From Five Eyes to Six? Japan’s Push to Join the West’s Intelligence Alliance

From Five Eyes to Six? Japan’s Push to Join the West’s Intelligence Alliance

As tensions with China continue to grow, Japan is making moves to join the “Five Eyes” intelligence-sharing alliance. This week, Japan’s ambassador to Australia, Shingo Yamagami, told The Sydney Morning Herald he was “optimistic” about his country coming on board. [I] would like to see this idea become reality in the near future. This comes…

How Israeli Spy Tech Reaches Deep Into Our Lives

How Israeli Spy Tech Reaches Deep Into Our Lives

Digital age weapons developed by Israel to oppress Palestinians are rapidly being repurposed for much wider applications – against Western populations who have long taken their freedoms for granted. Israel’s status as a “startup nation” was established decades ago. But its reputation for hi-tech innovation always depended on a dark side, one that is becoming ever…

Twitter Executive for Middle East is British Army ‘Psyops’ Soldier

Twitter Executive for Middle East is British Army ‘Psyops’ Soldier

The senior Twitter executive with editorial responsibility for the Middle East is also a part-time officer in the British Army’s psychological warfare unit, Middle East Eye has established. Gordon MacMillan, who joined the social media company’s UK office six years ago, has for several years also served with the 77th Brigade, a unit formed in…

When 'Former' Spies Run Wild, Bad Things Happen

When 'Former' Spies Run Wild, Bad Things Happen

A number of related stories describe nefarious activities by ‘former’ NSA, ‘former’ CIA, ‘former’ military officers who joined private businesses which harm other people. They demonstrate that there is a structural problem when those trained to be weapons are allowed to run in the wild. Reuters just published a two part story about ‘former’ NSA…

They Spy with Their Little Eye

They Spy with Their Little Eye

I’ve spent six years alternately begging major NZ journalists to investigate state-sponsored spying on activists including me, and, out of sheer necessity, reporting extensively on it myself from within the vacuum created by their inaction. So it is somewhat bemusing to now observe the belated unfolding of what ex-Member of Parliament and Greenpeace NZ Executive…