at least 65 business activists, 85 human rights activists and several heads of state. Pegasus spyware has been sold to many government agencies across the globe by NSO Group. People whose phone numbers have been targeted are from various parts of the world including India, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Hungary and Mexico. NSO Group's clientele are normally the national governments, both autocratic and democratic, and they are pre-approved by Israeli government. What's so concerning to human-rights activists and privacy advocates alike is that many governments, including democratic nations such as India and Pakistan, are using it to spy on the political opposition in addition to their common goal of fighting against terrorism.
U.N. Alarmed by Spying
U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet on July 19, 2021 expressed alarm over how a military-grade malware, Pegasus, was used to surveil and spy against 1,000 individuals in 50 nations that NSO clients had targeted.
Macron Reported to be the Target of Spying
Le Monde, one of the members of the media consortium that had made public of Pegasus spying software targeting about 50,000 cell phone numbers, reported on July 20, 2021 that French President Emmanuel Macron and 15 other French cabinet officials were spied on as Paris Prosecutor's Office opened an investigation into the spying scandal. Meanwhile, Amazon Web Services, which hosts the NSO Group's cloud infrastructure, suspended the commercial military-style malware company's account. Another U.S. company, DigitalOcean, is also reported to have hosted the NSO's infrastructure.
Navy Nuclear Engineer, His Wife Arrested in Espionage
A Navy nuclear engineer tried to pass on secrets on nuclear submarines to a foreign nation. The court document unsealed on October 10, 2021 said that Jonathan Toebbe "has passed, continues to pass, Restricted Data as defined by the Atomic Energy Act" and had received "witting assistance from his spouse, Diana Toebee". The couple were arrested on October 9, 2021 in West Virginia on charges of conspiracy to communicate restricted data and communication of restricted data after months of passing the information to FBI agents whom they had thought as foreign agents. They will appear in court on October 12, 2021.
Apple Sues NSO Group for Targeting Its Phone for Pegasus Software
Apple announced on November 23, 2021 that it had sued NSO Group, seeking an injunction against the spyware company from targeting any of its services, software, or devices. Apple joined Facebook and other tech companies to file lawsuits to bar NSO Group from targeting their services or applications with its spyware.
11 U.S. Diplomats, their i-Phones Targeted by Spyware
The Washington Post on December 3, 2021 dropped a bomb as it reported that Apple had alerted 11 U.S. diplomats that their iPhones had been hacked by the Pegasus spyware. Israel's NSO Group responded to the report, saying that it had suspended the accounts with the unknown clients.
FBI Acknowledges Purchase of Pegasus
Federal Bureau of Investigation has purchased from Israel's NSO Group the infamous spyware Pegasus, according to a statement issued on February 2, 2022 by the bureau. The FBI statement says that the purchase involves a limited license "for product testing and evaluation only". Pegasus has never been used by the agency for operational or investigation purpose, according to the FBI statement. Last week, The New York Times reported that FBI had spent $5 million to obtain a one-year license of Pegasus, testing it in 2019. On February 2, 2022, The Guardian reported that FBI had spent $4 million to renew the license of Pegasus for testing. It is not clear whether FBI's license renewal has happened before DHS's November 2021 blacklisting of the NSO Group. Apple in December 2021 sued the NSO Group for sneaking its spyware into targeted iPhones without customer consent.
NSO Sues Israeli Business Newspaper
NSO, the company behind the infamous Pegasus spyware, on February 27, 2022 filed a libel lawsuit against Israeli business publication Calcalist that had published a series of articles in recent weeks over Israeli police's use of Pegasus spyware to snoop on political figures, activists and even the Cabinet members under the rule of Former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The articles in Calcalist triggered an investigation by Israel's deputy attorney general. The government investigation did not find anything abusive with the police's use of Pegasus. The journalist, Tomer Ganon, who wrote the articles stood by his work. NSO called the articles "one-sided, biased and false". NSO is seeking punitive damage of $310,000 from Calcalist.
************************************************************* PEGASUS
Couple Linked to Nuclear Espionage Refused Bail
A federal judge in Martinsburg, West Virginia on October 12, 2021 agreed with the prosecutors and ordered Jonathan and Diana Toebee detained as the couple appeared before the U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert Trumble. A comprehensive hearing is set for October 15, 2021.
