Shows
SpyCastFrom the SpyCast Vault: The Lumumba Plot and The Station Chief's StoryIn our last episode, author Stuart Reid peeled back the curtain on 'The Lumumba Plot,' the CIA’s plan to assassinate Patrice Lumumba, the first democratically-elected Prime Minister of the Congo. Station Chief Larry Devlin was central to the CIA’s 1960 assassination plot. He never had to carry it out, but Lumumba was later killed in another plot that Devlin knew about, according to diplomatic cables released in 2013.
Today, we'll share more of our conversation with Stuart Reid. But first, we’re going back into our archives to bring you Devlin in his own words. In 2007, a year...
2025-11-0430 min
SpyCastFrom the SpyCast Vault: An Assassination in MexicoKeith Melton is a historian who’s been an advisor to the US Intelligence Community for decades. An avid collector and board member at The International Spy Museum, Keith has donated thousands of artifacts, and one of the most historically important is the axe used to assassinate Leon Trotsky. Keith found the weapon after decades of searching. In 2007, he spoke with Peter Earnest, the founding executive director of the International Spy Museum, about Trotsky’s assassination and tracking down the weapon used for the job.
Subscribe to Sasha's Substack, HUMINT, to get more intelligence stories:
https...
2025-09-3030 min
SpyCastFrom the SpyCast Vault: Escaping Tehran with The CIA Pt. 2We return to November, 1979 when radical Iranian students seized the US Embassy in Tehran and took dozens of Americans hostage.
Mark and Cora Lijek were two American officials stuck in Tehran, and in 2008 they shared their story with the late Peter Earnest, the founding director of the International Spy Museum. And this time they were joined by retired CIA officer Tony Mendez, who passed away in 2019. Tony helped plan and execute an elaborate deception and disguise operation, exfiltrating the diplomats before the Iranians figured it out.
Prefer to watch your podcasts? Find us on YouTube a...
2025-08-2629 min
SpyCastFrom the SpyCast Vault: Escaping Tehran with The CIAWe'll go back in time to November, 1979 when radical Iranian students seized the US Embassy in Tehran and took dozens of Americans hostage. Six US officials managed to find refuge with Canadian embassy staff, and 11 weeks later, the CIA led a daring operation to sneak them out of Iran disguised as a Hollywood film crew. Mark and Cora Lijek were two of those officials, and in 2008 they shared their story with the late Peter Earnest, the founding director of the International Spy Museum.
Prefer to watch your podcasts? Find us on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com...
2025-08-1930 min
SpyCastLethal Dissent: Iran’s Spy Games in TurkeyWashington and Tehran have a long and complicated history, with tensions that rise, fall and then rise again. Just this summer, we watched the U.S. and Israel strike Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. This month, SpyCast is bringing you a series of special episodes on Iran, looking back and forward, to unveil the country’s intelligence priorities, capabilities, and tactics.
First in our series is Fariba Nawa. She's a journalist who shows us that if you want to learn about Iranian intelligence, one of the best places to look is Turkey. It may be a member of NATO...
2025-08-0529 min
SpyCastAgent 202: New Secrets Emerge on an American Who Spied for CubaCodenamed "Agent 202," Kendall Myers went undetected as a spy for Cuba for nearly 30 years. He worked at the State Department’s Foreign Service Institute, secretly spying for Cuba out of an earnest love for the island, its people, and their leader Fidel Castro.
Myers was caught in 2009, after he retired. State Department Security Specialist and former Diplomatic Security Special Agent Bill Stowell was part of the team that worked the case. He shared new exclusive details with SpyCast, as Myers continues to serve a life sentence for espionage.
If you liked this episode, check out thes...
2025-07-2930 min
SpyCastAgent of Chaos: The Austrian Fugitive Running Russia’s Global Spy NetworksToday he’s one of the most wanted men in the world, but before Jan Marsalek fled to Russia, he was the COO of payment-processing firm Wirecard.
Officials and investigators say Marsalek used the company to finance Moscow’s covert operations and spy networks in Africa and Europe. In 2020, nearly €2 billion vanished from Wirecard, along with Marsalek. Financial Times reporter Sam Jones has been uncovering new details through his reporting on Season 3 of Hot Money: Agent of Chaos.
To hear more, listen to Season 3 of Hot Money: Agent of Chaos on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get...
2025-07-2231 min
SpyCast“America’s Gatekeeper”: A Conversation with DCSA’s Director David CattlerBorn out of a major Chinese cyberattack that stole personal information from millions of federal government employees, the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency calls itself ‘America’s Gatekeeper.’
Now five years into its existence, it’s responsible for overseeing most of the security clearances for government personnel and contractors. DCSA’s director David Cattler, formerly NATO’s Assistant Secretary General for Intelligence and Security, assesses the current threats.
If you liked this episode, check out these links:
DOGE Layoffs and the Counterintelligence Threats They Pose | SpyCast
Dir. of National Intelligence Roundtable: 2025 Society for In...
2025-07-0829 min
SpyCastRussia's Fake Identity Assembly Line in BrazilWhen a Russian spy was arrested in Brazil in 2022, authorities were shocked to discover that he seemed to have a real birth certificate and authentic citizenship documents. The incident sparked a multi-year investigation that uncovered a network of Russian operatives living and working in Brazil – Their false identities supported by genuine documents. New York Times journalist Jane Bradley, who investigated the spy network, joined us to discuss the case as Brazilian law enforcement continues to piece together answers today.
If you liked this episode, check out these links:
Ghost Stories: The Hunt for Russian Spies in...
2025-07-0131 min
SpyCastHow Are Shifting Priorities Impacting National Security in America?Most Americans would agree that the United States should be protected, but from whom … and how? Dr. Donell Harvin, the former Chief of Homeland Security and Intelligence for the District of Columbia, says the U.S. is taking its eye off the ball - focusing its large domestic intelligence apparatus in a direction that is politically expedient, but not in line with the most serious threats.
If you liked this episode, check out these links:
DOGE Layoffs and the Counterintelligence Threats They Pose | SpyCast
Spy Chat with Chris Costa | Special Guest: Colin Clarke
...
