CI Centre Podcasts

CI Centre Podcasts

Interviews with counterintelligence, counterterrorism, security and intelligence experts from the Centre for Counterintelligence and Security Studies (CI Centre).

All files are in .mp3 format. How to Subscribe or Listen to CI Centre Podcasts

PODCAST 21

Spy Movie Reviews of "Burn After Reading" and "Traitor"

CI Centre President David Major reviews two recent spy-related movies: "Burn After Reading" and "Traitor".

Movie Reviews [.mp3 | 5 MB | 00:10:18]

PODCAST 20

Messaging Security to a Workforce

Interview with Christopher Burgess, co-author of Secrets Stolen, Fortunes Lost: Preventing Intellectual Property Theft and Economic Espionage in the 21st Century, 30-year CIA veteran and now senior security advisor to a Fortune 100 company. He discusses creative ways to Message Security to a workforce to create more support and buy-in to security. His advice is extremely useful for all corporate and government security officers.

Interview [.mp3 | 5 MB | 00:10:57]

PODCAST 19

Interview with Christopher Burgess

Interview with Christopher Burgess, co-author (along with Richard Power) of the new highly recommended book, Secrets Stolen, Fortunes Lost: Preventing Intellectual Property Theft and Economic Espionage in the 21st Century. Burgess is a 30-year CIA veteran who served as an Operations Officer with the majority of his career in the field. He is now a security advisor to a Fortune 100 company. Burgess talks about espionage techniques and collection activities used against companies by intelligence services, such as the SVR and GRU, and by competitors.

Interview [.mp3 | 22 MB | 00:47:21]

Review of book by CI Centre Professor Connie Allen:

Christopher, I got your book in the mail this afternoon and have not put it down. It is excellent in more ways than I have time to tell you right now. Thanks to you and Richard for taking the interest and time to put together such an extremely useful reference on business espionage, providing real case examples, and most importantly, solutions! I am speed reading it and have most of it highlighted already. I've been at it for almost 4 hours. I not only have had so much I've learned through my independent research reinforced, but I've learned new concepts as well. Your checklists in Chapter 12 are so well thought out and clearly expressed. Shame on any business for losing their secrets. You've provided a winning strategy. Again, great, useful tool for every employee involved in protection of their people, information, and company, and I mean every level of employee.

ARTICLES by Christopher Burgess:

--Secrets Stolen, Fortunes Lost with Richard Power

--Nation States' Espionage and Counterespionage: An overview of the 2007 Global Economic Espionage Landscape

SPECIAL COURSE PODCAST

CI Centre Course 560: Middle Eastern Intelligence Services and Terrorist Organizations

CI Centre Professors David Major (ret FBI), Clare Lopez (ret CIA) and Brian Weidner (ret FBI) talk about the CI Centre five-day training course, 560: Middle Eastern Intelligence Services and Terrorist Organizations. This course is for warfighters and anyone whose area of operation is the Middle East and the War on Terrorism.

Discussion [.mp3 | 7 MB | 00:15:32]

PODCAST 18

Jihad Lexicon Roundtable Discussion, Part 1

CI Centre Professors David Major (ret FBI), Clare Lopez (ret CIA) and Brian Weidner (ret FBI) have a roundtable discussion about consequences, significance and what the response should be to recent governmental reports saying words like these should no longer be used in the Government War on Terrorism: Jihad, Jihadist, Al-Qaeda, Islamists, Islamo-fascism, Mujahedeen, Caliphate, Salafi, etc.

