Grey Dynamics - Archive

Gabe Fanelli is back. Our Director of Training, 14 years active duty Army, Bronze Star recipient, SIGINT operator from West Africa to Syria, walks us through the new OSINT Operator Course, module by module.This one is different. It is not a tools course. Tools go down. This is about building the analytical brain behind the tools: critical thinking, bias recognition, geo and chronological verification, the dark web, ad tech surveillance, corporate intelligence, and the ethics that hold all of it together.We also went somewhere most podcasts will not go. AI in

Gabriel Fanelli is back on the Grey Dynamics Podcast, and this time as our new Director of Training.Look, I've been wanting to have this conversation since we first met. Gabe's trajectory is different from most people in the intelligence world. Bronze Star recipient, 14 years in the Army, former SOCOM instructor, fluent in Arabic, and now leading our training programs at Grey Dynamics. But what makes this conversation special isn't just his resume.We went deep on this one. We talked about what it really means to be a crypto linguist, not

Even trained intelligence professionals make critical OPSEC mistakes in their personal lives. In this episode, Ahmed Hassan sits down with Allen Pace, host of the OPSEC Podcast, to discuss the operational security vulnerabilities that compromise even the most experienced officers. From burner phone misconceptions to the false security of Starlink, they dissect real-world examples of tradecraft failures. Allen shares insights from his upcoming technical guide for intelligence teams, while Ahmed challenges the erosion of privacy rights in Europe and beyond.Key topics include:Why personal life is the widest OPSEC gap for professionalsCommon

Welcome back to the Grey Dynamics Podcast. This week, we welcome back Raymond White, a former CIA senior case officer with over 25 years of experience in the field. Raymond spent his entire career as a case officer focusing on counter-proliferation and counter-terrorism, earning the nickname “The Snow Leopard” within the agency. He also served as head of the CIA’s enterprise training program for aspiring case officers. Raymond has now created what he describes as the most comprehensive Human Intelligence (HUMINT) course available anywhere. We spoke about the course structure, the

Welcome back to the Grey Dynamics Podcast. Today, we kick off season five guest lineup with Scott Ryder, a former operator of the 2nd Commando Regiment with more than twenty years of experience in the Australian Army, including multiple combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as domestic experiences with the Tactical Assault Group - East. Scott is not only a veteran but also an author. Today, we are covering some insights from his book “Forged in Fire: an Australian Commando's Story of Life and Death on the Frontline”, from

Welcome back to the Grey Dynamics Podcast. Today, we are hosting an episode with Douglas London, a former clandestine service case officer and station chief with over three decades of experience in downrange assignments. London career with Langley ranged from recruiting assets in hostile environments to operating under official cover.Douglas London is also a Adjunct Associate Professor at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service where he teaches Intelligence and National Security Studies. During the episode, the author of “The Recruiter: Spying and the Lost Art of American Intelligence” will share his

Welcome back to Grey Dynamics. Today, we are thrilled to announce the OpSec Podcast, a project from our cyber intelligence and operational security expert, which will be produced and edited in-house every couple of weeks. Allen, the show host, is a seasoned intelligence and defence professional with over twenty years of experience, including military service, government contracting and the private sector. Specialising in Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) collection operations. Allen holds a Master of Science in Cybersecurity and top-tier certifications including CISSP and CASP+. Additionally, his career spans global assignments leading

The Grey Dynamics Podcast welcomes you back. Today, we are doing another solo episode with important announcements. These include new school courses focused on Human Intelligence (HUMINT), as well as new podcasts and guides on Operational Security (OPSEC). Both of the initiatives are spearheaded by veteran intelligence officers and operators.Find Ahmed HassanLinkedInGrey Dynamics PodcastRelated LinksGrey Dynamics Intelligence Capability Development and TrainingGrey Dynamics Operational SupportGrey Dynamics Open Source Intelligence ServicesGrey Dynamics Case Studies Grey Dynamics StoryAdvance Your Intelligence Career Today!We are the first fully online intelligence school helping professionals to achieve their

