British Media Exploited by Intel Agencies

British journalists -- and British journals -- are being manipulated by the secret intelligence agencies, and I think we ought to try and put a stop to it.--David Leigh[1]Intelligence agencies can manipulate journalists and their newspapers in various ways.

Firstly, spies may recruit journalists or even impersonate them. It goes without saying that these long and broadly practiced activities are unhealthy as they put the life of every single journalist in danger, and particularly those who work as foreign correspondents.

Secondly, intelligence agencies can plant disinformation in mainstream media under false identity. In the months preceding the 1953 overthrow of Iranian Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadegh, intelligence agencies used this technique abundantly and without any difficulty, according to a copy of the CIA's secret history of the coup, which surfaced in 2000.

The third way for the spook to gain access to the media is rather subtle and particularly insidious. It consists of exploiting the vanity of journalists to impress on them to hide or lie about the real identity of their sources. Spies are said to have used this technique -- known as "I/Ops" for Information Operation -- heavily in the British press. Yet, it can rarely be documented. But once in a while, an I/Op gets out of control, giving the public a rare opportunity to take a peek inside the world of disinformation.

In November 1995, The Sunday Telegraph published a sensational story about one of our then favorite villains: Libya. Read full story

Plot to Kill Russian Exile Thwarted

"I was advised by the police to leave the country if I could. I went overseas for a week and then the police informed me that I could return." He was asked by the authorities not to reveal the details of the plot.Berezovsky was told to leave the country between June 27 and July 4. Berezovsky stated on television that the warning by the London police had confirmed a similar one issued three months earlier by a Russian source."Someone who I know would come to London and ask to meet me, and he would kill me openly … and he would explain later that it was just business reasons," he said.

In July 2006, the Russian Duma (parliament), which is under President Vladimir Putin's control, passed a law authorizing the Russian president to use the secret services as "death squads" in order to eliminate "extremists," even on the foreign territory (Federal Law of 27 July 2006 N 153-F3).On the same day, the Duma amended another law that expands the definition of "extremism" in a way that includes anyone "libelously" critical of the Kremlin (Federal Law of 27 July 2006 N 148-F3)."A stage is set for any critic of Putin's regime here, especially those campaigning against Russian genocide in Chechnya, to have an appointment with a poison-tipped umbrella. According to the statement by the RF [Russian Federation] defense minister, Sergei Ivanov, the black list of potential targets is already composed," wrote Vladimir Bukovsky and Oleg Gordievsky in a letter to the London Times on July 11. Read full story

U.K. Expels Four Russian 'Diplomats'

"A U.K. citizen has suffered a horrifying and lingering death. His murder put hundreds of others, residents and visitors, at risk of radiation contamination, and the U.K. government has a wider duty to ensure the safety of the large Russian community living in the U.K.," said British Foreign Secretary David Miliband."The Russian authorities should be in no doubt that we expect nothing less than full cooperation over the investigation into the murder of Mr. Litvinenko," Miliband added, referring to the murder of former KGB Alexander Litvinenko, a British citizen poisoned in London in November.

Despite months of intense lobbying at the highest level, the Kremlin refuses to extradite the prime suspect in Litvinenko's murder, Andrei Lugovoy. Russian President Vladimir Putin has ridiculed the request as "pure foolishness" as the Russian constitution forbids the extradition of Russian citizens. In response to Moscow's lack of collaboration with U.K. authorities, Miliband announced in the House of Commons that cooperation with Russia would be affected on a wide range of issues."The Russian government has failed to register either how seriously we treat this case or the seriousness of the issues involved, despite clear explanations of our need for a satisfactory response," Miliband told lawmakers. Read full story

U.K. Charges Ex-KGB with Poisoning

On Jan. 31 Scotland Yard handed their report on the investigation into the death of Alexander Litvinenko to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). After studying the evidence, prosecutors have decided to charge former KGB agent Andrei Lugovoi over Litvinenko's death."I have today concluded that the evidence sent to us by the police is sufficient to charge Andrei Lugovoy with the murder of Mr. Litvinenko by deliberate poisoning," Director of Public Prosecutions Ken Macdonald said.

