Iran on Tuesday freed a Lebanese national arrested in 2015 and sentenced to 10 years in jail on charges of spying for Washington, Lebanon's security services said Tuesday.

"General Security chief Abbas Ibrahim en route from Tehran to Lebanon, accompanied by Nizar Zakka, after his release by Iranian authorities," the security service said in a statement posted on social media.

It also posted a picture of Ibrahim and Zakka aboard what appeared to be a private aircraft.&nbsp;

Both are due to meet President Michel Aoun at the presidential palace near Beirut shortly after arrival, the statement said.&nbsp;

The news comes hours after Iran's judiciary said it had approved Zakka's release.

"The relevant court has agreed to Nizar Zakka's conditional release and he will be handed over to Lebanese authorities," its Mizan Online website quoted spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili as saying.

"According to the law, those who are sentenced to up to 10 years in jail, if they have served at least one-third of their sentence and shown good behaviour" can be released conditionally.

According to Esmaili, Aoun had requested Zakka's release "in writing" and Iran's Lebanese ally Hezbollah had said it would be "expedient".

"This is an absolutely judicial procedure and no political issue has been involved," Esmaili was quoted by Iran's Tasnim news agency as saying.

A resident of the United States in his 50s, Zakka was arrested in September 2015 during a visit to Iran, where he was convicted the following July.

At the time of his arrest, Iranian state television said he was accused of "deep ties to the military and intelligence services of the United States".

It broadcast photographs of a man in military uniform it said was of Zakka at a US base.

At the end of 2017, Iranian appeal courts upheld his 10-year jail sentence as well as those of an American and two Iranian-Americans accused of "collaboration" with the United States.

Iran and the United States broke diplomatic ties in 1980 in the aftermath of the Islamic revolution. Relations have deteriorated sharply since US President Donald Trump took office in January 2017.

Iran on Tuesday freed a Lebanese national arrested in 2015 and sentenced to 10 years in jail on charges of spying for Washington, Lebanon's security services said Tuesday.

Iran on Tuesday freed a Lebanese national arrested in 2015 and sentenced to 10 years in jail on charges of spying for Washington, Lebanon's security services said Tuesday. "General Security chief Abbas Ibrahim en route from Tehran to Lebanon, accompanied by Nizar Zakka, after his release by Iranian authorities," the security service said in a statement posted on social media. It also posted a picture of Ibrahim and Zakka aboard what appeared to be a private aircraft. Both are due to meet President Michel Aoun at the presidential palace near Beirut shortly after arrival, the statement said. The news comes hours after Iran's judiciary said it had approved Zakka's release. "The relevant court has agreed to Nizar Zakka's conditional release and he will be handed over to Lebanese authorities," its Mizan Online website quoted spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili as saying. "According to the law, those who are sentenced to up to 10 years in jail, if they have served at least one-third of their sentence and shown good behaviour" can be released conditionally. According to Esmaili, Aoun had requested Zakka's release "in writing" and Iran's Lebanese ally Hezbollah had said it would be "expedient". "This is an absolutely judicial procedure and no political issue has been involved," Esmaili was quoted by Iran's Tasnim news agency as saying. A resident of the United States in his 50s, Zakka was arrested in September 2015 during a visit to Iran, where he was convicted the following July. At the time of his arrest, Iranian state television said he was accused of "deep ties to the military and intelligence services of the United States". It broadcast photographs of a man in military uniform it said was of Zakka at a US base. At the end of 2017, Iranian appeal courts upheld his 10-year jail sentence as well as those of an American and two Iranian-Americans accused of "collaboration" with the United States. Iran and the United States broke diplomatic ties in 1980 in the aftermath of the Islamic revolution. Relations have deteriorated sharply since US President Donald Trump took office in January 2017.

Iran frees Lebanese national convicted of spying for US

Malaysian officials are disguising themselves as cooks and waiters to catch Muslims who don't fast during Ramadan, with a rights group Thursday blasting the "disgraceful act of spying".

Thirty-two enforcement officers from a local council in the Muslim-majority country are going undercover at food outlets as part of the scheme, the New Straits Times newspaper reported.

Muslims are required to fast from dawn until dusk during Islam's holiest month, unless there are special circumstances such as illness.&nbsp;

While Muslims in multi-ethnic <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/malaysia-detains-three-accused-of-planning-attacks-links-to-is-219185">Malaysia </a>have traditionally followed a tolerant form of Islam, critics say conservative attitudes have been gaining ground in recent years.

The team in Segamat district, in southern Johor state, will be monitoring 185 outlets, with two of the officers selected as they are good at making popular dishes such as spicy fried noodles.

"We have specially selected enforcement officers who are dark skinned for the undercover job," Mohamad Masni Wakiman, president of the Segamat Municipal Council, was cited as saying by the paper.

"They sound convincing when they speak in Indonesian and Pakistani lingo, so that customers will believe they are really hired to cook and serve meals, and take menu orders."

Many staff at food outlets in Malaysia are migrant workers.&nbsp;

If Muslims are seen ordering food during the daytime, the officers will secretly take pictures of them and contact the local religious affairs department for further action, Masni said.

Malaysia has a dual-track legal system, with Muslims subject to Islamic laws in certain areas. In Johor, Muslims who skip fasting can be punished with up to six months in jail or a fine of up to 1,000 ringgit ($240), or both.&nbsp;

Sisters in Islam, a group promoting the rights of Muslim women in Malaysia, said that the plan was "shameful and gives the wrong impression of Islam in the eyes of fellow Muslims and people from other faiths.

"We strongly demand that all parties cease this disgraceful act of spying."

Over 60 percent of Malaysia's 32 million inhabitants are ethnic Malay Muslims and the country is also home to substantial ethnic Chinese and Indian minorities, who do not typically follow Islam.

Malaysian officials are disguising themselves as cooks and waiters to catch Muslims who don't fast during Ramadan, with a rights group Thursday blasting the "disgraceful act of spying".

Malaysian officials are disguising themselves as cooks and waiters to catch Muslims who don't fast during Ramadan, with a rights group Thursday blasting the "disgraceful act of spying". Thirty-two enforcement officers from a local council in the Muslim-majority country are going undercover at food outlets as part of the scheme, the New Straits Times newspaper reported. Muslims are required to fast from dawn until dusk during Islam's holiest month, unless there are special circumstances such as illness. While Muslims in multi-ethnic Malaysia have traditionally followed a tolerant form of Islam, critics say conservative attitudes have been gaining ground in recent years. The team in Segamat district, in southern Johor state, will be monitoring 185 outlets, with two of the officers selected as they are good at making popular dishes such as spicy fried noodles. "We have specially selected enforcement officers who are dark skinned for the undercover job," Mohamad Masni Wakiman, president of the Segamat Municipal Council, was cited as saying by the paper. "They sound convincing when they speak in Indonesian and Pakistani lingo, so that customers will believe they are really hired to cook and serve meals, and take menu orders." Many staff at food outlets in Malaysia are migrant workers. If Muslims are seen ordering food during the daytime, the officers will secretly take pictures of them and contact the local religious affairs department for further action, Masni said. Malaysia has a dual-track legal system, with Muslims subject to Islamic laws in certain areas. In Johor, Muslims who skip fasting can be punished with up to six months in jail or a fine of up to 1,000 ringgit ($240), or both. Sisters in Islam, a group promoting the rights of Muslim women in Malaysia, said that the plan was "shameful and gives the wrong impression of Islam in the eyes of fellow Muslims and people from other faiths. "We strongly demand that all parties cease this disgraceful act of spying." Over 60 percent of Malaysia's 32 million inhabitants are ethnic Malay Muslims and the country is also home to substantial ethnic Chinese and Indian minorities, who do not typically follow Islam.

