I Spied

This week we're joined by whistle-blower David McBride to talk the release of his new book "The Nature of Honour", his upcoming court appearance on espionage charges, and the state of the Department of Defence. From Afghanistan and war crimes, to the Brereton Report and the nature of the modern Australian military, this is so good we need two episodes to unwrap it. And is David as good a spy as he thinks?

Take a deep breath and blow...

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With Canada and India at arms over an alleged hit on a Sikh dissident and it literally raining generals in Russia, this week we take a look at assassinations, in particular the more idiotic and ineffective ones. From axe-wielding bears to poisoned umbrellas, there is no end to the inventive ways people have tried to off each other. Make sure your powder is dry and that pistol your packing is primed for this ep!

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With world leaders currently gathering in New York for the UN General Assembly, we are joined this week by renowned journalist and host of the podcast "Take Me to Your Leader" Hamish MacDonald, for a good hard look at who is running the world these days. What is it that drives someone to lead a nation? With authoritarianism on the rise, what's next for democracy? What's the deal with the spat between India and Canada? And Kings in crops tops!? Make sure your abs are tight for this ep!

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With ASIO in the headlines for a botched attempt to recruit a Chinese academic to spy for Australia, we take a look at the ins and outs of agent handling. How is it done? How has recruiting agents changed? What is better: MICE or RASCLS? And where did ASIO and the AFP get it so wrong in a Brisbane cafe? Get your alphabets ready as all the acronyms are coming out in this weeks ep!

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After a well-earned rest David and Michelle are back, somewhat injured, but ready to take a look at what happened while we were away. What's the story behind the death of Wagner chief Prigozhin? Who is the 21 year old terrorist double agent who managed to escape the nick in the UK? Why are Chinese tourists booking holidays on US military bases? And why is it that every time we go on holidays, the intelligence world goes into overdrive?!

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Sweden's terrorist threat level has soared to unprecedented levels and Australia's travel advice is to exercise a high degree of caution. So what's going on in the land of vikings and Volvo? What do books and bacon have to do with it? And is this a signal that Islamic extremism is on the rise, or is it the handy work of one very disturbed individual?
And David & Michelle are taking a well-earned holiday so there's a thank you to all those listeners that have kept this show on the road. See youse in a fortnight!

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With the Ukrainian counter-offensive grinding on, it seems the real battle is taking place in the intelligence sphere. From foiled assassination attempts to drone strikes on shipping to seemingly impossible explosions in Russian factories and a cyber battlefield that is roiling, both sides of this conflict are claiming victories. This week we look at how, even when war goes kinetic, you can never underestimate the importance of an effective intelligence service.

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With the news that Australia's DIO will soon have US intelligence officers embedded within its ranks, we have a look at the relationship between Australia and the US. Are we the trusted and much loved spouse that America can't do without? Or are we just a country of convenience, one of many mistresses the US strings along? And what about all the stuff the US is storing at our place? Make sure your pre-nup is up to date for this ep!

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With authoritarian governments on the rise, it seems they are being emboldened in exporting their tyranny. Transnational Repression is growing, with despotic governments harassing, abducting and even killing critiques, dissidents and migrant communities far beyond their own borders. How bad is the problem? Who are the main players? Is Australia immune from such sinister attacks? And what is David's problem with the Canadian accent? Expect to be "oot in a boot" this week!

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We all know just how bad a spy David was but he pales in comparison with some of these guys. From German spies in WWI treating espionage missions to the US as fully paid vacations, to the British virtually insisting the US let a Russian spy work on the Manhattan Project, this episode features some of the dumbest moments in intelligence. There’s even the story of a swinging Czechoslovakian comedian who led the CIA by the nose.
Suddenly, David doesn’t look so bad.

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A country's intelligence service is there to seek out information and protect us from our adversaries, but what about spying on allies? Do our friends spy on us, and if so why? What is Australia's record when it comes to betraying the trust of an ally? And what is going on with ASIO's email?
Take a good, long look at the people close to you this week!

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This week we look at how someone becomes a spy. While recruitment into a modern intelligence organisation is fairly mundane these days, there used to be some very unique ways of going about it. And being recruited to act as an agent is even more complicated and extreme. So what is the difference between an agent and an intelligence officer? How is a potential agent approached? Why are academics and students such attractive targets? And what is the last thing you would think could be used as invisible ink?
Keep the tissues handy this week!

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For a moment there the world thought Russia was plunging into civil war and Putin's long reign was coming to a close. And just 24 hours later Prigozhin, the mutineer and owner/leader of the brutal Wagner Group, had called off the coup and absconded to Belarus.
This week, to help us pull apart what happened and what it means for Putin, Russia and Ukraine, we are joined by Walkley Award winning journalist and former ABC Moscow correspondent Monica Attard. Is Putin on the ropes or is he stronger? Has Russia been weakened in its war with Ukraine? And is Prigozhin a man on the edge just waiting to be pushed? Stay away from open windows this week!

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It has long been believed that the KGB had a mole in ASIO and that suspicion was confirmed last week when the ABC’s 4Corners revealed the identity of the spy. Who was the mole and how did he avoid detection for so long? What does it say about Australia’s premier espionage hunters? What does it mean for the people who worked along side a traitor, not knowing their every move was being orchestrated to fail? And how did David take the news? Join us for a very personal episode this week.

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The US is through the looking glass with former president Trump indicted and arraigned on multiple federal felony counts of espionage, conspiracy and obstruction. So what did Trump actually do? How likely is a conviction? And did Mar-a-Lago have the most confidential selection of bathroom reading ever? Make sure you have an extra roll of loo paper this week!

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With the recent destruction of the Nova Kharkovka Dam in Ukraine we take a look at the latest situation in the ongoing conflict. Who was the likely culprit? What more can we expect from the burgeoning Ukrainian ounter-offensive? And when and why did it become a war crime to bomb a dam?

Expect it to get wet underfoot this weel!

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This week we take a peek at one lonely spying whale on the hunt for some friendship and a Mossad birthday party gone horribly wrong, before diving deep into the current situation with the astounding leaks throughout the intelligence community. When is it a leak and when is it a whistle being blown? What measures can we take to stem the flow? And what is Michelle's problem with dolphins? Careful who you swim with this week!

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This week we conclude our interview with former Australian diplomat Jeremy Dicker with a good hard look at the state of Australia’s foreign affairs. Where do we rate as a diplomatic power? What were the findings of the latest review into DFAT and what needs to change? And how has the rise of the internet made diplomatic relations more complicated? Put on your fishnets and dance like there’s no tomorrow with this ep!

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Michelle is on the mend so this week we're bringing in a guest. Former Australian diplomat Jeremy Dicker joins us to give us a view of what life is like as a player on the international stage. What is expected of an Australian diplomat? What is it like to find yourself rubbing shoulders with the world's most powerful political players? And why would you go to a Trump rally in Vegas? And we unpack Joe Biden rainchecking his four-way date with Albo and the QUAD in Sydney. In diplomacy, true love rarely runs smooth!

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Our apologies but Michelle has a nasty head cold and David’s irrational fear of nasal blockage meant he wouldn’t stay in the studio after a particularly explosive sneeze. So we have to rerun an old ep, and what could be better than the tale of of an out-of-luck ASIO tech getting stuck in a roof? Enjoy and we’ll be back to normal service next week.

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Three different stories from three different parts of the world allow a very candid look at the modern intelligence world and how it operates. First the execution of an Iranian hardliner accused of being an agent of the UK; then the seemingly oafish drone attack on the Kremlin; and finally ASIO's legal hot water over luring an ex-US Marine pilot back to Australia for arms dealing. It all gives us a glimpse at the machinations of the intelligence community, the global politics it serves, and the good, the bad and the downright ugly aspects of the never-ending shadow war that is boiling just out of sight.

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The Defence Strategic Review is the biggest examination of Australia's capability to wage war in nearly 30 years, and the findings have had chins wagging. So what is the state of Australia's Defence Force? Who are the big winners and losers, and what changes can our fighting men and women expect to see? And what has David's fascination with pocket knives got to do with it? Lock and load for this weeks ep!

