Sources revealed Involvement of the Belgian State in funding Libyan Militias responsible for Human Smuggling

Well informed sources “close to the secret services” revealed the involvement of the Belgian State in funding Libyan armed militias responsible for human smuggling.

According to Libyan website Al Marsad reporters of Belgian Television Channel RTBF conducted an investigation for weeks to inquire about this issue.

RTFB reporters obtained information from an anonymous source who claimed to have connections with the Intelligence Directorate, confirming Belgium's role in such issue.

The source added that certain aircraft inspected at Belgium's Ostend Airport were found to be carrying weapons prepared for smuggling.

After the murder of Colonel Muammar al-Qadhafi in 2011, Belgian banks frozen Libyan funds but years later has been discovered that the assets.

Profits of these funds were not frozen and between 3 and 5 million euros - BNP Paribas Fortis (€43 million – over R714 million), ING (€376 million), KBC (€869 million) and Euroclear Bank (€12.8 billion) - were withdrawn since 2012 funding networks of trafficking of arms and smuggling of human beings, especially girls from Nigeria that are brought to the country to work in prostitution.

Source has pointed fingers to current Foreign Minister Didier Reynders as "responsible for the Belgian government's decision to release the interests of the frozen funds, but we do not know to whom, how, and why."

Sources:

• Al Marsad
• Reuters
• The Independent 

A French renegade intelligence agent sheds a sinister light on DGSI

A policeman working for the French internal intelligence agency, the Direction Générale de la Sécurité Intérieure (DGSI), was arrested at the end of September with the accusation of selling confidential information on the Dark Web.

By using the pseudonym of Horus, the agent was selling personal infos on a platform called ‘Black Hand’: with a price list from €30 to €300, the agent was offering to his customers a series of information ranging from bank coordinates to personal identification data like social security, identity card, registered vehicles, geolocalisation and much more data.

Thanks to his posting at the judicial division of DGSI, Horus had privileged access to the French Ministry of Justice's national platform on wiretapping, together with the databses from the police and Interpol –among his services, he also provided the tracking of mobile phones, turning the essential elements of state security to criminal aims.

The DGSI agent was requesting bitcoin as currency for his transactions, so not to leave any trace of his criminal acts: nevertheless, the internal security services of DSGI managed to get to Horus by discovering the documents he was selling, which he consulted by using his personal code. According to police sources, he was in contact with several members of organized criminal networks, who were eager to get information about any possibile judicial investigation on them, as well as people involved in financial crimes.

The case of Horus sheds a sinister light on how French intelligence services recruit their personnel and control their activities: the renegade agent could have easily sold his precious informations to a terrorist group, something which should not be excluded considering the recent history of failures by the security agencies in preventing Islamist terrorist acts on French soil.

Sources:

• Journal du Geek
• Le Parisien 
• MSN

Turkish Hacking Group Suspected of taking down the website of Austrian Foreign Ministry

Austrian daily Kronen Zeitung reported speculations about the possible involvement of the Turkish "Lion Soldiers" ("Aslan Neferler") hacking group in taking down the website of the Austrian Foreign Ministry for a short time March 6. The homepage was offline for a few minutes.

Authorities responded quickly also to the threat scenario involving Austrian Airlines flights from the United States to Austria.

According to Kronen Zeitung they received an "unspecified threat" for March 4.

After lengthy security checks, the aircraft from Miami and New York could take off only with considerable delays.

The Office for the Protection of the Constitution, Austria's Domestic Intelligence Agency, is investigating in all direction.

The Turkish "Lion Soldiers" hacking group is strongly suspected of being involved.

Russian Intelligence Agency GRU behind attempted coup in Montenegro

According to the Montenegrin Prosecutor's Office Russian Main Intelligence Agency (GRU) are behind the attempted coup in Montenegro.

Riga-based online newspaper and news aggregator in the Russian language Menduza reported that "Eduard Shishmakov, former deputy military attache at the Russian Embassy in Poland, planned the murder of Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic on 16 October 2016".

