All posts tagged: spying

IDF Iron Dome Operator Arrested, Charged With Spying For Iran

IDF Iron Dome Operator Arrested, Charged With Spying For Iran

Published by Jenni Sidey

There’s quite obviously been Israeli intelligence inroads into Iran, which at times US and Israeli officials themselves have boasted about, with Tehran recently announcing efforts to round up and arrest “traitors” – and there’s even in some cases been executions of the accused. Inside Israel, there are also fears of locals spying for Iran – but the phenomenon remains much less common (as far as anyone knows). That’s why the latest headlines are likely a shock to the Israeli establishment. On Friday an Israeli reservist tied to the country’s missile defense network has been charged with serious security offenses after allegedly working with Iranian intelligence. Police have identified Raz Cohen, a 26-year-old from Jerusalem, who served in the Iron Dome unit, as the alleged culprit. It’s been revealed he was arrested March 1, merely one day after the joint US-Israel war on Iran kicked off. “These included passing sensitive security information to the Iranian agent during December 2025, including details about how Iron Dome works, locations of Israeli Air Force bases, and the locations of Iron Dome …

EU’s Huawei hardliners get top court backing – POLITICO

EU’s Huawei hardliners get top court backing – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

It is a win for China hawks, who have fought to impose tougher measures against Huawei — with strong backing from Washington. The EU has spent years trying to persuade national governments to voluntarily kick out Huawei and ZTE over concerns that their presence in European telecom networks could enable large-scale spying and surveillance by the Chinese government. It is now working on broader rules that seek to reduce the bloc’s reliance on foreign “high-risk” suppliers and limit foreign government control over its digital networks. The case was brought by Estonian telecom operator Elisa, which is seeking compensation for the costs of removing Huawei and is challenging whether the EU has the competence to ask for restrictions on Chinese vendors. Thursday’s opinion said national security authorities can follow EU guidance when imposing bans on Huawei. The Court of Justice is expected to issue its final ruling on the case later this year, and may take the opinion from Advocate General Tamara Ćapet into account. Laszlo Toth, head of Europe at global telecom lobby association GSMA, …

Reform UK interested in MI5 help on candidate vetting – POLITICO

Reform UK interested in MI5 help on candidate vetting – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Reform leader Nigel Farage in 2024 blamed a “reputable vetting company” for oversights in helping sift its candidates ahead of the general election after one praised Hitler and backed Russia’s war in Ukraine. He apologized, adding: “We have been stitched up politically and that’s given us problems.” MI5’s role in vetting is limited to its own staff and certain levels of security clearance for specific government and official roles in Whitehall. Its offer to candidates is expected to be limited to helping parties assess foreign interference risks, rather than any official security clearance. POLITICO asked the six main Westminster parties if they will take MI5 up on its offer to assist in their vetting processes. The ruling Labour Party, the Conservatives, the Greens and the Liberal Democrats all declined to comment. The Scottish National Party did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The offer from Ken McCallum is part of a wider effort by the U.K. government and security services to shore up British democracy amid a wave of espionage activity from hostile …

British Lawmaker’s Husband Arrested On Suspicion Of Spying For China

British Lawmaker’s Husband Arrested On Suspicion Of Spying For China

Published by Jenni Sidey

Weeks after China’s mega-embassy opened in London (the one that’s right next to all of their tappable communications cables), the husband of Labour Party whip Joani Reid was arrested over Chinese espionage concerns, prompting the lawmaker to step aside amid ongoing probes. A member of the Metropolitan Police patrols the Oxford Street retail district in London on Oct. 2, 2025. Leon Neal/Getty Images Reid’s membership in the party is now under suspension while she remains an elected lawmaker, as her husband, 39-year-old David Taylor, was one of three men arrested on Wednesday under the National Security Act. The men allegedly assisted a Chinese intelligence agency.  In addition to Taylor, former Labour Party press officer Matthew Aplin and former Welsh government special advisor Steve Jones were identified as the other two who were arrested.   As the Epoch Times notes further, Reid stressed that she’s not under investigation and that neither she nor her children are involved in her husband’s business activities. “I have done nothing wrong. I ⁠love ​my country,” she said in a statement, noting she has not seen anything to make …

OpenAI Is Opening the Door to Government Spying

OpenAI Is Opening the Door to Government Spying

Published by Daniella Wilson

Outside OpenAI’s headquarters, a handful of people gathered on Monday holding pieces of colorful chalk. They got down on their knees and started writing messages on the sidewalk. Stand for liberty. Please no legal mass surveillance. Change the contract please. At issue was a business deal that the company recently signed with the Department of Defense, following the Pentagon’s sudden turn against Anthropic. OpenAI will now supply its technology to the military for use in classified settings, the sorts that may involve wartime decisions and intelligence-gathering—an agreement, many legal experts told me, that could give the government wide-ranging powers. “I would just really like to see OpenAI do the right thing and stand up for something, anything,” Niki Dupuis, an AI-start-up founder and one of the chalk protesters, told me. In a widely leaked internal memo that Sam Altman sent last Thursday night, a copy of which I obtained, the OpenAI CEO said that he would seek “red lines” to prevent the Pentagon from using OpenAI products for mass domestic surveillance and autonomous lethal weapons. …

