OSINT Industries’ Post

📢 Press Release: AfriForum calls for immediate intervention in South Africa's intelligence agencies South Africa's intelligence agencies, particularly the State Security Agency (SSA), have become a source of national concern. Widespread corruption, political interference, and mismanagement have compromised the SSA's ability to serve its intended purpose – the security of the country. AfriForum is concerned about these systemic failures and calls for immediate action to restore the integrity and functionality of South Africa's intelligence agencies. A 2018 report by a high-level review panel appointed by President Cyril Ramaphosa revealed the extent of dysfunction within the SSA. The report highlighted how the agency had been mired in political factionalism since 2009, becoming a tool for self-enrichment and political maneuvering rather than a reliable protector of national security. The agency’s shift away from its constitutional and human security obligations had undermined public trust and left critical threats untouched. Recent revelations about the South African Police Service's crime intelligence division's misuse of secret funds have further highlighted the scale of the problem. The division is said to have spent R22.7 million to purchase a luxury boutique hotel in Pretoria North, even as basic operational needs are being neglected. While some officers hold meetings in fast-food restaurants or their vehicles, this reckless spending reflects a shocking disregard for the severe resource constraints facing law enforcement and intelligence teams. These ongoing failures come at a critical time when South Africa faces increasing challenges, including growing instability in northern Mozambique that could spill over into South Africa, organized crime networks involved in drug trafficking, human trafficking and money laundering, espionage targeting South Africa's technology and industries, as well as domestic threats from radical groups that could incite violence. Rather than addressing these pressing issues, intelligence agencies have been mired in scandals, including the appointment of unqualified individuals to senior positions and the misuse of state resources. “The collapse of South Africa's intelligence services has left the nation vulnerable. The State Security Agency, once a cornerstone of national security, has become a symbol of incompetence and corruption. This cannot continue. AfriForum demands immediate reforms to rebuild public trust and ensure that our intelligence services focus on protecting the country, not serving narrow political or personal interests,” says Jacques Broodryk, AfriForum's Chief Spokesperson for Community Safety. The current state of South Africa's intelligence agencies is unsustainable and poses a direct threat to the nation's stability. AfriForum calls on the government to act swiftly and decisively to restore integrity and functionality to these critical institutions. AfriForum AfriForum Nasionaal

Please take note of this info ! It speaks precisely about what we discussed during our annual conference at APEPQ- ASSOCIATION PROFESSIONNELLE DES ENQUÊTEURS PRIVÉS DU QUÉBEC . Great advice from fellow PI and friend Sandra Stibbards as she is mentioned and gives advice in the article below. « Private investigators are sometimes leveraged to help regimes carry out transnational repression—when nation states reach beyond their borders to silence or coerce dissidents, journalists, human rights defenders, and others » “In my practice, this is precisely why I run a background check on every potential client,” Stibbards explains. “Verifying the individual or company you’re working for is crucial to avoid aiding those with malicious intentions.” Stibbards adds that she never accepts cases without understanding who the client is, what they do, why they need the investigation, and what the ultimate goal of the investigation is. “For overseas clients, a strong recommendation from a trusted colleague is a must before I even consider engaging with them,” she says. “There are far too many risks in unintentionally providing information to individuals who might misuse it with harmful consequences.” #ingérenceetrangere Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) | Service canadien du renseignement de sécurité (SCRS) Royal Canadian Mounted Police | Gendarmerie royale du Canada Bureau de la sécurité privée Ministère de la sécurité publique