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Just as we were taking a well-earned and all-too-brief break, the intelligence community was rocked by two spy dramas: First, a US Airman dumped a trove of Top Secret documents on Discord; while in Australia a businessman was arrested and charged under our Foreign Interference laws for cooperating with suspected Chinese spies. So who are these guys? What would posses a 21 year old intelligence clerk to dump classified documents into an online chatroom (and why would he have access to that sort of material anyway)? Why would the Chinese MSS be interested in a seemingly innocuous Australian businessman? What sort of future do both of these men face? And what does Minecraft have to do with all of this?!
Be on the look out for creepers this week!

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Is artificial intelligence having an effect on... intelligence? With the power to reshape how information is gathered and analysed, is this the end of the classic Cold War spy and the rise of a Computer Overlord? Are we facing an all-conquering Cybercrat like Skynet? Or a compu-nerd that reads to much and wants to be a creative writer like ChatGPT? And will our HUMINT assets let it happen? What ever the answer, one place there is no intelligence - artificial, informational or otherwise - is right here in the Blanket Fort. Change your password after listening!

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Michelle and David are taking a sneaky break over the Easter weekend so this week we invite you to enjoy once again friend of the pod Neil Fergus as he regales us with tales of working on the Olympics. With the Commonwealth Games due to start in rural Victoria in 2026 and Brisbekistan hosting the big show in 2032, now might be just the time to remind ourselves what is involved in running a global sports carnival.

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While James Bond and his fictional spy ilk are often armed with a plethora of astounding gadgets, it seems the modern spy has to make do with more mundane devices. The internet is increasingly the battle space with the computer and mobile phone the weapons of choice, but everything from apps to appliances to cargo cranes are evolving into the tools of the spy trade. And can you really trust your router? The device you're using to listen to this ep is probably betraying you right now!

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With the turbulent waters of the AUKUS announcement settling, we take a look at what some are saying is a glowing future. Has Australia breached the nuclear non-proliferation treaty? Can we expect the neighbours to get some nuclear equipment of their own? And what are we going to do with all that radioactive waste these boats generate? Probably not the last look at a national security issue with an as yet indeterminant half-life.

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With a $368 billion price tag, a delivery timeline that stretches across decades and an ex-PM going feral about it, everyone is talking about Albo's  AUKUS announcement. So what are we getting for the price tag? Do we really need it? And what exactly is a Shelby Cobra? An issue so big that this is just the first part!

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Throughout history women have played an enormous part in the intelligence world, and yet this contribution has been repeatedly overlooked and women’s advancement as spies systemically quashed. Why has this happened? Do women make effective spies? What was the problem with David’s love life in his 20s? And how white can Michelle’s knuckles turn? Be prepared to embrace the sisterhood this ep!

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Valdimir Putin’s “Special Military Operation” in Ukraine was only meant to last for a couple of days, two weeks tops… and yet, one year on, it still rages. And so, to look at how Putin got it so wrong and Zelenskyy got it so right, we are joined by Fulbright scholar, security expert and friend of the podcast Misha Zelinsky (no relation). How has the situation changed? What can we expect next? And just how long does Putin have before taking a long step out a tall window? Keep your food taster close this week!

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Fresh from Senate Estimates ASIO Chief Mike Burgess doubled down last week with the ASIO Annual Threat Assessment. Terrorism is waning, espionage is rising, a "hive" of spies was uncovered and Australia's spooks working harder than ever before. We take a little study tour of what ASIO is up to, along with an brief look at Sleepy Joe's train ride to Ukraine and the unhinged rhetoric coming from Vladimir Putin's pep rallies. This podcast is so busy it's feels like a hand-to-hand combat!

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ASIO Chief Mike Burgess made a flying visit to Senate Estimates last week but despite the brevity, he had a lot to say. This week we unpack it, from the increase in religious extremism, to the placement of Chinese cameras in government buildings and a possible Chinese police station in Sydney strong-arming the local diaspora. Oh and yeah, there’s more balloons floating around, but curiously not here. Never a dull moment when dealing with spooks!

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The world was confused, bemused and downright confounded when a giant balloon was spotted soaring over the continental US on a path that took it across the country (and over a number of military installations) before it was brought down with a sidewinder missile. Turns out this isn't new as balloons have had a proud history of use by military and intelligence organisations around the world. So was it a weather balloon as the Chinese claim, or an intelligence platform as the US believe? What advantages do balloons have in reconnaissance? And just how important is Helium to national security? Lots to ponder when decorating your child's next birthday party after this weeks ep!

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Last ep we looked at the right wing "SovCit" phenomenon in Australia. This ep we conclude our interview with the Oz's Jack the Insider and look at what we can do about it. Are our security and police organisations up to the challenge? How did the anti-vax movement become embroiled in the rise of right wing radicalisation? And what can we do to help turn down the heat? Be prepared to apologise to that crazy relative who keeps posting articles by Pete Evans!

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We're back for 2023, bigger and better than ever.
With 2022 ending with the tragic shooting at Wieambilla, what better topic to delve into than the growing rise of right wing radicalism and the SovCit movement in Australia? With a topic this big we've decided to bring in an expert: Oz journalist and charming gadabout Jack the Insider.
So why is right wing radicalisation on the rise? Who or what is turning up the heat on Australia's cookers? And what can we and our intelligence services do about it?
Keep your copy of the Magna Carta handy this week!

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In this last summer bite-size we have a look at what we might be talking about this year. Ukraine (definitely), Indonesia (very likely), Taiwan (for sure), North Korea (what would we joke about without Kim Jong Un?), the US (Trump is still hanging around like a fart in a lift), the rise of the right wing here at home (sadly, this isn’t going away either) but did you have China V. India on your bingo card? Yep, it looks like we’ll have lots to talk about!

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Throughout history, cities across the globe have been the nexus of intelligence activity - Berlin, London, Moscow, Beirut: each with their unique rules and idiosyncrasies. And now there is a new hub for international skulduggery: Dubai. Yes, the plucky little emirate is fast becoming the place where dark deals and deeds are done.

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Just when you thought things were calming down this Xmas, Germany and Peru became hotbeds of intrigue when coups to overthrow the government were exposed, both for very different reasons. Who were the plotters? What did they hope to achieve? And is this a taste of what’s to come in 2023?

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Welcome to 2023! Before we get back into the nitty gritty of the global intelligence community, it’s time for everyone to feast their eyes on the cornucopia of spy fiction available on any number of streaming platforms. From Prime Video’s 3rd season of Jack Ryan, to Britbox’s treatment of the Philby affair in Spy Among Friends to the rollicking star-studded comedy of Burn After Reading on Netflix, there’s plenty of action to be savoured. And if anyone asks, tell them you’re doing homework. Enjoy!

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As we move into the Christmas season, we've got some bite-size eps to tide you over until next year. This week we have a quick look at the controversial prisoner exchange between the US and Russia where WNBA star Britney Griner was swapped for notorious arms dealer, the "Lord of War" himself, Viktor Bout. How did it all come about, why are so many Republicans up in arms about it, and does this mean we can expect more strategic arrests in the future? Lights out in 10, inmates!

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With Scott Morrison’s lawyers attempting to have Cabinet documents declassified prior to his appearance at the RoboDebt Royal Commission, we take a good hard look at what Cabinet documents really are and why they’re so protected. Why is it so controversial that Scomo is calling for their release? How often do they find their way into the public domain? And how did one of the biggest Cabinet breaches in Australian history give David’s comedy career a boost? The Chatham House Rule applies to everything you hear in this weeks episode.

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With the Wagner Group, the paramilitary outfit run by "Putin's Chef", making headlines over its role in the Ukraine conflict, this week we take a look at the world of  mercenaries. The commodification of war is a growth industry and it turns out hiring armies is more the historical norm. What does this mean for national militaries moving forward? Who are the big players and where can they be found? And why didn't David ever get recruited into the world of corporate espionage? Make sure you're locked and loaded for this one!