Malaysian officials go undercover to spy on fasting Muslims

A former Polish security official arrested by Polish authorities has been charged with spying for China while still working for Polish government institutions, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday.&nbsp;

Piotr Durbajlo, who was working for Orange Polska at the time of his arrest on January 10, had previously worked for Poland's Internal Security Agency and the Office of Electronic Communications, among other state institutions between 2000 and 2017, according to a LinkedIn profile in his name.&nbsp;

Spokespeople from Poland's national prosecutor's office and security services declined to comment on the Journal's report when contacted by Reuters. Reuters was not able immediately to determine the identity of Durbajlo's lawyers.

On January 11, officials said Durbajlo was arrested along with Chinese national Weijing Wang, an executive of telecommunications equipment maker Huawei, on allegations of spying, in a move that fuels Western security concerns about the Chinese company. The officials did not disclose details of the alleged espionage.&nbsp;

Both men heard charges in a Polish court last week.

Poland's government could consider limiting the use of Huawei products by public bodies in the wake of the arrests, a government official told Reuters on Sunday.

Huawei, the world's biggest producer of telecommunications equipment, faces intense scrutiny in the West over its relationship with China's government and US-led allegations that its devices could be used by Beijing for spying.

Piotr Durbajlo, who was working for Orange Polska at the time of his arrest on January 10, had previously worked for Poland's Internal Security Agency.

A former Polish security official arrested by Polish authorities has been charged with spying for China while still working for Polish government institutions, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday. Piotr Durbajlo, who was working for Orange Polska at the time of his arrest on January 10, had previously worked for Poland's Internal Security Agency and the Office of Electronic Communications, among other state institutions between 2000 and 2017, according to a LinkedIn profile in his name. Spokespeople from Poland's national prosecutor's office and security services declined to comment on the Journal's report when contacted by Reuters. Reuters was not able immediately to determine the identity of Durbajlo's lawyers. On January 11, officials said Durbajlo was arrested along with Chinese national Weijing Wang, an executive of telecommunications equipment maker Huawei, on allegations of spying, in a move that fuels Western security concerns about the Chinese company. The officials did not disclose details of the alleged espionage. Both men heard charges in a Polish court last week. Poland's government could consider limiting the use of Huawei products by public bodies in the wake of the arrests, a government official told Reuters on Sunday. Huawei, the world's biggest producer of telecommunications equipment, faces intense scrutiny in the West over its relationship with China's government and US-led allegations that its devices could be used by Beijing for spying.

Polish man arrested over spying for China while working in government: Report

An Israeli former cabinet minister admitted to spying for Iran on Wednesday in a plea deal in exchange for an 11-year prison sentence, the Israeli Justice Ministry said.

Gonen Segev, energy minister from 1995 to 1996, was indicted in June. The Shin Bet internal security service said at the time he had been recruited by Iranian intelligence while living in Nigeria and had "served as an agent".

Investigators found that Segev made contact with officials at the Iranian embassy in Nigeria in 2012 and that he visited Iran twice for meetings with his handlers, the Shin Bet said.

Segev, it said, received an encrypted communications system from Iranian agents and supplied Iran with "information related to the energy sector, security sites in Israel and officials in political and security institutions".

Israel has long been locked in a shadow war with Iran, which supports Islamist guerrillas in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon. Iran has accused Israel of being behind acts of sabotage and assassinations of scientists involved in its nuclear programme.

The court has yet to formally approve the prison sentence agreed with Segev, a physician, who had been jailed in 2004 for attempting to smuggle "Ecstasy" pills into Israel and left the country in 2007 after his release from prison.

He was arrested in May during a visit to Equatorial Guinea and extradited to Israel, Shin Bet said.

There was no immediate response from Iran to the Justice Ministry statement.

An Israeli former cabinet minister admitted to spying for Iran on Wednesday in a plea deal in exchange for an 11-year prison sentence, the Israeli Justice Ministry said.

An Israeli former cabinet minister admitted to spying for Iran on Wednesday in a plea deal in exchange for an 11-year prison sentence, the Israeli Justice Ministry said. Gonen Segev, energy minister from 1995 to 1996, was indicted in June. The Shin Bet internal security service said at the time he had been recruited by Iranian intelligence while living in Nigeria and had "served as an agent". Investigators found that Segev made contact with officials at the Iranian embassy in Nigeria in 2012 and that he visited Iran twice for meetings with his handlers, the Shin Bet said. Segev, it said, received an encrypted communications system from Iranian agents and supplied Iran with "information related to the energy sector, security sites in Israel and officials in political and security institutions". Israel has long been locked in a shadow war with Iran, which supports Islamist guerrillas in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon. Iran has accused Israel of being behind acts of sabotage and assassinations of scientists involved in its nuclear programme. The court has yet to formally approve the prison sentence agreed with Segev, a physician, who had been jailed in 2004 for attempting to smuggle "Ecstasy" pills into Israel and left the country in 2007 after his release from prison. He was arrested in May during a visit to Equatorial Guinea and extradited to Israel, Shin Bet said. There was no immediate response from Iran to the Justice Ministry statement.

Israeli ex-minister pleads guilty to spying for Iran in exchange for prison sentence

By:&nbsp;Damir Kurtagic*

What was the rationale behind the poisoning of Sergei Skripal in Salisbury?

In an amusing, yet undiplomatic tweet following the poisoning of Sergei Skripal, a former Russian double agent, the Russian Embassy in London valorised the temperature of Russia-UK relations at-23, referencing the expulsion of 23 Russian diplomats from Britain.

Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, were poisoned with a nerve agent on March 4 and found unconscious on a public bench in Salisbury, UK.

Bilateral relations between Russia and the UK have certainly reached a new nadir and, more significantly, the poisoning caused a wider rift in diplomatic relations between Russia and the United States, along with its allies more than 150 Russian diplomats from two dozen countries were expelled.

While unified in their condemnation of Russian state leadership for this act, the perceived rationale for the attack generally takes on two different forms — both of which do not make much sense from a Russian perspective.

First, the assassination attempt served to solidify the margin of electoral support ahead of the Russian presidential elections, which took place on March 18.

Second, the attack was meant to send out a message that traitors do not go unpunished. However, these motives are difficult to uphold, and it is also hard to justify Russian President Vladimir Putin’s involvement from a geopolitical viewpoint. These considerations should have caused the United Kingdom and its allies to reserve judgment until all evidence was collected.

Electoral support

Regarding the first rationale, it has been widely considered that Russian leadership was trying to provoke a response from its citizens. The argument goes that the attack was meant to ensure a strong counter-reaction to the expulsion of its diplomats, which would then translate into an uptick in national pride and greater support for Putin at the elections.

The difficulty with this argument is the timing of the assassination attempt. According to Professor Gerd Mangott of the University of Innsbruck, “The poisoning of Skripal could not have in any way influenced voting behavior and turnout, as it was too close to the elections.” Indeed, the elections were certainly in the spotlight, but at no point in time did its outcome — another landslide victory on Putin’s resume — come into question.

A message to traitors

The second rationale is that the attack served as a strong message to those in the Russian military intelligence community who contemplate turning their back on the state. The community — and especially Putin as a former KGB agent — has a strong disdain for those that reveal Russian military and intelligence secrets to enemies.