Discussion [.mp3 | 30 MB | 01:03:29]

Investigative Project Releases Gov't Memos Curtailing Speech in War on Terror (IPT)

Preventing the West from Understanding Jihad (by CI Centre Professor Walid Phares)

Muslim Brotherhood (Ikhwan) Infiltration and Influence in America

"To Our Great Detriment: Ignoring What Extremists Say About Jihad"

Why didn't we know? Jihad vs Education (by CI Centre Professor Walid Phares)
Evan Sayet Speech
Video | Audio

More Information:

'Jihadist' booted from government lexicon (AP 24 Apr 08)

Terms to use and avoid when talking about terrorism (AP 24 Apr 08)

Lingo Voodoo Fed Style - Deja Vu All Over Again (Counterterrorism Blog, 25 Apr 08)

Dangerous Word Games (Investigative Project on Terrorism, 25 Apr 08)

Real World Complications From the Jihad Lexicon Business (Counterterrorism Blog, 26 Apr 08)

Score one for the Muslim Brotherhood (by CI Centre Professor Clare Lopez, 28 Apr 08)

No Jihadis Here! (Robert Spencer in Human Events, 29 Apr 08)

The Continuing Debate Over "Jihadists" As The Enemy (Counterterrorism Blog, 30 Apr 08)

Flying Blind in the War on Terror (American Thinker, 30 Apr 08)

'Jihad' Newspeak (NY Post, 1 May 08)

Strategic Collapse in the War on Terror (American Thinker, 4 May 08)

and:

The New American Lexicon: Jihad, We Hardly Knew You

........As a Muslim trying to help America defend itself against the Islamist jihad, I am outraged that our government is letting us down so badly by cozying up to the enemy. I have seen this happen in my home country and in so many other places, but I never thought it would happen here........What I really don’t understand is what on earth happened to the Americans having the guts to stand up to evil? Why is America following in Europe ’s footsteps of appeasement? Is this what happened to all the good, decent and smart people who let Nazism take over, and then turned the blind eye to the Holocaust in their midst?......(Counterterrorism Blog, 25, Apr 08)

PODCAST 17

Inside Spy Cases: Kim Philby, British intelligence officer and Soviet spy

Oleg Kalugin, a retired KGB Major General who was the chief of foreign counterintelligence in the KGB, gives an inside look at British intelligence defector Kim Philby. Philby was a British MI6 officer who had been secretly spying for the Soviets as a member of the Cambridge Five spy ring. Kalugin talks about Philby's association with the KGB in Moscow.

Discussion [.mp3 | 13 MB | 00:27:59]

PODCAST 16

Inside Spy Cases: Christopher Boyce and Andrew Daulton Lee--A Message for Security

CI Centre President David Major, a retired senior FBI Supervisor Special Agent, tells some inside stories behind the Boyce-Lee spy case (aka The Falcon and the Snowman). In this, there is also a powerful message to security officers which emphasizes the importance of investing in good security.

Discussion [.mp3 | 5 MB | 00:11:28]

PODCAST 15

Do You Get It? Becoming Aware of the Jihadist Threat, Part I

CI Centre President David Major reveals the powerful reactions that people have after taking CI Centre courses on the threats from Islamic Jihadism. He also discusses the importance of learning about this threat and how you'll see everything in a different light when you finally "get it".

Discussion [.mp3 | 9 MB | 00:19:19]

PODCAST 14

Interview with Pete Earley, author of the book, Comrade J: The Untold Secrets of Russia's Master Spy in America After the End of the Cold War

CI Centre interviews author Pete Earley who recently released his new non-fiction book about Col. Sergei Tretyakov, a Russian SVR (former KGB) intelligence officer who ran spies in Canada and the United Nations. While he served as one of the top Russian intelligence officers in New York City, he decided to spy for the FBI and CIA and defected to the US in 2000.

Interview [.mp3 | 14 MB | 00:30:14]

More information about SVR Col. Sergei Tretyakov

PODCAST 13

Discussion about the life of MI5 Officer Charles Elwell and commentary on the East Berlin Tunnel

CI Centre President David Major (ret FBI) discusses the life and recent death of Charles Elwell. Elwell was a MI5 Officer during the Cold War and is known most notably for playing a key role in the uncovering of the Portland spy ring in January 1961, which was run by Konon Molody, a Soviet Agent who was documented as a Canadian citizen and used the name Gordon Lonsdale. The source who provided the lead to this case was a Polish intelligence officer, Michael Goleniewski, who also provided the lead to the penetration of the British Secret Intelligence Service (MI6). This penetration uncovered George Blake, a British intelligence official, who had been the leak for the Soviets and East Germans on the CIA’s plan to dig a quarter-mile long tunnel under East Berlin as part of a massive wiretapping operation. Unbeknownst to the CIA, the Soviets had known about the tunnel along and there has been speculation that the Soviets had only used the cables in the tunnel to send disinformation down the line. This podcast is an analysis of these cases.