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This week we are joined by the AFR's Ukraine correspondent Misha Zelinsky (no relation) to talk about his time in Ukraine. What is the mood on the ground? Where does the incredible resolve of the Ukrainian people stem from? And what can you expect to happen when you walk into the home town of your presidential namesake and ask in Australian-accented Russian "Can anyone tell me about Volodimir Zelensky?" A fascinating interview with someone who has truly been there and done that in the hottest spot on the planet. Not to be missed!

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After the announcement that the recent hack of Medibank's database was most likely Russian cyber criminals, we take a look at Russia's cyber capability. How interlinked are Russian cyber intelligence assets and the criminal fraternity? Just how good is the Russian cyber warfare machine? And what is Australia doing to counter this growing threat? Make sure your firewall is fully up to date for this weeks ep!

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The typical spy is non-descript, discrete and stays out of the limelight, so it’s surprising how many celebrities spent their time in the shadows working in the seedy world of espionage. International chefs, sports stars, criminals, crooners and more than a few actors played a part in many an intelligence operation that changed the course of history, and some very nearly paid with their lives. Who knew Hollywood could really be so bad ass?

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So where did the coronavirus come from? With Vanity Fair and Pro Publica publishing the clinching proof that Covid likely came from a lab, only to have the article debunked within minutes of publication, we thought it's time to truly discuss it. Was it a badly run lab or an unhygienic wet market that spawned Covid? Is there any chance that we will ever know the truth? And just how difficult is it to remain completely impartial when your podcast co-host believes you to be a radical bolshevik with ideological blinkers blinding you from anything but what you want to see? This ep is going to get messier than a butcher breaking down a racoon dog carcass!

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With the 20th National Congress of the China Communist Party over and Xi Jin Ping now locked in (possibly for life) as President, we take a deep dive into a dark and threatening Xi. In a life that started as a feted prince of Mao’s revolution, to the harsh punishment he had to bear after his father’s fall from favour, to his dogged rise through the CCP ranks, Xi’s life seems to follow a single-minded path of service to the party and a ruthless rise to the top. What does it mean for the world? How does the criticism of Xi and China play into Xi’s plans? And just what do swallows have to do with everything?
Welcome to the (communist) party that never ends in this ep!

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Since the days of pirate ships “false flags”have been used to justify military operations, coups and suppression of the citizenry, and nowhere is that more apparent than in the current conflagration in Ukraine. With gas pipelines bursting and bridges burning, and everyone pointing fingers at everyone else, we take a look at what constitutes a false flag, how they have been used throughout history, and just which flags are doing what in Eastern Europe. Be prepared to hoist your colours this week

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With a population with nearly 40% of its population under the age of 25, we should probably now more about Islamic Republic of Iran than we do, so this week, we're heading off the Middle East to see what we can learn. How did Iran wind up where it is? What is fuelling the growing protests in its urban centres? And what is the future for its authoritarian Islamic government?
Keep your head covered for this ep.

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Part 2 of our interview with CIA veteran Marc Polymeropoulos, where we dive into his life living with Havana Syndrome, the mysterious illness/injury that US spies and diplomats have been suffering. Is it an attack or just a coincidence? Marc gives us his theory and we also have chat about Ukraine, Putin and where that whole sorry mess might end. Be sure to stand well back if you're microwaving popcorn this week!

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This week we are joined by former CIA clandestine ops head and one of the most decorated officers in US intelligence, Marc Polymeropoulos. In this first ep we look at Marc's career from analyst to field officer in Iraq, Afghanistan and beyond, the state of US intelligence and this die-hard Red Sox fan's inability to understand cricket. Batter up! This is a cracker of an episode.

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With the passing of Elizabeth II, we take a bite-size look at the relationship between Her Maj and British intelligence, as well as that of her namesake 400 years ago. How close were both Elizabeths to the world of espionage, how was the Royal art collection an intelligence nightmare, and was Elizabeth II the only regent to have a James Bond working for her? A right royal episode indeed!

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With the Ukrainian counter-offensive bloodying the Russian nose and Putin losing serious face into the bargain, everyone's favourite former KGB officer responded with a chilling ultimatum - back off or The Bombs drop. Mobilising 300K Russian reservists, holding referenda in the occupied regions of Ukraine and threatening to go nuclear, it appears Putin is going all-in in a desperate ploy to maintain his authority at home. So should we be reinforcing our blanket forts and stockpiling water? Or is this yet another empty threat from a strongman whose days are numbered? And how is the world, both friend and foe, going to respond? Keep the 1000+ sunscreen handy for this weeks ep!

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Inspired by a listener’s question into why governments are so keen to show off their latest weapons (considering those things are meant to be secrets), this week we blow the ballast and plunge into the depths of military spending. How much are we spending, what are we spending it on, and why are these billion dollar purchases often such bad deals? And just what does Tom Cruise have against Canada? If you’re asking how much this weeks ep cost, you can’t afford it.

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Not since the Cold War has the Russian intelligence community been so clandestinely active abroad, and the sudden uptick in activity from Russian sleepers or illegals has the governments of Europe scrambling to find Reds under any number of beds. So, how does this most arcane of tradecrafts work? What goes into creating a sleeper? And how come the West is finding it so easy to find them? Check your passport number and lock up your meta data for this ep!

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With a spate of suicides, murder-suicides and just plain murders, it appears that some of Russia's biggest companies are radically downsizing their executive cohorts with some terminal and involuntary redundancy packages. Who would have thought that then position of oligarch was suddenly the most dangerous job in the world? Does this signify a sudden rapid increase in executive depression? Or is Vladimir Putin enacting a ruthless restructuring of his corporate cronies? Don't stand to close to any windows of opportunity when listening this week!

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With the eviction of the Russian government from the site of their new embassy in Canberra, and the ACT government putting the land up for diplomatic tender, we thought this week would be the perfect time to look at the frontline of Cold War combat - Embassies. To what lengths have governments gone to compromise foreign missions in their countries, what steps do diplomats and spies take to protect themselves, and what is David‘s opinion on the architectural worthiness of the Chinese embassy to Australia?

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It's not every day an ex-president gets raided, or an ex-PM gets caught giving himself jobs on the sly, but as the Chinese curse goes "May you live in interesting times". This week we have a look at the intelligence implications of Don's cache of classified documents and Scotty's secret cabinet of one. What were these two reprobates' plans? What does it mean for the US and Oz ICs? And what might happen next? This episode has been declassified.

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We all know how difficult senior citizens can make life, but no-one would have dreamed that a visit by an octogenarian could cause so much trouble. But that's what happened when Nancy Pelosi dropped in on Taiwan. The furious action in the South China sea over the last few weeks is of concern, but it also poses an interesting intelligence opportunity. With everyone moving pieces on the board, this is the perfect time to take a step back and have a good hard look at just what everyone is doing, how they are doing it and what they're doing it with. Sure, we're all is watching the Straits of Taiwan but not half as closely as our spies.

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As promised in our Assassination ep, this bite-size looks at the "Study in Assassination", the 1953 CIA file on the who, why, where, and how of extralegal killing centred on the CIA operations to overthrow the Guatemalan government. We also take a peek at the growing relationship between the CIA and JSOC - the US special operations group -  and how that is causing headaches for the US Congress. And what is the personnel cost of the US drone strike program? All this in a tiny strike package!

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With the recent drone strike on Al Qaeda head Ayman al Zawahiri and the very public shooting of former Japanese PM Shinzo Ade, it seems the darkest tool of the intelligence world is coming out of the shadows. Assassination is seen by many as an act of morally repugnant barbarism, but regarded by others as the ultimate precision weapon. This week we focus our cross hairs on the application of extra-judicial killing: what actually constitutes an assassination; how and why is it used; and how is its use limited?
Target acquired, you are weapons free. Take the shot with this weeks episode

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After a combination of a listener asking if we were enjoying Channel Ten's Hunted and David talking at length with a contact about the 1984 levels of public surveillance growing in China, this week we're looking at how difficult (or easy) it is to make a getaway. From the confected CCTV footage of Hunted, to the frighteningly real combination of facial recognition and AI analysis combined with experiments in social credit in the Peoples Republic, what lengths would you have to go to to avoid capture in today's modern society? Can you truly disappear in the electronic age? And how can knitting needles get you out of a jam? Trust no-one after this weeks ep!