With that being said, it seems that Russia could have chosen a more opportune moment for messaging, perhaps at a much earlier point in time.

Skripal had been living on British soil for eight and a half years prior to the attack and previously served prison time in Russia for treason. Russia could have chosen a less risky approach to punish Skripal rather than endangering UK residents.

The history of Russian assassination attempts in Britain reveals that using nerve agents such as the Novichok used on Skripal and his daughter is not in the spirit of the Russian modus operandi.

Moreover, there are a lot of “firsts” involving the poisoning, and none of them bode well for Russia: first nerve gas attack on European soil after World War II first time collaterals were involved and the first time that not only the target but the broader public were exposed to danger.

Most of all, the case of Skripal is baffling for strategic considerations. Relations between Russia and the United States along with its allies have been strained ever since Moscow’s annexation of Crimea in 2014.

The Russian strategy has been to split Western unity through the support of domestic political options favoring closer engagement with Russia (anti-establishment and populist) and influencing votes, as seen with the Brexit referendum and the 2016 US presidential election.

The failure of this assassination attempt not only affects relations with the United Kingdom but the entire Western alliance. Russians were aware that a chemical nerve agent attack on British soil would have forced the UK to take a hardball stance, and it seems more likely that the Russians would have held off on potentially aggravating its adversaries over further undercover activities and alienating itself in the process.

What is most clear at the moment is the imprudent diplomatic reactions on both sides following the poisoning. While the United Kingdom levied attacks on Putin based on international law, it decided to circumvent the involvement of the Organisation for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in early stages and have an independent specialist analyse the blood sample under article 9 of the Chemical Weapons Convention.

The Russians, on the other hand, did nothing to offer support and compassion, but jumped right into counter-accusations, lending no credibility to their case either.

At the end of the day, this incident will not reflect favorably on cooperation between Russia and the Western bloc for the foreseeable future.

*Damir Kurtagic is a Europe fellow at Young Professionals in Foreign Policy (YPFP). He is a Brussels-based scholar and has previously worked with the European Economic and Social Committee, the UN Development Program in Bosnia & Herzegovina, and the UNIDO headquarters in Vienna, Austria.&nbsp;

(This article was originally published on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fairobserver.com/">Fair Observer</a>. Read the original&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fairobserver.com/region/europe/russia-news-sergei-skripal-poisoning-salisbury-34909/">article</a>.)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

What was the rationale behind the poisoning of Sergei Skripal in Salisbury?

By: Damir Kurtagic* What was the rationale behind the poisoning of Sergei Skripal in Salisbury? In an amusing, yet undiplomatic tweet following the poisoning of Sergei Skripal, a former Russian double agent, the Russian Embassy in London valorised the temperature of Russia-UK relations at-23, referencing the expulsion of 23 Russian diplomats from Britain. Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, were poisoned with a nerve agent on March 4 and found unconscious on a public bench in Salisbury, UK. Bilateral relations between Russia and the UK have certainly reached a new nadir and, more significantly, the poisoning caused a wider rift in diplomatic relations between Russia and the United States, along with its allies more than 150 Russian diplomats from two dozen countries were expelled. While unified in their condemnation of Russian state leadership for this act, the perceived rationale for the attack generally takes on two different forms — both of which do not make much sense from a Russian perspective. First, the assassination attempt served to solidify the margin of electoral support ahead of the Russian presidential elections, which took place on March 18. Second, the attack was meant to send out a message that traitors do not go unpunished. However, these motives are difficult to uphold, and it is also hard to justify Russian President Vladimir Putin’s involvement from a geopolitical viewpoint. These considerations should have caused the United Kingdom and its allies to reserve judgment until all evidence was collected. Electoral support Regarding the first rationale, it has been widely considered that Russian leadership was trying to provoke a response from its citizens. The argument goes that the attack was meant to ensure a strong counter-reaction to the expulsion of its diplomats, which would then translate into an uptick in national pride and greater support for Putin at the elections. The difficulty with this argument is the timing of the assassination attempt. According to Professor Gerd Mangott of the University of Innsbruck, “The poisoning of Skripal could not have in any way influenced voting behavior and turnout, as it was too close to the elections.” Indeed, the elections were certainly in the spotlight, but at no point in time did its outcome — another landslide victory on Putin’s resume — come into question. A message to traitors The second rationale is that the attack served as a strong message to those in the Russian military intelligence community who contemplate turning their back on the state. The community — and especially Putin as a former KGB agent — has a strong disdain for those that reveal Russian military and intelligence secrets to enemies. With that being said, it seems that Russia could have chosen a more opportune moment for messaging, perhaps at a much earlier point in time. Skripal had been living on British soil for eight and a half years prior to the attack and previously served prison time in Russia for treason. Russia could have chosen a less risky approach to punish Skripal rather than endangering UK residents. The history of Russian assassination attempts in Britain reveals that using nerve agents such as the Novichok used on Skripal and his daughter is not in the spirit of the Russian modus operandi. Moreover, there are a lot of “firsts” involving the poisoning, and none of them bode well for Russia: first nerve gas attack on European soil after World War II first time collaterals were involved and the first time that not only the target but the broader public were exposed to danger. Most of all, the case of Skripal is baffling for strategic considerations. Relations between Russia and the United States along with its allies have been strained ever since Moscow’s annexation of Crimea in 2014. The Russian strategy has been to split Western unity through the support of domestic political options favoring closer engagement with Russia (anti-establishment and populist) and influencing votes, as seen with the Brexit referendum and the 2016 US presidential election. The failure of this assassination attempt not only affects relations with the United Kingdom but the entire Western alliance. Russians were aware that a chemical nerve agent attack on British soil would have forced the UK to take a hardball stance, and it seems more likely that the Russians would have held off on potentially aggravating its adversaries over further undercover activities and alienating itself in the process. What is most clear at the moment is the imprudent diplomatic reactions on both sides following the poisoning. While the United Kingdom levied attacks on Putin based on international law, it decided to circumvent the involvement of the Organisation for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in early stages and have an independent specialist analyse the blood sample under article 9 of the Chemical Weapons Convention. The Russians, on the other hand, did nothing to offer support and compassion, but jumped right into counter-accusations, lending no credibility to their case either. At the end of the day, this incident will not reflect favorably on cooperation between Russia and the Western bloc for the foreseeable future. *Damir Kurtagic is a Europe fellow at Young Professionals in Foreign Policy (YPFP). He is a Brussels-based scholar and has previously worked with the European Economic and Social Committee, the UN Development Program in Bosnia & Herzegovina, and the UNIDO headquarters in Vienna, Austria. (This article was originally published on Fair Observer. Read the original article.) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: The curious case of Sergei Skripal

The US decision to expel 60 alleged spies is unlikely to cripple Russian spying in the United States because others have wormed and hacked their way into American companies, schools, and even the government, current and former US officials said.

Moscow's spy services still use the cover of embassies and consulates, as Washington does. But they also recruit Russian emigres, establish front companies, dispatch short-term travellers to the United States, recruit Americans, and penetrate computer networks, the officials said.

"Russia used to have one way of doing things. Now, Putin is - let a thousand flowers bloom," a former senior US official said in a recent interview, describing Moscow's move to a more multifaceted approach under President Vladimir Putin, a former Soviet spy himself.

The FBI follows the movements and monitors the communications of suspected foreign spies, but the increased Russian presence and the advent of commercially available encrypted communications are an added challenge to the FBI's counter-espionage force, said the officials, some of whom spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive topic.

