Director, Counterintelligence 

 

 NASA CI/CT MONTHLY NEWS UPDATE – May 2016 

This monthly newsletter is published to increase NASA personnel 

awareness of significant current issues related to counterintelligence, 

counterterrorism, and counterintelligence cyber matters. To learn more 

about CI/CT awareness, or to schedule a CI/CT presentation, please 

contact the CI POC located on the last page. 

Significant Counterterrorism (CT) Issues: 

ISIS SUSPECT PLOTTED TO BRING SYRIAN JIHADI’S TO US VIA MEXICO 

Prosecutors said one defendant, Guled Ali Omar, talked about 

establishing a route from the U.S. to Syria through Mexico, then telling 

the Islamic State group about the route so it could be used to send 

fighters into America to carry out attacks. 

https://www.clarionproject.org/news/isis-suspect-plotted-bring-syrian-jihadis-usthru-mexico

IN PHOTOS, ISIS SHOWS HOW BRUSSELS TERROR ORIGINATED IN SYRIA 

Both the Brussels bomber and the Paris plotters posed for carefully

choreographed scenes, showing the atrocities they committed in Syria

and Iraq. The purpose is clear: to show the West that the attackers

really were sent from the heart of the group’s terror machinery. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/14/world/middleeast/in-online-magazineisis-paints-a-portrait-of-brussels-attackers.html?_r=2

Significant Counterintelligence Issues: 

FORMER INTELLIGENCE CHAIRMAN: MORE FOREIGN SPIES IN US THAN EVER 

There are currently more foreign intelligence operatives in the United 

States than at any point in the country’s history, the former head of the 

House Intelligence Committee claimed recently. “There are more spies 

in the United States today from foreign nation states that at any time in 

our history — including the Cold War,” said former Rep. Mike Rogers. 

http://thehill.com/policy/national-security/274704-former-intel-chairman-more-foreign-spies-in-us-than-everbefore

RASH OF CHINESE SPY CASES SHOWS A SILENT NATIONAL EMERGENCY 

There have been four cases of Chinese espionage against the United States in

just the last three weeks. These haven’t been the run-of-the-mill cyber spies 

either; these are Cold War-style cases of individuals allegedly caught spying 

on behalf of a communist regime. 

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/2038850-china-security-rash-of-chinese-spy-cases-shows-a-silent-nationalemergency/

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Significant Cyber Issues: 

FORMER DOE WORKER SENTENCED IN EMAIL ‘SPEAR-PHISHING’ ATTEMPT 

A former Energy Department employee was sentenced to 18 months in 

prison after offering to help a foreign government infiltrate the agency’s 

computer system to steal nuclear secrets and then attempting an email 

“spear-phishing” attack in an FBI sting operation.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/former-energy-departmentworker-sentenced-in-email-spear-phishing-attempt/2016/04/11/92e32e06-0004-11e6-b823-

707c79ce3504_story.html

NORTH KOREAN CYBER CAPABILITY AMONG WORLD’S BEST, SAYS U.S. ARMY 

GENERAL 

North Korea’s asymmetric warfare potential is being bolstered by one of 

the world’s best and most organized cyber-attack capabilities, according 

to the Army general nominated to command US forces in South Korea. 

http://www.todayonline.com/world/asia/north-korean-cyber-capability-among-worlds-best-says-us-armygeneral

Analyst Notes – Items to Watch: 

 The latest ISIS attacks in Europe and the subsequent arrests of terrorist supporters across

Europe show that ISIS still has reach. Although ISIS has suffered some defeats on the battlefield

and a loss of territory, ISIS as an organization has proven to be resilient. ISIS has shifted large 

numbers of fighters and leadership cadre to Libya and is expanding its reach in Afghanistan and 

South East Asia. Al-Qaeda’s (AQ) military operations in Yemen and Syria (through AQAP and 

Jabhat Al-Nusra) continue to show success, as well as expanded operations in West Africa. ISIS 

and AQ plotting/recruiting continues, despite travel to Syria becoming extremely difficult. 

Chinese espionage is dominating the news, with a particular emphasis on traditional espionage 

agents. North Korean cyber capabilities have now surpassed Iran and pose a significant threat 

towards the United States and South Korea. The NASA CI/CT division continues to monitor

these threats and any others that have the potential to harm NASA or its equities. 

NASA CI Offices:

Ames Research Center: 

Armstrong Flight Research Center: 

Glenn Research Center:

Goddard Space Flight Center: 

Jet Propulsion Laboratory:

Johnson Space Center: 

Kennedy Space Center: 

Langley Research Center:

Marshall Space Flight Center: 

NASA Headquarters:

Stennis Space Center:

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