CIA Director Has Reportedly Warned Russia of "Consequences" for Havana Syndrome
The Associated Press reported on November 24, 2021, quoting anonymous sources, that in his visit to Moscow early this month to address Russia's troops build-up along the Ukrainian borders, CIA Director William Burns raised with Russian officials another unexpected, but highly sensitive, topic. Director Burns during his meetings with officials from the Federal Security Services, or FSB, and Foreign Intelligence Service, or SVR, addressed the high-profile mysterious illnesses suffered by American diplomatic corps, first detected in Havana and later reported from world's capitals, and said that, "if" Russia was involved in the so called Havana Syndrome, or "Anonymous Health Incidents", or AHIs, there would be "consequences".
Five Charged in Chinese Government-tied Espionage
The prosecutors from the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York on March 16, 2022 indicted five individuals on espionage that targeted Chinese dissidents and their activities in the U.S. Three defendants had been arrested, and two remained at large. The five individuals were accused of bullying, intimidating and spying on activities of dissident Chinese activists in New York, California and other areas and conspired to hand over information to Chinese Ministry of State Security, a civilian intelligence and secret police agency.
****************************************** UFO ******************************************
AARO Reports Several UFO Sightings, but No Evidence of Alien Life
All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office, or AARO, was set up in July 2022 as a separate office to track, assess and analyze UFO sightings. On December 16, 2022, AARO Director Sean Kirkpatrick said that "we've had lot more reporting" since the office had been set up in July 2022. AARO's focus is not only on unknown flying objects in the sky, but unknown objects underwater as well as in space.
In June 2021, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence reported that, between 2004 and 2021, there were 144 reported sightings of UFOs by military pilots and, out of them, about 80 had been captured by multiple sensors.
****************************************** UFO ******************************************
************************* CLASSIFIED DOC IN BIDEN'S FORMER INSTITUTE **************
Classified Documents Found at Biden's Former Office
The Associated Press reported on January 9, 2023 that "a small number of documents with classified markings" were found at President Joe Biden's former institute at the Washington D.C. The Justice Department is currently reviewing the documents. Special counsel to the president Richard Sauber said that "a small number of documents with classified markings" were found on November 2, 2022 during a routine search at Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement, Biden's former institute since 2017 until he had launched the presidential campaign. The discovery of the documents were immediately notified to the White House Counsel's Office and the counsel's office, in turn, notified the National Archives and Records Administration. NARA took possession of those documents the next day. Attorney-General Merrick Garland asked the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois John Lausch, a Trump-era holdout, to review the documents.
A Second Set of Classified Docs Found
On January 11, 2023, NBC News and The New York Times reported that President Joe Biden's aides had found a second set of classified documents at a separate place.
Special Counsel Named in Biden Classified Doc Investigation
On January 12, 2023, Biden aides and the White House disclosed that a second set of classified documents was found at the garage of president's Delaware home. It was supposed to be a day of political victory lap as President Joe Biden, coming off a relatively strong Democratic midterm performance and a near-fisticuff-filled highfalutin GOP drama of speaker election that had stretched into 15 votes, touted a falling inflation and a sustaining strong economy, only to see the good news getting wiped out by the announcement of Attorney-General Merrick Garland to name former federal attorney of Maryland, Robert Hur, to lead the investigation related to the classified documents found at the president's house and former institute. With the naming of Robert Hur as the Special Counsel, there are now two special counsels investigating two presidents---in addition to Former U.S. Attorney for Maryland Robert Hur leading the investigation of Biden, Jack Smith, a former public corruption inquiry unit head at the DOJ, is investigating into (1) classified documents handling by Former President Donald Trump and his team as well as (2) events surrounding January 6th insurrection as part of an effort to deprive Joe Biden from being certified as president--and a third special counsel, John Durham, investigating into the origin of Russian probe.