4 men arrested in UK on suspicion of aiding Iran by spying on Jewish community

4 men arrested in UK on suspicion of aiding Iran by spying on Jewish community

Published by Sam Flores

LONDON (AP) — London police said Friday that four men have been arrested on suspicion of aiding Iran by spying on the Jewish community. In a statement, the Metropolitan Police said the suspects — one Iranian and three dual British-Iranian nationals — were taken into custody on suspicion of assisting a foreign intelligence service. The men, who were arrested at addresses in and around north London shortly after 1 a.m, are suspected on spying on locations and individuals. Police said the men arrested are aged 22, 40, 52 and 55 and that searches are ongoing at the addresses as well as other properties nearby. Six other men were also arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender and have been taken into custody, the force said. “We understand the public may be concerned, in particular the Jewish community, and as always, I would ask them to remain vigilant and if they see or hear anything that concerns them, then to contact us,” said Commander Helen Flanagan, who is in charge of counterterrorism policing in London. The …

I’ve seen nothing to suspect my husband, says Labour MP after China spying arrests | Politics News

I’ve seen nothing to suspect my husband, says Labour MP after China spying arrests | Politics News

Published by Sam Flores

A Labour MP whose husband was arrested on suspicion of spying for China has said she’s “never seen anything” to make her suspect him of breaking the law. Joani Reid, who was elected in East Kilbride and Strathaven at the last general election, issued a statement after the Metropolitan Police announced three arrests on Wednesday morning as part of a counter-terrorism investigation under the National Security Act. The force did not name the suspects – all men, aged 39, 43, and 68 – but one of them is her husband, David Taylor. They have all been released on bail, the Met Police said on Thursday morning. Image: Joani Reid and David Taylor Ms Reid said: “I have never seen anything to make me suspect my husband has broken any law. “I am not part of my husband’s business activities, and neither I nor my children are part of this investigation, and we should not be treated by media organisations as though we are. “Above all I expect media organisations to respect my children’s privacy.” Read …

Four arrested on suspicion of spying on Jewish community for Iran, Met Police says | UK News

Four arrested on suspicion of spying on Jewish community for Iran, Met Police says | UK News

Published by Sam Flores

Four men suspected of carrying out surveillance on the Jewish community have been arrested on suspicion of spying for Iran, the Metropolitan Police has said. The investigation relates to the surveillance of locations and individuals in the London area. Iran war latest: Trump says invading would be ‘waste of time’ Officers arrested one Iranian and three dual British/Iranian nationals, shortly after 1am in Barnet and Harrow in north London, and Watford in Hertfordshire on Friday. The men were arrested on suspicion of assisting a foreign intelligence service, contrary to section 3 of the National Security Act, 2023. The arrests were part of a Counter Terrorism Policing investigation into suspected National Security Act offences. Two men, aged 40 and 55, were arrested at addresses in the Barnet area, along with a 52-year-old man in Watford and a 22-year-old man in Harrow, according to a police statement. Officers said searches were taking place in all these areas, as well as a location in Wembley. Datawrapper This content is provided by Datawrapper, which may be using cookies and …

Husband of Labour MP among three men arrested on suspicion of spying for China | UK News

Husband of Labour MP among three men arrested on suspicion of spying for China | UK News

Published by Sam Flores

The husband of a Labour member of parliament is one of three men arrested on suspicion of spying for China. David Taylor, 39, who is married to Joani Reid, the MP for East Kilbride and Strathaven, was arrested on suspicion of assisting a foreign intelligence service, contrary to section 3 of the National Security Act, 2023. He was arrested in London and remains in custody, as does a 68-year-old man arrested in Powys, Wales, and a 43-year-old man arrested in Pontyclun, Wales. The investigation relates to China, the Metropolitan Police said, adding that the arrests were supported by the Welsh and Scottish branches of Counter Terrorism Policing. In a statement following her spouse’s arrest, Ms Reid said: “I have never seen anything to make me suspect my husband has broken any law. “I am not part of my husband’s business activities, and neither I nor my children are part of this investigation, and we should not be treated by media organisations as though we are. Above all I expect media organisations to respect my children’s …

France places two Chinese nationals under investigation for spying

France places two Chinese nationals under investigation for spying

Published by Sam Flores

French authorities on Thursday charged four people, including two Chinese nationals, on suspicion of having intercepted sensitive military data for Beijing, the Paris prosecutor’s office said. The move comes after police arrested the four individuals at the weekend in the southwestern Gironde region where the two Chinese suspects allegedly rented an Airbnb as part of a plan to capture sensitive information, including military intelligence. The Paris prosecutor’s office said two individuals have been remanded into custody and two others placed under judicial supervision, without offering details on their identities. The probe focuses on the “delivery of information to a foreign power” likely to harm key national interests. This is punishable by up to 15 years behind bars. The case was triggered after residents on January 30 spotted the installation of a satellite dish approximately two metres (around six-and-a-half feet) in diameter, which coincided with a local internet outage. A search conducted the following day led to the discovery of “a system of computers connected to satellite dishes enabling the capture of satellite data”, according to …