Discussion [.mp3 | 9 MB | 00:19:40]

Brief synopsis of key players in above podcast [.mp3 | 4 MB | 00:08:00]

More information:

Charles Elwell

Charles Elwell, who died on January 11 aged 88, was the MI5 officer responsible in 1961 for breaking the Portland spy ring, run by the KGB officer Konon Molody (Gordon Lonsdale), which passed naval secrets to the Russians. A year later Elwell had similar success with John Vassall, the KGB spy at the Admiralty who was blackmailed into passing secrets after taking part in a homosexual orgy in Moscow.....(Daily Telegraph, 23 Jan 08)

Charles Elwell: MI5 spycatcher who unmasked the Portland spy ring whose members were passing Admiralty secrets to the USSR

Charles Elwell, a charming and engaging member of the Security Service (MI5), was a master spycatcher who made his name inside the agency for exposing some of the most significant Soviet-era “illegals” - Russian agents living in Britain under false identities - during the fiercely competitive espionage battles of the Cold War......(Times of London, 21 Jan 08)

The East Berlin Tunnel: Whose Ruse? In Cold War Spy Games, a Coup for the CIA Wasn't All It Seemed

On a rainy day 52 years ago, the cover was blown on one of the biggest espionage plots of the Cold War. Soviet and East German forces announced that they had found a quarter-mile-long tunnel that the CIA had burrowed into East Berlin as part of a massive wiretapping operation.....(Washington Post, 28 Jan 08)

--Berlin Tunnel Operation, Part 1 (pdf)

--Document: Berlin Tunnel Operation, Part 2 (pdf)

PODCAST 12

Discussion about Philip Agee case, CIA defector and spy for Cuban intelligence/KGB

CI Centre President David Major (ret FBI) and CI Centre professor Major General Oleg Kalugin (ret KGB) discuss the Philip Agee counterintelligence case. Notorious ex-CIA case officer Agee left the Agency in 1968 disgruntled, tried to make contact with the Soviet KGB in Mexico and then volunteered his services to the Cuban intelligence service. Both the Cubans and Soviets used him in their active measures/disinformation campaigns against the West. As head of KGB foreign counterintelligence, Kalugin was well aware of Agee's work.

Discussion [.mp3 | 14 MB | 00:29:43]

More information on the Philip Agee case

PODCAST 11

Movie Review of Charlie Wilson's War

CI Centre President David Major (retired FBI) and retired KGB Major General Oleg Kalugin review the new movie Charlie Wilson's War. CI Centre professors David Major (retired FBI) and retired KGB Major General Oleg Kalugin review the movie Charlie Wilson's War about the Congressman's role in supporting the Afghan rebels after the Soviet invasion of their country. David Major, who was assigned to the National Security Council at the White House during this time, talks about President Reagan's role in countering the Soviets.

Review [.mp3 | 7 MB | 00:15:19]

PODCASTS 10

Special Podcast Interviews recorded during the Association For Intelligence Officers (AFIO) National Intelligence Symposium, "The Resurgence of the Worldwide Islamic Jihad Against the West" in McLean, VA 25-26 Oct 2007

Interview with Nonie Darwish

CI Centre President David Major interviews author Nonie Darwish at the Association For Intelligence Officers (AFIO) National Intelligence Symposium in McLean, Virginia on Saturday, 27 October. Darwish tells of her alarming experience on American campuses where communist-style tactics are used to shut down free speech and intimidate other students.