There are some key differences between working parameters and domains of Independent Counsel and Special Counsel. Independent Counsel often works outside the supervision of attorney general, while Special Counsel is accountable to and can be fired by attorney general. Two high-profile Independent Counsel inquiries since Watergate Scandal era were Lawrence Walsh, who had investigated into Iran-Contra scandal that involved a convoluted and illegal sales of weapons to Iran and diverting the proceeds to fund Contra rebels fight against Nicaraguan government in mid-80s, and Kenneth Starr, who had investigated into fraudulent real estate deal by a longtime associate of Bill and Hillary Clinton that had led to the House impeachment of the 42nd president of the U.S. Congress allowed Independent Counsel provision to lapse in 1999. Justice Department then created new provisions guiding the special counsel investigations. In 2017, then-A.G. Jeff Sessions appointed Robert Mueller as Special Counsel to investigate Trump-Russia connection. Mueller investigation led to criminal charges against 34 individuals, many of them in Trump's orbit, and three business entities. Mueller team issued more than 2,800 subpoenas and executed nearly 500 search-and-seizure warrants. Mueller didn't corroborate any conspiracy between Russia and Trump campaign, but he didn't give clean chit either to Trump whether he had obstructed the investigation. Mueller explicitly stated that he had not concluded that Trump had committed obstruction of justice, but he didn't exonerate Trump either.
Five Additional Classified Docs Found at Biden Home
On January 14, 2023, President Joe Biden's Special Counsel Richard Sauber said that five additional classified documents were found at the Biden home at Delaware. Sauber, who has security clearance, has gone to Biden's home on January 12, 2023 to secure and hand over the classified document found at the president's garage a day before. On January 12, 2023, Sauber found five additional classified documents.
FBI Searches Biden's Wilmington House
FBI agents searched President Joe Biden's Wilmington, Delaware house on January 20, 2023, and they found six additional classified documents. The agents took possession of classified documents as well as some handwritten notes. The FBI search lasted for 13 hours. President's personal lawyer Bob Bauer told the media on January 21, 2023 about the FBI search.
President's Interviews Indicate the Inquiry Wrapping up
President Joe Biden sat for interviews with the investigators from the Special Counsel Robert Hur on October 8, 2023 and October 9, 2023, respectively, according to the White House statement on October 9, 2023. Usually a presidential interview happens at the near tail-end of the investigation, implying that the special counsel's team may be wrapping up the interview.
Special Counsel Lets Biden off the Hook on Criminal Charges, but Report on Mental Acuity Raises Concern
Special Counsel Robert Hur's report on President Joe Biden's classified document case is a mixed bag for the president and his reelection campaign as the special counsel has decided not to press any criminal charges against the president while in the same breath the report is a poor portrayal of the president's mental health. The Hur Report is issued on February 8, 2024, and the report accused Biden of retaining classified information and sharing them with the ghostwriter of his memoir. However, the prosecutors didn't have enough evidence beyond reasonable doubt to prove that Biden's action was intentional.
However, the special counsel also stated that the president had poor memory and couldn't recall some of the important timeline, including his son Beau's death, a damning disclosure that's going to add more concern over his fitness as president and sow more confusion in voters' mind about his ability to rule. In a press conference in the aftermath of the report's release, President Biden slammed Robert Hur for demeaning comments about his mental health and defended his mental acuity, only to mix up between the Egyptian and Mexican Presidents.
************************* CLASSIFIED DOC IN BIDEN'S FORMER INSTITUTE **************
*************************** CLASSIFIED DOC IN PENCE'S HOUSE **************************
Classified Documents Found at Former VP's Home
Former Vice President Mike Pence's lawyer Greg Jacob wrote a letter to National Archives and Records Administration that out of "abundance of caution" search had been conducted last week at Mike Pence's home and a small number of classified documents was found. They had been handed over to NARA. The letter was shared with The Associated Press on January 24, 2023.
Classified Doc Found during Search of Pence's Home
FBI searched Former Vice President Mike Pence's Indiana home on February 10, 2023, and obtained one document with classified marking and six additional pages without such markings. The six-hour search was carried out amicably with full consensus from the former vice president's legal team. Pence joins the two other high-ranking former and current U.S. officials--Former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden--whose houses have been searched.
No Criminal Charges over Pence Document
The U.S. Department of Justice sent a letter on June 1, 2023 to attorneys of Former Vice President Mike Pence that it would not file any criminal charges over the classified document the investigators had found at his Indiana home.
