FBI Director Robert Mueller told Congress last week that the threat of intelligence-gathering by computer and other electronic means is expanding. “The threat of cyber-related foreign intelligence operations to the U.S. is rapidly expanding,” Mueller told a House Appropriations subcommittee. “The number of actors with the ability to utilize computers for illegal, harmful, and possibly devastating purposes continues to rise.”
Mueller said cyber intrusions beyond those carried out by non-government hackers have “compromised computers on U.S. government, private sector, and allied networks,” Mueller said. Mueller was testifying on FBI efforts to counter cyber threats during a budget hearing the Bureau’s request for $7.1 billion for fiscal 2009. FBI counter cyber efforts include disrupting computer attacks domestically. “The FBI’s intelligence and law enforcement role supports response to cyber events at U.S. government agencies, U.S. military installations, and the broader private sector,” he said. During a hearing in the Senate March 5, Mueller said the FBI has identified more than one million potential victims of “botnet cybercrime” as part of “Operation Bot Roast.”
The effort has targeted “botnets” or groups of compromised computers under the remote command and control of a computer hacker. Mueller did not mention specific countries, but other officials have said China’s intelligence services are known to use computer intrusions to download vast amounts of U.S. government information of intelligence and economic value.
To prepare for longer range missiles from Iran and Syria, Israel plans a major test of its Arrow-2 missile defense system. The Israel Air Force in cooperation with the United States would conduct the first test of Arrow-2 against a missile meant to simulate the extended-range Shihab-3 ballistic missile.
Israel’s intelligence community has detected Hizbullah military preparations throughout southern and central Lebanon in recent weeks. There is growing concern that such preparations are a precursor to war. In addition Syria and Iran have linked their missile development programs. Syria has been extending the range of its Scud-class missile arsenal to the point where U.S. interests could be threatened, Israeli is threatened as well as at least one other ally.
Former U. S. President Carter is in the region and has been sternly warned about interfering and encouraging Hamas, Hizbullah or their backers in Syria and elsewhere. Carter choses to ignore warnings of the harm he can do, and the warnings of U. S., Israeli and others.
“No one seems to know what Carter thinks he is doing. But, he is damned foolish and what he is doing I dangerous,” undisclosed U. S. sources said.
Colonel Kaddafi’s Libya has been caught red handed for secretly trying to buy 500,000 Chinese made Ak-47 assault rifles and 10 million rounds of ammunition from Italian gangsters for the purpose of distributing them to terrorists elsewhere. Wiretaps learned China sold the weapons for $80 each but the final price was $125 by the time government officials were paid off and other gangsters skimmed off money. Kaddafi is notorius for clandestine support of terrorists. Libya said the weapons for its use but that amounts to 5 weapons per active duty and reserve soldier.
Chinese civilians migrating to places like Europe, Africa and the U. S. are expected to keep their eyes open, and report to Chinese intelligence when asked about what they see and maybe working on. It’s understood that such cooperation is necessary to protect kin back in China. In dangerous places cooperation (spying) ensures access to Chinese government protection in the event of unrest in their new homeland.
The Chinese government can lean pretty hard on countries that allow local Chinese to be molested. For example, when Islamic militants raided Chinese brothels in Pakistan last year, the Pakistani government was persuaded to crack down on the militants, killing hundreds of them. The Chinese brothels have been left alone since then and continue to funnel profits back to the communist government.
China’s foreign exchange reserves (foreign currency and deposits held by Chinese banks) are now over $1.6 trillion. That’s an increase of over 40 percent in the last year. Apparently, China has become the place to park your money. This includes dirty money owned by criminal organizations, dictators and all manner of shady operators.
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