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1) Following news reports has some photos showing the
EDC kit of a CIA officer arrested in Moscow today:
http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2013/05/russia-spy-ryan-fogle-cia-letter.html?mid=google
2) Has some items like yours. I can’t make out the black rod
attached to his keyring — looks like a Kubotan:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kubotan
3) Note that the arrested officer is wearing the same type of checked/plaid shirt
as was worn by Raymond Davis –the CIA officer who shot the two motorcyclists
in Pakistan over a year ago. I suspect that pattern is used to obscure
the print of items carried concealed under it. However, it can become a
handicapping signature if someone notices that use.
4) Note that translation of the note to the spy being recruited has some
interesting advice on how to do clandestine communications internationally.
What is very strange is that the CIA note did not include a one time key pad (OTP) for
encryption along with instructions. Von Neumann supposedly proved that the
OTP is unbreakable, even by the strongest computers, and OTP has been used
by both the CIA and Russia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_time_pad
Normally, I would think Russian monitors can see the texts of gmail crossing
their border,even if they can’t pinpoint /identify the source.
Nor did the CIA note specify frequencies/times of a shortwave
numbers station for the agent to monitor for more secure , encrypted contact
instructions. Nor are dead drop locations specified.
The English translation of the CIA note (which was written in Russian) supposedly
was supplied by Russia Today news. Maybe RT left out the good stuff. They did leave
the CIA gmail address in, so I expect the CIA will shortly be getting a lot of email
explaining how it can enlarge its penis.
http://rt.com/news/fsb-detain-cia-agent-253/
4) An alternative explanation is that Google is being naughty and has put an encrypted,
backdoor/tunnel into gmail for some customer accounts. I’m speculating –
hackers would have a better idea of what’s possible.
Don Williams
Thanks Don for the heads up, interesting comments too.
It
seems that the shirt is common among spies. Untucked shirts are better
for concealing weapons or other items and I suppose it looks like normal
casual wear for an American traveling on business on his day off.
Lets take a look at the items:
*150.000 Euros in 500 bills. Three straps in ziplock bags. Man, that has to be the most useful piece of kit right there. Remember the video I did just a few days ago about 500 Euro notes.
*2 Wigs. Disguise.
*3 Sunglasses. Disguise, or an obsession with ugly shades.
*Mini Maglite. Not a bad torch if it’s the LED model. It seems to have something on the head of the flashlight. Proably this Mini Maglite, with the anti roll device.
*Knife. It’s a black SOG Flash 2,
half plain, half serrated edge. It’s a nice knife both for utility
purposes and defense. The handle provides a good grip and enough of a
finger guard to use safely for stabbing. The assisted opening system
means its more dependable when opening under stress or reduced motor
skills. The clip allows for deep pocket carry. All black model.
* Victorinox Classic. All around handy SAK.
*Keychain Kubotan. A simple rod of plastic or metal that can be used as a weapon.
*LED button light. Probably a red Photon II for night map reading.
*Maps.
*Compass.
*Notebook.
*Cellphone. Looks like a rugged Samsung GT-B2710 which is quad band, impact resistant and waterproof model.
*Baseball cap.
*OC spray. A gun would have made more sense than carrying spray alone, but it still has a place.
4 comments:
1) I assume the difference in kit between Raymond Davis and Chris Ryan Fogel was due to the different threat environments.
a) Moscow is less chaotic in its violence than Pakistan. Memoirs of CIA officers who worked in Moscow indicate that Russia has intense surveillance --but those security forces would tend to protect any CIA officer they were following from random attacks by muggers. ( The surprise to the mugger would probably be pretty comical) You don't have terrorists operating openly the way you have in some parts of Pakistan.
b) By the same token, you really, really do not want to pick a gun fight with Russian security forces.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GSh-18
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/9x19mm_7N31#Russian_military_overpressure_variants
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PP-2000
c) Plus Obama would find it a hell of a lot harder to strongarm Putin into freeing a CIA officer who killed 2 FSB officers compared to the manner in which Raymond Davis was freed. Russia has no sharia law --no concept of paying blood money for forgiveness. Russia also has many more nukes than Pakistan and ICBMS to carry them.
d) The Raymond Davis kit was interesting in its view that if you carry a pistol for gunfighting, you better carry a medical kit for patching serious gun wounds. (Sucking chest wound, collapsed lung, tourniquet to shut off artery, combat bandage,etc.)
I wonder why the spy didn't use a smartphone? I would think a smartphone (plus spare battery) would be much more useful. Having said that, the GT-B2710 has a radio, compass, flashlight and much longer battery life than any smartphone today. When I buy my first smartphone, I'll be keeping my GTB2710 as a backup.
Very interesting look behind the scenes. Lumberjacks never knew what a fashion statement they would be making.
Great Movie about notepads.
http://suspendeddisbeliefsteve.blogspot.ca/2013/04/the-numbers-stations.html
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