On This Day — Remembering Swissair Flight 330 (February 21 1970) [UPDATE — The Lockerbie Connection: A very suspicious VISA]

“The secret deal was ‘immoral’ and in breach of legal principles, but it was justified for strategic reasons. This might be absolutely shocking, but the reward was that there were no more attacks.”

Pr. Jean Ziegler

swiss330
Wreckage from the Swissair plane that crashed in a forest in Würenlingen

February 21 2024 — On February 21 1970 — a cold and wet Saturday — Swissair Flight 330, bound for Tel Aviv, crashed shortly after take-off from Zürich. 38 passengers and nine crew died in the tragedy. Follow us on Twitter: @INTEL_TODAY

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CIA Memorial Wall — The powerful ending of “13 HOURS” [‘Powerful end scene’ is DEAD WRONG]

“Also being twice in that great building, I was drawn to the Memorial Wall both times. On Friday, I realized that the last two stars were Tyrone and Glen. I would like to end the film with a wide shot of the wall, including the flags on either side, and then cut on a close up of the last two stars, and fade out.”

Michael Bay
Email to the CIA
(March 2015)

February 20 2024 — 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi (also known simply as 13 Hours) is a 2016 American biographical action-thriller film directed and produced by Michael Bay and written by Chuck Hogan. The script is based on Mitchell Zuckoff’s 2014 book of the same name. The film’s historical accuracy has been disputed. Today, I will not weigh on this issue, but I can ensure you that the ‘powerful end scene’ is DEAD WRONG. Follow us on Twitter: @INTEL_TODAY

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On This Day — USMC Col. William R. Higgins Is Abducted in Lebanon (February 17 1988) [UPDATE — The Lockerbie X FILE & The Story of US Major Charles – Chuck – Dennis McKee]

“It clearly looked to me like the body was in what we call mummification, or early stages of mummification, which essentially means drying. Because of the drying certain areas become sunken like the eyes are sunken. If you look at the Higgins pictures, they certainly look that way. … I’m inclined to think he was dead before he was hanged.”

Dr. Werner Spitz
Professor of forensic pathology
Wayne State University

February 17 2024 — William Richard Higgins (January 15, 1945 – Unknown but declared dead on July 6, 1990) was a colonel in the United States Marine Corps who was captured on February 17 1988 while serving on a United Nations peacekeeping mission in Lebanon. He was held hostage, tortured and eventually murdered by his captors. Follow us on Twitter: @INTEL_TODAY

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On This day – U.S. Air Force Carpet Bombs Dresden (February 13-15 1945)

“The Dresden atrocity, tremendously expensive and meticulously planned, was so meaningless, finally, that only one person on the entire planet got any benefit from it. I am that person. I wrote this book, which earned a lot of money for me and made my reputation, such as it is… One way or another, I got two or three dollars for every person killed. Some business I’m in.”

Kurt Vonnegut
About Dresden and his famous novel
Slaughterhouse-Five

February 13 2024 — From February 13 to February 15 1945, during the final months of World War II (1939-45), Allied forces bombed the historic city of Dresden, located in Eastern Germany. I regard the bombing of Dresden as a war crime. I understand that one may disagree with me on this issue. Anyone is entitled to his own opinion. However, I expect everyone to acknowledge the facts because no one is entitled to his own facts. Former CIA Director John McLaughlin should not be allowed to ignore History and to make his own “In-facts”.  Follow us on Twitter: @INTEL_TODAY

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On This Day — U2 Pilot Francis Gary Powers Exchanged in Spy Swap for KGB Rudolf Ivanovich Abel (February 10 1962)

“Francis Gary Powers performed his duty in a very dangerous mission and he performed it well, and I think I know more about that than some of his detractors and critics know, and I am glad to say that to him tonight.”
 
CIA Director Allen Dulles
(March 1964)

 

Glienicke Bridge prisoner exchange depicted in the Bridge of Spies movie, where Soviet spy Rudolf Abel was exchanged for American pilot Francis Gary Powers

February 10 2024 — At 8:52 am on February 10 1962, American U-2 pilot Francis Gary Powers was exchanged in a spy swap for Rudolf Ivanovich Abel, a senior KGB spy at the now famous Glienicke Bridge. American student Frederic Pryor was also released at the same time. Follow us on Twitter: @Intel_Today

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The CIA Memorial Wall — A quick note about the anonymous stars

“Dr. Evans’s death would not be reflected on CIA’s Memorial Wall until May 23, 2023, when during CIA’s annual Memorial Day function, CIA Director Burns made public the names of five previous inductees to the Hall of Honor and introduced one new one, Dr. Jon Evans.”