Montenegro put Eduard Shirokov on the wanted list via Interpol. The Interpol database contains his photograph. On 19 February 2017 Montenegrin Special Prosecutor Milivoje Katnic stated that the real name of one of the plotters was not Shirokov but Shishmakov.

According to Menduza, Shirokov and another suspect, Vladimir Popov, passed 200,000 euros to Serbian nationalist Aleksandar Sindjelic, who had fought in the Donbas on the side of the pro-Russian separatists, in order for him to find people to carry out the coup.

According to Balkan Insight, a publication of the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN), Shirokov worked earlier at the Russian Embassy in Poland and was thrown out of the country for espionage.

In November 2014 a Russian Embassy staffer suspected of working for the Russian Main Intelligence Agency (GRU) was expelled from Poland.
His name was not disclosed at the time. At that time Polish media reported that Shishmakov was a spy but Russian officials denied this

Meduza has found a reference to a staffer at the Russian Embassy in Poland by the name of Shishmakov.

A man described as deputy military attaché at the Russian Embassy in Poland, attending a commemorative event Polish veterans of World War II in 2013, resembling the person of the photograph in the Interpol database.

French Intelligence has no doubt that Russian Spies Will Try to Disrupt Presidential Campaign

The General Directorate for External Security (DGSE), the main French Intelligence Agency, has no doubt that Russian spies are going to try to repeat the Trump election stunt by revealing the data and emails of Presidential candidates.

According to French investigative newspaper Le Canard Enchaine "hackers are bursting with energy in their attempt to disrupt the French presidential campaign".

The leading target of their attacks is the site of candidate Emmanuel Macron. The site had to face with at least 100 intrusion attempts last November, when the former minister announced his candidacy.

Ever since the polls began raising hopes of Macron making it to the second round against Marine Le Pen next May, they again -- and suddenly -- increased. Last January, the site had to deal with 1,922 attacks, 907 of which came from Ukraine.

Sputnik, news websites and radio broadcast service established by the Russian government-controlled news agency Rossiya Segodnya, relayed the threats made by WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who claims to have "interesting information" about Macron.

Assange said "the data come from the private correspondence of former American Secretary of State Hillary Clinton."

France's Intelligence Agencies are convinced that an influence operation is being prepared.

Jihadist Recruitment Centers Operating From Ljubljana to Tetovo

There are more than 100 Jihadist Recruitment Center operating in the Balkans, most of them in Bosnia-Herzegovina, main Serbian online newspaper Blic wrote.

In addition to Bosnia-Herzegovina, where there are about 64 jihadist training camps, most such cells and recruitment centers are to be found also in Macedonia and Kosovo.

The main Serbian jihadist recruitment stronghold is in Novi Pazar and its environs.

Big Islamist strongholds are to be found in Sjenica, Novi Pazar, Presevo, Bujanovac, and Medvedja.

The two most dangerous recruitment centers in the Balkans are located in Sarajevo and Zenica.

Bosnia-Herzegovina Police listed the village of Podgredina as one of the "most dangerous Wahhabi training spots."

Local people said at the time that they were against Wahhabi's coming to their village.

"The building of this house up in the hill where they worship was financed by some man in Austria and that is where they now congregate. On holidays, there are up to 30 cars up there," one of the local people said.

One of the most notorious Wahhabi strongholds is Gornja Maoca, that is in Bosnia-Herzegovina, where the flag of the Islamic State was even raised at one time.

Jihadist recruitment and training centers have reportedly been discovered also in the environs of Ljubljana in Slovenia, in Rijeka and Split in Croatia, in Gusinje, Plav, and Ulcinj in Montenegro, and in Kumanovo and Tetovo in Macedonia.

Last summer, Novi Pazar's Furqan place of worship (mesjid) was identified as a place where radical Islam was being preached. Serbian security services said at the time that this was not a center where fighters were being recruited for the war in Syria but that through it one could establish contract with the fighters.

German Intelligence Has Findings Russian Attempts To Influence Bundestag Election Through Cyber Attacks

German Intelligence has accurate findings revealing that cyber attacks to influence Bundestag election are being carried out from Russia.