2025-05-2727 min
SpyCastSharing Intelligence: Challenges between US and UkraineAfter Russia’s full scale invasion of Ukraine, the U.S. rushed to create a secret center that set targets for the Ukrainians to destroy. But the counteroffensive of 2023 failed to achieve its goals. So, what went wrong? New York Times reporter Adam Entous spent more than a year reporting on this story. He joins SpyCast host Sasha Ingber to talk about what was going on behind the scenes, and the consequences that were felt acutely on the battlefield.
Read Adam’s full report here.
The International Spy Museum has launched its first ever digital exhib...
2025-05-2031 min
SpyCastEscalation: Tracking the US-Ukraine RelationshipThe United States and Ukraine have had a long, complicated history that has been defined by just as much partnership and collaboration as hesitation and disagreement. This dynamic is laid bare in the 7-part podcast series ‘Escalation,’ produced by our partners at Goat Rodeo, with the national security publication Lawfare. In April 2025, The International Spy Museum hosted a panel discussion on the Washington-Kyiv relationship moderated by SpyCast host Sasha Ingber, and featuring Ukrainian journalist Anastasiia Lapatina, Lawfare’s Managing Editor Tyler McBrien, Retired Brigadier General Kipling Kahler, and former National Security Council spokesperson Emily Horne.
To l...
2025-04-2938 min
SpyCastWhere the ‘West V. Russia’ Plot BeginsWhy does Vladimir Putin often say that the West is conspiring to weaken Russia? Historian James Crossland traces this narrative back to a British intelligence officer and a failed assassination attempt on Vladimir Lenin in 1918.The story is featured in his new book, Rogue Agent, from Secret Plots to Psychological Warfare, the Untold Story of Robert Bruce Lockhart. James takes us into Lockhart’s psyche and lays out how a single moment in the dying days of Czarist Russia helped fuel a century of paranoia and rifts.SPY Artifact Hi...
2025-04-2231 min
SpyCastTaiwan: China’s Testing Ground for Intelligence OperationsIt's no secret that China has recently stepped up political and military pressure on the democratically governed island of Taiwan. But then, there are the Chinese Communist Party's covert efforts: Recruiting from the inside, gathering intelligence, and exerting influence. Executive Director of the Global Taiwan Institute Russell Hsiao breaks down Beijing Shadow Games in Taiwan. If you liked this episode, check out these links:SpyCast | “Making Sense of China, Taiwan, & America” – Pacific Intelligence with Bonny LinUnderstanding Chinese Espionage Through 900 Cases | SpyCastJoin V...
2025-04-0829 min
SpyCastDebriefing from the Ukrainian FrontA fourth year of war in Ukraine begins. But for Lt. Col. Kyrylo Berkal, who’s been fighting since Russia first invaded in 2014, the battle for his country has raged much longer. Now, he’s second in command of the elite Third Assault Brigade, which has played a major role in critical battles against Russia and continues to develop new technologies to both gather intelligence and enhance combat techniques. Kirt spoke to us between missions. During the conversation, he revealed his firsthand insights and experiences of the war as Ukraine keeps up the fight for independence.
2025-02-2527 min
SpyCastCampus Cloak-and-Dagger: Spies Targeting American UniversitiesFor decades, colleges and universities have been a destination for espionage. Especially in recent years, the use of international students and faculty as spies on American campuses has been particularly daunting. Why do intelligence services, both foreign and domestic, target colleges and universities? And what is there to gain on these campuses? Award-winning journalist Daniel Golden, author of the book Spy Schools, describes the timeless game. If you liked this episode, check out these links:
Secret History of History: Color Wars Part II with Catherine McKinley
Chinese Corporate Espionage - The Tale of t...
2025-02-0427 min
SpyCastHow do you fool Russian Intelligence?Former intelligence officer Bryan Stern describes the tradecraft he used on Russian intelligence and military services to rescue an American imprisoned in Russian-occupied Ukraine.If you liked this episode check out these links to more hostage rescue stories:
SpyCast - James Foley: Journalist, ISIS Hostage, Son – with His Mother Diane Foley
Operación Jaque - The Daring Rescue Mission That Freed 15 Hostages
Spy Chat with Chris Costa | Guest: Ambassador Roger D. Carstens
Subscribe to Sasha's Substack, HUMINT, to get more intelligence stories:https://sashaingber.substack.com/T...
2025-01-1428 min
SpyCastIntroducing the New Host: Sasha IngberIntroducing the new host of SpyCast, Sasha Ingber! In this week’s episode, Sasha joined Erin in a conversation about her career and the future of the International Spy Museum’s flagship podcast. Now entering it’s 19th year, SpyCast will relaunch on January 14th with brand new episodes, featuring exciting spy stories and the latest intelligence from the shadowy world of espionage. Tune in to learn more about Sasha, our very first female host and the first host with a background in journalism.As we look forward to our upcoming relaunch, we want to ext...
2024-12-3120 minSpyCastReporting Intelligence - with Warren Strobel and Brett Forrest of the Wall Street JournalSummaryBrett Forrest and Warren Strobel join Andrew to discuss reporting intelligence. Brett and Warren are national security reporters for The Wall Street Journal. What You’ll LearnIntelligence
The intelligence learning curve
Stories from the front lines of modern conflicts and critical moments
The unique challenges that come with reporting on intelligence, and ...
The risks, including being a target of espionage
Reflections
Privacy and protection
The power, and danger, of sharing information
And much, much more …Episode NotesThis wee...
2024-07-301h 09SpyCastFrom the Vault: 70th Anniversary of James Bond - with Alexis AlbionSummaryCurators Alexis (LinkedIn) and Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) use James Bond artifacts in SPY’s collection to discuss all things 007. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the first Ian Fleming novel, Casino Royale. What You’ll LearnIntelligence
Bond vs. Real Life Spies
The birth of James Bond
Ian Fleming’s intelligence past
Bond and MI6
Reflections
What makes a character timeless?
Pop culture mirroring real life
And much, much more …*FULL SHOWNOTES & FULL TRANSCRIPT HERE*Episode NotesThis...
2024-01-3053 minSpyCastDouble Bill: “Former Head of Counter-terrorism Analysis, IDF” – with Shlomo Mofaz; and “Former Head of Intelligence, Mossad” – with Zohar PaltiSummaryCol. (Ret.) Shlomo Mofaz (LinkedIn) and Col (Ret.) Zohar Palti (Wikipedia) join Andrew to discuss their respective careers in the Israeli Defense Forces and the Mossad. What You’ll LearnIntelligence
Israel’s relationships with neighboring countries
The role of intelligence within the Intifadas
Israel and the Lebanon War
Hezbollah, Hamas, and other groups that pose threats to Israeli security
Reflections
Pressure and power
Dealing with constant threats
And much, much more …Episode NotesThis week on SpyCast, we bring y...
