The Intelligence Gazette
Taiwanese in Milan, Damascus and the Arab League, Russian customs chief

Lebanon
Byblos Groups new branch B-Guard ME opens in Beirut

French security firm Byblos Group is going to do business in Beirut, in owner Simon Hoayek's native country. He is counting on Sami el-Hoyek, a former Lebanese Armed Forces general, to get the new branch off the ground.

France, Syria
Pro-Damascus Federation of Syrian Chambers of Commerce makes Paris comeback

The Federation of Syrian Chambers of Commerce, the industrial and commercial arm of President Bashar Al Assad's regime, attended the recent Franco-Arab Chamber of Commerce summit in Paris, despite continuing French hostility to a rapprochement with Damascus.

Saudi Arabia, Syria
Saudi Arabia's earthquake aid reveals Riyadh's changing posture towards Syria

Saudi Arabia and Syria's secret normalisation process has been brought into the open by recent Saudi deliveries of humanitarian aid to areas of Syria controlled by Assad, an initiative that paves the way for more direct diplomatic contact.

The Intelligence Gazette
Cairo shifts view on Syria, DGSE on Order of Liberation board, drones for Portuguese military, ex-FSO to Russian Security Council, CIA moles

Appointments, reforms and key issues: every Monday, Intelligence Online serves up snippets of news, big and small, from the global intelligence community. This week we hone in on Cairo, Moscow, Lisbon and Paris.

Egypt/Syria Cairo shifts position on Syria's return to Arab League

Portugal Military intelligence eyes US drones

Russia Yet another ex-FSO officer joins Security Council

France DGSE wants seat on Order of the Liberation board

United States Baer vs Redmond, score settling between former CIA officers over a book

Spotlight | Syria
Spymaster Ali Mamlouk has slipped from public view

Syria's spymaster in chief during the civil war, Ali Mamlouk, has been active in all the country's intelligence campaigns since 2012, both internal and external. Although no official announcement has been made and there has been no major incident, he looks to have been sidelined in favour of rising star Hussam Luka.