Frankfurter Allgemeine, widespread German daily, reported that Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), the Federal Republic of Germany's domestic security agency, whose duties include counter-espionage, has stated that Russian “propaganda and influence-wielding operations” had been carried out by Russian State Agencies.

Russian state agencies are believed to wage cyber attacks under the guise of alleged hacker activists. Since the start of the Ukraine war, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) has noted a “substantial increase” in Russian propaganda and disinformation campaigns in Germany, and reports that there is a “massive deployment of Russian financial resources.”

According German Intelligence "these attacks took place under a bogus flag" and should be considered an "Advanced Persistent Threat" (APT), a sophisticated and ongoing threat to a complex IT infrastructure

"Russian State Agencies carried out propaganda and influence operations"

Hans-Georg Maassen, President of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), stated that “cyber operations posing a possible threat to members of the German government, members of the Bundestag, and the staff of democratic parties are ongoing. The pointers to attempts to influence next year’s Bundestag election are solidifying”.

Hans-Georg Maassen expressed the fear that information stolen in that kind of attacks on computer systems would be used in the election campaign, for the purpose of discrediting politicians.

Serbian Intelligence Agencies Monitor 350 Jihadists Returnees from Iraq and Syria

Serbian Intelligence Agencies compiled a list of about 350 Jihadists from Kosovo and Metohija left to fight in Syria and Iraq, according Politika website.

Igor Becic, the chairman of the Serbian Security Services Control Committee, revealed that "11 jihadists have recently returned from Iraq and Syria".
According Igor Becic, Serbian Intelligence Agencies "have information and operational data as to where they were. They left under the pretext of attending education courses and have documents to prove it".

About 70 went from Sandzak and 17 members of the Chetnik Movement went to fight in the war in Ukraine.

Fighters from Kosovo and Metohija mostly go to fight in foreign wars for financial reasons, while those from Bosnia-Herzegovina and Sandzak mostly go for ideological reasons.co

Source within Serbian Intelligence Agencies said that "it is an open secret that jihadists from Serbia are recruited for Syria and Iraq by representatives of illegal agencies that supposedly offer training services for bodyguards and security officers".

Same source revealed that "a foot soldier in Iraq and Syria makes between 1,000 and 2,000 euros. The amount depends on how high up he is in the ISIL hierarchy. If he is a member of a special unit or commands a group, he is paid several thousand euros more".

These fighters first undergo ideological indoctrination, followed by seven days of training in the use of weapons, planting of explosives, sabotage, and so on.

Syria: Spanish Intelligence has resumed contacts with Bashar al-Assad

Spanish Intelligence ("diplomat") has resumed contacts with Bashar al-Assad in Syria, according Georges Malbrunot, well informed Middle East expert and blogger on French newspaper Le Figaro.

On November 28, Le Figaro wrote that "a Spanish diplomat has been located at a major hotel in Damascus" where he is in contact with security officials of Syrian Intelligence for an information exchange about "the numerous Moroccan jihadis passing trough Spain for going to fight in Syria".

Madrid has authorized a Syrian intelligence agent to work in the Spanish capital.

Kosovo Intelligence and Police Arrest ISIL linked Group Plotting Terrorist Attacks in the Balkans

Under the supervision of the Kosovo Intelligence Agency [KIA], the Special Prosecution of Kosovo, and some international Intelligence Services, the Kosovo police have arrested 19 ISIL "soldiers" of Lavdrim Muhaxheri, who were coordinated focused to carry out terrorist attacks in the Balkans, but firstly in Kosovo and specifically in Albania, were the Albania-Israel soccer match for the 2018 World Cup qualifications was played.

According Albanian newspaper Zeri the first group of the arrested persons -- Bujar Brahimi, Visar Ibishi, Liriodon Morina, Burim Istrefi, Leutrim Musliu, Kenan Plakaj, and Leotrim Vojvoda -- have been accused by the Special Prosecution of Kosovo of plotting terrorist attacks. It is suspected that all of them are part of the ISIL terrorist group. They had planned to carry out terrorist attacks initially in Kosovo and then in other Balkan countries.