2023-10-311h 49SpyCast“A Crash Course in Israeli Intelligence” – with Erez David MaiselSummaryBrig. Gen. (res.) Erez David Maisel (Twitter, LinkedIn) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to provide a crash-course in Israeli Intelligence history. Erez is a researcher and former head of the IDF’s International Cooperation Division. *FULL SHOWNOTES & FULL TRANSCRIPT HERE*What You’ll LearnIntelligence
Early history of intelligence in Israel
The origins of Israeli intelligence organizations
Preparing for a Nazi invasion of British Palestine
The shift from British to American influence on Israeli intelligence
Reflections
The challenge of survival
Conflict and compromise, or lack thereo...
2023-10-031h 29SpyCast“Leader, Lecturer, Analyzer, Nerd” – with Jorhena ThomasSummaryJorhena Thomas (LinkedIn) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss her career as an analyst and passion for intelligence education. Jorhena spent 8 years in the FBI as an Intelligence Analyst. What You’ll LearnIntelligence
What makes a great analyst
Her thoughts on the “Intelligence Cycle”
The Robert Levinson case
How the FBI adapted after 9/11
Reflections
Teamwork and collaboration
The importance of education
Episode NotesAndrew is joined by Jorhena Thomas: educator, mentor, and analysis extraordinaire. It was a pleasure to have Jorhe...
2023-07-181h 13SpyCast“The Kneeling Man” – with Leta McCollough SeletskySummaryLeta McCollough Seletsky (Website; Twitter) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to share the story of her father, the famous “Kneeling Man” – The man knelt next to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at his assassination at the Lorraine Motel in 1968. Leta is a litigator turned essayist and memoirist.
*Nominate SpyCast for a People’s Choice Podcast Award HERE!*
What You’ll LearnIntelligence
The life and times of Marrell “Mac” McCollough
The CIA connection between father and daughter
Black power and the counterintelligence program (or, COINTELPRO)
The conspiracies surrounding Dr. K...
2023-07-111h 13SpyCastFrom the Vault: “Baseball & Espionage” –with World Series Champion Ryan Zimmerman & Marc Polymeropoulos (Part 1 of 2)SummaryRyan Zimmerman (MLB Stats; Wikipedia) and Marc Polymeropoulos (Twitter; LinkedIn) join Andrew to discuss intelligence and America’s pastime. From the SpyCast Field of Dreams.What You’ll LearnIntelligence
Sign-stealing and codebreaking
Glue guys and teamwork
Ethics in baseball and espionage
Clutch and pinch hitters in espionage and baseball
Reflections
Daring to fail
Stepping up to the plate of life
And much, much more…Episode NotesBuy me some peanuts and crackerjack. Few things in the world compar...
2023-07-041h 05SpyCast"The North Korean Defector" – with Former DPRK Agent Kim, Hyun Woo
Summary This week on SpyCast, Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) is joined by former DPRK Agent Kim, Hyun Woo. This is the first time Dr. Kim has stepped out from the shadows to speak. *EXTENDED SHOW NOTES & FULL TRANSCRIPT HERE*
What You’ll Learn
Intelligence
The organizational structure of North Korean intelligence
The journey of a defector
The training and skills needed to be a DPRK agent
North Korean intelligence priorities in the East
Reflections
Bravery and courage in the face of danger
State conformity...
2023-06-201h 04SpyCast“70th Anniversary of James Bond, Special” - with Alexis Albion on 007 (Part 2 of 2)SummaryCurators Alexis (LinkedIn) and Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) use James Bond artifacts in SPY’s collection to discuss all things 007. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the first Ian Fleming novel, Casino Royale. What You’ll LearnIntelligence
Bond vs. Real Life Spies
The birth of James Bond
Ian Fleming’s intelligence past
Bond and MI6
Reflections
What makes a character timeless?
Pop culture mirroring real life
And much, much more …*FULL SHOWNOTES & FULL TRANSCRIPT HERE*Episode NotesThis...
2023-05-2347 minSpyCast“70th Anniversary of James Bond, Special” - with Alexis Albion on 007 (Part 1 of 2)SummaryCurators Alexis (LinkedIn) and Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) use James Bond artifacts in SPY’s collection to discuss all things 007. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the first Ian Fleming novel, Casino Royale. What You’ll LearnIntelligence
Bond vs. Real Life Spies
The birth of James Bond
Ian Fleming’s intelligence past
Bond and MI6
Reflections
What makes a character timeless?
Pop culture mirroring real life
And much, much more …*FULL SHOWNOTES & FULL TRANSCRIPT HERE*Episode NotesThis...
2023-05-1653 minSpyCastUkraine & the Alliance with NATO’s Assistant Secretary General for Intelligence David CattlerSummaryDavid Cattler (Twitter; LinkedIn) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss NATO’s intelligence response to the ongoing war in Ukraine. David currently serves as NATO’s Assistant Secretary General for Intelligence and Security. What You’ll LearnIntelligence
Intelligence & NATO
NATO’s response to the war in Ukraine
How NATO is adapting to evolving technologies
NATO’s purpose and mission
Reflections
Support and trust between nations
Global collaboration
And much, much more …Episode NotesLast February, SpyCast brought you an episode...
2023-05-021h 12SpyCast“Irregular Warfare & Intelligence” - with IWC Director Dennis WaltersSummaryDr. Dennis Walters (LinkedIn; Website) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss the Irregular Warfare Center and its ties to intelligence. Dennis is the current Acting Director of the IWC. What You’ll LearnIntelligence
The need for an Irregular Warfare Center
The Irregular Warfare Center’s mission
What role intelligence plays in irregular war
Creating unique solutions for unique situations
How do intelligence and Special Operations blend together?
Reflections
Education as a strategic tool
Creative problem solving
And much, much more …Episode...