*************************** CLASSIFIED DOC IN PENCE'S HOUSE **************************
*************************** CHINESE SPY BALLOON **************************
Chinese Spy Balloon Raises Espionage Concern
A huge Chinese balloon is now flying over the U.S. airspace at an altitude of 60,000 feet. U.S. military believes that it is a spy balloon, and out of abundance of caution, it is allowing the balloon to continue flying. China rejects that it's a spy balloon, and instead, insists that it's a weather-monitoring vehicle and has gone astray. On February 3, 2023, the balloon is flying over Missouri. The balloon was flying over Alaska last weekend, and Biden administration came to know about its existence at least since January 31, 2023. President Joe Biden initially was in favor of shooting down the balloon. However, Defense Secretary Llyod Austin and Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley persuaded the president from taking that path to avoid any risk to people on the ground because of the heavy payload and size of the balloon. The balloon is equivalent to three school buses. Earlier in its flight path, the balloon crossed near the Malmstrom Air Force Base, one of the three nuclear silo missile bases of the nation. On February 3, 2023, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken cancelled his impending trip to Beijing because the Chinese spy balloon "is detrimental to substantive discussion".
U.S. Downs the Spy Balloon off the Carolina Coast
At 1:35PM Dallas time February 4, 2023, an F-22 Raptor fired a missile that punctured the spy balloon off Myrtle Beach in South Carolina. The debris were scattered around shallow waters spanning seven miles. Salvage vessels are en route the area where the balloon has been downed in the Atlantic Ocean. A statement attributed to the Chinese Foreign Ministry issued on February 5, 2023 said that Beijing reserved the "right to take further actions in response". U.S. military officials on February 4, 2023 gave the rough timeline of the balloon's trajectory over the U.S. airspace. The spy balloon entered the U.S. airspace on January 28, 2023 near Aleutian Island in Alaska. It flew over Alaska and crossed into the Canadian airspace on January 30, 2023. The balloon then moved back into the U.S. territory through northern Idaho on January 31, 2023, the day President Joe Biden was briefed about the spy balloon.
U.S. Declassifies China's Balloon Espionage Program
U.S. State Department on February 9, 2023 declassified China's expansive balloon spying program based on valuable information that the U.S. U-2 spying and reconnaissance planes had obtained during flyby intel gathering endeavors. Chinese balloon spying program is expansive and sophisticated, with advanced "signals intelligence operation" often deployed to intercept communications, and has tentacles in "more than 40 countries across five continents".
Six Chinese Companies, Research Institutions Sanctioned
Biden administration on February 10, 2023 blacklisted six Chinese companies and research institutions related to its spying balloon program. The entities are Beijing Nanjiang Aerospace Technology, China Electronic Technology Group Corporation 48th Research Institute, Dongguan Lingkong Remote Sensing Technology, Eagles Men Aviation Science and Technology Group, Guangzhou Tian-HaiXiang Aviation Technology, and Shanxi Eagles Men Aviation Science and Technology Group, respectively.
Top Diplomats Meet on the Sidelines of MSC
On February 18, 2023, U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken met with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, on the sidelines of Munich Security Conference. It was the first opportunity to try to defuse tension stemming from the balloon surveillance crisis. Blinken later took to Twitter to say that he had warned Yi against any such future misadventure and also helping Russia evade western sanctions.
*************************** CHINESE SPY BALLOON **************************
Another High-Alt Flying Object Shot down by U.S. Military
U.S. military on February 10, 2023 downed another high-altitude object, but this time not enough information was shared on the origin or type of the object, or what it was doing in the U.S. airspace, in Alaska, according to Pentagon Spokesman Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder. The object was detected on February 9, 2023, and President Joe Biden ordered it to be downed. Pentagon said that the object was flying about 40,000 feet, posing threat to commercial air traffic. It was downed into the frozen waters off the northeastern coast of Alaska. Two F-22 Raptors were sent from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska, and one aircraft launched a single AIM-9X Sidewinder missile at 12:45PM Dallas time, bringing down the pilotless craft.
U.S. Downs Third Unidentified Object
A third flying object over Canada had led to the U.S military sending F-22 planes from NORAD, or North American Aerospace Defense Command, in a joint scramble with Canada. On February 11, 2023, U.S. downed the balloon in Yukon. On February 10, 2023, the object came to the attention of the U.S. and Canada.
Fourth Flying Object in Eight Days Downed by U.S. Military
In an unprecedented degree of tension and heightened-up fascination, a fourth aerial object was seen first on February 11, 2023 in Montana and was again seen flying over Lake Huron on February 12, 2023. U.S. military downed the flying object on February 12, 2023.
Weapon of Choice to Down the Flying Objects
The Dallas Morning News reported on February 14, 2023 that the same type of missile, AIM-9X Sidewinder, to down the Chinese surveillance balloon and three subsequent unknown flying objects on February 10, 2023, February 11, 2023, and February 12, 2023, respectively.