Tracy E. Rich
(September 2023)

The Memorial Wall honors CIA employees who died in the line of service.

February 4 2024 — I was reading a very interesting piece about the last CIA officer honored by a star on the Memorial Wall, when I came across a surprising footnote. Follow us on Twitter: @INTEL_TODAY

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On This day — Ayatollah Khomeini Returns to Iran (February 1 1979) [MI6 and the CIA collaborated with Tehran until at least 1983] [UPDATE : A Quick Note on Conspiracy Theories — Are Republicans and Conservatives More Likely to Believe Conspiracy Theories?]

“You will see we are not in any particular animosity with the Americans. [The Islamic Republic of Iran] will be a humanitarian one, which will benefit the cause of peace and tranquility for all mankind. (…) It is advisable that you recommend to the army not to follow [Shah’s prime minister Shapour] Bakhtiar.”

Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini
Letter to US President
Jimmy Carter
(January 29 1979)

February 1 2024 — On January 17 1979, the Shah left the country, never to return. Two weeks later, on Thursday February 1st 1979, Khomeini returned in triumph to Iran, welcomed by a joyous crowd estimated to be of up to five million people. The communications between Khomeini and the president Jimmy Carter’s administration during the last two weeks of January 1979 remain largely classified and highly controversial.

PS — Whenever you learn new facts, you must re-think what you thought you knew. In this case, you may want to reconsider the following events: the release of the hostages on January 20 1981, 20 minutes after Reagan concluded his inaugural address, as well as the Iran-Contra scandal, the summer massacre and the fall of Ayatollah Montazeri. Follow us on Twitter: @Intel_Today

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On This Day — CIA Director William Casey Resigns (January 29 1987) [UPDATE : History in the Age of ChatGPT]

“We’ll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false.”

William Casey
CIA Director (1981-1987)

“We’ll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false.” — William Casey — CIA Director (1981-1987)

January 29 2024 — William Joseph Casey (March 13, 1913 – May 6, 1987) was the Director of Central Intelligence from 1981 to 1987. In this capacity he oversaw the entire United States Intelligence Community and personally directed the Central Intelligence Agency. Follow us on Twitter: @INTEL_TODAY

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On This Day — The CIA exfiltrates 6 diplomats from Iran (January 28 1980) [Operation “Canadian Caper”]

“Mehrabad is like many Middle Eastern or South Asian airports. Although of fairly modern construction, the people who pass through as travelers or hang around to greet or see travelers off make an orderly transit impossible. This was another reason for choosing the 7:30 a.m. Swissair flight. If we arrived at the airport at 5 a.m., the chances were the airport would be less chaotic. Also, the officials manning the controls might still be sleepy, and most of the Revolutionary Guards would still be in their beds. This was the case that Monday morning, 28 January 1980.”

Tony Mendez
Former CIA Officer

 

Tony Mendez, the retired CIA agent who was played by Ben Affleck in the movie ARGO

January 28 2024 — The “Canadian Caper” was the popular name given to the joint covert rescue by the Canadian government and the CIA of six American diplomats who had evaded capture during the seizure of the United States embassy in Tehran, Iran, on November 4, 1979, after the Iranian Revolution, when Islamist students took most of the American embassy personnel hostage, demanding the return of the US-backed Shah for trial. Follow us on Twitter: @INTEL_TODAY

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On This Day — Soviets Liberate Auschwitz (January 27 1945) [Poll : Who do you think played the most important role in defeating the Nazis?]

“I had an uncle … who was part of the first American troops to go into Auschwitz and liberate the concentration camps.”

Barack Obama
(May 26 2008)

January 27 2024 — On January 27 1945, Soviet troops enter Auschwitz, Poland, freeing the survivors of the network of concentration camps—and finally revealing to the world the depth of the horrors perpetrated there. I believe that the quote at the top of this post speak volumes. I would rather not comment… But, just to be very clear, no American soldiers, let alone Obama’s uncle, ever came close to liberate the Jewish people held in Auschwitz.  Follow us on Twitter: @INTEL_TODAY

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