2023-04-181h 09SpyCast“Espionage and the Metaverse” – with Cathy HacklSummaryCathy Hackl (Twitter, LinkedIn) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss the potential implications of the metaverse on intelligence. Cathy has been called the “Godmother of the Metaverse.”What You’ll LearnIntelligence
What the metaverse is
Security and counterintelligence in a virtual world
Futurism within intelligence agencies
Potential risks and consequences of the metaverse
Reflections
How virtual spaces can affect our physical world
The necessity to evolve alongside technology
And much, much more …Episode NotesThe web will continue t...
2023-03-0759 minSpyCastUkraine & Intelligence: One Year on – with Shane HarrisSummaryShane Harris (Twitter, LinkedIn) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss the role of intelligence in the Ukraine conflict one year after it began. Shane reports on intelligence for the Washington Post and is the author of two books.What You’ll Learn
Intelligence
Where we are with the war in Ukraine
The role intelligence agencies are playing in the conflict
The leadership of Zelensky and Putin
What it’s like to report on spies
Dealing with sources inside the intelligence agenci...
2023-02-281h 04SpyCastFrom the Vault: "Black Ops: The Life of a Legendary CIA Shadow Warrior" - with Ric PradoSummaryEnrique “Ric” Prado (LinkedIn) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss his new memoir “Black Ops.” One of the most renowned CIA officers of his generation tells his story.BookYou can buy Ric’s book, Black Ops, and support the International Spy Museum’s mission here.What You’ll LearnIntelligence
His time as CIA Counterterrorist Chief of Operations which included 9/11
His career battling communist insurgents and Islamic terrorists on multiple continents
His experience living in “Contra” camps during the Nicaraguan Revolution
His tim...
2023-01-031h 08SpyCast“The Third Option” – US Covert Action with Loch Johnson (Part 2 of 2)SummaryLoch Johnson (Website, LinkedIn) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss covert action aka “The Third Option.” He is the author of over 30 books on intelligence.What You’ll LearnIntelligence
What is covert action
Four types of covert action
Foreign policy options: “War Power,” “Treaty Power,” and “Spy Power.”
Examples of CA: Guatemala (1954), Indochina (1965), Afghanistan (2001), Iran (2020)
Reflections
Accountability
The value of learning from past mistakes
And much, much more …Episode NotesThere is perhaps no better guest to join Andrew in this wee...
2022-12-2748 minSpyCast“The Third Option” – US Covert Action with Loch Johnson (Part 1 of 2)SummaryLoch Johnson (Website, LinkedIn) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss covert action aka “The Third Option.” He is the author of over 30 books on intelligence.What You’ll LearnIntelligence
What is covert action
Four types of covert action
Foreign policy options: “War Power,” “Treaty Power,” and “Spy Power.”
Examples of CA: Guatemala (1954), Indochina (1965), Afghanistan (2001), Iran (2020)
Reflections
Accountability
The value of learning from past mistakes
And much, much more …Episode NotesThere is perhaps no better guest to join Andrew in this wee...
2022-12-2049 minSpyCast“The FBI & Cyber” – with Cyber Division Chief Bryan Vorndran (Part 2 of 2)SummaryBryan Vorndran (Website, LinkedIn) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss how the FBI has adapted to the digital age. As Bryan says, “We are not your grandparents FBI.”What You’ll LearnIntelligence
The evolution of the FBI and cyber
Weakening cyber adversaries
Motivations behind creating and distributing malware
How to keep your information safe from cyber attacks
Reflections
Adapting to change within the intelligence field
The value of a passionate and committed team
And much, much more…Episode NotesWhen B...
2022-11-2938 minSpyCast“The FBI & Cyber” – with Cyber Division Chief Bryan Vorndran (Part 1 of 2)SummaryBrian Vorndran (Website, LinkedIn) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss how the FBI has adapted to the digital age. As Brian says, “We are not your grandparents FBI.”What You’ll LearnIntelligence
The evolution of the FBI and cyber
Weakening cyber adversaries
Motivations behind creating and distributing malware
How to keep your information safe from cyber attacks
Reflections
Adapting to change within the intelligence field
The value of a passionate and committed team
And much, much more…Episode NotesWhen B...
2022-11-2248 minSpyCast“Baseball & Espionage” –with World Series Champion Ryan Zimmerman & Marc Polymeropoulos (Part 2 of 2)SummaryRyan Zimmerman (MLB Stats; Wikipedia) and Marc Polymeropoulos (Twitter; LinkedIn) join Andrew to discuss intelligence and America’s pastime. From the SpyCast Field of Dreams.What You’ll LearnIntelligence
Sign-stealing and codebreaking
Glue guys and teamwork
Ethics in baseball and espionage
Clutch and pinch hitters in espionage and baseball
Reflections
Daring to fail
Stepping up to the plate of life
And much, much more…Episode NotesBuy me some peanuts and crackerjack. Few things in the world compar...
2022-11-011h 08SpyCast“Baseball & Espionage” –with World Series Champion Ryan Zimmerman & Marc Polymeropoulos (Part 1 of 2)SummaryRyan Zimmerman (MLB Stats; Wikipedia) and Marc Polymeropoulos (Twitter; LinkedIn) join Andrew to discuss intelligence and America’s pastime. From the SpyCast Field of Dreams.What You’ll LearnIntelligence
Sign-stealing and codebreaking
Glue guys and teamwork
Ethics in baseball and espionage
Clutch and pinch hitters in espionage and baseball
Reflections
Daring to fail
Stepping up to the plate of life
And much, much more…Episode NotesBuy me some peanuts and crackerjack. Few things in the world compar...
2022-10-251h 00SpyCast"Black Ops: The Life of a Legendary CIA Shadow Warrior" - with Ric PradoSummaryEnrique “Ric” Prado (LinkedIn) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss his new memoir “Black Ops.” One of the most renowned CIA officers of his generation tells his story.BookYou can buy Ric’s book, Black Ops, and support the International Spy Museum’s mission here.What You’ll LearnIntelligence
His time as CIA Counterterrorist Chief of Operations which included 9/11
His career battling communist insurgents and Islamic terrorists on multiple continents
His experience living in “Contra” camps during the Nicaraguan Revolution
His tim...
2022-02-281h 05SpyCast“The National Intelligence University” – with its President Scott CameronSummaryJ. Scott Cameron (LinkedIn) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss the National Intelligence University (NIU). He is the President of this unique “skiffed” institution.What You’ll LearnIntelligenceo The NIU – what it is, what it does, and what it does differently.o NIU’s position within the American intelligence ecosystemo How NIU “banks knowledge” without compromising intelligenceo What it is like to be a student in a Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmentalized Information (TS-SCI) research facilityReflectionso 2...
