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☆ German spy chief warns that suspected sabotage almost caused a plane crash when a parcel caught fire
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-15 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The head of Germany's domestic intelligence service said a plane crash was narrowly avoided. A "lucky coincidence" meant a package caught fire on the ground instead of midflight, he said. German intelligence bosses warned of the growing threat from Russia in a parliamentary hearing. AdvertisementA plane crash was narrowly avoided when a package caught fire before being loaded on board, in what German intelligence suspects was an act of sabotage. Haldenwang said it was "only a lucky coincidence" that the package caught fire on the ground and not during the flight.

Persons: midflight, —, Thomas Haldenwang, Haldenwang, Vladimir Putin, didn't, Bruno Kahl Organizations: Service, Bundestag, Federal, RedaktionsNetzwerk, DHL, German Press Agency, Financial Locations: German, Russia, RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland, Leipzig, Germany

☆ Russia plans to build dozens of prison camps across Ukraine over the next few years, documents show, hinting Moscow's readying for a long war
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( Lloyd Lee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russia has been imprisoning Ukrainian civilians since the early months of the invasion. A document shows that Moscow plans to build 25 more prison camps in Ukraine by 2026, per AP. War analysts previously noted how Russia is prepared for a protracted war. The plan is another reflection of what war analysts have described as Russia's vision for a prolonged war after Ukrainian resistance dashed Moscow's hope for a swift victory. The think tank also added that a prolonged war is a narrative that Russia would want to push to discourage the West's support for Ukraine.

Persons: Dara Massicot, German Intelligence Agency Bruno Kahl, Dmitry Medvedev, Medvedev, Mark Milley Organizations: Service, Russia, Associated Press, RAND Corporation, German Intelligence Agency, Russian Security Council, Ukraine, Kyiv, US, Chiefs, Staff Locations: Russia, Moscow, Ukraine, Wall, Silicon, Russian, Vietnam, Kyiv, Washington

☆ Prospective international spies are demanding to work from home and bring their cell phones to the office, spy chief says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-27 | by ( Nathan Rennolds | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

"We cannot offer certain things that are taken for granted today," Kahl said. "Remote work is barely possible here as we need to guarantee security. Not being able to take cell phones into the workplace is also not something you can expect from young people today," he added. According to the CIA's Ask Molly feature, "the CIA's public voice since 2002," prospective US agents will also be disappointed to hear that the service rarely allows for remote work. The website says that staff "primarily work in a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF) to protect our information, sources, and methods from prying eyes or those who may want to harm," meaning opportunities for remote work are scarce.

☆ Failures in Ukraine haven't left 'cracks' in Putin's hold on power, German spy chief says, warning Russia has what it needs to wage a long war
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-23 | by ( John Haltiwanger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Germany's spy chief, Bruno Kahl, said there are no "cracks" in Putin's system despite Russia's failures in Ukraine. The Kremlin has gone to extraordinary lengths to stifle opposition to the war in Ukraine. Kahl warned that "Russia is still capable of waging a long-range war" in Ukraine. In this kind of environment, it's difficult to get an accurate read on public sentiment toward the war in Russia. Russia was expected to easily defeat Ukraine, and its failures in the war have raised questions as to whether Putin's firm grip on power in Russia might slip.

☆ Wanted spies: No remote work and must leave cell phone at home
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

BERLIN, May 22 (Reuters) - Calling wannabe James Bonds. Intelligence services are finding it harder to recruit staff since the pandemic as prospects want to work from home and would rather not part with their personal cell phones, the head of Germany's foreign intelligence service BND said on Monday. "Remote work is barely possible at the BND for security reasons, and not being able to take your cell phone to work is asking much from young people looking for a job," he added. Some 6,500 people work for the BND, according to its homepage. Reporting by Sabine Siebold; Editing by Lisa ShumakerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

On energy, the ministry has “completely overhauled the previous government’s Russia-friendly policy” to reduce Germany’s dependence on Russian natural gas, it said. “That tells you something.”Germany consistently underestimated the Russian threat and gave counterintelligence work a low priority, but that is changing now in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, experts and Western officials said. Last April, Berlin expelled 40 Russian Embassy employees for allegedly working for Russian intelligence services. Germany’s intelligence services failed to anticipate that Russia would invade Ukraine, a failure that has yet to be the subject of any publicly released “lessons learned” review. Such a review would show Germany is serious about altering its approach, the Western official said.

Police arrested the suspect, a German citizen identified as Carsten L., on Wednesday in Berlin, the federal prosecutors office said. "The accused is suspected of state treason," federal prosecutors said in a statement. "In 2022, he shared information that he came by in the course of his work with a Russian intelligence agency. As such, the BND would not be giving out any further details on the case until federal prosecutors had concluded their investigation, Kahl added. The last time a German intelligence employee was arrested for treason was in 2014 - although then it was for betraying secrets to the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency.

☆ German spy chief: 'Russia is the storm, China is climate change'
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( Sarah Marsh | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

German and Chinese national flags fly in Tiananmen Square ahead of the visit of German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Beijing, China, May 23, 2018. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterChina has urged Germany not to politicize the countries' economic relations or engage in protectionism "in the name of national security". "In the case of a political disagreement between China and Germany, these instruments will be used," he said. The head of Germany's domestic intelligence service, Thomas Haldenwang, said stakes in critical infrastructure could also open the door to sabotage and influence on public opinion. "When I speak with foreign partners about China, they always say: Russia is the storm, China is climate change," he said.

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