Special Prosecution of Kosovo said that "there is convincing evidence that the defendants, Bujar Brahimi, Visar Ibishi, Liriodon Morina, Burim Istrefi, Leutrim Musliu, Kenan Plakaj, and Leotrim Vojvoda belong to the ISIL terrorist organization. Instructed by former leader of the Albanians in Syria, Lavdrim Muhaxheri, defendant Bujar Brahimi was willingly involved in terrorist activities of that organization during the period September-October 2016".

"Kosovo Intelligence Agency  arrested 19 ISIL soldiers linked to Lavdrim Muhaxheri"

Special Prosecution of Kosovo added that "they are suspected of having planned terrorist attacks, initially in Kosovo and then in other countries of the Balkans. They planned attacks on various facilities, including security institutions, with the aim of causing serious fear among the population, destabilization and destruction of basic political, constitutional, economic, and social structures in different countries, and then to establish in their territories the so-called ISIL (Islamic State of Iraq and Levant)".

Security experts have said that the fact that the number of arrested people on suspicion of planning terrorist attacks is so big in this case should serve as a wake-up call to the security institutions to cope with serious terrorism threats.

According to Behar Selimi, former director of the Kosovo Police, "if the security institutions' claims that we were dealing with a planned terrorist attack are corroborated, this means Kosovo is not facing a minor threat but rather a direct national security threat against the institutions and the citizens in general. So if the charges that we have seen about an ISIL cell in Kosovo will be confirmed during an investigation process, it is obvious that we are dealing with something serious".

Serbian Intelligence Have Blocked and Expelled Russians for Espionage in Montenegro

Belgrade website Dnevni List Danas revealed that "Serbian Intelligence Agencies have blocked and expelled several Russian nationals for involvement and espionage in preparation of terror operations in Montenegro".

Serbian Intelligence Agency (BIA) and prosecution organs had "isolated" a group of about a dozen people suspected of associating on Serbian territory for the purpose of carrying out operations against the authorities in Montenegro.

"Serbian Intelligence blocked Russian nationals equipped with devices to spy Montenegrin PM Milo Djukanovic"

According to some local media outlets “the group were equipped with devices to track the movements of Montenegrin Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic and with apparatus that blocked the Montenegrin Intelligence Services to locate them”.

This group was not arrested yet but “they were deposed and their surveillance equipment, telephone communication jamming devices, uniforms, and about 125,000 euros, among other things, were seized”.

Until now no concrete link was found between this group and the group of Serbian nationals arrested in Montenegro at the time of the 16 October election.

Serbian government has already completed procedures in connection with the Russian nationals that have been expelled from Serbia.

Belgian Intelligence Will Have More Powers

The General Intelligence and Security Service (GISS), known in Dutch as Algemene Dienst Inlichting en Veiligheid (ADIV), the Belgian Military Intelligence service under responsibility of the Minister of National Defense, is going to have more powers abroad.

According Belgian Newspaper De Standaard "military spies are struggling with the problem that they are not allowed to do much outside the Country".

For example when troops find the cell phone of a suicide terrorist during an overseas mission the General Intelligence and Security Service (GISS/ADIV) is not allowed to search through it for information about a terror network, because of that comes under "special procedures".

A change in that will come soon.

De Stantaard reports that "the General Intelligence and Security Service (GISS/ADIV) will be allowed to perform the observation of residences or the opening of mailboxes, through the placement of cameras and locating terrorists, to hacking computers and smartphones, wiretapping of foreign communications that run through data cables as telephony, e-mails, Internet traffic and so on".

The General Intelligence and Security Service (GISS/ADIV) could be considered as the counterpart of the British Secret Intelligence Service (MI6). 

Sergei Naryshkin is New Russian Foreign Intelligence SVR Chief

Sergey Naryshky is the new chief of Russian SVR

Vladimir Putin has named Sergei Naryshkin, the outgoing Russian State Duma speaker, as new Russian Foreign Intelligence Chief (SVR).