2022-02-221h 08SpyCast“NATO’s Assistant Secretary General for Intelligence & Security” – with David CattlerSummaryDavid Cattler (Twitter; LinkedIn) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss how intelligence functions at NATO. He is the NATO Assistant Secretary General for Intelligence and Security.What You’ll Learno What it is like to be the leader of intelligence and security across the largest peacetime alliance in history?o How does intelligence come together at NATO – who are the key-players, institutions, and stakeholders?o What are some of the main challenges facing the Alliance including Russia and Cyber?o “Reading” an institution and...
2022-02-011h 01
SpyCastThe Journey of Two Extraordinary Women in Intel. & Security” – with Lisa Kaplan (Alethea, CEO) and Avril Eklund (GitHub, CSO)I was really good at buying drugs, which is how I got recruited into narcotics. Apparently, I make a really good crackhead.” “Frankly, fact-checking doesn’t matter in today’s world.” Intrigued? You should be. Avril and Lisa are absolutely fascinating! Avril built an intelligence team for the Attorney General’s Office in Pennsylvania, from scratch. Her unit collected strategic intel on narcotics trends and went on to predict the methamphetamine trend before it even hit the Keystone State. Lisa was the Digital Director for Angus King of Maine, a Senator on the Select Committee on Intelligence, the Armed Services Com...
2021-12-221h 02
SpyCast“Special Operations & Intelligence” – A Conversation with the President of SOF’s “Think-Do Tank”Post 9/11, special operations and intelligence worked together side-by-side, shoulder-to-shoulder and hand-in-glove (or any other heavily-hyphenated term you care to mention that connotates BFFness). What will happen with the relationship now, though, and in American history how have these two important components of national security related to each other? Enter the Joint Special Operations University (JSOU), located in Tampa, Florida, and more particularly their President Isaiah “Ike” Wilson, who sits down with Andrew for this week’s episode of #SpyCast. “I think, therefore I am” Nope. “I think, therefore I do” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...
2021-12-141h 15
SpyCastMy Global Career as a Female FBI Agent” – with Kathy StearmanBeijing. New Delhi. Kathmandu. “Hang on, I thought the title said FBI, not CIA?” Well, it did. Kathy Stearman was an FBI Legat who lived and worked in all of those capital cities. “Well, I’ve heard of the Ambassador and the Station Chief, but not the Legat?” Well, that’s why you need to listen to this week’s SpyCast!Kathy Stearman is a retired FBI Special Agent and author of It’s Not About the Gun: Lessons From my Global Career as a Female FBI Agent (I know the title sounds like Lance Armstrong’s It’s Not About the...
2021-12-071h 04
SpyCast“The Happy Traitor” – A Conversation on George Blake with Biographer Simon KuperHe was a Soviet agent who was “turned” by Karl Marx after reading Das Kapital – which led him to give up the important operations, a host of MI6 agents and a treasure trove of secret intelligence…George Blake was a courier in the Dutch resistance, an MI6 intelligence officer, a language student at Cambridge, a “Vice-Consul” in South Korea, a prisoner in North Korea, and a hero returning to Britain in 1953. He would escape from a British prison after getting caught and would live out the rest of his life as “The Happy Traitor” in Moscow before dying in 2020. W...
2021-11-0952 minSpyCastIntroducing Shadow of Truth PodcastDescription: It’s one of the most haunting murder cases you’ll ever hear about, and it takes place in a small town in Israel. Tair Rada was only 13-years-old when her body was found inside a locked bathroom stall. She was viciously murdered during a school day, and yet no one saw or heard a thing. The police arrested the janitor, Roman Zadorov, and he eventually confessed, but this was far from being the end of it. Based on the hit true-crime series from Netflix, the podcast "Shadow of Truth" will take you on a journey into one of the...
2021-10-2907 min
SpyCastWorld Series Special: Espionage & Baseball – A Conversation with Marc PolymeropoulosFrom the SpyCast Field of Dreams: to coincide with the first game of the 117th World Series, a special episode on the links – yes, there are many – between espionage and America’s Pastime with baseball fanatic and ex-spook (it’s a baseball special, not Halloween, so no pun intended) Marc Polymeropoulos. Baseball fans, welcome to espionage; espionage fans, welcome to baseball; fans of both – welcome to our very own Fall Classic.#baseball #worldseries Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2021-10-2657 min
SpyCast*15th ANNIVERSARY/500th EPISODE SPECIAL* - “The CIA and the 9/11 Commission Report” – A Conversation with Alexis AlbionThis is a big one, a very big one: our 500th episode & 15th anniversaryWe have come a long way since we began back in 2006 – it’s quite fitting then, that in this week’s episode I speak to our very first historian and curator, Alexis Albion, who is currently the Curator for Special Projects here at the Spy MuseumAlexis actually left us way back when to be on the 9/11 Commission Report, where she was the central researcher on the CIA and US counterterrorism policy before 9/11.Hang on, did you just say what I...
2021-10-121h 19
SpyCastCYBER AUGUST: “National Cryptologic Museum” – With Vince HoughtonTurning the tide in the Pacific at the Battle of Midway, establishing secure communications on the beaches during D-Day, staving off nuclear Armageddon – what did cryptology ever have to do with anything, right? To discuss these big themes – and to celebrate our partnership on the exhibition “Codes, Ciphers and Mysteries” – we brought back you know who, Executive Director of the National Cryptologic Museum (NCM) and former SpyCast host, Vince Houghton (Retd). Through the end of September 2021, you can see the NCM’s superstar artifacts here at SPY before they return to their home base at Fort Meade. Sssshhhhh, though…No Such Museum...
2021-08-311h 01
SpyCast“The Greatest Analyst We Ever Had” – CIA Spy Chief Marty PetersenWhere to begin. Marty was described to me as, “the greatest analyst we ever had (truthfully),” would I be interested in speaking to him? Guess the answer!? The result, a SpyCast with a CIA analytic legend. For 40 years Marty analyzed intelligence for US foreign policymakers, trained a whole generation of analysts, and mentored figures who would go on to have senior leadership positions within American intelligence, such as former Acting and Deputy Director of CIA Mike Morrell. In this episode we talk China, Asia, making sense of the world, and a whole host of topical issues. Le...