Russia allegedly plotting sabotage across Europe - watch or act? In early May, the Financial Times reported that European intelligence agencies (France, Germany, Sweden, UK) have warned their governments that Russia is plotting acts of sabotage across the continent assuming a permanent conflict with the west. Sabotage could be blasts, arson and attacks on infrastructure and is assumed to be committed coordinated, at scale and directly by Kremlin agents or via proxies (e.g., members of Russian diaspora or crime groups). Fears that Russia will inflict physical harm on its opponents follow a series of allegations against Russia of disinformation and hacking attacks. Only two months before, the news portal Swissinfo informed that, after the wiretapping affair (release of recordings of conversations between high-ranking German Airforce officers is part of a Russian propaganda campaign) in Germany and media reports of increased espionage activities by Russia in Europe, the Swiss Federal Intelligence Services (FIS) has reacted and stepped up its warnings. In June 2022, the Russian author Mikhail Shishkin said in an interview with the NZZ that Russian diplomats expelled from EU countries for espionage did not return to Moscow, instead entered Switzerland. Besides online espionage, a significant proportion of information gathering in Switzerland is allegedly carried out using human sources. Why Switzerland? It is in the center of Europe, hosts the United Nations' European headquarters, high-performing international companies and offers all amenities of a western, democratic state. Switzerland could also serve as a hub of sanctions evasion. This could be done by front companies, hiding their true purpose, under the control of an intelligence service and through regular business dealings with local companies. The warnings by EU and Swiss Intelligence Services are aimed at everyone. Target sectors for industrial espionage or sabotage are manyfold: defense, energy, technology, machine, finance, transportation, etc. Companies in such critical industries are well advised to review and possibly strengthen their control measures in personnel security as well as corporate counter espionage and sabotage. Some measures to address corporate espionage or sabotage include: 1) integrity due diligence on persons with privileged access to governance bodies, sensitive information, intellectual property, critical physical assets or sensitive areas; due diligences on business partners with access to critical data/systems; 2) espionage/sabotage activity screening in countries of concern; 3) corporate assets identification and prioritize protection, 4) information classification/protection, 5) threat detection tools, 6) incident response preparedness, 7) forensics process, 8) employee security awareness training, 9) sabotage and disaster recovery exercise. https://lnkd.in/di7kXMs7

🇨🇦 Diplomatic Fallout and Espionage: The Assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar 🇨🇦 🚨 Canada Expels Indian Diplomats! 🚨 The diplomatic crisis between Canada and India has deepened, with Ottawa expelling key Indian diplomats over evidence linking Indian government agents to covert operations—including the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. These clandestine activities reportedly involved information gathering, extortion, and organized criminal activity on Canadian soil. But it doesn’t stop there. The U.S. is now grappling with a similar threat: the failed assassination attempt against Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a vocal advocate for Khalistan and leader of Sikhs for Justice. American intelligence suggests that, much like in Canada, Indian operatives were behind the plot. The FBI has issued warnings to U.S.-based Sikh activists, urging heightened vigilance as tensions continue to rise. In my article, "How OPSEC May Have Exposed Indian Agents in Canadian Murder Case," I analyze how failures in operational security (OPSEC) may have unmasked the Indian government’s role in Nijjar's assassination. With recent revelations showing intercepted communications and compromised human sources, the lapses are becoming undeniable. Both Canada and the U.S. are now openly confronting India’s clandestine activities, sparking diplomatic showdowns, and forcing tough discussions on foreign interference. 👉 Read more on my website for an in-depth look at how these intelligence failures unfolded and how OPSEC missteps can unravel even the most covert operations. Stay informed on this growing geopolitical issue! 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eDB3Bx4d #GlobalIntelligence #Espionage #NijjarAssassination #PannunAssassinationAttempt #OPSEC #CanadaIndiaTensions #ForeignInterference

The Philippines has increased its patrols in the South China Sea in response to new Chinese regulations that allow its coast guard to detain foreigners accused of trespassing. These regulations, effective from Saturday, represent a significant escalation in the already tense region. The new rules permit the detention of foreigners for up to 60 days without trial. China claims nearly 90% of the South China Sea, despite an international tribunal ruling against these claims. The Philippines, along with Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan, also have competing claims in the region. There is increasing worry that these maritime confrontations could lead to miscalculations, sparking a broader conflict. Fishing groups in the Philippines are particularly anxious about the new regulations. China's foreign ministry claims the regulations aim to maintain order at sea and are not a cause for concern for law-abiding individuals. However, the Philippines is working with its allies to ensure the safety of its citizens and prevent detentions. Experts warn that these new rules are a form of intimidation and could lead to serious conflicts, especially if the Philippines' mutual defense treaty with the US is invoked. #calgroups #calsaig #knowledgeark #philippines #china #southchinasea #regulations #fishing #Filipino #conflict #tension #regionaltension #geopolitics  Embark on a journey into the future with www.KnowledgeArk.AI, your portal to Bespoke Data Science, AI, OSINT, and HUMINT-powered Fusion for Enterprise Risk Intelligence. Discover the competitive edge with KnowledgeArk.AI. Reach out to us at [email protected]. Capt Albert Louis KnowledgeArk.AI Specialist Advisory & Intervention Group