According Russian website Vesti Putin made the offer at a meeting with Naryshkin and Mikhail Fradkov, the outgoing head of the SVR.

Putin said to Natyshkin that he want "offer you the job of head of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Russia (SVR)."

Sergey Natyshkin replied to Putin "considerimg your offer to be an instruction by the head of state, the supreme commander".

BBC, Russian News Agency Interfax and Russian website Slon reported Sergey Naryshkin is:

- born on 27 October 1954 in Putin's home city of St Petersburg

- worked at the St Petersburg mayor's office in the 1990s at roughly the time Putin was there

- joined President Putin's office in 2004 as deputy head of the economic development directorate

- headed the president's office in 2008-11, when Dmitry Medvedev was president

- elected as Russian State Duma speaker shortly after the assembly convened following elections in 2011

- under him, the Duma has consistently toed the Kremlin's line.

Norwegian Security Service Says Russian Espionage is the main threat

Norwegian Security Service (PST) released a statement saying that Russian espionage is the main threat for damaging Norway and Norwegian interests.

Norwegian daily newspaper Aftenposten reports that "according to Norwegian Security Service (PST), foreign intelligence services will continue their extensive work in and around Norway this year.

Foreign Intelligence objective is to gain access to sensitive information; influence political, economic, and administrative decisions; and investigate possibilities for sabotaging critical infrastructure in a potential future conflict".

"Russian Intelligence Services use every available means to spy" (Benedicte Bjornland, Chief of Norwegian Security Service)

Russia is mentioned as the country that could provide the greatest damage to Norwegian interests cause of its intentions and capacity to conduct espionage against Norway.

Benedicte Bjornland, Chief of Norwegian Security Service (PST), described Russian spying as “comprehensive and aggressive”.“Russian Intelligence services use every available means,” he said.

German Intelligence Agencies to Receive an increase to their Budget

German Federal Intelligence Service (BND) and Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) aim to receive a significant increase to their budget for 2017. This money should be used to identify vulnerabilities in encrypted messenger services as Telegram, WhatsApp and Signal.

German main magazine Spiegel reports that according to the draft for the budget of the next year, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) expects an increase of about 18 percent on the current year with a budget of just over 307 million euros (approximately $345 million).

Nearly 808 million euros (approximately $909 million) have been earmarked for the German Federal Intelligence Service (BND), representing a hike of around 12 percent.

“German Federal Intelligence Service (BND) is now only able to intercept and exploit content from fewer than 10 of the well over 70 communication services currently available and widely in use”. 

According to Spiegel the German Federal Intelligence Service (BND) plans to invest roughly 73 million euros in long-term projects on communications surveillance.

In 2017 German Federal Intelligence Service (BND) will alocate 21.25 million euros to project "Panos" to respond to the widespread use of encrypted messenger services.

Spiegel reports that “German Federal Intelligence Service (BND) is now only able to intercept and exploit content from fewer than 10 of the well over 70 communication services currently available and widely in use”.

The report says that the German Federal Intelligence Service (BND) wants to invest around 2.1 milions euros to project “Zerberus”, a program for intercepting satellite telephone conversations.

The German Federal Intelligence Service (BND) also would expanse the so-called G10 cable monitoring in Germany that, for example, means intercepting Internet traffic at the node in Frankfurt.

French Intelligence Tasked to Detect Radicalized Persons into the Army

French Intelligence has been tasked with detecting radicalized persons within the Army ranks after a dozen former French soldiers have taken up arms against the coalition in the Iraq–Syria zone. The General Directorate for External Security (DGSE) and the General Directorate for Internal Security (DGSI) takes over in the event of a terrorist threat.

Aujourd'hui en France

L'Opinion

"All the profiles of our candidates are now scanned, including those wanting to join the reserves," one senior military source said.

According several French newspapers as Aujourd'hui en France, L'Opinion and Le Point their weapons skills and knowledge of command structures, and above all the fact that ISIL is trying to hit the West by sending recruits to their countries of origin, raises obviously security questions.

A great role for ISIL recruiting has been covered by online propaganda.