2021-05-111h 19
SpyCastUS Air Force – Office of Special Investigations: Part 2Infosec. Cybersec. Techsec.In the second part of our double-header on the US Air Force Office of Special Investigations, we round out our previous discussion with two former Directors of Counterintelligence for the US Air Force, Jude Sunderbruch and Terry Phillips. Their world-wide remit includes cybersecurity, information security, technology protection and all things air power and counter-intelligence.N.B. – SpyCast 2.0 Next week we reboot SpyCast with improved audio and some additional tweaks, hacks, bells and whistles. Through the rest of 2021, we will be seeking out ev...
2021-04-2749 min
SpyCastRussian Spy, American Defector – Meet Jan NeumannIf you think that all the best spy stories happened during the Cold War – we have a doozy for you. In 2008 FSB officer Alexy Yurievich Artmonov was presented with three choices: (1) put a bullet in his own head, (2) wait for someone else to do it, (3) run. Which would you choose? Alexy chose (3). In fact, this story has all the makings of Cold War spy fiction: caught between the long arm of corrupt government officials and the mob, a spy and his wife go on the run leaving friends and fami...
2021-04-131h 07
SpyCastIntelligence and the Presidency - WIth John HedleyContinuing our journey through SpyCast’s greatest hits enroute to our relaunch, we arrive on a topic of perennial interest and great importance: intelligence and the US presidency.Just how is information from the intelligence community (IC) conveyed to the president? How have different administrations incorporated intelligence into the political decision-making process?This blast from the past features John Hedley, former CIA officer and editor of the President’s Daily Brief (PDB), who reviews the relationship between the IC and presidents since World War II, in the course revealing fasc...
2021-04-0627 min
SpyCast“Crossfire Hurricane”: Trump, Russia & the FBI – A Conversation with Josh CampbellJosh Campbell lit his cigar and extinguished the match. It was Inauguration Day 2017, and he was on the roof of his Washington D.C. apartment building. As the outgoing Obama’s made their way overhead on a helicopter, he turned to his father who had flown up from Texas for the event and remarked, “I hope Trump is good for the FBI.”Josh Campbell, former Special Assistant to the Director of the FBI, was chosen by James Comey because he didn’t shy away from speaking his mind. No matter what your politics are, you will...
2021-03-3059 min
SpyCastThe Cambridge Five – From the VaultAs we continue ramping up for SpyCast 2.0, featuring a content overhaul and improved audio, we release a real gem on a perennial favorite of the SpyCast community. You literally couldn’t make this one up, it has everything you’d expect to see at Shakespeare’s Globe – betrayal, suspicion, ambition, political machinations, royal intrigue and flabbergasting chutzpah.Philby. Burgess. MacLean. Blunt. Cairncross. Spies who betrayed their country in the name of an ideal: communism. In the 1930s, five young Cambridge University students were recruited by Soviet intelligence to penetrate the British establishment. In the course o...
2021-03-2327 min
SpyCast“Desperately, Madly in Love” – Brett Peppler and the Australian ICWhat better way to start developing an Antipodean flavor to SpyCast than to release an episode with Brett Peppler. Aussie Army. Spec Ops. Deputy Director Military Intelligence. AIPIO President. Professor. He’s been around the block, thought about the block, and anticipated what the block might do next (he said he is, "desperately, madly in love with Futures Intelligence"). The Indo-Pacific is often overlooked, but it will be a key component of international security long after Brett and I have slipped the surly bonds of earth for the Great Gig in the Sky. The timing of our conversation was in...
2021-01-261h 04
SpyCast“American Spy” – A Conversation with Lauren WilkinsonMarie Mitchell is an FBI agent sent by the CIA to spy on the “African Che Guevara,” leftist president of Burkina Faso, Thomas Sankara. Inspired by real events, he became president in 1983 at the age of 33, this week’s guest takes what is best about the spy fiction genre and gives it her own unique je ne sais quoi (if most of what you know about this land-locked West African country can be written on a business card, guess the official language?). The week of Martin Luther King Jr. Day seemed like an opportune moment to introduce Lauren Wilkinson to the...
2021-01-1953 min
SpyCast“Insurrection” – The Intelligence Implications: A SpyCast SpecialJanuary 6, 2021. What to say. Former president George W. Bush, 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell all used the term “insurrection.” As these momentous events unfolded – I watched it on TV although I can literally see the US Capitol from my rooftop – I was constantly thinking about the intelligence implications. Long story short, I reached out to Diana Bolsinger and Mark Stout and voila! welcome to a SpyCast Special. Diana’s background includes service in the National Counterterrorism Center, at the CIA and in the U.S. Department of State. Mark had an equally well-rounded career at...
2021-01-071h 08
SpyCast“How Spies Think” – Spy Chief David OmandEver thought you were the smartest person in the room? You’ve never been in a room with Sir David Omand. My former professor – no slouch himself – described Sir David as “the brightest person I have ever met.” It is certainly difficult to think of anyone more qualified to appear on SpyCast: former Director of GCHQ, former Chair of the Joint Intelligence Committee, formulator of current British counter-terrorism policy, he also happens to be one of the world’s deepest thinkers on intelligence and espionage (as well as the intellectual man-crush of my former professor). In his new book, How Spies Th...
2020-11-241h 01
SpyCastDis.information: Russia, China & the Specter of DemocracyFact vs. Fake. Truth vs. Lies. Information vs. Disinformation. For voters trying to choose between competing parties and candidates the distinction between them would seem to be central. But is it still possible to tell which is which? In this week’s SpyCast Andrew is joined by two analysts from the Alliance for Securing Democracy – Russia watcher Brad Hanlon and China watcher Bryce Barros – to try to get to the bottom of what is going on. Is “disinformation” fake news and malarkey, or a serious threat to the future of democracy?Transcript available at https://ww...
