On This Day — Lockerbie : “The Helsinki Warning” (December 5 1988) [2019]

“And he comes in early the next morning, 6 o’clock the next morning, and there is, obviously, confusion and concern. And he is asked to do a number of things. And he is asked to work on Weber’s desk with his computer. And he looks down and sees the Helsinki warning on Weber’s desk. And he goes crazy. And he says what is this?

And Weber says: Oh, my God, don’t worry, don’t worry, it’s nothing, forget it.

So Koch says, how can I forget it? This is a warning of a potential bomb. It is my job.

Just forget it. Be quiet or you will get in trouble.”

Washington Post — “Helsinki Warning: Timely or Buried?”

“There was a real push in the embassy community to make sure that everybody was aware that there had been a terrorist threat made, and that people flying Western carriers going through Frankfurt should change their tickets.”

Karen Decker, Consular Official at the Moscow US Embassy – ABC, Nov. 30 1989

“Perhaps life in war-torn Beirut had made them [CIA McKee and Gannon] used to terror risks. Perhaps they figured to themselves that their superiors would not have allowed them to travel if the flight was at serious risk. Had they known that within the past three weeks, there had been a number of strong indications that radical Palestinians were planning to attack Pan Am, they would most surely have chosen another airline.”

John Ashton and Ian Fergusson – Cover Up of Convenience

“The Helsinki Warning was totally investigated after the bombing and we determined as fact that it was not a credible threat based on who made the threat.”

Richard Marquise – Former FBI agent and head of the Pan Am 103 Bombing Investigation (Communication to the author)

“At the end of the Commission findings, you will see that we looked at the total history of passenger bookings for Pan Am 103 and they were the same for years. No one was warned off the plane.”

Frank Duggan — (Communication to the author)

On December 5, 1988, a man speaking with an Arabic accent telephoned the US Embassy in Helsinki, Finland. The informant said that a Pan Am flight from Frankfurt to the United States would be blown up within the next two weeks. On December 21, 1988, Pan Am 103 exploded over Lockerbie. Pan Am 103A — its feeder flight — originated from Frankfurt. The warning was dismissed as a hoax.

The FBI concluded that the ‘culprit’ had done it to impress his girlfriend. Actually, the suspect was never indicted because sufficient evidence could not be assembled. If there was not enough evidence to indict, let alone convict, Samra Mahayou for the hoax, where was the evidence to dismiss the warning as one? Follow us on Twitter: @Intel_Today Continue reading

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On This Day — Profumo Affair Christine Keeler Has Died (December 4 2017) [2019]

“The ghost-written book got me right, it has got me emotionally right. There’s one word I don’t like: ‘Ruining my life may not seem very important to some, considering what I was, just a pretty scrubber…’ I wanted them to change it to ‘tart.’ ‘Scrubber’ implies someone who can’t talk properly and wears horrible clothes, but I always spoke well and had good clothes. I’ve always had a bit of class to me. I’m sure Jack Profumo wouldn’t have gone out with a scrubber. Perhaps they should have written ‘just a pretty nobody.’”

Christine Keeler — Interview by Simon Hoggart about her second autobiography (The Observer – March 13, 1983)

“The Profumo affair, ultimately, was a national crisis from whose aftershocks we are all still suffering.”

The Guardian (June 2013)

Lewis Morley’s 1963 portrait of Christine Keeler became an iconic image of the cold war

On December 4 2017, Christine Keeler, the model embroiled in the 1963 Profumo affair, died aged 75. The Profumo affair was a very British scandal which uncovered a secret world of sex, horse-play, drinking orgies and spying, in high places, in which Ms Keeler shared her favours with Mr Profumo, and Commander Eugene Ivanov, the Soviet assistant naval attaché in London. The crisis forced John Profumo to quit his job as war secretary and ultimately contributed to the downfall of the Tory government the following year. Follow us on Twitter: @INTEL_TODAY Continue reading

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On This Day — Bob Marley Assassination Attempt (December 3 1976) [Was the CIA involved?]

“Some see the incident as an attempt by JLP gunmen to halt the concert, which would feature the ‘politically progressive’ music of Marley and other reggae stars. Others see it as a deep-laid plot to create a progressive, youthful Jamaican martyr to benefit of the PNP. Those holding the latter view note that the four persons shot, three of them including Marley, only suffered minor wounds.”

US Embassy Cable (May 11 1981)

“I cannot prove in a court of law that the CIA is here… strange things are happening in Jamaica that we have not seen before.”

Michael Manley — Leader of the Jamaica PNP

“His voice was an omnipresent cry in our electronic world. His sharp features, majestic looks, and prancing style a vivid etching on the landscape of our minds. Bob Marley was never seen. He was an experience which left an indelible imprint with each encounter. Such a man cannot be erased from the mind. He is part of the collective consciousness of the nation.”