"In those circumstances, I have instructed CPS lawyers to take immediate steps to seek the early extradition of Andrei Lugovoi from Russia to the United Kingdom, so that he may be charged with murder -- and be brought swiftly before a court in London," Macdonald added.The announcement is certain to add tension between London and Moscow. Since the beginning of this year, the relation between Russia and the West has steadily degraded. Last week's EU-Russia summit ended in acrimony after having exposed very clearly sharp divisions between the two sides. Moscow has already replied that extradition is not possible. Read full story

Litvinenko Murder Suspects May Escape Charges

According to some sources, Scotland Yard will soon communicate its file to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). On the basis of this report, the CPS will decide whether Andrei Lugovoy and his associate Dmitry Kovtun should face prosecution.Last Friday, the Guardian quoted senior Whitehall officials saying that there is enough evidence to charge Lugovoy and that the British Government will soon seek his extradition.However, according to the Sunday Times, Scotland Yard will not prosecute Mr. Litvinenko's killers. On Jan. 16, officers from the Yard's Counter Terrorism Command met with Marina Litvinenko, the widow of the ex-FSB officer. They told her that they intended to close the case in spite of the fact that charges could be brought against Lugovoy and Kovtun. Read full story

Litvinenko Likely Poisoned on Kremlin Order

The eight-page document contained damaging personal details on the high-ranking official. Reportedly, it cost him several million dollars, as the British company canceled the deal. It is now suspected that as soon as he got hold of the dossier, Lugovoy tipped off the Kremlin about it. The dossier not only contains damaging information but it also demonstrates that Litvineko could get access to classified information related to events that occurred after his departure from the FSB.On Nov. 1, Litvinenko met with Lugovoy and an associate, Dmitry Kovtun, at the Millennium Hotel in London. The evidence strongly suggests that Litvinenko was poisoned during that meeting. Read full story

Radiation Found on British Airways Jets

Radioactivity was detected on the two planes grounded at London's Heathrow Airport. British investigators have yet to test the third plane taken out of service at Moscow airport.

The importance of this affair seems to grow everyday. Tony Blair has said that he will discuss the matter with Mr. Putin "at any time that is appropriate."On Wednesday, Home Secretary John Reid had another meeting with COBRA, the government's emergency committee, at the end of which he announced the news that radioactivity had been found on BA airplanes. He will make a statement to Parliament this Thursday.On Monday, he told the Commons that Russian authorities had been asked to provide "all necessary cooperation." A spokesperson of Russia top prosecutors office has declared that they will share all their resources with the British investigators to help solve the case.The production of large amount of polonium, such the quantity used to kill Alexander Litvinenko, requires access to a sophisticated nuclear facility. In recent days, Western media have suggested that the Polonium-210 had been produced in Russia and quickly brought to the U.K. Reid has said that there was no recent report of Po-210 stolen or missing from the U.K. facilities. Read full story

Russia Strongly Denies Poisoning Ex-Spy

In a statement dictated just days before his death and read by his friend Alex Goldfarb on Friday, Litvinenko pointed the finger at Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying, "You have shown yourself to have no respect for life, liberty or any civilized value. You may succeed in silencing one man. But a howl of protest from around the world will reverberate, Mr Putin, in your ears for the rest of your life. May God forgive you for what you have done.""It was obviously sanctioned [by the Kremlin]," said Oleg Gordievsky, the most senior KGB officer to defect to Britain. "He was such an obvious enemy. Only the KGB is able to do this." Read full story

Was Romano Prodi the Top KGB Man in Italy?

On April 3, 2006, a British Member of the European Parliament (MEP), Gerard Batten, cited allegations by Alexander Litvinenko that Romano Prodi, former President of the European Commission and currently Italy Prime Minister, had been the KGB's top man in Italy. While planning his escape from Russia, Litvinenko sought the advice of his boss and long time trusted friend, General Anatoly Trofimov. Batten told the European Parliament that Trofimov advised Litvinenko not to go to Italy because it was a KGB stronghold. "Don't go to Italy, there are many KGB agents among the politicians: Romano Prodi is our man there," General Trofimov told Mr Litvinenko. Trofimov was shot dead in Moscow in 2005.According to the EU Reporter, on April 3, 2006, "another high-level source, a former KGB operative in London, has confirmed the story." Read full story

Outspoken Putin Critic Poisoned

"He lost all his hair. He hasn't eaten for eighteen days. He looks terrible. He looks like a ghost actually. A month ago he was a fit handsome young man," said Alex Goldfarb, a long time friend, after visiting him at the hospital.But Litvinenko also suffers severe damage to his bone marrow and his immune system is totally shut down, suggesting the presence of a second, still unknown agent. Scotland Yard said that no arrests had been made but confirmed that the suspicious poisoning is being investigated. Litvinenko is under armed protection. His family has been moved to a secret location."I think this is the work of the Russian Secret Service," said Mr. Goldfarb. Read full story