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Sex. We all enjoy it but even today it is surprising how much trouble it can get us into. With reports of honey traps, the use of clandestine sexual encounters, on the rise in the intelligence world, we take a look at how people can still find themselves in the stickiest of situations. We also take a peep at some of the more infamous cases, including one extraordinary tale involving an opera singer, a French diplomat, and a very dark room. Prepare for a cold shower after this ep!

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In part two of our dive into at possibly the greatest intelligence heist in history, we look at what Edward Snowdon got and what it means for the US and its allies. What does it mean for the US intelligence community, what effects has it had on the US' enemies and what might it mean for Five Eyes members like Australia? And with Snowdon now living in Moscow has it helped or hindered Putin in his bid to recreate the glory of the Russian Empire? Who knew a thumb drive could cause so much damage?

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Who would have known that social occasions like dinners, soirees and cocktail parties were a prime place to find spies. But that's where so many initial contacts are made between the professional intelligence officer and potential agents. In this bite size we have a look at the process of recruiting an agent, as per the CIA Handbook of Recruitment. From lavish dinners to free tickets, if a diplomat is trying very hard to be your friend, chances are you have something they want. Be sure to check who you're drinking with when you listen to this one!

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Described by a CIA co-worker as a "genius among geniuses", Edward Snowdon managed to pull off the greatest intelligence heist in history. He absconded with literally millions of classified documents, and left the US and allies still unsure of exactly what secrets he took. In this first part of a two part examination we look at how Snowdon found himself at the heart of the intelligence beast, how he managed to walk out the door with a treasure trove of intel, and how that dumb terminal you're used to working on ain't so dumb.

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With European governments booting Russian diplomats and intelligence assets from their countries, the question has to be asked: Where are they all going?
The answer: Switzerland.
Home of chocolate, cheese and almost every large international organisation, Switzerland is a spy's paradise, and the gateway to the rest of Europe. Keep your Swiss Army knife handy as we yodel our way through the Alps in this bite-size!

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The recent attempted hacking of an undersea communications cable off Hawaii gives us the perfect chance to look beneath the surface of telecommunications security, particularly that of ocean-spanning cables. Starting with the legendary Operation Ivy Bells, we examine the how, who and why these trunk lines are hacked, how common it is, and just what it might mean for an island like Australia. Take a deep breath, this episode is going deep.

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Another listener request, this week about surveillance, how to spot it and how to avoid it. In the age of CCTV, internet tracking and electronic chicanery, the old trade craft of foot, vehicle and static surveillance is still going strong (although if you think you're being followed it probably says more about you than it does about the police state). Then again, as the old saying goes: Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you.
And if you're looking in a shop window and notice someone behind you in the reflection touching their ear, they're probably listening to this ep!

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Further damning revelations from the January 6 Committee paint a picture of a United States in crisis. From the Proud Boys running the January 6 storming of the Capitol building as an incognito military assault, to the GOP gaming the US electoral system, to Trumpist Senators, Congressmen and lawyers queueing up for pardons, could we be watching the fall of an empire in real time? And what does this mean for the security community in the US and beyond? Seriously, who would have thought a dodgy reality TV host could cause so much chaos? Keep your knitting needles close!

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A bite-size episode to answer a question from a listener: Are spies criminally liable? We explore the legal and not-so legal aspects of an intelligence officer's life on the edge of the law, find out just what, why and how a spy can get away with dastardly deeds, and exactly which legislation they'll need to know to get out of trouble.

Better bring a lawyer, Bond. Better bring a real good one!

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Just in time for the 50th anniversary of the Watergate hearings, the US Congress has started their prime time hearings into the January 6 insurrection. What are the parallels between this hearing and the one into Nixon's White House? What does it mean for the future of US politics and the GOP? And will the Don and his cronies ever face any real consequences? Keep your lawyer on speed dial for this weeks ep!

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Just last week, everything seemed to be on the up-and-up with China, until it was revealed that some sky-hi-jinks between an RAAF surveillance flight and a PLAAF fighter nearly brought the whole thing undone. So what really  happened? What is China up to? And just why was an Australian Air Force plane flying around the Sth China Sea anyway? And just when is an island not an island? Make sure your tray table is secured for this one!

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With the new Australian government out of the blocks with a flying start, we look at what an Albanese administration means for our intelligence community. What changes have already taken place? Who are the new ministers responsible for national security? When, if ever, will Penny Wong see her family again? And just what was going on with the Chinese spy ship off WA during the election that got Peter Dutton so hot under the collar? And remember: the more things change...

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With the US reeling from yet another school shooting, this week we look at the relationship between the Australian intelligence community and firearms. Which of our spies are armed, when can they carry a gun and what are the regulations around going locked and loaded into the field? And how does American gun culture affect the US intelligence experience? Keep your pistol in your pocket and leave your safety on, people!

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Now the election is over, it's time to get back to the real world of intelligence, and what better way than to dive into the greatest black op/conspiracy nursery in intelligence history. Operation Gladio started as an idea to fight off a possible Soviet invasion of Europe, but became a sinister web of intrigue that spanned the globe and decades, involving the CIA, the drug trade, the Mafia, the Masons, the Vatican and at least one dead Pope. When we say the intelligence game isn't anything like the movies, Operation Gladio is the exception that defies the rule. Have your secret hand shake ready!

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With the election drawing to a close, China is rearing its substantial head yet again and just in time for us to look at both sides of the Sino-intelligence coin. From a possible PRC parliamentary plant in the LNP's Gladys Liu, to the potential growth in Australia's Chinese informants in Beijing, we look at how Australia is playing the spy game both in and outside the country. And just what does ASIS spy chief Paul Symon enjoy with his schnitty at lunch?
Don't forget to tip your wait staff!

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With the war in Ukraine dragging and the world still trying to grasp how it all went so wrong for Vladimir Putin, we have a look at how the very structure of the Russian military may be the problem. From the doctrine of no limits adopted from the Russian Mafia, to a conscripted army with no NCOs to guide them, to brutal hazing straight out of the gulags, could it be that the Russian bear isn't the rampaging beast we were lead to believe? And talking of beasts, are militaries around the world seriously weaponising sea life?
Join us for a truly deep dive!
(The producers of I Spied want assure the listener that no cetaceans were harmed in the making of this podcast)

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We're back! And what a time to return, with the federal election being thrown into chaos with a genuine national security crisis!
What is really happening in the Solomons? How did the government drop the ball and are our intelligence services to blame? What does this growing Chinese influence in Australia's back yard mean for us? And just what game is Xi playing now?
This little trip to the Pacific ain't gonna be no island holiday!

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With Vladimir Putin placing members of his intelligence service under house arrest, we look at the critical and often misunderstood relationship between governments and the intelligence community that advises them. How much control does a government need to have over its spies? Is too much control a bad thing? And should you start worrying if Putin sends you a hot tub to install in your third floor bathroom. Join us as we try to thin several thickening plots.

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With Michelle on a mission in Melbourne and David wallowing in the sea of information flowing out of Ukraine, this week we are taking the opportunity to bring your our interview with Melbourne journo Greg Muller. Greg is the brains behind the podcast "Motherlode", an examination of how a group of Melbourne teenagers back in the 90s, using nothing more Commodore 64s and dial-up-modems, nearly brought governments to their knees and made Australia the centre of the cyber universe. We chat with Greg about how he came across the story, his time with the players on both sides of the law, and how a young guy with the handle Mannix went on to change the world. If you want to know where Julian Assange started, this interview and the Motherlode podcast is definitely not to be missed.

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As the old saying goes "The first casualty of war is the truth" and nothing highlights that more than the information war we are witnessing in Ukraine. What is the difference between disinformation and misinformation? How is it being weaponised? How can you avoid falling into its thrall? And what is the number one question David is asked in the street? Nothing but the facts in this week's ep... or are they?

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With the hot war in Ukraine dragging on and the new cold war between East and West growing, we look at one of the most mysterious aspects of global brinkmanship and the latest two-edged sword of the intelligence world - Grey Zone Warfare. What is it? How do we combat it? And what can we expect from it in the future? And just how does David get that gravelly tone to his voice? If you find yourself confused after this weeks episode, relax. You've entered the grey zone.

