Stratfor
Massively exposed by the Global Intelligence Files. Works for CIA and every other 3-letter agency in the US.
a company that fronts as an intelligence publisher, but provides confidential intelligence services to large corporations, such as Bhopal's Dow Chemical Co., Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon and government agencies, including the US Department of Homeland Security, the US Marines and the US Defense Intelligence Agency. The emails show Stratfor's web of informers, pay-off structure, payment-laundering techniques and psychological methods, for example:
“[Y]ou have to take control of him. Control means financial, sexual or psychological control… This is intended to start our conversation on your next phase” – CEO George Friedman to Stratfor analyst Reva Bhalla on 6 December 2011, on how to exploit an Israeli intelligence informant providing information on the medical condition of the President of Venezuala, Hugo Chavez.
The material contains privileged information about the US government's attacks against Julian Assange and WikiLeaks and Stratfor's own attempts to subvert WikiLeaks. There are more than 4,000 emails mentioning WikiLeaks or Julian Assange. The emails also expose the revolving door that operates in private intelligence companies in the United States. Government and diplomatic sources from around the world give Stratfor advance knowledge of global politics and events in exchange for money. The Global Intelligence Files exposes how Stratfor has recruited a global network of informants who are paid via Swiss banks accounts and pre-paid credit cards. Stratfor has a mix of covert and overt informants, which includes government employees, embassy staff and journalists around the world.
The material shows how a private intelligence agency works, and how they target individuals for their corporate and government clients. For example, Stratfor monitored and analysed the online activities of Bhopal activists, including the “Yes Men”, for the US chemical giant Dow Chemical. The activists seek redress for the 1984 Dow Chemical/Union Carbide gas disaster in Bhopal, India. The disaster led to thousands of deaths, injuries in more than half a million people, and lasting environmental damage.
Stratfor's strategic advise against WikiLeaks
Fred Burton, Stratfor Vice-President for Counterterrorism and Corporate Security, provided some insight on the strategy against WikiLeaks in emails published on the WikiLeaks website.“Take down the money. Go after his infrastructure. The tools we are using to nail and de-construct Wiki are the same tools used to dismantle and track aQ [Al Qaeda]. Thank Cheney & 43 [former US President George W. Bush]. Big Brother owns his liberal terrorist arse.”
Burton is a former Deputy Chief of the Department of State’s counterterrorism division for the Diplomatic Security Service (DSS). The DSS assists the DoD in following leads and doing forensic analysis of hard drives seized by the US Government in ongoing criminal investigations.
Burton also stated what his strategy against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange would be:
“Bankrupt the arsehole first, ruin his life. Give him 7-12 yrs for conspiracy.“
A few hours later he added the comment: “Assange is going to make a nice bride in prison. Screw the terrorist. He’ll be eating cat food forever.“
Staffed by several former government staff, Stratfor has a natural enmity with WikiLeaks.
Interestingly one message sent from Watch Officer Chris Farnham to CEO and founder George Friedman, titled “Assange is off the hook…” casts doubt on the sexual assault allegations against Assange.
“BTW, close family friend in Sweden who knows the girl that is pressing charges tells me that there is absolutely nothing behind it other than prosecutors that are looking to make a name for themselves. My friend speaks rather disparagingly about the girl who is claiming molestation. I also think the whole rape thing is incorrect for if I remember correctly rape was never the charge.”
After being informed that Assange was being accused under Sweden’s loose definition of rape, Farnham replied:
“If it really matters I can look into it, but from what I am hearing that is not the case. That’s not to say that my friend is foolproof either. She knows nothing of law or politics, she just knows the girl in question and follows the news.”