Welcome back to the Grey Dynamics podcast. This week, we are doing another editor’s note with some current insights about the company. During this episode, I will be discussing how Grey Dynamics deals with -sometimes opposite- worlds of operational contracts and media publications. Furthermore, I will also provide some recommendations from the intelligence professionals looking to enter intelligence and security company management.Find Ahmed HassanLinkedInGrey Dynamics PodcastRelated LinksGrey Dynamics Intelligence Capability Development and TrainingGrey Dynamics Operational SupportGrey Dynamics Open Source Intelligence ServicesGrey Dynamics Case Studies Grey Dynamics StoryAdvance Your Intelligence Career Today!We

The Grey Dynamics Podcast welcomes you back. Today, we have an amazing guest: David Priess, a former intelligence officer, intelligence manager and daily briefer of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) during the Bill Clinton and George Bush administrations. Additionally, David Priess worked at the State Department as a desk officer in the Near East Bureau.Find David PriessLinkedInHow to Get Rid of a President: History's Guide to Removing Unpopular, Unable, or Unfit Chief Executives The President's Book of Secrets: The Untold Story of Intelligence Briefings to America's PresidentsAdvance Your Intelligence Career Today!We are

Welcome back to the Grey Dynamics podcast. Today we are honoured to have John Fowler, founder of the global affairs start-­up International Intrigue Media and former Australian Foreign Service diplomat. During his diplomatic career, he served and lived in Beijing and Shanghai after a lengthy training in Mandarin. John Fowler also holds a Master of Business Administration from the London Business School.Find John FowlerLinkedInIntrigue MediaRelated Links:Chinese Maritime Militia: Little Blue Men Fishing for TroubleChina’s Rising Military CapabilitiesThe Inner Workings of Wagner with John LechnerChinese Espionage Against the West: No Sign of

Grey Dynamics welcomes Thomas Pecora, a former CIA/GRS Senior Security Manager with over twenty-four years of experience working in protective operations, crisis management, physical security, and counterterrorism missions in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia, Iraq, Sudan and the Philippines.Tom was awarded both the Intelligence Star “for voluntary acts of courage performed under hazardous conditions ”and the Career Intelligence Medal for “exceptional achievements that substantially contributed to the mission of the agency”. He is also an adjunct professor at Wright State University and the author of the book, “Guardian: Life in the Crosshairs of

Grey Dynamics welcomes John Lechner to the podcast. He is a journalist and researcher, focusing on security issues with a heavy approach to on-the-ground coverage. John is also an expert on Russia’s growing influence in Africa. He speaks fluent Russian; advanced French, Turkish, and Georgian; and conversational Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian (BCS), Chechen, German, and Sango.You can find his articles published in Foreign Policy, War on the Rocks, Kyiv Post, The Diplomat, Africa is a Country, African Arguments, The National Interest, and Defense One, among others. Additionally, his book on the inner workings of

Welcome back to the Grey Dynamics podcast! This week we are speaking again to Bryan Stern, founder and head of Grey Bull Rescue Foundation. Bryan has 25 years of military experience, including combat tours with the US Army and Navy. His specialisms include unconventional warfare, hostage rescue, and counterterrorism. During the 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan, Bryan organised flights to evacuate 117 US citizens after the US military had left. Since then, Grey Bull Rescue has conducted thousands of missions and rescued over 7,100 people from crises around the world. We spoke

Ric Prado teamed up with Grey Dynamics to give away signed copies of his book. The only thing you have to do to win is to comment “blackops” under the episode of this post. You will receive a DM with instructions!Welcome back to the Grey Dynamics podcast! The week we are talking to Ric Prado, a former CIA paramilitary operations officer and clandestine Special Activities Division (SAD) operator. Ric spent 24 years in the CIA, operating in the Middle East, Latin America, and East Asia. During the war on terror, Ric