As one US official put it when asked if Russian spying is a harder target: "It’s more complex now. The complexity comes in the techniques that can be used."

While the CIA tracks foreign spies overseas and the National Security Agency monitors international communications, the FBI is responsible for spy-catching inside the United States.

The White House on Monday said it would expel 60 Russian diplomats, 12 of them at the UN mission, and close the Russian consulate in Seattle as part of a multi-nation response to the Kremlin's alleged nerve agent attack on a former Russian spy in Britain.

Briefing reporters, a senior US official said there were "well over" 100 Russian spies posing as diplomats in the United States before the expulsion order.

A veteran US official charged with keeping tabs on Russian espionage said the administration downplayed the number of suspected Russian spies working under diplomatic cover to avoid giving the Russians a clearer picture of how many people are under surveillance.

The actual number varies over time, but "it averages more like 150 or so," the official said.

"We've got a very, very, very good counter-intelligence apparatus," said Robert Litt, a former general counsel for the US Director of National Intelligence. "There are a lot of people in the FBI whose job it is to track these people - and they're very good at it."&nbsp;

Still, it can take 10 or more US-trained FBI and local law enforcement officers to keep tabs on one trained spy for a 24-hour period - covering back entrances to buildings and multiple elevators, and being alert for changes in clothes, cars and even hairpieces, the same official said.

One Russian tactic is sending a large number of people, including just one or two intelligence officers, streaming out of a diplomatic mission at once, making it harder for the FBI to decide whom to follow, said a former US intelligence officer, also speaking on the condition of anonymity.

Microsoft Corp. was one target of the Russian espionage operation in Seattle, US officials familiar with the expulsions said. One goal was identifying targets for recruitment in the company's coding operations because the company's products are used in so many applications, they said. Microsoft declined TO&nbsp;comment.

In 2010, Alexey Karetnikov, a 23-year-old Russian spy who had worked at testing computer code in Microsoft's Richmond, Wash., headquarters, was deported by an immigration judge.

Several of the officials traced the Kremlin's more aggressive spying approach to Putin's 2012 return to the presidency and Moscow's 2014 seizure of Crimea and intervention in eastern Ukraine.

 
"We observed a commensurate uptick in Russian intelligence and espionage activity in the US and across Europe, although few analysts connected the dots," said Heather Conley, a former State Department official now at the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank.

Michael Rochford, a former FBI chief for espionage, said the mass expulsion of suspected spies posing as diplomats will affect Russia's security services and dent morale at their Moscow headquarters.

After past expulsions, he said, Russian spies have handed their operations over to officers who remain behind, or to "illegals" - long-term agents with no demonstrable connections to the Russian government.

The risk, he said, is that when Moscow replaces the expelled personnel, it will not be clear who the new spies are.&nbsp;

"Sometimes it`s better to know who they are and follow them," he said.

Moscow's spy services still use the cover of embassies and consulates, as Washington does, the officials said

The US decision to expel 60 alleged spies is unlikely to cripple Russian spying in the United States because others have wormed and hacked their way into American companies, schools, and even the government, current and former US officials said. Moscow's spy services still use the cover of embassies and consulates, as Washington does. But they also recruit Russian emigres, establish front companies, dispatch short-term travellers to the United States, recruit Americans, and penetrate computer networks, the officials said. "Russia used to have one way of doing things. Now, Putin is - let a thousand flowers bloom," a former senior US official said in a recent interview, describing Moscow's move to a more multifaceted approach under President Vladimir Putin, a former Soviet spy himself. The FBI follows the movements and monitors the communications of suspected foreign spies, but the increased Russian presence and the advent of commercially available encrypted communications are an added challenge to the FBI's counter-espionage force, said the officials, some of whom spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive topic. As one US official put it when asked if Russian spying is a harder target: "It’s more complex now. The complexity comes in the techniques that can be used." While the CIA tracks foreign spies overseas and the National Security Agency monitors international communications, the FBI is responsible for spy-catching inside the United States. The White House on Monday said it would expel 60 Russian diplomats, 12 of them at the UN mission, and close the Russian consulate in Seattle as part of a multi-nation response to the Kremlin's alleged nerve agent attack on a former Russian spy in Britain. Briefing reporters, a senior US official said there were "well over" 100 Russian spies posing as diplomats in the United States before the expulsion order. A veteran US official charged with keeping tabs on Russian espionage said the administration downplayed the number of suspected Russian spies working under diplomatic cover to avoid giving the Russians a clearer picture of how many people are under surveillance. The actual number varies over time, but "it averages more like 150 or so," the official said. "We've got a very, very, very good counter-intelligence apparatus," said Robert Litt, a former general counsel for the US Director of National Intelligence. "There are a lot of people in the FBI whose job it is to track these people - and they're very good at it." Still, it can take 10 or more US-trained FBI and local law enforcement officers to keep tabs on one trained spy for a 24-hour period - covering back entrances to buildings and multiple elevators, and being alert for changes in clothes, cars and even hairpieces, the same official said. One Russian tactic is sending a large number of people, including just one or two intelligence officers, streaming out of a diplomatic mission at once, making it harder for the FBI to decide whom to follow, said a former US intelligence officer, also speaking on the condition of anonymity. Microsoft Corp. was one target of the Russian espionage operation in Seattle, US officials familiar with the expulsions said. One goal was identifying targets for recruitment in the company's coding operations because the company's products are used in so many applications, they said. Microsoft declined TO comment. In 2010, Alexey Karetnikov, a 23-year-old Russian spy who had worked at testing computer code in Microsoft's Richmond, Wash., headquarters, was deported by an immigration judge. Several of the officials traced the Kremlin's more aggressive spying approach to Putin's 2012 return to the presidency and Moscow's 2014 seizure of Crimea and intervention in eastern Ukraine. "We observed a commensurate uptick in Russian intelligence and espionage activity in the US and across Europe, although few analysts connected the dots," said Heather Conley, a former State Department official now at the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank. Michael Rochford, a former FBI chief for espionage, said the mass expulsion of suspected spies posing as diplomats will affect Russia's security services and dent morale at their Moscow headquarters. After past expulsions, he said, Russian spies have handed their operations over to officers who remain behind, or to "illegals" - long-term agents with no demonstrable connections to the Russian government. The risk, he said, is that when Moscow replaces the expelled personnel, it will not be clear who the new spies are. "Sometimes it`s better to know who they are and follow them," he said.

Fewer Russian spies in US but getting harder to track

An alleged Pakistani infiltrator was arrested by the Border Security Force (BSF) on Thursday from the International Border (IB) in Rajasthan&#39;s Bikaner.&nbsp;

The man was arrested from Bandli post and was later handed over to the Khajuwala Police.&nbsp;

The arrested accused revealed his name as Manjoor Khan and claimed to be a resident of Pakistan&#39;s Bahawalpur city.&nbsp;

He is further being interrogated by the Police and Intelligence agencies.&nbsp;

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Rajasthan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Rajasthan</a>: A Pakistani national and suspected spy has been arrested in Pokhran <a href="https://t.co/JanLc9sm2N">pic.twitter.com/JanLc9sm2N</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/974169712304250880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The accused, Manjoor Khan claimed to be a resident of Pakistan`s Bahawalpur city

An alleged Pakistani infiltrator was arrested by the Border Security Force (BSF) on Thursday from the International Border (IB) in Rajasthan's Bikaner. The man was arrested from Bandli post and was later handed over to the Khajuwala Police. The arrested accused revealed his name as Manjoor Khan and claimed to be a resident of Pakistan's Bahawalpur city. He is further being interrogated by the Police and Intelligence agencies. #Rajasthan: A Pakistani national and suspected spy has been arrested in Pokhran pic.twitter.com/JanLc9sm2N — ANI (@ANI) March 15, 2018 ×

BSF arrests Pak 'infiltrator' in Rajasthan's Bikaner

The Delhi Police has arrested an Indian Air Force (IAF) officer&nbsp;Group Captain Arun Marwah on charges of providing secret IAF documents to Pakistan&#39;s intelligence agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).&nbsp;

Marwah was handed over to the Special Cell&#39;s northern range on Wednesday after being interrogated for nearly 10 days by the counter intelligence wing of the IAF, a senior police official said.