"The General Directorate for External Security (DGSE) and the General Directorate for Internal Security (DGSI) Monitor radicalized persons into the Army"

Le Point

In January 2015 the daily L'Opinion cited the case of a soldier who served for five years in the 1st RPIMa, the elite paratroop regiment. After leaving the Army to join a company protecting oil sites, he joined the jihadist ranks.

Le Point cites the instructive story of a volunteer serving with the 1st Paratroop Infantry Regiment, shown in a video published on the Internet in April 2014 and entitled "A Day with the French Mojahedin".

Malaysian Intelligence Agency representative gives insights on the country’s terrorist threat

The principal assistant director of the Counter-Terrorism Division of the Malaysian Intelligence Agency (a Special Branch attached to the Royal Malaysian Police) Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said “attempts at lone wolf attacks are difficult to detect as those involved received their orders via social websites such as Facebook”.

Speaking after the International Association for Counter-Terorism and Security Professionals (IACSP) he told reporters at Berita Daily that three young men aged 16, 17 and 28 were arrested for planning to carry out the lone wolf attacks in Malaysia since 2013.

“Attempts at lone wolf attacks are difficult to detect as those involved received their orders via social websites such as Facebook”

More recently, on August 13, a 17-year-old Malaysian national was detained in Sabah for planning to carry out attacks in Sandakan (northeast coast of Borneo) after allegedly receiving instructions from jihadi fighters in Syria.

According to Ayob Khan’s statements, ninety Malaysian nationals were detected to be in Syria and Iraq so far fighting in the ranks of ISIS militant group.

Twenty four individuals among them were reportedly killed during fights, meanwhile, eight of the ninety individuals had returned to Malaysia and had been arrested by the Malaysian Police.

"They were believed to have returned to carry out attacks, seek medical treatment while some had used the country as a transit point before going back to Syria," he added.

French Intelligence Agency DGSE to preserve mixed civilian and military character

According to the French blog Secret Defense hosted by daily newspaper L'Opinion, military personnel account for no more than 25% of the French Intelligence Agency (DGSE) staff.

The percentage rises to 37%, if we include the Action Service [the Directorate-General for External Security (DGSE) military Division responsible for planning and performing clandestine operations].

"We do not want to go below that level and will maintain this proportion" sources at the DGSE headquarter explained.

The French Intelligence Agency aims at preserving the service's mixed (civilian and military) character, which is one of its historical specificities.

"The Armed Forces are finding it hard to supply human resources" that the DGSE needs, the blog reported, particularly when this is increasing.

The Agency, which now employs 6,500 people, is expected to reach 7,000 by 2019.

"DGSE aims to preserve mixed civilian and military character"

The DGSE has become a major employer: apart from its Action Service, over 2,200 people were hired between 2008 and 2013, and now "we recruit 500 people per year". "We are a young service, with an average age of 41", sources said.

The entrance examination has been changed, but some difficulties remain, particularly with regard to Arab speakers.

One of the DGSE's major internal challenges relates to "support".

A recent internal seminar on the "Service in 2025" highlighted the need to improve human resources support and management.

"We have somewhat neglected management and infrastructure" the French Intelligence Agency admits.

With regard to human resources and internal organization, the DGSE wants to "reinvigorate research activities, generally referred as "human intelligence" (HUMINT) and to create new links between the "research" and "analysis" branches.

Uzbekistan Intelligence Service (SNB) Play Crucial Role in the Succession to President Karimov

On the evening of 29 August, the russian media outlet Ferghana.ru reported the death of Uzbekistan's President Islom Karimov. While there is not any official confirmation of his death, the version widely accepted in official circles say that Karimov has suffered a brain hemorrhage, as even confirmed on the same morning by his youngest daughter Lola.

According to Russian pro-regime web site Lenta.ru analysts talking about Karimov's possible successors often name Rustam Inoyatov, the head of the Uzbekistan Intelligence Service (SNB), Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Uzbek Prime Minister, and his deputy, Rustam Azimov.