Jamaican Prime Minister Edward Seaga — Funeral eulogy (May 21 1981)

“I WOULD LIKE TO CALL THE ATTENTION OF THE JAMAICAN PRESS AND PEOPLE TO THE FACT THAT THE CURRENT [CIA] CHIEF OF STATION HERE [NORMAN DESCOTEAUX], AND TWO OF THE OPERATIONS OFFICERS ARRIVED IN KINGSTON DURING THE MIDDLE AND LATTER PART OF LAST YEAR PRIOR TO THE INITIATION OF VIOLENCE.”

AGEE PRESS RELEASE (September 17 1976)

Bob Marley unite two warring factions JLP and PNP at his 1978 One Love Peace Concert

On December 3, 1976, two days before the Smile Jamaica concert, seven men with guns raided Marley’s house at 56 Hope Road around 8.30 pm. Marley’s wife, Rita, was shot in the head. The gunmen shot Marley in the chest and arm. His manager, Don Taylor, was shot in the legs and torso. Astonishingly, there were no fatalities. Over the years, many have alleged that the CIA was behind the assassination plot. Follow us on Twitter: @INTEL_TODAY Continue reading

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On This Day — Pablo Escobar is killed in Medellin (December 2 1993) [2019]

“Pablo  committed suicide. He did not get killed. During all the years they went after him, he would say to me every day that if he was really cornered without a way out, he would shoot himself through the ear.”

Roberto Escobar

“My father worked for the CIA selling cocaine to finance the fight against Communism in Central America.”

Juan Pablo Escobar

“What we’ve learned is that if you look at history what happened with the Medellin Cartel after we took them down, Cali Cartel got stronger, right? Then we take them down, and North Valle Cartel takes over. We’re taking down cartels, and another cartel is born.”

Javier Pena — Former DEA officer

Fernando Botero’s portrayal of Pablo Escobar’s death

Pablo Emilio Escobar Gaviria (December 1 1949 – December 2 1993) was a Colombian drug lord and narcoterrorist. His cartel supplied an estimated 80% of the cocaine smuggled into the United States at the height of his career, turning over US$21.9 billion a year in personal income. Follow us on Twitter: @INTEL_TODAY Continue reading

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Brussels, Den of Spies — The European Capital is a playground for spies

“Brussels has now overtaken Vienna when it comes to the density of so-called intelligence services from outside the EU.”

Peter Gridling — Head of Austria’s domestic intelligence agency (June 2018)

“Belgium may seem an unlikely destination for a Chinese agent. In fact, it’s a den of spies, according to domestic intelligence agency State Security (VSSE). It says the number of operatives is at least as high as during the Cold War, and Brussels is their chessboard.”

How Belgium Became Europe’s Den of Spies and a Gateway for China — Bloomberg (November 28 2019)

December 1st 2019 — Belgium has clearly become Europe’s den of spies. Not convinced? Let us take a quick look at a few events that occurred in just the last few days. Follow us on Twitter: @INTEL_TODAY Continue reading

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Remembering CIA Director George H. W. Bush (June 12, 1924 – November 30, 2018)

“I think we should think of the CIA as a national asset that must be preserved as a vital part of our defense system. . . It is important that the American people understand the intricate job the CIA is doing in an increasingly complex world. It is essential we have the support of the American People.”

George H.W. Bush — Speech in San Antonio, Texas, 1978

“George H.W. Bush led a life of exemplary public service, integrity, and determination—in WWII, in Congress, as UN Ambassador, Envoy to China, CIA Director, and as Vice President & President. A life very well lived; an American who made us all proud. May he rest in eternal peace.”

Former CIA Director John Brennan (December 1 2018)

“We’ve lost a great champion of the Agency—an accomplished Director, faithful advocate, and dear friend—with the passing of former President George H.W. Bush. As a heroic Navy pilot in the Second World War, a skilled statesman who deftly managed the collapse of the Soviet Union and liberated Kuwait from Saddam Husayn’s aggression, and a committed citizen who remained engaged in public service throughout his later years, President Bush exemplified the virtues of patriotism, duty, and compassion. Officers here at the George Bush Center for Intelligence and deployed around the globe honor the memory of a great American. On behalf of the men and women of CIA, I extend our heartfelt condolences to the Bush family.”