Welcome back to the Grey Dynamics podcast! This episode looks at how to write a Killer Intelligence Report. It builds on many of the skills students learn in our intelligence fundamentals course. This is from our live workshop from the 6th of November. Presented by Marcel Plitcha, lead instructor of the Grey Dynamics Intelligence School. He is currently completing his PhD at St Andrews and is a former DOD Analyst and FBI contractor. We cover the key elements you need to understand how to write an effective intelligence report!Check out the

Welcome back to the Grey Dynamics podcast! This week we are talking to Christoph Stegemann, former head of the Bundeswehr's HUMINT school. Christoph has worked across the German intelligence community in both the military and civilian agencies. In 2019, he moved on to work in Germany’s private intelligence sector. Since then he has gone onto to work corporate intelligence teams and worked to counter the use of performance enhancing drugs in professional sports. We spoke about working alongside different nations, not overly relying on technology, how the German private intelligence sector

Save $500 on our Intelligence Cycle Fundamentals CourseEnroll Now!Welcome back to the Grey Dynamics podcast. This week we are talking to Lewis Sage-Passant about the obscure and understudied world of private sector intelligence. Lewis is the Global Head of Intelligence at a major pharmaceutical company and an Adjunct Professor at Science Po. Previously, Lewis served in the British Armed Forces and worked in private intelligence roles in the energy, banking and software sectors. His new book, “Beyond States and Spies: The Security Intelligence Services of the Private Sector” provides an overview

Welcome back to the Grey Dynamics podcast! This week, Marcel Plichta, the lead instructor of the intelligence school, joins us to discuss writing a killer intelligence report, the future of the course, and the feedback we have received.Join our "How to Write a Killer Intelligence Report" workshop:Click here to register instantly!We spoke about:0:00 - How to write a killer intelligence report workshop 4:02 - Discussing the Grey Dynamics Intelligence School (GDIS) and feedback 14:54 - Future GDIS courses on HUMINT and Crypto Intelligence Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to the Grey Dynamics Podcast. This is our first episode of season 4! This week we are talking to Raymond White, a former CIA senior operations officer. Raymond has spent over 25 years in the agency, in the directorate of analysis and directorate of operations. He has worked on issues such as Iran’s Nuclear capabilities, the Syrian civil war and North Korea. As well as training the next generation of intelligence officers. Since his career in the CIA, Raymond has founded Wolfpack Consulting. Teaching clients CIA methodology for optimal

Welcome back to the Grey Dynamics Podcast! Today we are talking to Esther Atwell, a former linguist and collection manager who spent over a decade at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Esther has had a varied career beyond intelligence, working as a tutor, realtor and court interpreter on the island of Hawaii. We discussed working in the CIA and overseas, what it takes to work in intelligence, immigrating to the US and much more. Esther is also the partner of our previous guest, CIA operations officer John Atwell.Find Esther Atwell:LinkedInWe Spoke

Welcome back to the Grey Dynamics Podcast! This week we are talking to Michael Hawkes, a former 22 Special Air Service operator. Michael spent twenty four years in the British Army, twelve of which in the SAS. Including six in covert operations. He also served as a military advisor to UK's intelligence services. For the last twenty two years he has had a successful career in corporate security, working all over the world. We spoke about his experience in UKSF selection, his time in Northern Ireland, getting kidnapped in Bosnia and

Welcome back to the Grey Dynamics podcast. This week we are discussing Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 (2022) in all its action packed Hollywood glory. As usual we'll be looking at the story from an intelligence perspective, digging into the games' realism, what it got right and what it got wrong.Contents in Mission Order:0:00 - Intro 6:27 - Strike 16:23 - Kill or Capture 19:23 - Wetwork and Tradecraft 29:29 - Borderline 33:31 - Cartel Protection 37:15 - Close Air and Hardpoint 42:18 - Recon by Fire 46:12 - Violence