He has been booked under the Official Secrets Act (OSA) provisions and five days police custody has been granted by the court for questioning him, he said.

Reports said earlier that the officer may have been &quot;honey trapped&quot; as he was suspected of sending pictures of classified documents through social media channel WhatsApp.

The identity of the woman hasn&#39;t been established.

As per the complaint filed against Marwah by the Air Force, he was caught by the counter intelligence wing after he was found carrying a high-end phone at the headquarters, which are banned there.

The counter intelligence wing is also probing whether he was part of any larger espionage ring.

The IAF officially did not comment on the matter.

Punishment under the Official Secrets Act entails a jail term of up to seven years.

The special cell of Delhi Police has filed an FIR against the officer under the Officials Secrets Act.

The Delhi Police has arrested an Indian Air Force (IAF) officer Group Captain Arun Marwah on charges of providing secret IAF documents to Pakistan's intelligence agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Marwah was handed over to the Special Cell's northern range on Wednesday after being interrogated for nearly 10 days by the counter intelligence wing of the IAF, a senior police official said. He has been booked under the Official Secrets Act (OSA) provisions and five days police custody has been granted by the court for questioning him, he said. Reports said earlier that the officer may have been "honey trapped" as he was suspected of sending pictures of classified documents through social media channel WhatsApp. The identity of the woman hasn't been established. As per the complaint filed against Marwah by the Air Force, he was caught by the counter intelligence wing after he was found carrying a high-end phone at the headquarters, which are banned there. The counter intelligence wing is also probing whether he was part of any larger espionage ring. The IAF officially did not comment on the matter. Punishment under the Official Secrets Act entails a jail term of up to seven years.

Delhi Police arrests Air Force officer suspected of passing secrets to Pakistan's ISI

Pakistan released a second propaganda video of Kulbhushan Jadhav on Thursday.&nbsp;

In the video, Jadhav says his mother was happy to see him healthy.&nbsp;He adds though that he saw fear in the eyes of both his mother and wife.&nbsp;

Jadhav adds in the video that his mother was humiliated on the flight to Islamabad. That there was an Indian diplomat with her who shouted continuously at her.&nbsp;

It is unclear though how Jadhav, who is currently in custody in Pakistan, could have known that.&nbsp;

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I said don&#39;t worry Mummy.They (Pakistan) are taking care of me, they have not touched me. She believed me once she saw me personally: Kulbhushan Jadhav in an apparent new video by Pakistan <a href="https://t.co/02Yj0tdene">pic.twitter.com/02Yj0tdene</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/948834083466956800?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2018</a></blockquote>
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But I have to say one very important thing to the Indian public &amp; Indian govt, and for people in Navy that my Commission has not gone, I am a commissioned officer of Indian Navy: Kulbhushan Jadhav in an apparent new video by Pakistan <a href="https://t.co/4I6SONL2Xu">pic.twitter.com/4I6SONL2Xu</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/948834085983600640?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Jadhav adds in the video that Pakistan has taken care of him.&nbsp;

And that he is an officer of the Indian Navy.&nbsp;

There has been no reaction as yet to the video from India.&nbsp;

Pakistan had <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pakistan-issues-new-video-of-kulbhushan-jadhav-27673" target="_blank">earlier released a video</a> and photographs of Jadhav&#39;s meeting with his wife and mother.&nbsp;

Jadhav&#39;s mother Avanti and wife Chetnakul had flown to Islamabad via Dubai on Christmas day to meet Jadhav.&nbsp;

Pakistan said the meeting between Jadhav -- Pakistan accuses him of spying for India and has sentenced him to death -- was a &quot;humanitarian gesture&quot;.&nbsp;

But all hell broke loose between the two countries after the meeting.&nbsp;

India accused Pakistan of mistreating Avanti and Chetnakul. It said the women were asked to remove their shoes, change their clothes, and remove their bindis and mangalsutras.&nbsp;

India&#39;s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj later said in Parliament that the women were made to <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/sushma-swaraj-speaks-on-jadhav-row-says-pakistani-claims-of-hidden-camera-absurd-27932" target="_blank">look like </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/sushma-swaraj-speaks-on-jadhav-row-says-pakistani-claims-of-hidden-camera-absurd-27932" target="_blank">widows</a>. And that when Jadhav first saw his mother without her mangalsutra, the first thing he asked her was, &quot;Baba kaise hain&quot;.&nbsp;

India also accused Pakistan of allowing the media there to <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/killer-son-played-holi-with-blood-of-pakistanis-jadhavs-wife-mother-heckled-by-media-in-islamabad-27829" target="_blank">heckle the two women</a>.&nbsp;

Chetnakul&#39;s shoes were never returned to her. Pakistan has since said there was a &quot;metal object&quot; in them and has sent them for <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-sends-shoes-of-jadhavs-wife-for-forensic-testing-27860" target="_blank">forensic testing</a>.&nbsp;

Pakistan released a second propaganda video of Kulbhushan Jadhav on Thursday. In the video, Jadhav says his mother was happy to see him healthy. He adds though that he saw fear in the eyes of both his mother and wife. Jadhav adds in the video that his mother was humiliated on the flight to Islamabad. That there was an Indian diplomat with her who shouted continuously at her. It is unclear though how Jadhav, who is currently in custody in Pakistan, could have known that. I said don't worry Mummy.They (Pakistan) are taking care of me, they have not touched me. She believed me once she saw me personally: Kulbhushan Jadhav in an apparent new video by Pakistan pic.twitter.com/02Yj0tdene — ANI (@ANI) January 4, 2018 × But I have to say one very important thing to the Indian public & Indian govt, and for people in Navy that my Commission has not gone, I am a commissioned officer of Indian Navy: Kulbhushan Jadhav in an apparent new video by Pakistan pic.twitter.com/4I6SONL2Xu — ANI (@ANI) January 4, 2018 × Jadhav adds in the video that Pakistan has taken care of him. And that he is an officer of the Indian Navy. There has been no reaction as yet to the video from India. Pakistan had earlier released a video and photographs of Jadhav's meeting with his wife and mother. Jadhav's mother Avanti and wife Chetnakul had flown to Islamabad via Dubai on Christmas day to meet Jadhav. Pakistan said the meeting between Jadhav -- Pakistan accuses him of spying for India and has sentenced him to death -- was a "humanitarian gesture". But all hell broke loose between the two countries after the meeting. India accused Pakistan of mistreating Avanti and Chetnakul. It said the women were asked to remove their shoes, change their clothes, and remove their bindis and mangalsutras. India's External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj later said in Parliament that the women were made to look like widows. And that when Jadhav first saw his mother without her mangalsutra, the first thing he asked her was, "Baba kaise hain". India also accused Pakistan of allowing the media there to heckle the two women. Chetnakul's shoes were never returned to her. Pakistan has since said there was a "metal object" in them and has sent them for forensic testing.

