General Intelligence

The Agencies' Gazette
New Saudi ambassador in Beirut, DGSI in Strasbourg, FIFA World Cup security, US diplo in Europe

Appointments, reforms and the issues at stake: every Monday, Intelligence Online serves up snippets big and small from the global intelligence community.

Saudi ArabiaDiplomat with spy background to drive Riyadh's new Paris-Beirut axis

FranceDGSI seeks to strengthen China capabilities in Strasbourg

US/FranceDCIS representatives at World Cup security command centre

USRubio close ally to head State Department's Europe bureau

France, Saudi Arabia
A spy turned diplomat set to be new Saudi ambassador to Paris

Saudi Arabia's next ambassador to Paris is a low-key diplomat with a past in the kingdom's intelligence services. He will now have to build a relationship with Paris that is taking an increasingly political turn.

Belgium
Changes afoot at the EU's Intelligence and Situation Centre

The European Union's INTCEN agency, attached to the European External Action Service, has become increasingly influential since Croatian Daniel Markic took over, with new staff joining.

France, Germany, Russia
High-ranking BND official falls victim to Russian phishing campaign on Signal and WhatsApp

A Russian phishing campaign has targeted European intelligence agents, diplomats, politicians and journalists. The list of identified victims has been shared among the affected countries. A senior official from Germany's BND federal intelligence service is among them.

Syria
Overloaded Syrian intelligence service beefs up its leadership

Overwhelmed by both the demands of managing new international partnerships and handling strategic domestic issues, Syrian spymaster Hussein al-Salama has appointed long-standing loyalist Shaher Jabr Omran to work alongside him.