2020-11-0347 min
SpyCast2020 Election Special: Electoral Interference & IntelligenceWhat do you get if you cross a Harvard historian with a UCLA trained political scientist and an award winning doctoral researcher? One word: context. Join Andrew and his guests – Calder Walton, Dov Levin and Magda Long – as they drill down into intelligence agencies and electoral intervention. Transcript available at https://www.spymuseum.org/spycast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2020-10-271h 12
SpyCastPersonal Attention, SpyCast Listeners - The Authorised History of GCHQAuthorized History of a Secret Intelligence Agency –(STOP)– author debriefed by Spy Historian Hammond –(STOP)– WW1 WW2 Cold War –(STOP)– reevaluation of Western Front Bletchley Park Ultra Falklands War –(STOP)– discuss Authorized Histories “Cyber Rifles” and coming century –(STOP)– Podcast released on same day as Ferris book –(STOP) – a coincidence? (END TELEGRAM) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2020-10-2052 min
SpyCastAgent Sonya: Moscow's Most Daring Wartime SpySPY Curator Alexis Albion asks author Ben Macintyre “Can women spies have it all?”, as they discuss his latest book on the extraordinary Ursula Kuczynski aka Agent Sonya.Transcript available at https://www.spymuseum.org/spycast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2020-09-291h 06
SpyCastA New SpyCast Chapter: A Farewell Conversation with Vince HoughtonIn the second of our “changing of the guard” episodes, the new SpyCast host Andrew Hammond sits down with Vince. It’s Been Emotional. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2020-09-2251 min
SpyCastThe SpyCast Conversation with Alison BouwmeesterSPY Historian Vince Houghton sat down with former CIA operations officer Alison Bouwmeester to discuss her career, and how she’s been helping people transition from government service to the private sector. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2020-08-1856 min
SpyCastThe SpyCast Conversation with Harvey KlehrSPY Historian Vince Houghton sat down with prolific author and historian Harvey Klehr to discuss Soviet espionage and his newest book, The Millionaire Was a Soviet Mole: The Twisted Life of David Karr. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2020-04-2856 min
SpyCastSpyCast Special Preview: Life's Little MysteriesSpyCast has teamed up with Live Science to bring you this special preview clip of the new podcast, Life's Little Mysteries.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2020-03-0212 min
SpyCastThe SpyCast Conversation with Darrell BlockerSPY Historian Vince Houghton sat down with former CIA officer Darrell Blocker to discuss his career and work throughout Africa. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2020-02-1859 min
SpyCastThe SpyCast Conversation with Sue GordonSPY Historian Vince Houghton sat down with former Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence Sue Gordon to discuss her career and many important topics in intelligence Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2020-02-041h 04
SpyCastFrom the Vault: The SpyCast conversation with Gen. David PetraeusSPY Historian Vince Houghton sat down with retired 4-star general David Petraeus, former Commanding General, Multi-National Force – Iraq; Commander, US Central Command; commander of the International Security Assistance Force and Commander, US Forces Afghanistan; and Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, where he served from September, 2011, until November, 2012. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2020-01-2846 min
SpyCastThe SpyCast Conversation with Nayyera HaqSPY Historian Vince Houghton sat down with a former senior advisor to both the White House and the Secretary of State to discuss the difficulties in explaining American national security policy to both domestic and foreign audiences Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2019-12-031h 00
SpyCastFrom the Vault: SpyCast, the Giving Thanks EditionIn November, 2006, SpyCast was born. After 13 years, 397 episodes, and millions of worldwide listeners, we are still going strong. This is because of you, and your continued support for the little-podcast-that-could. Thank you! Here is the very first SpyCast: a conversation between the great Peter Earnest, and one of our very favorites, Tony Mendez, Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2019-11-2624 min
SpyCastFrom the Vault: The SpyCast conversation with Gen. Michael HaydenLast week, Gen. Michael Hayden was honored by the International Spy Museum with the 2019 William H. Webster Distinguished Service Award. In 2016, SPY Historian Vince Houghton sat down with Gen. Hayden to discuss his life and career in intelligence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2019-11-121h 14
SpyCastSpooooookyCast: DIA Investigates the ParanormalIn this special Halloween SpyCast, SPY Historian Vince Houghton spoke to DIA Chief Historian Greg Elder about the DIA’s investigation into telekinesis, telepathy, remote viewing, and other spooky stuff. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2019-10-291h 04
SpyCastThe SpyCast Conversation with…wait…Vince, Again??Former SPY Historian Alexis Albion sat down with current SPY Historian Vince Houghton to discuss WWII and early Cold War nuclear intelligence, and Houghton’s new book, The Nuclear Spies: America’s Atomic Intelligence Operation against Hitler and Stalin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2019-09-171h 08
SpyCastThe SpyCast Conversation with David RolphSPY Historian Vince Houghton sat down with former CIA Chief of East Berlin and Moscow stations David Rolph, who also served as the handler for one of CIA’s most important Soviet assets, Adolf Tolkachev. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2019-09-101h 10
SpyCastThe SpyCast Conversation with Matt Korda of the Federation of American ScientistsSPY Historian Vince Houghton sat down with Matt Korda of the FAS Nuclear Information Project, and co-author of the Nuclear Notebook, to discuss multiple current issues in the world of nukes and intel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2019-08-201h 00
SpyCastThe SpyCast Conversation with Emily CroseAt a live event at the International Spy Museum, SPY Historian Vince Houghton sat down with former CIA, NSA, and INSCOM infosec specialist Emily Crose to talk the past, present, and future of cyber Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2019-08-1357 min
SpyCastThe SpyCast Conversation with Adm. Mike RogersSPY Historian Vince Houghton sat down with former NSA Director and CYBERCOM commander Admiral Mike Rogers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2019-05-141h 14
SpyCastThe SpyCast Conversation with…Vince Houghton?Guest host David Priess sat down with SPY historian and curator Vince Houghton to discuss Houghton’s new book, Nuking the Moon: And Other Intelligence Schemes And Military Plots Left On The Drawing Board. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2019-05-071h 00
SpyCastThe SpyCast Conversation with Dr. John BrowneSPY Historian Vince Houghton sat down with John Browne, former director of the Los Alamos National Laboratory, who was there for – among other things – the Wen Ho Lee spy investigation. IARPA/ARL link: https://sites.google.com/create.jhuapl.edu/join Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2019-04-3059 min
SpyCastThe SpyCast Conversation with Dr. Gary Weir, Chief Historian, National Geospatial-Intelligence AgencySPY Historian Vince Houghton sat down with Gary Weir to discuss some of the history of NGA, and their vital role in the mission to find and neutralize Usama bin Laden Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2019-04-0946 min
SpyCastThe SpyCast Conversation with FBI Special Agent Peter LappSPY Historian Vince Houghton sat down with Peter Lapp, whose two decade career at the FBI included extensive work in counterintelligence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2019-04-0258 min
SpyCastThe SpyCast Interview with DIA Director LTG Robert AshleySPY Historian Vince Houghton sat down with the 21st Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency to discuss his career, the mission of the DIA, and his role as its director. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2019-01-1551 min
SpyCastThe SpyCast Conversation with Ambassador Joe WilsonSPY Historian Vince Houghton sat down with Ambassador Joe Wilson to discuss his career, the politicization of intelligence, and uranium from Niger Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2018-11-271h 05
SpyCastThe SpyCast Interview with Jeremy BashSPY Historian Vince Houghton sat down with Jeremy Bash and discussed his career at CIA, DOD, the House Intelligence Committee, and other topics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2018-11-2046 min
SpyCastThe SpyCast Conversation with former HPSCI Chair Mike RogersSPY Historian Vince Houghton sat down with former FBI agent and chair of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Mike Rogers to discuss his career and how he feels about the current state of the Intelligence Community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2018-07-311h 08
SpyCastThe SpyCast Conversation with John BrennanSPY Historian Vince Houghton sat down with former CIA Director John Brennan to discuss his career and key moments during his time as Director . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2018-05-2255 min
SpyCastSpyCast Roundtable: The Women of NatSec JournalismSPY Historian Vince Houghton sat down with six extraordinary journalists to discuss the challenges associated with reporting on intelligence and national security. They include: Ali Watkins (BuzzFeed), Mary Louise Kelly (NPR), Jenna McLaughlin (The Intercept), Nancy Youssef (BuzzFeed), Molly O’Toole (Foreign Policy), and Ellen Nakashima (Washington Post).