Welcome back to the Grey Dynamics Podcast! This week we are talking to Keven Hendricks, an expert and pioneer in Crypto and Dark Web investigations. Keven is the founder of Ubivis, a project dedicated to combatting the spread of narcotics using the dark web. He has worked previously under the FBI and DEA, taking part in various task forces. We discussed adapting to the changing crypto landscape, taking down criminals operating on the dark web, privacy in crypto, the tools he uses to keep himself secure and much more.Find Keven Hendricks:UBIVIS

Welcome back to the Grey Dynamics Podcast! This week we are talking to Dr Andreas Krieg, director of MENA Analytica and associate professor at King's College London. He is also the author of Subversion: The Strategic Weaponization of Narratives. Andreas has a wealth of experience in the private sector, academia and supporting the UK armed forces training and doctrine. We discussed learning how to spot opportunity, getting exposure outside of academic circles, ways forward for the situation in Gaza and much more.Find Dr Andreas Krieg:King's College London LinkedIn X Facebook YouTube

Welcome back to the Grey Dynamics Podcast! This week we are talking again to Gareth Westwood, Sibylline's head of global intelligence. Gareth is a highly experienced practitioner, having previously worked for the UK government in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the Ministry of Defence and in the private sector with AstraZeneca. We talked about demystifying the private sector, implementing AI and machine learning into intelligence, what makes a great leader and much more.Find Gareth Westwood:LinkedInSibyllineWe Spoke About:0:35 - Response to the podcast2:07 - Gareth’s background and demystifying the private sector5:20

Welcome back to the Grey Dynamics podcast. This week we are doing another editor's note. I discussed some updates concerning the course, the new website, upcoming espionage week as well as some reflections on my time in Somalia and journey with Grey Dynamics. Enjoy!Contents:1:07 - Grey Dynamics Intelligence School 5:01 - Website changes 6:57 - Forthcoming intelligence guides 8:53 - Phase two of the course 10:16 - Espionage Week 11:22 - Ahmed on Somalia and its future 19:31 - Reflections on experinces, work ethic and more 28:33 - Cultural RecommendationsRelated Links:ahmed@greydynamics.com IncogniAdvance

Welcome back to the Grey Dynamics Podcast! Today we are talking to Ole Donner. Ole is a former German Bundeswehr Officer and analyst. He spent time his teaching intelligence strategies, such as structured analytic techniques. Now he has own training and consulting company called Gründer Strukturierte Analyse Deutschland. He is also a research fellow at the Institute for Intelligence and Security Management. We discussed his time in the military, how to get into intelligence in Germany, tradecraft, key intelligence readings and much more.Find Ole Donner:LinkedIn Gründer Strukturierte Analyse Deutschland Clear Thinking:

Welcome back to the Grey Dynamics Podcast! Today, we are talking to John Atwell. John spent over twenty-three years of experience in operational and analysis roles at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Since leaving the agency, John has spent time as a consultant, become a columnist for the Haiwaii-Tribune Herald, became editor of the Association of Former Intelligence Officers and a college lecturer at Haiwaii Community College. We discussed the culture shift in CIA after 9/11, views on allied and adversarial agencies around the world, advice for a career in intelligence

Welcome back to the Grey Dynamics Podcast! Today, we are talking to Kevin Riehle. Kevin has thirty years of experience in the US intelligence community and specialises in Russia and Counter Intelligence. Retiring in 2021, Kevin now works as an academic and author. He is currently a lecturer at the Brunel Centre for Intelligence and Security Studies (BCISS). Kevin's latest book, "The Russian FSB: A Concise History of the Federal Security Service", takes a detailed look at the service and its activities.Enter to the giveaway to win a signed copy of

Welcome back to the Grey Dynamics podcast. Today, we are trying something new! This is the first episode of Editor's Notes, where we keep you updated on what we're up to. We'll be discussing the Grey Dynamics Intelligence School, future podcast guests, our new website and what I'm reading. Enjoy!Related Links:Grey Dynamics Intelligence School University of Salford QUALITY CPD (QCPD) Accreditation Kevin Riehle - The Russian FSBAdvance Your Intelligence Career Today!We are the first fully online intelligence school helping professionals to achieve their long term goals. Our school with tons of