Kulbhushan Jadhav speaks about mother's visit in new propaganda video released by Pakistan

&quot;Your son massacred thousands of Pakistanis&quot;, the blunt question flew on to the face of the mother of Kulbhushan Jadhav.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Spy or no spy, no mother wants to hear that her son has been a mass murderer.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

If espionage is punishable by law then the punishment should be meted out to the person concerned and not spill over to include family members.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

For the record, Kulbhushan Jadhav&#39;s &#39;guilt&#39; or complicity in espionage activities have not been proven yet.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The mistreatment of family members is what India&#39;s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj pointed out today in the Parliament. She refered to the absurdity of Pakistan&#39;s actions.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

But while we understand, though find it unacceptable, the reasons behind the bullying tactics of the Pakistani government. What surprises us more is why would the Press act the way it did. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

Then why did the Pakistan Press turned so brutal to the mother and the wife?&nbsp;

&nbsp;

In the turbulent, murky water of bilateral relation between India and Pakistan, even the Press, which should ideally disassociate itself from the hyper-nationalistic moods of the day turns into a tool of terror.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

It is unfortunate, but not an aberration, to see the Press acting in this way. While nationalism can justifiably turn one into a patriotic citizen, too much of nationalism can turn a patriot into a jingoistic individual. In an insecure democracy, such as Pakistan, the urge to prove patriotism can often go overboard.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

In front of the glare of the international media, the temptation to conduct a media trial of two closest kins of the accused, even if they are innocent, is too big to be ignored.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The Press, as per the classic definition, is the fourth estate. In a democracy, it is responsible for informing and educating the people. But more often than not, it abdicates that role and prefers to pander to the official position.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Let us be under no illusion that the Press of the world&#39;s largest democracy is any more independent or conscious than its counterpart in Pakistan. But such comparisons between two bad examples defeat the larger goal of having a fiercely independent and committed press.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The state establishments of Pakistan have done its share in humiliating, harassing and hurting the two ladies. Whose only crime, as I could make out from far, is being related to the alleged &#39;culprit&#39; by blood and through marriage. I suppose they have suffered enough for that. Punishments are not always meted out by courts, the sufferings that we undergo on a daily basis from a range of diffused sources can be traumatic too.

&nbsp;

As journalists, we are laden with the difficult task of maintaining a relationship with government and state machineries but at the same time, we are not expected to allow these relationships to soften our stance when we speak back to power.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

This ability and the responsibility to speak back to power, no matter how big and threatening its presence is, is a rare privilege. To lose it would mean an easy and cushy life but a redundant profession.

&nbsp;

In the Communist countries, the state has its own newspaper. The existence of media beyond the control of the state is rarely encouraged. This idea of a state-controlled media stemmed from the ideological position that the Communist Party, as the vanguard of the proletariat, will be in a position to portray the most genuine concerns of the people. Over time, however, the fallacy of such a position became too glaring to ignore. The apathy towards bourgeois-run media turned into a ploy to gag free press.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

In a robust democracy, such as India or in a fragile representative government, such as Pakistan, the ambiguity of state control over the Press makes it even more hideous. The danger of an obsequious media always is present but well masquerade under the nationalist garb.

&nbsp;

Kulbhushan Jadhav&#39;s case provided just enough instigation for the Pakistani Press to unveil its true character. The violence, the impatience, and the vitriolic that it directed towards Jadhav&#39;s mother and wife is what it is expected to carry in its bosom towards anyone identified by the state as its enemy.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

They just need to be tad careful though. The moment state&#39;s agenda becomes the media&#39;s agenda, the dangers are that journalists become apologists of the state.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

There is a big difference between state and the nation; people and the politician. It is for us to choose our focus of primary allegiance.

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL).

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The moment state's agenda becomes the media's agenda, the dangers are that journalists become apologists of the state.?

"Your son massacred thousands of Pakistanis", the blunt question flew on to the face of the mother of Kulbhushan Jadhav. Spy or no spy, no mother wants to hear that her son has been a mass murderer. If espionage is punishable by law then the punishment should be meted out to the person concerned and not spill over to include family members. For the record, Kulbhushan Jadhav's 'guilt' or complicity in espionage activities have not been proven yet. The mistreatment of family members is what India's External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj pointed out today in the Parliament. She refered to the absurdity of Pakistan's actions. But while we understand, though find it unacceptable, the reasons behind the bullying tactics of the Pakistani government. What surprises us more is why would the Press act the way it did. Then why did the Pakistan Press turned so brutal to the mother and the wife? In the turbulent, murky water of bilateral relation between India and Pakistan, even the Press, which should ideally disassociate itself from the hyper-nationalistic moods of the day turns into a tool of terror. It is unfortunate, but not an aberration, to see the Press acting in this way. While nationalism can justifiably turn one into a patriotic citizen, too much of nationalism can turn a patriot into a jingoistic individual. In an insecure democracy, such as Pakistan, the urge to prove patriotism can often go overboard. In front of the glare of the international media, the temptation to conduct a media trial of two closest kins of the accused, even if they are innocent, is too big to be ignored. The Press, as per the classic definition, is the fourth estate. In a democracy, it is responsible for informing and educating the people. But more often than not, it abdicates that role and prefers to pander to the official position. Let us be under no illusion that the Press of the world's largest democracy is any more independent or conscious than its counterpart in Pakistan. But such comparisons between two bad examples defeat the larger goal of having a fiercely independent and committed press. The state establishments of Pakistan have done its share in humiliating, harassing and hurting the two ladies. Whose only crime, as I could make out from far, is being related to the alleged 'culprit' by blood and through marriage. I suppose they have suffered enough for that. Punishments are not always meted out by courts, the sufferings that we undergo on a daily basis from a range of diffused sources can be traumatic too. As journalists, we are laden with the difficult task of maintaining a relationship with government and state machineries but at the same time, we are not expected to allow these relationships to soften our stance when we speak back to power. This ability and the responsibility to speak back to power, no matter how big and threatening its presence is, is a rare privilege. To lose it would mean an easy and cushy life but a redundant profession. In the Communist countries, the state has its own newspaper. The existence of media beyond the control of the state is rarely encouraged. This idea of a state-controlled media stemmed from the ideological position that the Communist Party, as the vanguard of the proletariat, will be in a position to portray the most genuine concerns of the people. Over time, however, the fallacy of such a position became too glaring to ignore. The apathy towards bourgeois-run media turned into a ploy to gag free press. In a robust democracy, such as India or in a fragile representative government, such as Pakistan, the ambiguity of state control over the Press makes it even more hideous. The danger of an obsequious media always is present but well masquerade under the nationalist garb. Kulbhushan Jadhav's case provided just enough instigation for the Pakistani Press to unveil its true character. The violence, the impatience, and the vitriolic that it directed towards Jadhav's mother and wife is what it is expected to carry in its bosom towards anyone identified by the state as its enemy. They just need to be tad careful though. The moment state's agenda becomes the media's agenda, the dangers are that journalists become apologists of the state. There is a big difference between state and the nation; people and the politician. It is for us to choose our focus of primary allegiance. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL).