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2017-03-281h 10
SpyCastFrom the Vault: The SpyCast Interview with Michael FlynnA year ago, SPY Historian Vince Houghton sat down with former DIA Director and National Security Advisor Michael Flynn. Here is their conversation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2017-02-211h 04
SpyCastJohn Nixon - Debriefing the PresidentSPY Historian Vince Houghton is joined by John Nixon, who shares what he learned as the first man to conduct a prolonged interrogation of the captured Iraqi president.
Get the book:http://www.spymuseumstore.org/spycast-books.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2017-01-241h 02
SpyCastFrom the SpyCast Vault: D-Day Anniversary EditionJuan Pujol was the Walter Mitty of World War II, a nobody who at one doomed venture after another while dreaming of doing something interesting with his life -- saving Western civilization, if possible. Journalist Stephan Talty, whose work has appeared widely, including in the New York Times Magazine and GQ, has told the remarkable story of how against all the odds, Pujol did just that by becoming agent GARBO, the most important double agent of World War II. Hear Talty discuss his new book with SPY Historian Mark Stout in this author debriefing which took place on July 12, 2012.
2016-06-0744 min
SpyCastHistorian Roundtable, Part II: A Conversation with the SPY HistoriansCurrent SPY Historian Vince Houghton sat down with all of his former colleagues to discuss listener questions. To submit your own questions, send them via email to spycast@spymuseum.org, or on Twitter, @intlspycast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2016-04-2658 min
SpyCastThe World of Global Jihad: A Conversation with Morten StormSPY Historian Vince Houghton talked to Morten Storm, who, after a decade of jihadi life, not only repudiated extremism but, in a quest for atonement, became a double agent for the CIA and British and Danish intelligence. He is now in hiding, fearful that some vengeful jihadist will try to kill him for his work with Western intelligence. However, this won’t stop him from providing SpyCast with his insight and expertise on global terrorism. On a regular basis, SpyCast will send questions to Morten, he will record his answers, and we will post them here. To be a part of...
2015-12-0119 min
SpyCastFrom the SpyCast Vault: An Interview with Major General Michael EnnisFormer SPY Historian Mark Stout sat down with Marine Maj. Gen. (ret.) Mike Ennis to discuss human intelligence (HUMINT) within the Defense Department and the CIA. In 1998, Ennis commanded the Joint Intelligence Center of the United States Pacific Command, was later named Director of Marine Corps Intelligence Command in 2000, and was the Director of HUMINT for the DIA. In 2006, he was named Deputy Director of Community HUMINT of the Central Intelligence Agency’s National Clandestine Service, his final government posting before his retirement in 2007.
This SpyCast was recorded on February 11, 2013. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit me...
2015-03-3137 min
SpyCastDrones: Past, Present, and Future: An Interview with Dr. Trevor McCriskenGuest host Dr. Chris Moran of Warwick University (UK) sat down with his colleague, Dr. Trevor McCrisken, for a SpyCast on the role of drones in modern surveillance, warfighting, and counterterrorism. McCrisken, whose biography can be found here, discusses the weaponization of drones, the targeted killing program of the Bush and Obama administrations, the perception in the West that the drone war is “costless”, and the possibility of what he calls the “perpetual war” against global terrorism. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2014-12-1640 min
SpyCastFrom Bletchley to Bond: An Interview with Journalist and Author Sinclair McKay (Part 1)SPY Historian Vince Houghton sat down with British author and journalist Sinclair McKay for a two-part SpyCast. In Part 1, Vince and Sinclair discuss the role played by the codebreakers at Bletchley Park in the Allied victory in the Second World War. The author of three books and numerous articles on the topic, McKay provides compelling historical insight into a subject that you only think you really know. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2014-11-1231 min
SpyCastFrom Nazi Germany to the OSS to the CIA (Part 2)In this Spycast Peter finishes his conversation with Peter Sichel. Listen to this insider talking about CIA operations in Germany after World War II, the futile support for anti-communist guerrillas in Ukraine and China during the 1940s and 1950s, the strains of leading an undercover life and his friendship with legendary CIA counterintelligence chief James Jesus Angleton. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2013-01-2228 min
SpyCastThe Terrorist ChallengeThe U.S. authorities' failure to prevent a Nigerian suicide bomber from boarding a Detroit-bound plane on Christmas Day, and the suicide bombing at a CIA base in Afghanistan have roiled the intelligence community. International Spy Museum historian Dr. Thomas Boghardt discusses with SpyCast host and CIA veteran Peter Earnest how these incidents unfolded and their implications for intelligence reform. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2010-01-0819 min