Welcome back to the Grey Dynamics podcast! Today we have Drew Biemer back with us again. Drew is a strategic management and communications professional with 2 decades of experience in governmental, public and civil affairs. His prior experience includes congressional and gubernatorial campaign management, legislative staffing, executive protection, geopolitical risk management, investigations, intelligence, and public information. We spoke about how dark money gets into the political process, how nation-states interfere in third-world countries' elections, targeting using social media and much more.Find Drew Biemer:LinkedInWe spoke about:1:06 - The presidential nomination process 8:14

Welcome back to the Grey Dynamics Podcast! Today, we are talking to Curtis Fox, former Green Beret, author, graduate of Georgetown University and currently a program manager. His book 'Hybrid Warfare: The Russian Approach To Strategic Competition & Conventional Military Conflict' is out now. We discussed some of the fascinating topics covered in it. Including how Russia has applied hybrid warfare in Ukraine since 2014, the collapse of effective cooperation between the FSB and GRU, as well as the destruction of Russia's special forces capability.Disclaimer: All of Curtis Fox's opinions are

Welcome back to the Grey Dynamics Podcast! This week we are talking to Michael Blicher Soerensen. Michael is a veteran of the Danish army, specialising in electronic warfare and SIGINT. He is currently a global security site lead at Meta. We discussed what makes a good analyst, deploying to Iraq, corporate intelligence and much more. Enjoy!Find MichaelLinkedInWe spoke about:2:40 - Michael's background5:15 - Opportunities after working in SIGINT and Electronic Warfare9:17 - Killings your darlings10:40 - Adjusting to work outside of the army14:09 - Learning to build rapport with collegues in

Welcome back to the Grey Dynamics Podcast! This week, we are talking to Mack! Mack is a former British Army Infantryman and Team Leader. He then went on to be recruited as an Intelligence Officer in the tri-service Defence Human Intelligence Unit (DHU). After leaving the armed forces, Mack became a recruiter. Spending some time working in the Private Equity space, before joining cyber specialists Trident Search, where he is now. We discussed transitioning from infantry to intelligence, Mack's time in DHU combatting the Islamic State, the importance of culture in

Welcome back to the Grey Dynamics podcast! This week, we are talking to a risk management expert in the humanitarian sector. E. has previously worked in the military and private security sector in many countries and conflict zones. We'll discuss the opportunities presented during crisis, how humanitarian NGOs use intelligence and the complexity of navigating the current information space.We spoke about:0:00 - Intro and E's background 5:13 - Getting into humanitarian security 7:26 - How the private sector can learn to see risk as an opportunity 9:00 - Why is the

Welcome back to the Grey Dynamics podcast for season 3! We're kicking things off with a fascinating guest today, Pasha Munro. Pasha served as a Royal Marine Mountain Leader and Special Boat Service operator as part of UKSF in the British Armed Forces. Today, he is the director of operations at the private security company Black Box Global. Pasha has honed his skills in high-pressure environments, where precision, adaptability, and a relentless pursuit of excellence are paramount. His extensive experience in conducting complex operations and mitigating security risks allows him to

We're back to discuss the 2019 reboot of Call of Duty's Modern Warfare series! In this episode we'll be talking about the inspirations for the campaign, the controversies that made headlines, chemical weapons and much more.Make sure to stay tuned for the first episode of season three, coming very soon!You can find Marcel Plichta on:Grey DynamicsLinkedInTwitterYou can find Michael Elmer on:Grey DynamicsLinkedInWe Spoke About:0:00 - Intro1:27 - Context5:54 - Marines vs. Spetsnaz in Kastovia20:26 - The London Attack27:07 - Russian occupation in Urzikstan36:11 - US Marines and CIA search for Al-Qatala38:03