Biden Instructs Clear Rules for Flying Objects; China Slaps Symbolic Sanctions on U.S. Companies
Delving in the topic of downing of four aerial objects--an alleged Chinese surveillance balloon on February 4, 2023 off the coast of South Carolina, and three, most likely, benign flying objects on February 10, 11, and 12, 2023 near Alaska, Yukon in Canada and Lake Huron in northern Michigan, respectively--President Joe Biden on February 16, 2023 said that he had instructed National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan to formulate more effective rules to track, monitor and engage flying objects.
Meanwhile, in a symbolic move, China on February 16, 2023 imposed sanctions on Lockheed Martin and a subsidiary of Raytheon for arms shipment to Taiwan.
Biden Signs E.O. to Limit Commercial Spyware
President Joe Biden on March 27, 2023 signed an executive order to limit government use of commercial spyware that grew in scope and scale in recent years and was being increasingly used by government agencies across the world to surveil and spy human rights activists and political dissidents. Congress last year empowered the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence to investigate cases where foreign governments were using the commercial spyware as well as the authority to ban its use by U.S. government agencies.
***************************** LEAK OF U.S. INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION ****************
Mossad Encourages Revolt against Netanyahu's Judicial Reform Plan
According to a recently leaked U.S. intelligence document, The Washington Post reported on April 9, 2023, Mossad's leadership in February 2023 advocated the agency personnel to "protest new Israeli Government's proposed judicial reforms", implying that the strictly non-partisan security agency was now stepping in deeply polarized domestic politics. Netanyahu government is mum on the report as is Biden administration because it will be deeply embarrassing for Washington to acknowledge that it has spied on one of the most trusted allies.
Near Miss of a British Reconnaissance Craft Detailed
A Russian fighter jet almost shot down a British reconnaissance flight over the Black Sea near Crimea on September 29, 2022, according to a front-page article published April 10, 2023 in The Dallas Morning News based on a leaked U.S. intelligence report. The leaked document, one of several dozens, said of the incident as a "near-shoot down of U.K.-RJ", referring to Rivet Joint that's a common moniker for RC-135 Reconnaissance plane. British Defense Minister Ben Wallace disclosed the incident at the House of Commons in October 2022, criticizing Russian action as one of the two Su-27 jets releasing missile at a distance. The leaked document on Twitter, Discord and Telegram shows how close Russia and NATO have come to a conflict.
Intel Leak Begins on Discord Platform, Spreads to Others
Although The New York Times is the first official news organization that has brought to the public on April 6, 2023 that there has been U.S. classified information leak in recent weeks and the U.S. Department of Justice has launched an investigation into it, the spillage of classified information has begun long ago in a chatroom on a social media platform, Discord, according to an April 11, 2023, report by The Dallas Morning News. The Associated Press interviewed one poster of the Discord chatroom, known as "Thug Shaker Central", who said that many of the photo copies of the classified U.S. intel documents had shed light on the U.S. intel analysis under different scenarios such as what happened if Russian President Vladimir Putin, or Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, were dead. The Discord chatroom "Thug Shaker Central" was later shut down, but by then, the classified information had spread to another chatroom, "WowMao". Another embarrassing revelation was Russian and UAE intelligence agencies had pledged to work collaboratively. Authoritative sources believe that most of the classified information was collected through "signal intelligence", or interception of communication cadence.
Egyptian Ruler Asks Officials to Ramp up Production, Supply of Rockets to Russia
The Dallas Morning News reported on April 11, 2023 that Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi had discussed with Egyptian officials at a February 17, 2023, meeting on increasing rocket production to about 40,000 units and covertly shipping them to Russia. The classified information was collected by so called "Signal Intelligence", or interception of communication cadence. However, there is no evidence that Egypt has covertly shipped any weapon to Russia. However, Egypt's relationship with the U.S. has been strained, to some extent, because in September 2022, U.S. has withheld $130 million of $1.3 billion in military aid allocated last year because of Cairo's dismal rights records.
************* MASSACHUSETTS NATIONAL GUARD MEMBER JACK TEIXEIRA
Massachusetts Guard Member Arrested in Intel Leak Case
A heavily armed FBI tactical team on April 13, 2023 arrested a 21-year-old Massachusetts Air National Guard member, Jack Teixeira, from his Massachusetts home in the recent leaks of the U.S. intelligence documents. Attorney-General Merrick Garland in a brief statement said that Teixeira would be charged under the Espionage Act. Teixeira's court appointment date was tentatively scheduled for April 14, 2023. Teixeira was an airman First Class with the 102nd Intelligence Wing based at Otis Air National Guard base in Massachusetts.