Opinion: Why Pakistani press was so brutal to Kulbhushan's family

The Australian Federal Police arrested a 59-year-old Korean man from Sydney for allegedly working as an economic agent for North Korea, reports said on Sunday.&nbsp;

Chan Han Choi was the first person in Australia charged with working as a black-market agent, brokering sales and discussing the supply of weapons of mass destruction.&nbsp;

He had reportedly been getting income from the North Korean government for sale of ballistic missile technology to foreign entities, reports further claimed.&nbsp;

Choi has broken the UN and Australian sanctions and has also been charged with attempts to brokering the sale of coal from North Korea to groups in Indonesia and Vietnam, media reports say.&nbsp;

The 59-year-old has been charged under the 1995 Weapons of Mass Destruction (Prevention of Proliferation) Act for being in touch with top officials from North Korea.&nbsp;

The arrested man is facing six charges in connection with the acts.

There was no threat to Australians and that the man was not considered a &quot;spy&quot;, AFP assistant commissioner Neil Gaughan told the media in Sydney on Sunday.

&quot;This man was acting as a loyal agent for North Korea who believed he was acting to serve some higher patriotic purpose,&quot; he said.

&quot;At the end of the day, he would sell whatever he could to make money for the North Korean government&quot; and is believed to have endeavored to sell gemstones and other product as well.

The man who has been identified as Choi Han Chan, a 59-year-old from Sydney's Eastwood, allegedly breached United Nation's sanctions and Australian federal law, and has been charged with brokering sales and discussing the supply of weapons of mass destruction

The Australian Federal Police arrested a 59-year-old Korean man from Sydney for allegedly working as an economic agent for North Korea, reports said on Sunday. Chan Han Choi was the first person in Australia charged with working as a black-market agent, brokering sales and discussing the supply of weapons of mass destruction. He had reportedly been getting income from the North Korean government for sale of ballistic missile technology to foreign entities, reports further claimed. Choi has broken the UN and Australian sanctions and has also been charged with attempts to brokering the sale of coal from North Korea to groups in Indonesia and Vietnam, media reports say. The 59-year-old has been charged under the 1995 Weapons of Mass Destruction (Prevention of Proliferation) Act for being in touch with top officials from North Korea. The arrested man is facing six charges in connection with the acts. There was no threat to Australians and that the man was not considered a "spy", AFP assistant commissioner Neil Gaughan told the media in Sydney on Sunday. "This man was acting as a loyal agent for North Korea who believed he was acting to serve some higher patriotic purpose," he said. "At the end of the day, he would sell whatever he could to make money for the North Korean government" and is believed to have endeavored to sell gemstones and other product as well.

Sydney man charged with acting as agent for North Korea

A 37-page extensive letter has been released which has exposed some secret ways Uber has used to keep tabs on its competition.&nbsp;

The letter,&nbsp;by&nbsp;Richard Jacobs, an ex-Uber employee - penned by his attorney, mentions different strategies adopted by Uber, including secretly recording conversations between rival executives of &quot;Grab&quot; and &quot;Didi&quot; as well as spying on taxi groups and impersonating customers to flood competitors with thousands of requests,&nbsp;media reports said.

Uber reportedly also had links with many unknown servers installed in order to &quot;make millions of data calls against competitor and government servers without creating signatures that would alert competitors to the theft,&quot; the letter mentioned.&nbsp;

Moreover, while a lot of competitors would be able to see numerous ride requests coming, one device, the Uber system, was allegedly devised so the calls would &quot;appear to be multiple devices and a broader time period&quot; &nbsp;with the aim of eliminating detection, the letter states.

Jacobs&#39; attorney also alleges in the letter that Jacobs had previously heard about Uber bribing foreign representatives and also giving inflated wages to foreign groups.&nbsp;

The most striking allegation was that Uber reportedly had &quot;undercover agents&quot; who would ride the taxi to &quot;collect intelligence&quot; against both the taxi groups and its local competition.

The letter allegedly claims that that Uber has a source in a competitor&#39;s executive leadership team that would disclose data on the company&#39;s business processes,&nbsp;media reports said.

In addition, Uber and its attorney Craig Clark had &quot;implemented a sophisticated strategy to destroy, conceal, cover up, and falsify records or documents with the intent to impede or obstruct government investigations as well as discover obligations in pending and future litigation,&quot; the letter mentioned.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Although Clark&#39;s lawyer disagreed with the statements in the letter, reports said.&nbsp;

Jacobs had left Uber in April which is when his attorney sent the letter to the company complaining about the unwarranted termination and violating several laws. Uber later settled with Jacobs over his allegations for $4.5 million in August,&nbsp;media reports said.

At the time of Jacobs testimony, he claimed that the one his ex-colleagues had been given a task to steal trade secrets and information from overseas competitors in order to get an idea about their business practices.

However, Jacob&#39;s later denied the accusations in a recent testimony, saying that he has no idea about stealing trade secrets from Waymo and further inferred that he had not looked at the letter in detail. &nbsp; 
The letter and testimony of Mr Jacobs have become a vital source of Waymo&rsquo;s lawsuit over Uber&rsquo;s alleged theft of Waymo&#39;s trade secrets.&nbsp;

The trial was due earlier this month but was rescheduled when the letter surfaced later. &nbsp;

Meanwhile, Uber&#39;s new leadership is working to try to keep itself away from the past competitive tactics.

In a statement, Uber argued that not all of Jacobs&#39; claims had been substantiated by the company, media reports said. 
&nbsp;

Company alleged to have used network of CIA-trained operatives to gather intelligence

A 37-page extensive letter has been released which has exposed some secret ways Uber has used to keep tabs on its competition. The letter, by Richard Jacobs, an ex-Uber employee - penned by his attorney, mentions different strategies adopted by Uber, including secretly recording conversations between rival executives of "Grab" and "Didi" as well as spying on taxi groups and impersonating customers to flood competitors with thousands of requests, media reports said. Uber reportedly also had links with many unknown servers installed in order to "make millions of data calls against competitor and government servers without creating signatures that would alert competitors to the theft," the letter mentioned. Moreover, while a lot of competitors would be able to see numerous ride requests coming, one device, the Uber system, was allegedly devised so the calls would "appear to be multiple devices and a broader time period" with the aim of eliminating detection, the letter states. Jacobs' attorney also alleges in the letter that Jacobs had previously heard about Uber bribing foreign representatives and also giving inflated wages to foreign groups. The most striking allegation was that Uber reportedly had "undercover agents" who would ride the taxi to "collect intelligence" against both the taxi groups and its local competition. The letter allegedly claims that that Uber has a source in a competitor's executive leadership team that would disclose data on the company's business processes, media reports said. In addition, Uber and its attorney Craig Clark had "implemented a sophisticated strategy to destroy, conceal, cover up, and falsify records or documents with the intent to impede or obstruct government investigations as well as discover obligations in pending and future litigation," the letter mentioned. Although Clark's lawyer disagreed with the statements in the letter, reports said. Jacobs had left Uber in April which is when his attorney sent the letter to the company complaining about the unwarranted termination and violating several laws. Uber later settled with Jacobs over his allegations for $4.5 million in August, media reports said. At the time of Jacobs testimony, he claimed that the one his ex-colleagues had been given a task to steal trade secrets and information from overseas competitors in order to get an idea about their business practices. However, Jacob's later denied the accusations in a recent testimony, saying that he has no idea about stealing trade secrets from Waymo and further inferred that he had not looked at the letter in detail. The letter and testimony of Mr Jacobs have become a vital source of Waymo’s lawsuit over Uber’s alleged theft of Waymo's trade secrets. The trial was due earlier this month but was rescheduled when the letter surfaced later. Meanwhile, Uber's new leadership is working to try to keep itself away from the past competitive tactics. In a statement, Uber argued that not all of Jacobs' claims had been substantiated by the company, media reports said.

