On This Day — Richard Sorge “The spy who changed the world” is arrested in Tokyo (October 18, 1941) [UPDATE : A Fresh Look at a Legendary Spy (New Japanese Translation of Richard Sorge’s Reports from Tokyo)]

Posted on October 18, 2023 by L

“Richard Sorge’s brilliant espionage work saved Stalin and the Soviet Union from defeat in the fall of 1941, probably prevented a Nazi victory in World War II and thereby assured the dimensions of the world we live in today.”

American writer Larry Collins

October 18 2023 — On October 18 1941, Richard Sorge was arrested in Tokyo. He was hanged on November 7 1944, at 10:20 Tokyo time in Sugamo Prison. A number of famous personalities — from General Douglas MacArthur to James Bond’s father and former MI6 Ian Fleming — considered him one of the most accomplished spies. Chief Prosecutor Mitsusada Yoshikawa — the Japanese who led the prosecution and obtained Sorge’s death sentence — wrote that he never met a greater man. Richard Sorge is proof that one spy can alter the History of our world. Follow us on Twitter: @INTEL_TODAY

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On this Day — Mata Hari Is Executed (October 15 1917) [Was she really guilty?]

Posted on October 15, 2023 by L

“A harlot? Yes, but a traitor, never!”

Mata Hari (during the trial)

Margaretha Zelle alias Mata Hari

October 15 2023 — Margaretha Geertruida “Margreet” MacLeod (Born Zelle; August 7 1876 – October 15 1917), better known by the stage name Mata Hari, was a Dutch exotic dancer and courtesan. She was put on trial on July 24 1917. The following day, she was convicted of being a spy for Germany. On October 15 1917, she was executed by firing squad in France. Follow us on Twitter: @INTEL_TODAY

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On This Day — Che Guevara Is Executed (October 9 1967)

Posted on October 9, 2023 by L

“The only passion that guides me is for the truth… I look at everything from this point of view.”

Che Guevara
June 14 1928 – October 9 1967

 

A 1960 photo taken by Alberto Korda of Guevara in a beret became iconic and has since appeared on countless posters and T-shirts.

October 9 2023 — On this day in 1967, socialist revolutionary and guerrilla leader Che Guevara was executed by the Bolivian army. He was 39. Follow us on Twitter: @INTEL_TODAY

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On This Day — Who Killed Pierre Goldman? And Why? (June 22, 1944 – Assassinated September 20, 1979) [UPDATE — New Movie : The Goldman Case]

Posted on October 9, 2023 by L

“Marseille boys members of GAL killed him [Pierre Goldman] with Maïone, who also talked about a commandant, a former member of the SDECE [French Secret Service], without revealing to me his identity.”

Libération (April 2006)

Pierre Goldman (June 22, 1944 – Assassinated September 20, 1979)

September 20 2023 — Who killed Goldman? Of course, I am not talking about the French singer — Jean-Jacques — who is one of the most loved personalities in France. I am talking about his brother Pierre, a French left-wing intellectual who was convicted of several robberies and mysteriously assassinated on September 20 1979. The case has never been solved.

By the way, although Jean-Jacques never spoke about his brother, many believe that the song “Puisque tu pars” is about Pierre. I left a couple of messages for JJ Goldman knowing full well that he would not reply. I hope that he will speak about his brother one day… “But not too late.” Follow us on Twitter: @INTEL_TODAY

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On This Day — Gaddafi Target of U.S. Disinformation (October 2 1986 — Bob Woodward) [Disinformation Goes Mainstream]

Posted on October 3, 2023 by L

“There is a wonderful book that you might read… And the title of it is from a quote from Winston Churchill: ‘In time of war, the truth is so precious, it must be attended by a bodyguard of lies.'”

Secretary of State George P. Shultz
(October 3 1986)

libya_bombing_reagan_meeting_14_march_1986
14 March 1986 — Reagan Strikes on Tripoli and Benghazi

October 3 2022 — On October 2 1986, the Washington Post published an extraordinary story written by legendary journalist Bob Woodward: “Gadhafi Target of Secret U.S. Deception Plan”. Under orders from the White House, the US Intelligence Community was planting false information in the US media. As a result of this scandal, the use of the word ‘disinformation’ became mainstream in the English language. Follow us on Twitter: @INTEL_TODAY

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Remembering CIA Rachel A. Dean (April 10 1981 – September 30 2006)

Posted on September 30, 2023 by L

“Rachel was a warm and compassionate young woman, and an officer of unbounded potential. We miss her still and will remember her always. She is our 87th star.”