Did you know that overlooking certain things can lead to failed evaluations in humanitarian contexts? These are some key considerations to ensure your evaluations are effective and respectful. 📍More than ever is ethics should take centre stage 📍Data security and privacy also become very important 📍Participation of local stakeholders in the evaluation can be invaluable ------------ Join the webinar to see how evaluating on the frontlines differs from any other settings. The event is conducted in collaboration with The Ukrainian Evaluation Association, where Dmytro Kondratenko will share practical insights with members of the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E ) Academy. Only few spots available! Register here: https://lnkd.in/gU3YF-Ps #Evaluation #HumanitarianAction

Did you know that overlooking certain things can lead to failed evaluations in humanitarian contexts? These are some key considerations to ensure your evaluations are effective and respectful. 📍More than ever is ethics should take centre stage 📍Data security and privacy also become very important 📍Participation of local stakeholders in the evaluation can be invaluable ------------ Join the webinar to see how evaluating on the frontlines differs from any other settings. The event is conducted in collaboration with The Ukrainian Evaluation Association, where Dmytro Kondratenko will share practical insights with members of the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E ) Academy. Only few spots available! Register here: https://lnkd.in/gU3YF-Ps #Evaluation #HumanitarianAction

It’s crucial that the public sector organisations countering transnational organised crime make the most of the resources available. This includes OSINT – and the necessity of practising good OSINT in this use case is only growing as criminal tactics expand. But conducting effective OSINT isn’t always easy, especially when fighting such complex crime. In the blog below, we explore the best practices investigators should follow to unlock the full power of OSINT in this important use case: https://hubs.li/Q02J6zY00 #TransationalCrime #OrganisedCrime #LawEnforcement

Tunisia Data Protection Act: Law No. 2004-63 on the Protection of Personal Data The Tunisia data protection landscape goes beyond the 2004 law and incorporates: i. Organic Law no 2015-26 on the Fight Against Terrorism and the Prohibition of Money Laundering. Articles 56, 61, and 75 demonstrate the intersection between national security endeavours and personal data. They specifically address scenarios where personal data can be processed in the context of terrorism and money laundering investigations. These provisions suggest that permissible grounds for data processing might be broadened for counter-terrorism purposes. ii. Council of Europe Convention 108 and Additional Protocol No. 181 Tunisia has ratified Convention 108 and the additional protocol No. 181. A. Effective Date Law No. 2004-63 became effective in July 2004. Later legislation and Tunisia's 2014 Constitution reinforced the privacy framework. B. Jurisdiction The laws predominantly target personal data processing activities occurring within Tunisia's physical territory. In certain situations, Tunisian law might apply to the processing of data even if it takes place outside of Tunisia. This could occur if: • The controller or processor is established in Tunisia, regardless of where the processing occurs. • The processing targets individuals located inside Tunisia. C. Scope of Application Private Sector: Businesses and organisations across various industries must comply with data protection laws. Public Sector: Notably, even government bodies, police, and universities (""public personalities"") have obligations, in contrast to full exemptions granted in many other jurisdictions. D. Legal Bases for Processing • Consent: A cornerstone principle, with explicit consent often required, especially for sensitive data. • Legal Obligation • Vital Interests of the data subject • Legitimate Interests (controller or third party), provided they don't outweigh the data subject's rights. E. Data Transfers The fundamental principle is that international transfers of personal data are generally prohibited or subject to strict measures. Hit the follow button to stay updated on Data Privacy Legislation across Africa. #dataprivacy #legislativelandscape #APLA #Tunisia