National Security

France
France mulls US-style foreign agents register after similar UK effort

France's Secretary General of Defence and National Security wants to introduce stricter controls of "amateur" lobbyists working informally for foreign interests.

The Corporate Intelligence Gazette
Amarante and the AFD, Hakluyt's spring growth, Brasidas poaches from Schillings, JS Held ends Hong Kong venture, DragonFly tests the air for Delta, CRA vs. activists

Appointments, financial results, new contracts, in Washington, London and Paris: every week, we report on the events big and small that matter in the global corporate intelligence community.

ParisAmarante looks for risks facing the AFD

London/WashingtonHakluyt's springtime recruits and fresh funds

ZurichBrasidas taps into Schillings talent pool

Hong KongJS Held closes local office

CambridgeActivists target Charles River Associates

Jordan
Jordanian intelligence searches for encrypted communications provider

As it continues to take measures to increase cooperation between its intelligence and security services, Amman is looking for a provider to secure its communications.

China, Indonesia
Huawei extends web in Jakarta, ground zero for China-US fight for influence

With the Indonesian presidential election less than a year away, Huawei is trying to win the trust of certain prominent figures in the country. Its goal is to become the government's main cyber and 5G provider, much to the displeasure of the US and Australia.

United States
Biden administration's call to renew major intelligence law triggers congressional and lobbying battle

Intelligence and law enforcement heavyweights support the bid to extend Section 702, which opened the door to domestic surveillance without a warrant. GOP, Democrats, lobbyists and even intelligence employees appear divided on the matter. If not passed by the year's end, Section 702 will expire.

China
Shanghai clique gathers intelligentsia around Xi

Coordinated by Politburo Standing Committee members Wang Huning and Ding Xuexiang, the new Shanghai faction is trying to extinguish the influence of Jiang Zemin's protégés from the world of academia and the military.

UAE
CPX struggles to spearhead UAE's cyberoffensive operations

Supposed to be the UAE's new cyberintelligence flagship, CPX is struggling to make its mark and hold on to contracts because of technological gaps at a time when other parapublic cyber firms are gaining ground.

Russia
Russian financial intelligence service looks to recruit new generation of analysts

As it is gradually pushed out of international financial surveillance organisations, Russia's financial intelligence service Rosfinmonitoring is counting on its connections with local and Central Asian universities to provide new recruits and keep up its foreign partnerships.

Russia
FSB comes back in from the cold

Benefitting from the rising number of incidents on Russia's periphery and the careful staging of its response to these, the national security service has returned to the forefront of Russian politics after being given the cold shoulder over its strategic errors on Ukraine.

Lebanon, United States
Bahaa Hariri swaps CT Group for BGR to promote his political ambitions in Lebanon

A powerful businessman and son of the former prime minister murdered in 2005, Hariri will pay BGR $600,000 for a year's work. Lobbyists on the contract include Ed Rogers, a veteran of the Reagan and Bush Sr.

Spotlight | United States
Chinese threat rekindles focus on climate-related intelligence

Both to cater to his electoral base and develop US surveillance capacities, Joe Biden is making climate intelligence a priority, not only to anticipate climate change-related disasters but also to get a step ahead of China on the issue.

The Agencies' Gazette
NATO's top job shortlist, Jordan's National Security Council, Poland's ICS, French comcyber faces Beijing

Appointments, reforms and key issues: every Monday, Intelligence Online serves up snippets big and small from the global intelligence community.

Brussels/Washington Italy's chances fade for NATO top post

Jordan Abdullah II's National Security Council struggles to emerge

Poland Pressure on information and communication systems

France Comcyber remains blind to Beijing's cyber divisions

United States
Counter-influence expert looking for funding to develop cyber activities

EdgeTheory, a service provider to the US intelligence community, wants to extend its expertise to cyber and has approached lobbyist Alpine Group Partners to look for funding.

The Tech Telegraph
ODNI pores over cyberintel industry, Fabian Kaiser moves to ISTARI Global, Sacha Bailly heads Dataminr's defence sales and Belgian spyware

From SIGINT to GEOINT and OSINT and a dose of cyber, each Thursday, we report on events both big and small that matter in the community of technical intelligence providers.

WashingtonIs the US clamping down on the cyber intelligence industry?

MunichFabian Kaiser takes over ISTARI Global's office in Munich

ParisSacha Bailly, French Navy and Airbus veteran takes helm of Dataminr's defence activities in France

BrusselsIntelligence oversight committee gives green light to Belgian spyware development