CIA Director Gina Haspel (December 1 2018)

George H.W. Bush’s tenure as Director of Central Intelligence (DCI) marked a turning point for the Agency as it came out of a period of great controversy. He is credited with restoring focus and boosting morale, and he remains one of the most beloved directors in the Agency’s history. George Bush is the only former Director of Central Intelligence to become President. Follow us on TWITTER: @INTEL_TODAY Continue reading

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The CIA Book of Honor — Star 79 : Johnny Micheal Spann (March 1, 1969 – November 25, 2001) [Update — King of Spades]

“IN HONOR OF THOSE MEMBERS OF THE CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE SERVICE OF THEIR COUNTRY”

Memorial at the CIA Headquarters in Langley, Virginia

“He [Johnny Micheal Spann] led one of our teams into Afghanistan, then under the sway of a dictatorship aligned with global murder.  There, he tracked the authors and allies of terror.  There, while fighting for the future of the American people, he fought to bring a better future to the Afghan people.  And it was there, one evening, that he said he would gladly risk his life if he could help make the world a safer place for his wife and children. As we know, those were much more than words. Our battle with terrorism will be long and difficult.  But those who have taken Mike from us cannot prevail.  And they will not.  Not while a single decent person—who not only loves liberty, but is ready to protect it—stands against them.”

Director of Central Intelligence George J. Tenet (May 31 2002)

Currently, there are 133 stars carved into the marble of the CIA Memorial Wall: 91 are unclassified. Who are those men and (11) women? When did they die? Why are they honoured by a star? Follow us on Twitter: @INTEL_TODAY Continue reading

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On This Day — Did The CIA Murder US Army Scientist Frank Olson? And Why? (November 28 1953) [2019]

“If this would have been a suicide, it would have been very difficult to accomplish. There was motive to kill him. He knew the deepest, darkest secrets of the cold war. Would the American government kill an American citizen who was a scientist, who was working for the CIA and the army, if they thought he was a security risk? There are people who say: ‘Definitely.’”

Stephen Saracco — Retired New York assistant district attorney (2019)

“The most efficient accident, in simple assassination, is a fall of 75 feet or more onto a hard surface.”

CIA assassination manual (1953)

“What Wormwood tries to do is tell a story about how we know what we know and how reliable is that knowledge.”

Errol Morris — Documentary Director

“You think that finding the answer to this is gonna restore the path of your own life. But how can it possibly do that if you’ve lost yourself along the way?”

Eric Olson (Wormwood)

 

November 28 2019 — Wormwood is a 2017 American six-part docudrama miniseries directed by Errol Morris and released on Netflix on December 15, 2017. The series follows a scientist who participates in a secret government biological warfare program. In the final chapter, Seymour Hersh states that he believes the CIA murdered Frank Olson.

Although, Hersh has a source that backs up this story, Hersh refuses to speak out because the story would expose how his source acquired the necessary information. Hersh claims he knows what Frank did that got him killed.  But he does not reveal it. In this post, I suggest the most likely explanation. As always, your feedback is welcome! Follow us on Twitter:  @INTEL_TODAY Continue reading

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30 Years Ago — Remembering Avianca Flight 203 (November 27 1989) [2019]

“It’s not an item that appears on most attorneys’ bucket lists: ‘Challenge the commonly held explanation of a national tragedy and help win another country’s version of the Pulitzer Prize.’ It’s not that it’s not a noble goal, but where would you start?”

Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly — Retired lawyer probes crash, shares ‘Colombian Pulitzer’ (December 14 2017)

“No one acts alone without orders in the FBI. We had clear goals which were clearly given to us in every document we received from anyone. If a police organization wished for us to provide them “proof” of guilt, then they told us in many ways of their absolute belief that the perpetrators were those individuals they had already arrested. If the president of the United States tells the country in the national news that Dandeny Munoz Mosquera is one of the most feared assassins in the history of the world, then every agent knows that he must provide information to support that statement. If leaders decide without concern for foundation of truth then most people will follow them.”

Fred Whitehurst — Former FBI Chemist (Email to the author)

Avianca 203

Avianca Airlines Flight 203 was a Colombian domestic passenger flight from El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá to Alfonso Bonilla Aragón International Airport in Cali. Avianca Flight 203 crashed over the municipality of Soacha on November 27, 1989. Allegedly, the plane was destroyed by a bomb. This explanation is however much disputed by experts today. Colombian journalists Pablo Correa, Sergio Silva and retired US Newton Center attorney Thomas Hoffman share the 2017 Simon Bolivar Prize (Category: Investigative journalism) for their outstanding work on the true story of AVIANCA Flight 203. Follow us on Twitter: @INTEL_TODAY Continue reading

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The CIA Book of Honor — Star 117 : Charles Mayer (1968)

“IN HONOR OF THOSE MEMBERS OF THE CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE SERVICE OF THEIR COUNTRY”

Memorial at the CIA Headquarters in Langley, Virginia

“For anyone who wants to understand the essence of the CIA, one need look no further than this hallowed wall. These stars, and the memories they hold, will forever inspire and sustain us as we carry on the work to which those whose stars find lasting peace in this finely chiseled constellation devoted their lives.”

 Director John O. Brennan — CIA annual ceremony (May 23 2016)

September 12 2019 — Currently, there are 133 stars carved into the marble of the CIA Memorial Wall; 93 are unclassified. Who are those men and women? When did they die? Why are they honored by a star?  Follow us on Twitter: @INTEL_TODAY Continue reading

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