Welcome to the Grey Dynamics Intelligence School (GDIS). In this special podcast, we provide an all-encompassing look at our unique approach to intelligence training, discussing our origin story, course structure, and future vision.Recognising a gap in existing intelligence training – a disconnect between academic studies and on-the-job experiences – we founded GDIS. Our mission? To bridge this gap and offer an effective transition from theoretical knowledge to practical intelligence work.The heart of our intelligence training is a series of six crucial modules, each addressing a distinct phase of the intelligence cycle:Intelligence

Today we are rounding up the best advice we have had so far in season 2 of the podcast! Advice from professionals from across the industry, whether it be corporate, government, or non-profit, it's all here. Be sure to check out the episodes featured. This is our last episode of season 2, but keep on the look out for bonus episodes over the summer.Professionals Featured:Mike Evans (0:23)Benjamin Strick (7:09)Skip Schiphorst (9:14)Jordan Ponath (13:35)Mike Monnik (21:07)Paul Scharre (25:02)Lucas Webber (30:42)Alec Bertina (32:33)Jonah Leff (37:22)D. (40:44)Kelly Wong (42:45)Bryan Stern (44:32)Register your interest in

Today, I spoke to Drew Biemer, a strategic management, and communications professional with over two decades of experience in governmental, public, and civil affairs. Currently serving as the administrator of the Site Evaluation Committee and agency director for Energy Facility Siting, Permitting, Investigation, and Enforcement in the US State of New Hampshire.His political experience spans campaign management and legislative staffing at the local, state, and federal levels, working with notable figures such as members of Congress, governors, and presidential candidates.As a frequent panellist and moderator at energy conferences in the US

Today, I spoke to Bryan Stern, who has 25 years of service focused on intelligence and special operations with the US. He specializes in counter-terrorism, counter-proliferation, hostage rescue, personnel recovery, critical technology protection, and unconventional warfare against near-peer threats. He is a Purple Heart recipient and is credited with being a military first responder at the World Trade Center on the morning of the 9/11 attacks. Currently, he manages Project Dynamo, a non-profit international search, rescue, aid, and assistance organization. Initially established to aid individuals in leaving Afghanistan after the US

Today I spoke to D., a former Military Intelligence operator from Australia. He has also worked in law enforcement and is currently doing contracted work. We spoke about his experience transitioning from combat engineer to intelligence operator, his time in Afghanistan, mental health, demystifying HUMINT, getting into OSINT and more.You can find D. on:InstagramWe spoke about:The reality on the ground in Afghanistan during his deployment (3:08) Staying on and changing roles after his first deployment (4:55) Transitioning from a combat engineer to intelligence (6:21) Lessons learned and experiences on deployment in

Today I spoke to Kelly Wong, a security analyst in the Canadian Senate. She has previously worked for multiple private intelligence firms and has interned at the International Criminal Courts. We discussed the challenges and rewards of working in intelligence, the obstacles ethnic minorities face in the application process, and Kelly's advice for young professionals.Apologies for the mic quality in this episode.Disclaimer:Any views, thoughts, and opinions expressed by the Interviewee are solely that of the Interviewee and do not reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of any institution or organisation.You

Today I spoke with Lucas Webber, co-founder of Militant Wire, an organization focused on providing independent analysis of militant activity and armed conflict around the world. We discussed Russia's "White Power Rangers", Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), interviewing violent non-state actors, Lucas' writing process and more.You can find Lucas on:Twitter LinkedIn Militant WirePractitioners We Spoke ToLucas’ background and The Militant Wire (0:43) What is Lucas currently working on? (06:48) The White Power Rangers (7:56) Who is ISKP? (10:30) ISKP’s media operation (14:51) The Taliban and GDI response to ISKP (17:41) What