Interview [.mp3 | 6 MB | 00:12:43]

Now They Call Me Infidel: Why I Renounced Jihad for America, Israel, and the War on Terror by Nonie Darwish

Nonie Darwish Speech

The following is the text of a speech given by Nonie Darwish, the founder of Arabs for Israel, at last night’s kickoff event at UC Berkeley for Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week. It is preceded by a short intro written by Darwish regarding her impressions of the events surrounding her speech….(FrontPage, 24 Oct 07)

ZombieTime photos of event

Interview with Dr. Daniel Pipes

CI Centre President David Major interviews author Daniel Pipes at the Association For Intelligence Officers (AFIO) National Intelligence Symposium in McLean, Virginia on Friday, 26 October. Pipes, who spoke eloquently at the conference, talks about the defining the enemy in the war on terrorism.

Interview [.mp3 | 4 MB | 00:07:29]

Daniel Pipes website

Interview with Ronald Kessler

CI Centre President David Major interviews author Ronald Kessler at the Association For Intelligence Officers (AFIO) National Intelligence Symposium in McLean, Virginia on Friday, 26 October. Kessler gives details about his forthcoming book, The Terrorist Watch: Inside the Desperate Race to Stop the Next Attack. Kessler spoke at the conference about the improvements the intelligence community has made in its fight in the war on terrorism.

Interview [.mp3 | 4 MB | 00:07:11]

The Terrorist Watch: Inside the Desperate Race to Stop the Next Attack by Ronald Kessler

PODCAST 9

Interview with Dr. Walid Phares

CI Centre President David Major talks with Dr. Walid Phares, the author of the highly recommended books, Future Jihad and The War of Ideas. They discuss the jihadist war against democracy, how jihadists have affected our education system and how we can--and must--win the war of ideas.

Interview [.mp3 | 21 MB | 00:44:04]

Recommended articles written by Dr. Phares:
Education vs Jihad Why didn't we know?
Preventing the West from Understanding Jihad
Walid Phares website | Future Jihad website | The War of Ideas website

Important CI Centre course about this topic: The War on Terrorism: Roots of the Conflict and Counterintelligence Response

PODCAST 8

Review of TNT's "The Company" miniseries, parts 3 & 4

Counterintelligence and intelligence experts David Major (ret FBI), Jack Platt (ret CIA) review parts 3 and 4 of the TNT miniseries about the CIA during the Cold War called, "The Company."

TV Review [.mp3 | 7 MB | 00:14:02]

Parts 5&6 of "The Company" -- not reviewed because these episodes were typical Hollywood and poorly crafted.

PODCAST 7

Review of TNT's "The Company" miniseries, parts 1 & 2

Counterintelligence and intelligence experts David Major (ret FBI), Jack Platt (ret CIA) review parts 1 and 2 of the new TNT miniseries about the CIA during the Cold War called, "The Company."

TV Review [.mp3 | 8 MB | 00:17:28]

TNT Miniseries about the CIA during the Cold War

Watch Parts 1&2 online | "The Company" website

PODCAST 6

Book Review of "Spy Handler: Memoir of a KGB Officer" by Victor Cherkashin and Gregory Fiefer

Counterintelligence and intelligence experts David Major (ret FBI), Jack Platt (ret CIA) and Oleg Kalugin (ret KGB) review the book "Spy Handler: Memoir of a KGB Officer" by Victor Cherkashin. Cherkashin is a master counterintelligence officer who handled both CIA spy Aldrich "Rick" Ames and FBI spy Robert Hanssen--two of the most damaging spies in America.

Book Review [.mp3 | 6 MB | 00:12:07]

Buy the book: Spy Handler: The True Story of the Man Who Recruited Robert Hanssen and Aldrich Ames by Victor Cherkashin with Gregory Feifer

PODCAST 5

Book Review of "Spy Wars" by Pete Bagley

Counterintelligence and intelligence experts David Major (ret FBI), Jack Platt (ret CIA) and Oleg Kalugin (ret KGB) review the 2007 book "Spy Wars" by Pete Bagley. Bagley was part of the CIA's Counterintelligence Staff under James Angleton and erroneously believes Yuri Nosenko was and is a false defector. Major, Platt and Kalugin discuss their opinions of the book and its harmful effects to today's counterintelligence.