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With Ukraine president Zelenskyy welcoming foreign fighters to join the struggle in Ukraine, we look at Australia's checkered history of citizens travelling abroad to distant shores in search of glory. What is legislation is there to stop them? Why might they be dangerous when they get home? And what could Sexpo possibly have to do with any of this?
This week, remember the 1st rule of (Freedom) Fight Club:
Don't join (Freedom) Fight Club.

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As promised this week we dig into one of the more disturbing and largely overlooked revelations of the ASIO Annual Threat Assessment: the radicalisation of ordinary Australians. From the protests at Parliament House to the school yards of suburbia, people are losing faith in the democracy and turning to extremism. How is it happening? What are they angry about? And what is the story with INCELs? Make sure you to go to the window, open it, stick your head out, and yell, ‘Why are they as mad as hell, and why aren't they going to take this anymore!’ before listening.

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After multiple requests from listeners, this week we tackle ASIO chief Mike Burgess' Annual Threat Assessment. What dangers is Australia facing in the future? How will foreign influence shape the coming federal election? What is the government doing that is drawing Burgo and former ASIO DGs out of the shadows to front the media? And just how bad could it be to "swipe right"?
Check under the bed for any wayward reds before listening this week!

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With Australia set to re-open its borders, a lot of us are facing that most onerous task of international travel - renewing our passports. So what is it about this little booklet that makes it so special? Why are they so coveted by intelligence services and terrorist groups? And why aren't we allowed to smile in our passport photos? And why aren't we allowed to smile on in our passport photos? Make sure your luggage has been in your possession at all times while listening this week!

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A Russian naval exercise recently escalated to a full blown war and the Russians lost... to a bunch of fishermen. But this isn't the first time the Russians have run into trouble with a fishing fleet. This week we look at the Russian Navy's problem with anglers and how the Chinese have weaponised the fishing industry in their ongoing campaign to control the South China Sea. An episode chock full of accents and tales of nautical derring-dumb!

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SPOILER ALERT At long last we've finally watched the latest Bond instalment "No Time to Die", despite not getting tickets to the premier. How does it stack up in the 007 pantheon? What were our favourite moments? And is nitpicking a Bond film just an exercise in futility?
Be sure to watch the movie first before we ruin it for you!

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So who had military conflict in Eastern Europe on their 2022 bingo card? With global tensions rising we try to unpack the seething mess around the Ukraine. What's Putin up to? How is NATO going to respond? And is the president of the Ukraine really a former comedian? In an accent packed episode, Michelle and David promise by the end you'll be pronouncing "Kyiv" like a local. Budmo!

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Michelle is back! And considering she has to recover from her sojourn into the wilds of NSW, we thought we’d look back at one of our favourite episodes, where journalistic wünderkind and proud Novocastrian Matt Bevan joined us for a chat about everyone’s favourite KGB-hard-man-turned-world-leader, Vladimir Putin. With Russian troops massing on the Ukraine border, it’s time we had a look at what drives the man behind what could be the match that ignites a war in Eastern Europe.

America If You're Listening Podcast 

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With the country in the grips of the Omicron outbreak, tennis players being imprisoned for entering the country unjabbed and Michelle still missing after being extraordinarily rendered to an unknown bucolic location for an intense barrage of government-sanctioned relaxation, we're presenting you a repeat of one the oldie but goodie episodes about women in intelligence. Plus it comes with a bonus film recommendation. Stay tuned! Normal service will be resumed next week.

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Would you believe that ASIO has a file on Santa? Welcome back to the snackable I Spied episodes to listen to over your Christmas break. 

When you consider Santa’s criminal abilities, technology, obviously far-reaching surveillance capabilities, constant flouting of sovereign borders and his obviously socialist ideology of giving every child a present, why wouldn’t they? We look at the most dangerous man in the world that every intelligence service would love to get their hands on.

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In this year’s final episode we delve deep into the world spies: couples sent to act as sleepers in foreign lands, living among the locals until called on to act. How are they selected, are they match-made or recruited as couples, and what are the pitfalls of life as an “Illegal”? And what does David know about a surfing sleeper cell on the Northern beaches? Dust off your wedding ring and prepare to renew your vows - Children optional.

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In this year's penultimate episode are joined by journalistic genius and all around great guy Matt Bevan to look at the perennial problem: China. What is Xi's end game, will there be a war over Taiwan, what can Australia do to repair the relationship, and just how did David get his hands on one of the most controversial telexes about Tiananmen Square? From Grey Zone warfare to those AUKUS subs, we get inside the Great Firewall and literally dig the dirt on the machinations of the Middle Kingdom.
So good you'll want to listen again half an hour later!

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This week a listener request has us looking at how you actually join ASIO. What is ASIO looking for in an applicant? What can you be expected to reveal about yourself? And just how did David manage to get through such a rigorous selection criteria and wind up working in one of the most sensitive organisations in the country? Double check your former addresses and be sure to remember your mother's maiden name before listening!

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With protestors taking to the streets with nooses, politicians baying for each others’ blood, and extremists literally weaponising this anger online, this week we look at what it takes to protect our elected officials. How does VIP protection work, what are the difficulties a detail can face, and what sort of person would take a bullet for a PM? And just how did David draw the attention of a protective detail on a ferry on Sydney Harbour. Check your escape route before listening!

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This week we delve into the least clandestine tool in a spy's arsenal - OSINT. From newspapers and research papers to the rise of social media, open source information has long been the backbone of intelligence gathering, and never more so than now. How did OSINT evolve, how important is it and what does it mean to personal privacy? And how was OSINT instrumental in a mysterious phone call David received while walking over Sydney Harbour Bridge? You may want to have a good think about what you share on line after this!

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David attended a boozy lunch with a bunch of old spies last week and we expect he'll be offloaded from the shipping container he's trapped in somewhere in East Africa very soon. As such, this week we're revisiting one of our earliest episodes - The Full Minsky. Not only is the episode a bizarre tale of surveillance, the KGB and the perils of lunchtime stripping, but it's also a great entrè into the world of ASIO. David also recently reenacted the events of The Full Minsky in "Sergei the Spy" for the ABC podcast Days Like These. Why not listen to both?

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If you thought Morrison's falling out with Macron was bad, just look at the French's own diplomatic disaster from the 1980s. In a story that includes undercover agents, frogmen, limpet mines, submarine escapes and intrigue that went all the way to the Presidential Palace of Versailles, the bombing of the Rainbow Warrior in Auckland harbour was a piece of state-sponsored terrorism that shocked the world, shattered Gallic grandeur and shaped the political landscape of the South Pacific for generations. It also goes to show, no matter how insulted the French feel right now, they can hardly say "Mon merde ne pue pas".

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This week we are joined by investigative humourist and the billboarding bad boy of climate activism, A Rational Fear's Dan Ilic to talk about the security threats of climate change. What are the threats? What should our response be? Are our military and intelligence services prepared for what is to come? And can David use a chunk of rainforest and an abandoned marijuana plantation to help save the world? Get your overcoats on because a storm is coming!

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DG of Security Mike Burgess recently submitted the annual ASIO Report to Parliament, and like the dutiful guardians of the Australian intelligence community that we are, we’re having a good, hard look at how the year has been for our plucky internal security service. How is espionage and terrorism shaping up as threats, who are the hot targets for 2022, and how does ASIO rate its own performance? ASIO declares itself to be “Ordinary Australians who do extraordinary things”, but we’ll let you be the judge.

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Another in the bite size anthology of real life spies that inspired Ian Fleming in a futile effort to get Universal to give us tickets to No Time To Die. This week, we have found someone quintessentially Bond - an educated playboy with a penchant for fast cars, faster women and a dab hand at double crossing. And Fleming first met him in a casino in Portugal playing baccarat! 
A man who spent WWII working for MI6, the FBI and the Abwehr but played exclusively for himself.
The name’s Popov… Dusan Popov.

