Its report estimates that 450,000 people were killed in the decades-long internal conflict — more than twice the number previously thought.
Tag Archives: Central Intelligence Agency
Kansas Woman Who Joined ISIS Left a ‘Trail of Betrayal’
Allison Fluke-Ekren, a Muslim convert from Kansas, rose through the ranks of the Islamic State in Syria, where she provided military training to women and girls, including her daughter.
Gina Haspel Observed Waterboarding at C.I.A. Black Site, Psychologist Testifies
The testimony emerged in pretrial hearings in the Cole bombing case at Guantánamo Bay, where the war court is wrestling with the legacy of torture after 9/11.
The Casualties at the Other End of the Remote-Controlled Kill
Capt. Kevin Larson was one of the best drone pilots in the U.S. Air Force. Yet as the job weighed on him and untold others, the military failed to recognize its full impact. He fled into the California wilderness.
C.I.A. Director Says Putin Might Consider Nuclear Weapons
William J. Burns, the director of the Central Intelligence Agency, cautioned that he had seen no “practical evidence” that would suggest such a move was imminent.
The Appalling Treatment of a Prisoner at Guantánamo
“The Forever Prisoner,” by Cathy Scott-Clark and Adrian Levy, tells the story of a man who has been held captive by the C.I.A. for 20 years.
William Burns, Head of the CIA, Tests Positive For Covid
William J. Burns got the positive result a day after meeting with President Biden.
The 9/11 Trial: Why Are Plea Bargain Talks Underway?
New leadership, an ever receding trial date and pressure to disclose more information about the C.I.A. torture of the accused plotters all contribute.
Spy Agencies Cite Russia’s Setbacks but Say Putin Is ‘Unlikely to Be Deterred’
Top U.S. intelligence officials told Congress that the Russian leader had underestimated Ukrainian resolve and Western cohesion but was “doubling down” to achieve his goals.
Ukraine Crisis: What Happens Next for the Rest of the World?
Europe faces a new refugee crisis, and harsh economic penalties to punish Russia are expected to reverberate worldwide.
Arab Rulers and Spy Chiefs Stashed Millions in Swiss Bank
A leak of account data from Credit Suisse revealed the holdings of powerful figures across the Middle East, raising new questions about self-dealing.
Peter Earnest, C.I.A. Veteran Who Ran a Spy Museum, Dies at 88
He ran secret agents and later served as the agency’s spokesman. Both roles prepared him well for his role as the International Spy Museum’s first director.
Putin’s Motives Pose a Challenge for U.S. Intelligence Agencies
Knowing the intentions of any autocratic leader is difficult, but President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, who began his career as a K.G.B. officer, poses a particular challenge.
Court Filing Started a Furor in Right-Wing Outlets, but Their Narrative Is Off Track
The latest alarmist claims about spying on Trump appeared to be flawed, but the explanation is byzantine — underlining the challenge for journalists in deciding what merits coverage.
CIA collecting bulk data on Americans without oversight, senators say
Enlarge (credit: SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images)
Two US senators have asked the Central Intelligence Agency to release the details of a secret bulk data collection program that has apparently ensnared Americans.
Sens. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) wrote the director of national intelligence and the CIA (PDF), asking them to declassify a review of a CIA program known as “Deep Dive II,” the details of which were redacted from their letter. The letter was written in April 2021 but was classified until yesterday.
The secret CIA program is operated under the authority of Executive Order 12333, which former President Ronald Reagan issued in 1981. It has been used to justify bulk data collection of people in the US, including phone calls, SMS messages, and, until recently, email metadata. That practice was limited by a 2015 reauthorization of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, known as FISA, which banned the bulk collection of phone and SMS metadata by the FBI.
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C.I.A. Is Collecting in Bulk Certain Data Affecting Americans, Senators Warn
A partly declassified letter from two senators, Ron Wyden and Martin Heinrich, does not say what the data is.
Some Havana Syndrome Cases May Stem From Radio Energy, Panel Says
A group of experts found that not all injuries to diplomats and C.I.A. officers could be explained by stress or psychosomatic reactions.
Biden Administration Rejects Use of Testimony Obtained From Torture in Guantánamo Trial
The Justice Department rejected an interpretation by the retired chief prosecutor that lawyers could sometimes use statements obtained during C.I.A. interrogations.
The Battle for the World’s Most Powerful Cyberweapon
A Times investigation reveals how Israel reaped diplomatic gains around the world from NSO’s Pegasus spyware — a tool America itself purchased but is now trying to ban.
C.I.A.-Backed Afghan Fighters Are Still Waiting to Reach U.S.
Commandos who played a key role in helping American forces are waiting for visas in the United Arab Emirates, and are among the last of the evacuated Afghans to get a chance to reach the United States.
U.S. and Russia Take More Measured Stance in Ukraine Talks
The conciliatory tone and absence of ultimatums suggested that both sides were trying to keep tensions in check and give diplomacy time.
Most ‘Havana Syndrome’ Cases Unlikely Caused by Foreign Power, C.I.A. Says
A report concluded that most cases have environmental or medical causes, but the government remains focused on investigating two dozen incidents that remain unexplained.