Teixeira Appears before a Federal Magistrate Judge; Ordered Jailed Pending Detention Hearing
On April 14, 2023, the accused leaker of the classified information, Massachusetts Air National Guardsman Jack Teixeira, appeared before a federal magistrate judge in Boston. Government lawyers filed an eight-page affidavit, detailing the extent of breaches of classified information and how they had reached at the doorstep of Teixeira as a prime suspect. Teixeira began spitting out classified information on a Discord chatroom, Thug Shaker Central, beginning December 2022. Attorney-General Merrick Garland said that what Jack Teixeira had done was a serious violation of national security not only by taking the classified information home, which by the way was itself a crime, but also transmitting those information, thus putting national security at risk. The judge has ordered Jack Teixeira, who hasn't enter any plea, jailed until next week when a detention hearing will be held.
Teixeira Charged with Additional Counts
Jack Teixeira, the Massachusetts Air National Guardsman at the center of leaking some of the most secret documents on a gaming and gun enthusiast site, was on June 15, 2023 indicted on six additional charges of illegal retention and transmission of national security documents.
Teixeira Pleads Guilty
Massachusetts Air National Guardsman Jack Teixeira on March 4, 2024 pleaded guilty to six counts of Espionage Act. He may get 11 to 17 years of prison term. U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani of Boston scheduled a September 2024 hearing for sentencing.
************* MASSACHUSETTS NATIONAL GUARD MEMBER JACK TEIXEIRA
U.S. Allies' Intent Spotty in Ukraine Military Aid, Leaked Docs Show
Los Angeles Times reported on April 16, 2023 that the leaked Pentagon documents that have ended up on a Discord chatroom, Thug Shaker Central, have much uncomfortable truth about some of the close non-NATO U.S. allies' sincerity in joining the western coalition to help Ukraine. Israel, largest recipient of the U.S. aid at $3 billion annually, has hesitant to support a fellow Jewish president as it juggles with competing priorities that require political and diplomatic support from Moscow. Egypt, which receives about $1 billion in annual aid from the U.S., has been actively thinking of sending Russia missiles that can be used to launch attack on Ukraine. Another U.S. ally, South Korea, has a stated policy of not sending arms to any warring party although U.S. has asked Seoul to make an exception to Ukraine-Russia conflict.
China Marches Forward to Deploy High-Alt, High-Speed Spy Drones
Based on the assessment of the intelligence trove shared on Discord by a suspect Massachusetts Air Guardsman, The Washington Post reported on April 18, 2023 that China was planning to deploy high-altitude surveillance drones that could fly at least three times the speed of sound and collect and feed data real-time, enabling China's People's Liberation Army to formulate, and even execute, mitigation strategy without much latency. The intel assessment was carried out by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency based on satellite imagery dated August 9, 2022 that showed two WZ-8 rocket-propelled drones at an airbase 350 miles east of Shanghai. The intel doc also says that China's WZ-8 program may have been overseen by the PLA's Eastern Theater Command, which leads the China's military strategy in Taiwan Strait.
Iran Sends Arms along with Aid to Syria, Leaked Doc Says
The Washington Post reported on May 7, 2023 that the recently leaked U.S. intel documents included highly classified information that Iran had sent arms hidden in aid shipments to Syria after the February 2023 earthquake that had enabled Tehran's proxies to launch attacks on the American targets and other U.S. allies.
Ukraine Likely to be Behind in Nord Stream Sabotage, Intel Leaks Show
The Washington Post reported on June 6, 2023 that Biden administration and CIA had known as early as in June 2022 that Ukrainian saboteurs were planning to damage the undersea Nord Stream pipelines, based on the intelligence information spilled out on Discord chat platform by jailed Massachusetts National Guardsman Jack Teixeira. The Washington Post obtained those leaked information from one of Teixeira's online friends. On September 26, 2022, three underwater explosions caused major damages to Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2, disrupting the flow of gas in three of the network's four pipelines.