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Clear your dead drops and check your six for a tail as this week we look at the arrest by the FBI of nuclear physicist Jonathon Toebbe and his school teacher wife Diana for attempting to sell secrets to a “foreign government”.  Who might that “foreign government” be, how did a peanut butter sandwich figure in this story, and what could have motivated the Toebbes to seek out their country for a fist full of cryptocurrency? And how did this intelligence scandal compare to the case of John Anthony Walker Jr, a US Navy Warrant office who led a spy ring that undermined US military and intelligence operations for nearly two decades? Strap in for some good, old-fashioned skullduggery as we look at why seemingly normal people turn traitor.

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In their continued desperate attempt to get tickets to No Time To Die, David and Michelle look at the members of MI6 that inspired Fleming in his creation of James Bond. From a backwards skiing crack shot who saved a Norwegian village, to a Russian speaking schoolboy with a penchant for pretty women and fast cars, this bite size ep goes to show that however fantastic fiction may be, it doesn’t hold a Martini to the truth.

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With anti-vax and anti-lockdown protests roiling in cities across the Eastern seaboard, David and Michelle look back at the “Golden Age” of protest of the late 60s & early 70s, when peaceniks, aboriginal rights activists and bra-burning feminists came under ASIO’s watchful eye. Why were Australians so quick to protest, why was ASIO so focused on the demonstrators, and what did feminists do to stop the spooks from listening in to their conversations? And what does all this mean in the age of Covid?
Dust off your gas mask, hold your placard high, prepare to man (or woman) the barricades and chant:
Hey hey! Ho ho! That guy with the camera is from ASIO!

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To celebrate the release of No Time to Die (and in a shameless ploy to scam tickets to the premier) David and Michelle are taking a look at the real-life Bonds that may have inspired Ian Fleming in creating 007. This week: Codenamed “Ramsay”, Richard Sorge was a hard-drinking, motorbike-riding, womanising intelligence officer who literally changed the outcome of WWII. Regarded by Fleming himself as “the most formidable spy in history”, Sorge’s story has everything: Nazis, Communists, torture, several wives and 52 mistresses in Japan alone. And he managed to thwart an invasion! He was such a Bond he has to be 001.

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What do US diplomatic cables, videos of US military malfeasance, Swedish sexual assault charges and an Ecuadorian lavatory all have in common? Australia’s elusive homegrown hacker: Julian Assange. From his early teenage days cracking the US DoD mainframe to the formation of Wikileaks and the unprecedented classified leaks of Chelsea Manning, we look at how Julian went from a person of interest to the AFP to a possible target for kidnapping or assassination by the CIA. Data dumps, classified leaks, it’s no wonder Assange spent so long living in a diplomatic dunny.

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Like the classic German U-boat film, Australia’s submarine program looks to be languishing on the bottom of the ocean. This week we dive, dive, dive into the depths of Scott Morrison’s ham-fisted handling of our French alliance and just what we can expect from the AUKUS agreement. What sort of subs might we get, what will our partners expect in return, and how are the neighbours going to respond with the idea of an Australian nuclear navy? And are the Collins class subs really that bad? Stand by to blow ballast while we see if we can bring these tin cans’ troubles to the surface.

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With everyone talking about Morrison’s AUKUS-ward handling of the French submarine contract, we’ve decided to have a quick peek at one of the forgotten submariner successes of the RAN: a story of Russian nuclear subs, a maverick Navy commander and an Oberon sub called HMAS Orion. A tale of naval daring-do that launched the purchase of the oft-maligned Collins Class subs, which decades later has us virtually high and dry for some new boats. Thanks to podcast fanboi Salty Sea Dog for pointing us in the direction of this cracker of a yarn.

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With President Biden ordering the FBI to finally release its findings into the logistics behind 9/11, this week we finish up our retrospective by addressing the camel in the room: Saudi Arabia. With 15 of the 19 hijackers being Saudi citizens, the mastermind behind the attack being a member of one of the Kingdom’s most successful business families and accusations of Saudi government involvement, 9/11 highlighted the incomprehensibly inconsistent relationship between Washington and Riyadh. We examine how a disparate collection of nomadic tribes became a lynch pin of US foreign policy and how, like the ultimate marriage of inconvenience, it seems the US and the Sauds are only staying together for the kids (ie. the guns and the oil).

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In this bite size episode, we’d like to thank all of our listeners for sticking with us for the last year. To be honest, David is surprised Michelle hasn’t quit while Michelle is equally as surprised that David’s hasn’t been bagged and shipped off to a black site. We also look at some of our more interesting Twitter followers and explore a spy’s options once they leave the service (other than podcasting). So raise a glass while you’re listening and enjoy the fact that you’re probably now on a watch list. Cheers!

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This week we look at how intelligence services around the world changed in the aftermath of 9/11. From Canada politely deciding not to spy on foreign powers, to France’s uncompromising attitude to terrorism, to Australia’s increasing police & intelligence powers, we look at how the West armed itself for the War on Terror.

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Twenty years ago 19 men hijacked four airliners and changed the world. While we remember the victims and count the costs of an operation that redefined terrorism, we look at how the US found itself so open to the brutal attacks that took place on 9/11. The US has the largest, most sophisticated and best funded intelligence community in the world, but it seems bigger isn’t necessarily better, and we look at how the CIA and FBI missed the clues to the moment that defined the first two decades of the 21st century.

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In three short months Afghanistan went from a US quagmire to a Taliban powder keg. Three short months… and twenty years. So we thought it was time to look at the tough and ancient land that has claimed yet another empirical scalp, and also the people now running it. Why is Afghanistan so intractable, how did it unravel so quickly and what happens next? To talk all things Taliban, terror and the world’s worst turf war, we’re joined by intelligence maven and Olympic hall monitor Neil Fergus from his quarantine in Brisbekistan. Strap in! This flight is strictly standing room only.

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This week we look at how a single mum from New Zealand became one of ASIO’s greatest intelligence assets and helped take down the #1 KGB resident at the Soviet Embassy in Canberra. An episode that is full of classic, old school tradecraft: dead drops, invisible ink, secret radio transmitters and… a honey trap! And just what wort of relics can be found in the ASIO museum? Settle in for one of the great tales from ASIO history.

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Not everyone likes abstract expressionism, but the CIA loved it. So much so that they literally weaponised it during the Cold War in the battle space of “winning hearts and minds”. Just how did the likes of Jackson Pollock help defeat Soviet communism, how much does the CIA have to do with arts and entertainment these days, and what exactly did the CIA think of the Bourne movies? Art imitates life, imitating art in this week's episode (and David reveals the very best spot in the National Gallery for a romantic tryst).

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We talk a lot about ASIO and everything it does, but what about the other Australian intelligence organisations? Who are they, what do they do and how do they shape up in the modern security environment? And just how well do they all get on with each other? Watch as we use almost every letter in the alphabet in our most acronym-heavy episode yet.

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The intelligence world was rocked by the news that a small Israeli company had been selling one of the most insidious pieces of surveillance software ever devised. Pegasus has been used by authoritarian governments to spy with impunity against friend and foe alike and most alarmingly, it is virtually impossible to stop. This week we look at the intelligence and privacy implications of a system that allows the user to virtually clone any phone on the planet. Should we be worried? Has Australia got its hands on it? And is there any way to prevent exposure? Check your firewalls after downloading this ep!

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Robert J Hawke, loveable larrikin, union hard man and arguably the most popular PM in Australian history. But recently released US diplomatic cables reveal that the Silver Bodgie may not have been as left wing as we thought and the US saw him as more than a potential PM. Could it be that the Rhodes Scholar that held the world record the the yard glass was actually an intelligence source for the US? What was his relationship with the US embassy during his union days? And what really happened when Bob met Ol’ Blue Eyes? Our thanks to Cameron Conventry for his excellent article “The Eloquence of Robert J Hawke” for the inspiration of this episode.

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Diver, Don Juan and drunk, Lionel Crabb is regarded as another of the inspirations for Ian Fleming’s greatest creation, but “Buster’s” story didn’t end like a Bond film. Last seen submerging into the icy depths of Portsmouth on a clandestine mission, theories abound as to what became of him. Did he defect, was he killed in a thrilling under water struggle or was diving with a monstrous hangover his final demise? A bite-size episode with teeth!