Inoyatov, being the head of the Uzbekistan Intelligence Service (SNB), is an extremely private person. He was born in 1944 in the South Eastern Surxondaryo Viloyati region, he graduated from the faculty of oriental studies at Tashkent University with a geographic focus on Iran, he served in the Russian KGB, worked in Afghanistan under diplomatic cover, and has headed the Uzbek National Intelligence Service SNB since 1995.

The head of Uzbekistan Intelligence and Counterintelligence Service (SNB) gained strength after crushing the revolt in Andijon in 2005 (known as Andijan massacre). According to Russian observers and experts of the Uzbek file the heads of the security agency or Intelligence Service departments in Uzbekistan play a crucial role in the regime. The formation of the republic in the 1990s did occur at a time when the Islamists were trying to seize control of the country and civil wars were underway in neighboring Afghanistan and Tajikistan. Tashkent had to stop the Islamists who "were on their way to success" and take part in pacifying their neighbors. This helped to strenghten the standing and influence of the Uzbekistan Intelligence Service (SNB).

It is worth noting that the other candidates to political succession are not at all media figures either, even if they are not members of the Uzbek Intelligence service or apparatus. Shavkat Mirziyoyev, who is originally from Jizzax Viloyati region (some sources say he is actually from Tajikistan's Istaravshan Region), has experience in managing local affairs in his native region and Samarqand Viloyati which is president Islom Karimov's home region. Mirziyoyev has held the post of prime minister since 2003. This means that the head of state developed a strong relationship with the head of the Cabinet of Ministers over all these years.

Two unofficial theories exist about the relationship between the powerful head of the Uzbekistan Intelligence Service (SNB) and the prime minister. According to one of them, Mirziyoyev is the protégé of Inoyatov. In this case, one could easily assume that the head of the SNB will facilitate his colleague's accession to power while remaining in the shadows. According to the other theory, Mirziyoyev is not supported by the security agency structures and in this case it will be more difficult for him to rise to the top positions in the state administration.

Rustam Azimov, the former finance and economy minister, was born in the Uzbek capital, he graduated from Tashkent University, and has a master's degree from Oxford University. He is a highly qualified expert in the sphere of finance and economics. According to some reports, Azimov supported the president's oldest daughter – Gulnara Karimova – and helped her to keep significant amounts of money. The current deputy prime minister also has connections among the heads of the Uzbekistan Intelligence Service (SNB) structures.

Bosnian Intelligence Agency Investigates Real Estate Purchases by Arab Tourists

Bosnian Intelligence Agency investigates the real estate purchases at attractive locations, as in the countryside of Sarajevo, by Arab tourists who invested huge amount of money.

Bosnia Intellicence Agency (SIPA) launched investigations that have reached the total of 108 companies.

According Bosnian website Nezavisne Novine, SIPA have found a lot of bogus companies, owned by individuals who have never entered Bosnia and Herzegovina, who are not residents, but they authorized Bosnian citizens to buy real estate in Bosnia and Herzegovina for their companies“.

Nezavisne Novine reported that “51 legal entities linked with foreign citizen, with an initial capital of 2,000 marks” had bought real estate.

Bosnian website writes that “Arabs are buying land in Bosnia and Herzegovina. A Kuwait citizen said that he visited some attractive locations in Sarajevo suburb of Hadzici, with already constructed objects, or under construction, specifically for the needs of visitors from his Country”.

"Bosnia Intellicence Agency (SIPA) launched investigations that have reached the total of 108 companies owned by foreigners"

Bosnia and Herzegovina Central Bank released data that show as around 86 million euros were invested in different projects in Bosnia and Herzegovina by the end of 2015. According to that data Kuwait is the 15th biggest investor in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Bosnian Intelligence Agency (SIPA) carried out an operation to determine the legality of that projects as the land purchases in this country, to detect potential tax evasion and money laundering.

Bosnian Intelligence Agency (SIPA) discovered that there are 108 companies registered in Bosnia and Herzegovina owned by foreigners: 71 are owned by Kuwaitis, 13 by Lybians, 12 by nationals of the United Arab Emirates, 10 by Syrians, and two by Qatar nationals.