Comprehensive letter reveals Uber's corporate spy strategies

Researchers who warned half a dozen&nbsp;robot&nbsp;manufacturers in January about nearly 50 vulnerabilities in their home, business and industrial&nbsp;robots, say only a few of the problems have been addressed.

The researchers, Cesar Cerrudo and Lucas Apa of cybersecurity firm IOActive, said the vulnerabilities would allow hackers to spy on users, disable safety features and make&nbsp;robots lurch and move violently, putting users and bystanders in danger.

While they say there are no signs that hackers have exploited the vulnerabilities, they say the fact that the&nbsp;robots were hacked so easily and the manufacturers&#39; lack of response raise questions about allowing&nbsp;robots in homes, offices and factories.

&quot;Our research shows proof that even non-military&nbsp;robots could be weaponized to cause harm,&quot; Apa said in an interview.

&quot;These&nbsp;robots don&#39;t use bullets or explosives, but microphones, cameras, arms and legs. The difference is that they will be soon around us and we need to secure them now before it&#39;s too late.&quot;

Some of the&nbsp;robot&nbsp;manufacturers defended themselves, saying they had fixed some or all of the issues raised.

Apa&#39;s comments come in the wake of a letter signed by more than 100 leading&nbsp;robotic experts urging the United Nations to ban the development of killer military&nbsp;robots, or autonomous weapons.

Apa, a senior security consultant, said that of the six manufacturers contacted, only one, RethinkRobotics, said some of the problems had been fixed. He said he had not been able to confirm that as his team does not have access to that particular&nbsp;robot.

A spokesman for Rethink&nbsp;Robotics, which makes the Baxter and Sawyer assembly-line&nbsp;robots, said all but two issues - in the education and research versions of its&nbsp;robots - had been fixed.

Apa said a review of updates from the other five manufacturers - Universal&nbsp;Robots of Denmark, SoftBank&nbsp;Robotics and Asratec Corp of Japan, Ubtech of China, and&nbsp;Robotis Inc of South Korea - led him to believe none of the issues he had raised had been fixed.

Asratec said that software released for its&nbsp;robots so far was limited to &quot;hobby use sample programs&quot;, and it believed IOActive was pointing to security vulnerabilities in those. Software it planned to release for commercial use would be different, it said.

SoftBank&nbsp;Robotics said it had already identified the vulnerabilities and fixed them. Ubtech said it had &quot;fully addressed any concerns raised by IoActive that do not limit our developers from programming&quot; their&nbsp;robots.

Universal&nbsp;Robots did not respond to emailed requests for comment.&nbsp;Robotis Inc declined to comment.

The slow reaction by the&nbsp;robot&nbsp;industry was not surprising, said Joshua Ziering, founder of Kittyhawk.io, a commercial drone software company. &quot;A new technology bursts on to the market and people fail to secure it,&quot; he said.

Cybersecurity experts said the&nbsp;robot&nbsp;vulnerabilities were alarming, and cyber criminals could use them to disrupt factories by ransomware attacks, or with&nbsp;robots slowed down or forced to embed flaws in the products they are programmed to build.

&quot;The potential impact to companies, and even countries, could be massive,&quot; said Nathan Wenzler, chief security strategist at AsTech, a San Francisco-based security consulting company, &quot;should an attacker exploit the vulnerability within the applications that control these&nbsp;robots.&quot;

Even in the home, danger lurks, said Apa, demonstrating how a 17-inch (43.18 cm) tall Alpha 2robot&nbsp;from Ubtech could be programmed to violently jab a screwdriver.

&quot;Maybe it&#39;s small and it&#39;s not really going to hurt right now, but the trend is that the&nbsp;robots are going to be more powerful,&quot; he said. &quot;We tested industrial ones which are really heavy and powerful, and some of the attacks work with them.&quot;

Apa and Cerrudo released their initial findings in January.

This week, they released details about the specific vulnerabilities they found, including one case where they mix several of those vulnerabilities together to hijack a Universal&nbsp;Robot&nbsp;factory&nbsp;robot, making it lurch about and be a potential threat.

"Our research shows proof that even non-military robots could be weaponized to cause harm," Lucas Apa said in an interview

Researchers who warned half a dozen robot manufacturers in January about nearly 50 vulnerabilities in their home, business and industrial robots, say only a few of the problems have been addressed. The researchers, Cesar Cerrudo and Lucas Apa of cybersecurity firm IOActive, said the vulnerabilities would allow hackers to spy on users, disable safety features and make robots lurch and move violently, putting users and bystanders in danger. While they say there are no signs that hackers have exploited the vulnerabilities, they say the fact that the robots were hacked so easily and the manufacturers' lack of response raise questions about allowing robots in homes, offices and factories. "Our research shows proof that even non-military robots could be weaponized to cause harm," Apa said in an interview. "These robots don't use bullets or explosives, but microphones, cameras, arms and legs. The difference is that they will be soon around us and we need to secure them now before it's too late." Some of the robot manufacturers defended themselves, saying they had fixed some or all of the issues raised. Apa's comments come in the wake of a letter signed by more than 100 leading robotic experts urging the United Nations to ban the development of killer military robots, or autonomous weapons. Apa, a senior security consultant, said that of the six manufacturers contacted, only one, RethinkRobotics, said some of the problems had been fixed. He said he had not been able to confirm that as his team does not have access to that particular robot. A spokesman for Rethink Robotics, which makes the Baxter and Sawyer assembly-line robots, said all but two issues - in the education and research versions of its robots - had been fixed. Apa said a review of updates from the other five manufacturers - Universal Robots of Denmark, SoftBank Robotics and Asratec Corp of Japan, Ubtech of China, and Robotis Inc of South Korea - led him to believe none of the issues he had raised had been fixed. Asratec said that software released for its robots so far was limited to "hobby use sample programs", and it believed IOActive was pointing to security vulnerabilities in those. Software it planned to release for commercial use would be different, it said. SoftBank Robotics said it had already identified the vulnerabilities and fixed them. Ubtech said it had "fully addressed any concerns raised by IoActive that do not limit our developers from programming" their robots. Universal Robots did not respond to emailed requests for comment. Robotis Inc declined to comment. The slow reaction by the robot industry was not surprising, said Joshua Ziering, founder of Kittyhawk.io, a commercial drone software company. "A new technology bursts on to the market and people fail to secure it," he said. Cybersecurity experts said the robot vulnerabilities were alarming, and cyber criminals could use them to disrupt factories by ransomware attacks, or with robots slowed down or forced to embed flaws in the products they are programmed to build. "The potential impact to companies, and even countries, could be massive," said Nathan Wenzler, chief security strategist at AsTech, a San Francisco-based security consulting company, "should an attacker exploit the vulnerability within the applications that control these robots." Even in the home, danger lurks, said Apa, demonstrating how a 17-inch (43.18 cm) tall Alpha 2robot from Ubtech could be programmed to violently jab a screwdriver. "Maybe it's small and it's not really going to hurt right now, but the trend is that the robots are going to be more powerful," he said. "We tested industrial ones which are really heavy and powerful, and some of the attacks work with them." Apa and Cerrudo released their initial findings in January. This week, they released details about the specific vulnerabilities they found, including one case where they mix several of those vulnerabilities together to hijack a Universal Robot factory robot, making it lurch about and be a potential threat.

Robots in homes, offices can be hacked: Study

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