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The second part of the Lindt Cafe story takes a different twist with Michelle revealing what the day was like from inside the broadcast booth. How did the story unfold for the media, how did the police and government control the flow of information and how did this one event influence how Australia deals with extremist incidents now? And does David have what it takes to anchor this podcast?

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This week we take a deep breath and look at the Lindt Cafe tragedy, starting with the literal Man behind it. Who was Man Monis and how did he manage to enact the tragedy that was the Lindt Cafe Siege despite being on NSW police and ASIO’s radar? And was it truly an act of terrorism or the desperate actions of a deeply disturbed person?

Part 1 of a 2 part look at a shocking event that brought Sydney to a standstill.

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With the arrest of Friendly Jordies’ producer Kristin Langker everyone is talking about the NSW Police Fixated Persons Unit, but how does the unit work and what guidelines does it follow? This week we have a look at what looks a lot like police overreach and the propensity for pollies to use the courts and law enforcement to stifle criticism. And David makes a confession that reveals how he can sit through an entire day of test cricket. From suspects to sniffer dogs to strip searches, this episode is almost criminal.

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Thanks to a listener request this week we look at former Australian Defence intelligence officer Jean Baptiste Wispeleare: an epic tale of espionage, deceit and betrayal. From his attempt to sell US secrets to his time languishing in a US prison cell we look at how he went about creating his James Bond adventure, how he was foiled and how ASIO could have gotten his security clearance so wrong. Strap in for a spy story that reads like a Greek tragedy.

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Ever heard of the Surveillance Legislation Amendment (Identify & Disrupt) Bill 2020? Not a lot of people have, so this week we look at the latest piece of legislation to give police and intelligence access to your data. How would it work, who is it aimed at, and how could it be used to sweep innocent bystanders into an investigation? And what is David apologising for now?

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What do you do when the intelligence organisation you worked for turns out to be compromised? This week we look at how ASIO may not have been as secure as its name suggests as history reveals that the KGB had more than one mole inside its hallowed walls. And how does it feel when you realise one of the people you worked closely with might just have been one of the moles?  A genuinely revealing episode.

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Well, it seems Jared Kuchner’s Middle East Peace Plan wasn’t all it was cracked up to be... Quelle surprise! In light of that and the explosion of tension on the Lower Levant, this week we attempt to walk the razor’s edge and tackle the eternally intractable problem of Jerusalem, Israel and Palestine. When did it start, who’s been involved and what are the chances of a peaceful resolution? And did someone say there are spies in the Bible? Please tweet all comments, criticisms and death threats to @ISpiedpodcast.

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With all the sabre rattling going on over China, this week we delve back to when ASIO and Frosty found themselves involved in a War - Gulf War 1. What caused that war, what were the outcomes and what did ASIO do on the home front? And what was Frosty’s favoured outfit when the conflict began. Hold onto your shorts!

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After spending the last month looking at Australian terrorist incidents, it’s high time to look at where these people are coming from. What makes a terrorist, how does someone get radicalised and what can we do to stop it? And just what is a Secret Policeman’s Ball really like and why does David like dancing so much?

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Australia has long been a refuge for the Irish but what about the IRA? This week we look at terrorism from the Emerald Isle, it’s influence from the early days of the colony and into the 21st century. And David reveals a dark family secret involving an uprising, a rebellion and a drunken horse & buggy ride along Parramatta Road. Sláinte!

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At 12.40am, 13 February 1978, Australia was thrown into the international spotlight when a bomb exploded outside the Hilton Hotel in Sydney. This week we attempt to unpack that story - the causes, the controversies, the casualties and the repercussions. Probably the truly defining moment in Australian intelligence that saw counter terrorism become ASIO’s big target. Not to be missed.

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In this bite-size ep. we look at the Five Eyes - the intelligence-sharing alliance between the US, UK, Canada, Australia and NZ. What does it do, why was it set up and how do the member states feel about Five Eyes becoming Six? An interesting glimpse at a little-known feature of the  Western intelligence landscape, along with David’s terrible Churchill impersonation. A perfectly ludicrous way to ease into your weekend.

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This week we look at the literal explosion of Yugoslav terrorism in Australia in the 60s & 70s. What did the terrorists want, how did they manage to stay active for so long and why was ASIO seemingly unable to stop them? And just why would the AG raid the ASIO offices? A fascinating piece of almost forgotten history that reshaped ASIO and put counter-terrorism firmly on the map.

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Following a spirited debate on the @ISpiedppodcast twitter feed re. Christine Holgate asking Senate Estimates for the records of her telephone conversations with ministers and the Auspost board, we decided to look at telephone intercepts. How does ASIO go about bugging your phone, what are the legal ramifications and who else is involved? This one definitely warrants a listen.

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This week a listener request takes us down the rabbit hole of terrorism in Australia, and does that hole go deep! In the first of a multi-episode series, we look at some of the stranger incidents, including the Battle of Broken Hill and the only ever reported attack by the Queensland Republican Army. Far from a new phenomenon, terrorism has been a feature of the security environment down under for over a century. Strap yourselves in, folks. This is going to take a few eps!

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In this bite size ep. we say farewell to one of American security’s craziest characters - George Gordon Battle Liddy. Former FBI agent, Watergate conspirator and all-round whack job, Liddy exemplified the paranoia and clandestine chicanery of the Nixon era. You woudn’t leave your pencils lying around if George was in the room.

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This week, in the wake of the Channel 9 and Parliament House hacks, we are joined by Jason Brown, National Security Director for Thales and globally renowned cyber expert to look at just what is going on online. Who are the big players, what are the threats, and just how prepared is Australia to face the digital future? And why was the printer at ASIO given it’s own office? You’ll want to be sure to check you password and make sure your anti-virus software is up-to-date after you’ve listen to this ep!

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For the second year ASIO DG Mike Burgess has addressed the public with his annual threat assessment. This week we have a look at what the speech contained - from changes to how ASIO describe extremists to the “nest of spies” ASIO recently uncovered - and what this all means to Australia.Not just the contents of the speech, but also the extraordinary new openness DG Burgess is promoting.  And just why are so many countries spying on us these days?

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Our intelligence agencies have a lot of confidential material and in this bite-size episode, we look at how they determine just how they classify them and how they determine who can look at them. From your birth certificate to your online footprint, ASIO takes a good long look at you before sharing their secrets and after this ep. you’ll be even more mystified at how David ever cleared to the top echelons of national security.

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Back in the day, a claim that a Satanic Cult of sex-trafficking paedophilic cannibals working out of a pizza shop was running the world would immediately find itself relegated to the ASIO Crank file. And yet people are jumping on the QAnon bandwagon in droves. This week we take a long, penetrating look at QAnon: what does it mean, why do people believe it and what are the security implications? It’s a murky world of 4Chan, 8Kun, Storms, Great Awakenings and the cult of Trump. You may need a shower after this one!

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This week we slip across the 38th parallel for a look at the most secretive totalitarian state on the planet - the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. Living on an almost permanent war footing, starving its citizens to build nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles and being ruled by a family that make what the Windsors did to Meghan look positively welcoming, the aptly named Hermit Kingdom is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside a bad haircut.
Welcome to North Korea, the last place on Earth where you want to give your tour guide the slip.

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In this bite-size episode we look at embassies, consulates and all that stuff around diplomats. What kind of immunity do they have? Is an embassy actually a sovereign part of the country that occupies it? And how did Julian Assange get to live in an Ecuadorian bathroom for so long? From defectors to diplomatic bags, this mini ep. tells you everything you never knew about diplomatic missions.

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With the release of the CIA report into the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, David and Michelle take a deep dive into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its latest Crown Prince and likely prime suspect, Muhammad Bin Salman. What is the relationship between the US and the Sauds? What is its future with MSB in the mix? And just what was David and Michelle up to when they visited the Middle East? Available wherever you get your podcasts.