It is Intelligence Tradecraft Week here at Grey Dynamics, so for this week's episode we thought we'd round up the tools and tricks used by practitioners we've had on the podcast, in the real world. They cover social media tools, advanced search techniques, monitoring services, AI and more. Be sure to check out their full episodes, linked below.Practitioners We Spoke ToBenjamin Strick (0:39)Jordan Ponath (4:21)Gareth Westwood (10:17)Paul Scharre (15:09)Skip Schiporst (18:19)Intelligence Tradecraft Week:A Guide to Human Intelligence (HUMINT)Is Human Intelligence Still Possible in the Digital Age?A Guide to Covert SurveillanceA Guide

This week I spoke to Alec Bertina, a non-traditional security actor researcher, specialising on Russia security affairs. In this episode, we discussed the wild and confusing network of Russian private military contractors, the people behind them and their mission. From ex-special forces to far right to oil and gas companies, there are many actors at play here. Alec does a fantastic job of breaking down the key groups and their motivations.You can find Alec on:TwitterLinkedInSubstackWe spoke aboutAlec’s background (1:15)Wagner PMC’s background and role in Ukraine (3:51)Wagner’s intelligence operation (7:33)Who is Prigozhin?

This week I caught up again with Marcel Plichta. Marcel is a member of the Grey Dynamics team, he is also a PhD candidate at St. Andrews and an Ex-DIA Analyst. We discussed the context of Finland's NATO membership, the state of UGVs, the Great power competition in Africa, and how generative AI models like ChatGPT could be applied to intelligence in practice.You can find Marcel on:Grey DynamicsTwitterLinkedInWe spoke aboutContext of Finland’s NATO membership (1:05)The state of UVGs (9:58)The limited footage available of UGVs deployment (14:29)Potential Wagner attack on Chinese miners

Today I spoke with Jonah Leff, the director of operations at Conflict Armament Research (CAR). He has extensive experience investigating sanctions violations and advising policymakers on issues related to armed violence and conflict. We discussed the role of OSINT in his work, 3D printed guns, drones in Ukraine and much more.You can find Jonah on:Conflict Armament Research LinkedIn TwitterWe spoke aboutJonah’s background (1:11) Why did it take governments so long to take an interest in arms tracking? (11:54) What role does open source play in CAR's process? (15:39) The tools they

Today I spoke with Mike Monnik, CEO of DroneSec. They focus on drone threat intelligence, documenting the latest developments in the use of drones by malicious actors. We discussed the use of drones in bank robberies, drone innovation in Myanmar, China’s role in the supply chain and much more.You can find Mike on:DroneSecLinkedInWe spoke aboutWhy Mike started DroneSec (0:34)The most recent developments in drone threat intelligence (7:49)Drone bank robberies (15:59)Man in the middle attacks using drones (18:05)Tactical drone innovation in Myanmar (31:13)How much of the innovation is crowd-sourced and how much

Today I spoke with Paul Scharre, the vice president and director of studies at the Center for New American Security (CNAS). Previously he has worked for the Office of the Secretary of Defense as well as being a team leader in the US Army's 75th Ranger Regiment. Scharre's latest book "Four Battlegrounds: Power in the age of artificial intelligence" discusses some of the bleeding edge issues facing US national security. We discussed the use of drones in Ukraine, limiting China's access to cutting-edge chips, data advantages and much more.You can find

Today I spoke with Jordan Ponath, senior intelligence analyst at Lockheed Martin, ex-US Marine, and self-described 'data geek'. Jordan leads a team constantly on the lookout for threats to his organization using OSINT and SOCMINT techniques. In this episode, we get into the tools he and his team use as well as unconventional routes into the sector. You can find Jordan on:LinkedInWe spoke aboutJordan’s background (1:34)Having an unconventional background in intelligence (6:30)The changes to TweetDeck (8:19)How travelling affected Jordan (11:18)What a day in Jordan’s team looks like and the tools they use

Today I spoke with The Rage X again, now going by his real name, Carlos. He has been closely following breaking news on conflicts since the second Nagorno-Karabakh War in 2020. I spoke with him about his background, his process, and the importance of reading into both sides of conflicts.You can find The Rage X on:WebsiteTwitterInstagramFacebookTelegramWe spoke aboutCarlos' background (01:20)Creating The Rage X (12:32)His process (20:42)His favourite sources (24:01)Reading into both sides of conflicts (25:40)Having to create content designed for social media (28:04)His motivations (33:57)What is required to work around these