***************************** LEAK OF U.S. INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION ****************
************************************ SECTION 702 OF FISA ********************************
FISA Report Accuses FBI of Misusing a Key Database more than 200K Times
A long-due report by Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court unsealed on May 19, 2023 said that the FBI had misused a surveillance tool more than 278,000 times, including cross-checking more than 19,000 donors to a Congressional candidate. The scale of misuse of the 702 database, named after Section 702 of the statute that had created this database in the aftermath of September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the U.S. The database contains sensitive information, mostly pertaining to foreign intelligence. FBI had queried the 702 database for people who had participated in racial protest movement in the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd in 2020, January 6th insurrection and other political activities.
FBI Chief Pushes for Section 702 Renewal
As the Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act is set to expire by the yearend, FBI Director Christopher Wray appeared before the House Homeland Security Committee on November 15, 2023 to press for renewal of the controversial provision. The provision, enacted in 2008, enabled the U.S. to thwart multiple attacks on the homeland as well as taking out some high-value targets, including al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri.
House Passes a Two-year Extension of Warrantless Surveillance
The warrantless surveillance mandate is set to expire on April 19, 2024. In recent days, the White House, Republican leaders in Congress and the nation's intelligence community are all calling for the renewal of the mandate. FBI Director Christopher Wray appeared in the U.S. Congress recently and prodded the lawmakers for the provision's renewal. It was also a high-stakes political fight for Speaker Michael Johnson. On April 12, 2024, House of Representatives voted 273-147 to approve the extension for two years instead of five years, much to the relief of Speaker Johnson. This provision, in effect since 2008, allows the intelligence community to surveil warrantlessly a U.S. resident if they are found, based on strong evidence, to have been in communication with a foreigner suspected to be connected to terrorism directly or indirectly or remotely. Even a shorter extension didn't soothe the ruffled feathers of far-right lawmakers. One of those far-right lawmakers, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Georgia, introduced an amendment that would prohibit warrantless surveillance against an American citizen. It was a nail-biting saving grace for Speaker Johnson as the vote on the amendment was 212-212, and thus, the amendment was defeated. Now, the U.S. Senate is to vote on the bill. However, there is another hurdle to be crossed before then as a Republican lawmaker has introduced a procedural hurdle that will be voted next week before the bill moves to the upper chamber.
Senate Passes the Reauthorization of Section 702 at the Nick of Time
As minutes were left for the warrantless surveillance mandate to expire at the midnight, Senators on April 19, 2024 voted overwhelmingly [60-34] to renew the Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act for two years. President Joe Biden on April 20, 2024 signed the legislation.
************************************ SECTION 702 OF FISA ********************************
***************************** NAVY SAILORS ARRESTED ON ESPIONAGE *******************
Two Sailors Arrested for Passing Sensitive Information to China
In two separate, but related, cases, two sailors appeared in courts in San Diego and Los Angeles on August 3, 2023 for passing sensitive information, including pictures of military ware, aircraft carriers and other vital military components, and war drill plans to Chinese intelligence agents.
Jinchao Wei, 22, was arrested on August 2, 2023 as he was about to board the USS Essex. He was accused of passing detailed information related weapons systems and aircraft aboard the USS Essex and other amphibious assault ships which were part of the Essex ecosystem. Prosecutors alleged that Wei was approached by a Chinese intelligence officer in February 2022 while he was applying for his U.S. citizenship.
The U.S. Justice Department filed charges on a second case against a sailor based in the Naval Base Ventura County. Wenheng Zhao, 26, is accused of taking bribe of circa $150,000 in exchange for the U.S. naval exercises plans, operational orders and related photos.
Zhao Sentenced to a Two-year Term
A federal judge in Los Angeles on January 8, 2024 sentenced Wenheng Zhao to two years in federal imprisonment and $5,500 in fines on two counts of conspiracy and bribery, respectively.
***************************** NAVY SAILORS ARRESTED ON ESPIONAGE *******************
***************************** MANUEL ROCHA, ALLEGED CUBAN MOLE *******************
Top Notch Former Diplomat Arrested, Arraigned
That the arm of the U.S. Justice Department is long enough not to leave out a foreign mole even many years after the alleged espionage has taken place is proven one more time on December 4, 2023 as a former Foreign Service Officer has appeared in a Miami courthouse during the day. Manuel Rocha, 73, who was the topmost U.S. diplomat in Argentina, Bolivia and the U.S. Interest Section in Havana, was arrested on December 1, 2023 at Miami.
***************************** MANUEL ROCHA, ALLEGED CUBAN MOLE *******************