Book Review [.mp3 | 8 MB | 00:17:19]

PODCAST 4

Yuri Nosenko Speech

A speech given by KGB defector Yuri Nosenko in December 1998. Each part is about 15 minutes. Nosenko is introduced by Dr. Cleveland Cram, who wrote the CIA's official internal classified history of the Counterintelligence Staff under James Angleton.

Part 1 [.mp3 | 8 MB | 00:16:26]

Part 2 [.mp3 | 7 MB | 00:15:37]

Part 3 [.mp3 | 8 MB | 00:16:17]

Part 4 [.mp3 | 7 MB | 00:15:20]

Part 5 [.mp3 | 8 MB | 00:17:18]

Part 6 [.mp3 | 5 MB | 00:10:04]

More about the Nosenko Case and the Angleton era

including a declassified CIA report on Nosenko, recommended books, excerpts, etc.

PODCAST 3

David Major interviews countersurveillance expert Jack Platt

CI Centre President David Major and countersurveillance expert Jack Platt of Hamilton Trading Group discuss their new, joint course called 561 The War on Terrorism: A Practical Response. This course has practical, on-the-street exercises to learn how to identify the profiles of terrorist during the casing/intelligence collection phases of planning an attack.

Interview [.mp3 | 8 MB | 00:16:23]

PODCAST 2

Interview with Nonie Darwish

Middle East speaker Nonie Darwish talks about what intelligence professionals should know about radical Islam. Ms. Darwish is a guest speaker in the CI Centre course, "The War on Terrorism: Roots of the Conflict and Counterintelligence Response."

Interview [.mp3 | 16 MB | 00:33:59]

PODCAST 1

CI Centre President David Major reviews the new movie "Breach"

Listen to David G. Major, retired FBI counterintelligence expert and President of the Centre for Counterintelligence and Security Studies, discuss the validity of the new film Breach based upon his personal interaction with Robert Hanssen, a senior FBI agent who spied for the Soviets/Russians. Not only will you discover the role that lead character Eric O'Neill actually played in Hanssen's apprehension, but you will also learn the inner workings of the FBI as related to the Hanssen espionage case and see how they compare to the movie's portrayal.

Movie Review [.mp3 | 38 MB | 01:21:06]

SPECIAL CI CENTRE COURSE PODCASTS:

CI Centre Professors talk about the following CI Centre Courses. MP3 files are less than 5 MB; times are in minutes:seconds

An Overview of Critical Counterintelligence Issues

Our Flagship Counterintelligence Course

Listen

08:15

The War on Terrorism: Roots of the Conflict and Counterintelligence Response

Our Flagship Counterterrorism Course

Listen

20:47

Counterintelligence Implications of Denial and Deception Practices
Listen

12:57

Middle Eastern Intelligence Services and Terrorist Organizations
Listen

15:32

Israeli Intelligence: An Introduction to Israeli Intelligence and Counterintelligence Operations & Methodologies
Listen

11:03

Double Agentry: Offensive Counterintelligence Operations
Listen

09:41

Counterespionage Today: Complexities and Decisions
Listen

09:30

Defensive Information to Counter Espionage (D*I*C*E) Briefing by Ray Semko
Listen

06:09

Vulnerabilities of an Intelligence Officer
Listen

04:17

Women in Espionage
Listen

06:36

Vulnerabilities of Global Travel: Personnel & Information Protection
Listen

05:44

Elicitation Techniques and the Recruitment Process from the Intelligence and Counterintelligence Perspective
Listen

05:14

Counterintelligence Realities for Analysts
Listen

04:59

Cuban Intelligence: An Introduction to Cuban Intelligence and Counterintelligence Operations & Methodologies
Listen

05:41

Industrial Espionage
Listen

05:00

The War on Terror: A Practical Response [includes street surveillance exercises]
Listen

16:23

The John Walker Case: Implications and Lessons Learned for Today's Challenges
Listen

06:09

The SIGINT/COMINT (Information Assurance) Spies
Listen

06:35

PRC Intelligence: An Introduction to the People’s Republic of China Intelligence and Counterintelligence Operations & Methodologies
Listen

4:57