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In this week’s episode we look at women in the world of espionage and discover that far from the bubbly Bond girls we’re used to, women have shaped intelligence world and can be as badass as the best of them. Running resistance cells, rescuing downed pilots, skiing over mountains into enemy territory, nothing was too hard for these femme fatales. From Mata Hari to Avril Haines it becomes pretty clear that behind every man in intelligence there is likely a woman who showed him how it’s done. A cracker of an episode!

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This week is the story of Mordechai Vanunu, just an average guy who winds up caught in a web of international intrigue, honey traps, Mossad black ops, kidnapping and nuclear weapons. From Israel to Sydney to London to Rome and back to Israel, this is truly a gobsmacking spy expose which also sees David get accosted at the Civic bus interchange in Canberra. Not to be missed!

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Vladimir has a problem and that problem is Alexie Navalny - lawyer, activist and all-round pain in Putin’s posterior. This ep we have a look at Alexie and his 20 year fight against corruption in Russia. From poisonings to prison sentences, Putin can’t seem to be able to get rid of this problem, much like ASIO’s DDG when David started editing the in-house newsletter. A real David vs Goliath episode!

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Welcome to 2021 and I Spied - the embarrassingly overweight insurrectionist of Australian intelligence. We feel we can’t start the year without talking about the ruckus in the US. David and Michelle look at how the storming of the Capitol happened, where US security failed, and David talks about how ASIO handled a similar crisis when protesters tried to storm the Canberra Central Office. I Spied is available wherever get your podcasts.

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If you feel like betraying your country, maybe you should listen to this first. From Kim Philby to the Petrovs and beyond, we take a glimpse at the life of a defector: how it’s done, what are the rewards and what are the downsides. Spying is hardly glamorous, and defecting is even less so.

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While we often take a long laughing look at how spies are depicted in fiction, some of the true stories are seriously wired. In this bite-size I Spied we look at the CIA’s operations in Moscow during the Cold War and some of the stranger devices they came up with to foil the KGB. How about a dog skin created by the CIA wig department? Or how rats were used to send messages. Fact is often stranger than fiction, and when it comes to US spies, a whole lot weirder!

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A special episode of the stuff we couldn’t fit into the interview with friend of the podcast and all-round intelligence security guru Neil Fergus. We look at his experience as the Head of Security for the Olympic Games, the terrorist threats we didn’t hear about during the Sydney Games, and the most awkward phone call Neil had when the President of the Brazil Olympic Committee called to offer him a job.

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Osama Bin Laden. The most recognisable name in terrorism and a major case study for all things ASIO and security. On this week’s snack-sized episode of I Spied, we unpack how Bin Laden came about, 9/11 and how he outsmarted the American Security System.

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Atomic Blonde. Does the hit movie accurately represent the intelligence industry and is everyone as badass as Charlize Theron? Welcome back to the snackable I Spied episodes to listen to over your Christmas break. Today on another bite-sized ep we analyse spy movies and investigate if the cookie-cutter plots are closely aligned to any possible truth of the real world spy industry.

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Would you believe that ASIO has a file on Santa? Welcome back to the snackable I Spied episodes to listen to over your Christmas break. 

When you consider Santa’s criminal abilities, technology, obviously far-reaching surveillance capabilities, constant flouting of sovereign borders and his obviously socialist ideology of giving every child a present, why wouldn’t they? We look at the most dangerous man in the world that every intelligence service would love to get their hands on.

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Tis the season for love, giving and your Uncle Barry’s wild conspiracy theories that he thinks are worth discussing over Christmas Dinner. Welcome to the bite-sized episodes of I Spied over the Christmas/New Year period. Today we unpack why your Uncle Barry can’t just shut his mouth and how you can avoid crazy conspiracy theories this Christmas.

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We've talked a lot about what it’s like to work for ASIO, but what is it like to be targeted by ASIO? This week we are joined by former politician, life-long activist and editor of Dirty Secrets: Our ASIO Files - an expose of the files of famous Australians - to talk about being followed by ASIO and the NSW Special Branch, the people ASIO targeted during the 60s and 70s and running onto the SCG pitch to protest apartheid during the 1971 Springbok tour.

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I Spied - the Twitter troll of Australian Intelligence - This week we take a long, hard look at power and pitfalls of social media - how intelligence services use it to gather information, how extremist organisations use it to recruit members, how terrorists use it to plan and carry out attacks. We examine how everything you post - from selfies to Fitbit data -  reveals far more than you think, and David talks about how a single incorrect keystroke on the ASIO internal messaging system led him into a romantic tryst with a real-life Bond girl.

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I Spied - the steamed tripe on the Yum Cha trolley of Australian intelligence.

With Australian trade taking a shellacking from China recently, we are joined by Neil Fergus, CEO of Intelligent Risks and security consultant to the IOC to take a deep dive into the Middle Kingdom and figure out just what is going on. From walking Olivia Newton John the length of the Great Wall to dealing with the MSS during the Beijing Olympics, Neil shows us that 

dealing with China is like playing a game of poker blindfolded, where you only have one card and they hold all the aces.

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I Spied - the podcast that is the embarrassing sext message on the iPhone of Australian intelligence. This week, with Australian political philandering being exposed on the ABC, we look at compromise: how it happens; how to avoid it; and what to do when you have been, and David reveals how he found himself in a rather compromising situation involving Shakespeare, the High Court, a vegemite jar and a large marijuana plant.

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I Spied - the podcast that is the bamboo sliver under the fingernail of security. We hear about “enhanced interrogation techniques” but what really happens if you’re captured by the other side? This episode, we look at interrogation, torture, and a training exercise became the longest night & day & night & day of Frosty’s life.

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Here is a link to ASIO's questioning and detention powers report talked about in the Ep - www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Joint/Intelligence_and_Security/ASIO/Report

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I Spied - the podcast that is the crossed lines of telephone interception. This week we look at extremism from far left to far right and Frosty tells of the afternoon he had to listen to a murder over the phone. We all know James Bond gets a gun, but what does your average ASIO officer have to protect himself?

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Frosty regards the collapse of Soviet Communism as some of his finest work, and when the Berlin Wall came down in 1989, ASIO was certain the Cold War was over and Russia was done.  There was just one little detail every western intelligence organisation missed… a young KGB Officer named Vladimir Putin.

On the eve of the US election I Spied is thrilled to be joined by Matt Bevan, ABC journo and the man behind the “America, If You’re Listening” podcast, to talk about Trump, Putin and everything you need to know about overthrowing a government.

America If You're Listening Podcast 

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I spied, the podcast that is the unwanted briefcase at the bus stop of Life. In today's episode, David tells us how the ASIO building was shut down by a briefcase. We also unpack the inner workings of the ASIO building itself.

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I Spied the podcast that is the economy legroom on a flight to Bali. Today David tells us what he did to get pistol-whipped on a plane and all we dive in to all things Terrorism.

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I Spied the podcast that is the inappropriate foot placement in a hot tub after a party.

In today's episode David reveals how he ended up in the CIA Station Chief’s spa tub with two Marines and his secretary. We also discuss the 'Five Eyes' and sharing of infomation between nations.

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I Spied, the Podcats that guarantees if you didn’t have a file you’ve got one now.  This week we discuss what everyone really wants to know - what does my file at ASIO say about me. 

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I Spied, the bug in the ointment of the spy industry. This weeks episode David explains the perils of bugging someone's house and we unpacks surveillance, encryption and all the tech of the spy industry.

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I Spied,  the podcast that is the tea in a Russian poison plot.

In todays episode, Michelle Stephenson Nova journalist and, David Callan ex ASIO Spook turned comedian discuss counterintelligence, the KGB and how following an agent from Russia ended in a live sex act.

A DM Podcast www.diamantina.com.au

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Welcome to I Spied,  the podcast that aims to undress the spy industry only to find a hairy overweight middle-aged man.
In this episode, Michelle Stephenson Nova journalist and, David Callan ex ASIO Spook turned comedian discuss how David wound up working there, his first job and how a chance glance at a photo revealed a high school mate may have been a terrorist bomb maker.

Twitter: @ISpiedpodcast
A DM Podcast www.diamantina.com.au

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I Spied will take a look at the dark underbelly of the intelligence world and give its love-handles a damn good shake.

A DM Podcast www.diamantina.com.au

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