Waterboarded Prisoner Has Drowning Nightmares Two Decades Later, Doctor Testifies
Lawyers called a torture expert in a bid to spare a defendant a nauseating commute from prison to court by having him spend nights at Guantánamo Bay’s court compound.
As a Secret Unit Pounded ISIS, Civilian Deaths Mounted
An American strike cell alarmed its partners as it raced to defeat the enemy.
Predicting the Future Is Possible. These ‘Superforecasters’ Know How.
The psychologist Philip Tetlock on the art and science of prediction.
Havana Syndrome Mystery: Review Finds No Answers
Some officials remain convinced Russia is involved, but so far there is no evidence pointing to a particular adversary and no one has detected microwaves or other possible weapons.
F.B.I. Agents Became C.I.A. Operatives in Overseas Prisons
Lawyers disclosed the unusual arrangement in evidentiary hearings to prepare for the Sept. 11 trial at Guantánamo Bay.
Foreman Says Military Jury Was Disgusted by C.I.A. Torture
A Navy captain whose letter recommended clemency for a Qaeda terrorist drafted the damning two-page document in 20 minutes.
Some Sept. 11 Trial Secrets May Not Be Secrets Anymore
Prosecutors agreed to compare hundreds if not thousands of pages of classified documents in the case against 9/11 defendants with material released under the Freedom of Information Act.
The Mystery of ‘Havana Syndrome’
The puzzling constellation of symptoms has defied a conclusive answer.
U.S. Military Jury Condemns Terrorist’s Torture and Urges Clemency
Seven senior officers rebuked the government’s treatment of an admitted terrorist in a handwritten letter from the jury room at Guantánamo Bay.
For First Time in Public, a Detainee Describes Torture at C.I.A. Black Sites
In a sentencing hearing, Majid Khan, a Pakistani who lived in suburban Baltimore before joining Al Qaeda, detailed dungeonlike conditions and episodes of abuse.
The CIA’s Close Relationship with Poland
The roots of this special relationship stretch back to the Cold War. It’s a story of bravery, blood bonds and, of course, betrayal.
A C.I.A. Fighter, a Somali Bomb Maker, and a Faltering Shadow War
The hunt for an elusive Somali militant illustrates why Al Shabab, despite a decade of American covert action, are at their strongest in years.
Cases of ‘Havana Syndrome’ Reported at U.S. Embassy in Colombia
The State Department is investigating new complaints of mysterious brain injuries before Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken’s visit to the country next week.
Biden Signs Bill to Compensate ‘Havana Syndrome’ Victims
The bill leaves it up to the heads of the C.I.A. and State Department to make their own determinations as to who is covered and how much compensation they receive.
A Troubling C.I.A. Admission
In a top secret cable, the agency said it had lost dozens of informants. How did this happen?
C.I.A. Reorganization to Place New Focus on China
The agency will create two new mission centers, one focused on China, the other focused on emerging technology, climate change and global health.
A Surprising Proposal at the Supreme Court in Torture Case
Twenty years after the Sept. 11 attacks, three justices said it was time to hear from the first detainee subjected to brutal interrogation by the C.I.A.
C.I.A. Admits to Losing Informants
Counterintelligence officials said in a top secret cable to all stations and bases around the world that too many of the people it recruits from other countries to spy for the U.S. are being lost.
Lawmakers Back Changes at C.I.A. for Handling Mystery Health Episodes
Legislation approved by a House committee would also offer intelligence officials medical scans before transfer overseas to better diagnose Havana syndrome injuries.
C.I.A. Officer Suffers Havana Syndrome Symptoms
The officer, who had been traveling in India with the agency’s director, was given medical attention after an unexplained incident triggered injuries.
Al Qaeda Could Rebuild in Afghanistan in 1-2 Years, U.S. Officials Say
The new timeline is not a radical shift from previous assessments, but reflects the reality that the Taliban has a limited ability to control the borders of Afghanistan.
The Legacy of America’s Post-9/11 Turn to Torture
Twenty years after the attacks, the United States is still grappling with the consequences of brutal interrogations carried out in the name of national security.
Proceedings in 9/11 Case Resume, and Then Are Delayed Again
Days ahead of the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, the five men accused of plotting them returned to court after a long shutdown, only to have the hearing quickly recessed.
How the U.S. Made War Humane and Endless
The withdrawal from Afghanistan is a final step in the transformation of American warfare into something sanitized and edited out of view.
How the C.I.A. Exited Its Base in Kabul
A compound outside Kabul was one of the most secretive — and notorious — in Afghanistan. Our visual analysis shows how the spy agency shut down its operations there — and how the Taliban then entered the site.
Charges in Bali Bombing Case Are Delayed at Guantánamo
The three prisoners were to be charged for the first time, 18 years after their capture. Translation problems mean they wait one more day.
As the Taliban Tighten Their Grip, Fears of Retribution Grow
Taliban leaders have promised amnesty to Afghan officials and soldiers, but there are increasing reports of detentions, disappearances and even executions.
After Two Decades of Fighting Taliban, U.S. Is Uneasy Partners With Them
Americans have described a necessary, if distasteful, working arrangement as they race to evacuate Afghanistan by Aug. 31.