CIA Director General Michael V. Hayden
May 21 2007

The Memorial Wall is a memorial at the Central Intelligence Agency headquarters in Langley, Virginia. It honors CIA employees who died in the line of service. There are 140 stars carved into the white Alabama marble wall. At least eleven represent women.

September 30 2023 — Rachel Alexandra Dean was a support officer who joined CIA in January 2005. She died on September 30 2006 in a car accident while on temporary duty in Kazakhstan. She was 25. Follow us on Twitter: @Intel_Today

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Remembering Enrico Fermi (September 29 1901 – November 28 1954) — Think like a Physicist! How many workers were necessary to build Khufu’s pyramid? [Fermi Problems]

Posted on September 29, 2023 by L

“For the making of the pyramid itself there passed a period of twenty years. They worked by a hundred thousand men at a time, for each three months continually.”

Herodotus (484 – c. 425 BC)

Pyramids of Giza, soaring above the city of Cairo, Egypt 

September 29 2023 — A ‘Fermi Question’ asks for a quick estimate of a quantity that seems difficult, or even impossible, to determine precisely. Fermi’s approach to such questions was to use common sense and rough estimates of quantities to piece together a ball-park value. Follow us on Twitter: @INTEL_TODAY

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Lockerbie — Questions from a reader

Posted on September 27, 2023 by L

“Intel Today is really providing top-notch analysis that is hard to find anywhere else.”

Ulrich — Munich, Germany

Blind monks examining an elephant — ukiyo-e print by Hanabusa Itchō (1652–1724)

September 27 2023 — Last week, I received a message from a reader of Intel Today. With his authorization, I have decided to share with you his comments and questions. I will address all these issues and a few more in the coming weeks. Stay tuned! Follow us on Twitter: @INTEL_TODAY

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40 Years Ago — Stanislav Petrov Saves the World from Nuclear War (September 26 1983)

Posted on September 26, 2023 by L

“The siren howled. But I just sat there for a few seconds, staring at the big, back-lit, red screen with the word ‘LAUNCH’ on it.”

Colonel Stanislav Petrov

Stanislav Petrov, a former lieutenant colonel for the Soviet Air Defence Forces, is credited with correctly recognizing a false alarm while manning an early-warning missile defense system, thereby averting a Soviet retaliatory strike and nuclear war.

September 26 2023 — On September 26 1983 — just three weeks after the Soviet military had shot down Korean Air Lines Flight 007 — Stanislav Petrov was the duty officer at the command center for the Oko nuclear early-warning system when the system reported that a missile had been launched from the United States, followed by up to five more.

Petrov judged the reports to be a false alarm and his decision is credited with having prevented an erroneous retaliatory nuclear attack on the United States and its NATO allies that could have resulted in large-scale nuclear war. Investigation later confirmed that the Soviet satellite warning system had indeed malfunctioned. Follow us on Twitter: @INTEL_TODAY

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On This Day — The Lockerbie DIA Memo (September 24 1989) [The Legend of The Iranian Payment]

Posted on September 24, 2023 by L

“The bombing of the Pan Am flight [103] was conceived, authorised and financed by Ali-Akbar Mohtashemi-Pur, Iran’s former interior minister. The execution of the operation was contracted to Ahmad [Jibril], Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine General Command [PFLP-GC] leader, for a sum of $1million. $100,000 of this money was given to Jibril up front in Damascus by the Iranian ambassador to Sy [Syria], Muhammed Hussan [Akhari] for initial expenses. The remainder of the money was to be paid after successful completion of the mission.”

US Defense Intelligence Agency Memo
(September 24 1989)

September 24 2019 — There has been a persistent “rumor” that Iran paid a large amount of money — possibly up to US$ 10 million — to the PFLP-GC terrorist organization of Ahmed Jibril in the immediate aftermath of the Lockerbie tragedy. This is simply a piece of disinformation. Although the CIA and the DIA have often claimed to have evidence of such ‘payment’, a quick look at the source document will easily convince you that this legend was built around a suspicious transaction that has nothing to do with the Lockerbie tragedy. The SCCRC came to the same conclusion. Although Richard Marquise (FBI) is not willing to discuss the issue (the information is still classified), I believe that he agrees with my findings. Follow us on Twitter: @INTEL_TODAY

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