FBI Advisory To Philadelphia Area Colleges And Universities

The above was put out by Drexel University in Philadelphia.

It always good to be on guard.

John Le Carré The Spy Who Betrayed His Best Friend...By Having An Affair With His Wife: Sensational New Biography Claims The Celebrated Novelist Conducted A Series Of 'Assignations' In Real Life

Adam Sisman offers an excerpt from his book John le Carre: The Biography in the Daily Mail.

David Cornwell grew up in a world devoid of female affection. When he was five his mother walked out of the family home for good, leaving him and his older brother to be brought up by their controlling, conman father, and at a series of all-boy prep and public schools. 

Later in his life David would write to his brother about the effect of their mother’s desertion, saying: ‘We were frozen children, & will always remain so.’

In 1954 he married Ann Sharp, the daughter of an air vice-marshal, with whom he had three sons. For a time they lived happily, David progressing from schoolmaster at Eton to MI5, then MI6. But their relationship began to turn stale, not helped by Cornwell’s burgeoning career as a novelist – using the pen name John le Carré. 

Despite his fame, he stopped short of full-blown affairs, until he met the glamorous Susan Kennaway, and his home life started to unravel in dramatic fashion…

The publication of David’s third novel, The Spy Who Came In From The Cold, in 1963, changed his life irrevocably. In America it became the bestselling novel of the year, far outselling the latest James Bond book. To publicise it, David flew to the States, where he was treated like a star.

As he was slowly coming to appreciate, he would never again be short of money, provided that he kept writing. While this opened up many possibilities, it also created problems. His enormous success would attract envy, even in those who loved him.

You can read the rest of the piece via the below link:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3258942/Secrets-lies-le-Carr-love-stellar-spy-novel-success-drove-arms-wife-womanising-best-friend-told-time-sensational-new-biography.html

Delta Force Secretly Killed Iranian Agents in Iraq - With IEDs

You can read how Delta Force operatives secretly killed Iranian agents in Iraq in an excerpt of Sean Naylor's book Relentless Strike: The Secret History of Joint Special Operations Command that appears in the New York Post. 

By early 2007, some US intelligence estimates held that as many as 150 Iranian operatives were in Iraq. Many were member of the Quds Force, the covert arm of Iran’s Shi’ite theocracy. Their mission was to coordinate the violent campaign being waged against US forces by Iraq’s Shi’ite militias.

“It was 100 percent, ‘Are you willing to kill Americans and are you willing to coordinate attacks?’ ” said an officer who studied the Quds Force’s approach closely. “ ‘If the answer is “yes,” here’s arms, here’s money.’ ”

The Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) set up a new task force, named Task Force 17.

Its mandate was simple: go after “anything that Iran is doing to aid in the destabilization of Iraq,” said a Task Force 17 officer.

You can read the rest of the piece via the below link:

http://nypost.com/2015/10/04/how-the-us-conducted-secret-assassinations-using-ieds/ 

Frederick Forsyth On His Role With British Intelligence, Espionage And NSA Leaker & Traitor Edward Snowden

Fredrick Forsyth, the author of the classic thriller The Day of the Jackal and The Outsider: My Life in Intrigue, spoke to the Gloucestershire Eco about his role with British intelligence, espionage and the NSA leaker, spy and traitor Edward Snowden.

Frederick Forsyth spoke of espionage past and future in his rare appearance at Cheltenham Literature Festival.

Discussing his memoirs 'The Outsider: My Life in Intrigue', his own recent admission to a past in espionage and the future of it following the Edward Snowden affair, Frederick was warmly welcomed by a capacity crowd.

Saying Edward Snowden's actions were "The biggest betrayal of the last five years and probably for the next 10…he walked out with the equivalent of 10 million secret documents . That's massive. " Frederick said that the future of espionage will be purely electronically driven.

"He gave it to world terrorism and its really all our defences, so most intelligence, most espionage to come will be anti terrorist and more than 95 per cent of it today is electronically gathered , not far from here at GCHQ,
You can read the rest of the piece via the below link:

http://www.gloucestershireecho.co.uk/Cheltenham-Literature-Festival-Frederick-Forsyth/story-27915130-detail/story.html

FBI: October Is National Cyber Security Awareness Month

The FBI website reminds us that October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month.

October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month, administered by the Department of Homeland Security. This is the perfect time of year for individuals, businesses, and other organizations to reflect on the universe of cyber threats and to do their part to protect their networks, their devices, and their data from those threats.

You can read the rest of the report via the below link:

https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2015/october/national-cyber-security-awareness-month/national-cyber-security-awareness-month?utm_campaign=email-Daily&utm_medium=email&utm_source=fbi-top-stories&utm_content=473212

Two Men Found Guilty Of First-Degree Murder Of A U.S. Border Patrol Agent

The U.S. Justice Department released the below link:

Today, a federal jury in Tucson, Arizona, found Ivan Soto-Barraza, 37, and Jesus Leonel Sanchez-Meza, 27, guilty of first-degree murder and other offenses for the murder of United States Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry, announced U.S. Attorney Laura E. Duffy for the Southern District of California. 

According to evidence presented at trial, during the evening of Dec. 14, 2010, Soto-Barraza, Sanchez-Meza and three other men were in the United States for the purpose of robbing drug traffickers of their contraband.  While Agent Terry and three other Border Patrol Agents were engaged in the performance of their official duties, members of the defendants’ group exchanged gun fire with the agents and one of the shots fired by a member of the defendants’ group killed Agent Terry.

The jury found both Soto-Barraza and Sanchez-Meza guilty of first-degree murder, second degree murder, conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery, attempted interference with commerce by robbery, using and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence and assault on Agent Terry and three additional federal officers – Border Patrol Agents William Castano, Gabriel Fragoza, and Timothy Keller.  The court scheduled the defendants’ sentencing hearing for Dec. 9, 2015.  Both defendants face a mandatory sentence of life on the first degree murder charge (count 1).

“With these convictions, we have taken another important step towards securing justice for Agent Brian Terry,” said Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch.  “Today’s verdict is the result of years of tireless effort from dozens of dedicated law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and investigators committed to ensuring that the murder of their friend and colleague does not go unpunished.  The Department of Justice will continue to relentlessly pursue the remaining individuals responsible for Agent Terry’s loss, and to uphold the values of courage, duty, and honor that he embodied with his life and service.”

“Agent Terry gave his life protecting our country.  Today’s verdict cannot undo that tragedy and loss, but brings another measure of justice to Agent Terry’s family and the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Duffy.  “I commend the prosecution team, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Border Patrol and all other law enforcement partners who have assisted in the investigation and prosecution.”

Two other men, Manuel Osorio-Arellanes and Rosario Rafael Burboa-Alvarez, previously pleaded guilty to first-degree murder for their roles in Agent Terry’s death.  Yet another two men, Jesus Rosario Favela-Astorga and Heraclio Osorio-Arellanes, remain fugitives.

At trial, the United States was represented by attorneys from the Southern District of California, Special Attorneys Todd W. Robinson and David Leshner.  The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona is recused.  The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Defendant Charged With Alleged Participation In The Murder Of Ice Special Agent Jaime Zapata And The Attempted Murder Of Ice Special Agent Victor Avila Extradited From Mexico

A Mexican national was extradited from Mexico to face charges for his alleged participation in the February 2011 murder of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Special Agent Jaime Zapata and the attempted murder of ICE Special Agent Victor Avila in Mexico.

The charges and extradition were announced today by Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Vincent H. Cohen Jr. of the District of Columbia, Assistant Director Joseph S. Campbell of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division and Director Sarah R. Saldaña of ICE.

Jose Emanuel Garcia Sota, aka Juan Manuel Maldonado Amezcua, Zafado or Safado, 34, of San Luis Potosi, Mexico, was charged on May 6, 2013, in a four-count indictment with one count of murder of an officer or employee of the United States; one count of attempted murder of an officer or employee of the United States; one count of attempted murder of an internationally protected person; and one count of using, carrying, brandishing and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence causing death.  The indictment was unsealed today when Garcia Sota made his initial appearance before Chief U.S. District Judge Royce C. Lamberth of the District of Columbia.  His next appearance in court is scheduled for Oct. 9, 2015.

“It has been over four and a half years since ICE Special Agent Jaime Zapata valiantly lost his life and Special Agent Victor Avila suffered grave injuries when they were ambushed by gunfire while on assignment in Mexico,” said Assistant Attorney General Caldwell.  “As evidenced by today’s announcement, the passage of time has not lessened our resolve to keep our promise to the family of Special Agent Zapata and to Special Agent Avila and his family, and bring to justice those responsible for this senseless and brutal attack.  And we are grateful to the Government of Mexico for its continued partnership in this case.”

“Four years ago, on a Mexican roadside, two American heroes came under attack in a violent ambush by members of Los Zetas, a dangerous criminal cartel,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Cohen.  “Four people have already accepted responsibility for their actions, and now a fifth will be brought to an American courtroom for justice.  We will not stop in the pursuit of justice – no matter how far away and how long it takes.”

“Today's announcement is the direct result of unwavering resolve and unrelenting cooperation to bring to justice those accountable for the murder of Jaime Zapata and the attempted murder of Victor Avila,” said Assistant Director Campbell.  “Although this cowardly act of violence occurred more than four years ago, this investigation remains a priority for the FBI.”

“This extradition is another step closer to the justice Special Agents Zapata and Avila deserve,” said ICE Director Saldaña.  “ICE is grateful to our partners whose tireless efforts brought about today's news.  Their dogged pursuit of justice, often in face of great danger, enables us to continue in our quest to make these criminals pay for their deeds.  While nothing can ever truly heal such a loss, we hope today's news brings Agent Zapata's family and friends a measure of peace.  His ultimate sacrifice will always be honored by the men and women of ICE.”

Four defendants previously pleaded guilty to offenses based on their roles in the murder and attempted murder of the ICE agents.  Julian Zapata Espinoza, aka Piolin, 34, pleaded guilty on May 23, 2013, to the murder of Special Agent Zapata and the attempted murder of Special Agent Avila.  Ruben Dario Venegas Rivera, aka Catracho, 27, pleaded guilty on Aug. 1, 2011, to federal charges concerning the murder of Special Agent Zapata and attempted murder of Special Agent Avila.  Jose Ismael Nava Villagran, aka Cacho, 33, pleaded guilty on Jan. 4, 2012, also to federal charges concerning the murder and attempted murder of the ICE agents.  Francisco Carbajal Flores, aka Dalmata, 40, pleaded guilty on Jan. 10, 2012, to conspiracy to conduct the affairs of an enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity and to being an accessory after the fact to the murder and attempted murder of the ICE agents.

As part of their guilty pleas, Espinoza, Rivera and Villagran admitted to being members of a Los Zetas hit squad and to participating directly in the Feb. 15, 2011, ambush of the two special agents.  The fourth defendant, Flores, acknowledged assisting Zetas members after the attack.

An indictment is a formal charging document and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

The case is being investigated by the FBI, with substantial assistance from ICE, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Customs and Border Patrol, the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service and the U.S. Marshals Service.  The investigation was also coordinated with the assistance of the Government of Mexico.

The case is being prosecuted by the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the District of Columbia.  The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs has provided substantial assistance.