Today we spoke with Héni Nsaibia, the man behind Menastream. Héni is among the most knowledgeable people online regarding the Sahel, particularly in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. He is also a senior researcher at ACLED. We discussed his background, the situation in the region, and the key external actors.You can find Héni Nsaibia on:MenastreamACLEDWe spoke aboutHéni's background (0:53)Growing Menastream (11:11)Overview of the current situation in the Sahel (13:41)Malian government's newfound lethality with Russian support (22:36)The trajectory of Burkina Faso (26:24)Wagner's business model in Africa (29:19)The trajectory of Niger (31:13)The situation

Today I spoke with Mike Evans, head of intelligence at Securitas. Mike has been working in the private intelligence sector for nearly a decade, now leading an award-winning threat and intelligence service. He also has an intelligence background within the military. In this episode, we dive into topics such as the rise of AI, getting into the industry for young analysts, and what keeps us up at night.You can find Mike Evans on:LinkedInTwitterWe spoke aboutMike's background (00:54)Mike's team set up and capabilities (03:28)Sharing information for the greater good in the private

This week I caught up with Marcel Plichta. He is a PhD candidate at St. Andrews, Ex-DIA Analyst and a colleague. We discussed the details of the upcoming Grey Dynamics Intelligence course, some recent events, and what we have been into recently. You can find Marcel Plichta on:Grey DynamicsLinkedInTwitterDaily BeastWe spoke aboutUpdate on Wagner Group (0:50)Sahel Week (9:02)Chinese Spy Balloon (15:41)Russian & Iranian Spearfishing (19:00)The Earthquake in Türkiye & Syria (22:32)Details of the Grey Dynamics Training / Capability Development Program (25:15)Underestimation of the spread of technology in Africa (31:15)Useful Tools (35:34)Cultural Recommendations (40:09)Related

This week I spoke to Benjamin Strick, director of investigations at the Centre for Information Resilience. He leads teams using open source intelligence to support civil society, media, government and accountability mechanisms. He is also a Bellingcat contributor and previously worked as an investigator at BBC Africa Eye.You can find Benjamin Strick on:Website LinkedIn Twitter YouTube FacebookWe spoke aboutBenjamin's background (2:46) Investigative diligence and the power of collaboration in OSINT (6:02) Mapping complex situations (7:52) Benjamin's most fulfilling project (12:13) Adding value and being a specialist (15:20) Generalists versus Specialists (19:19)

Welcome back for season two of the Grey Dynamics Podcast! We're kicking things off by talking to Chinese and Arabic OSINT trainer, Skip Schiphorst. Skip is an ex-Dutch Royal Marine who went onto do Chinese studies and now teaches OSINT skills.You can find Skip Schiphorst on:Twitter LinkedInWe spoke aboutSkip's background (1:08) Language learning tips and tricks (20:06) The social importance of learning a language (30:07) Teaching a Chinese and Arabic OSINT course (39:44) Researching workshop (44:55) Understanding different national perspectives (47:43) The importance of analysis and critical thinking (54:40) What media

Part 3 of our series analyzing the Call of Duty series from an intelligence perspective. In this episode we look at 2011's Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3, the most extravagant game yet. Storming Wallstreet, assaulting a hotel in Dubai, shootouts on the London Underground, and a chase through the Catacombs of Paris. It has it all.You can find Marcel Plichta on:TwitterGrey DynamicsLinkedInYou can find Michael Ellmer on:Grey DynamicsLinkedInTwitterWe spoke aboutFailing as a grey man in Amsterdam.Russian Spetsnaz in India.The Russian Navy in New York.Illicit trade routes through Sierra Leone.SAS shootout

Part 2 of our series analysing the Call of Duty series from an intelligence perspective. This episode we look at 2009's Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2. We travel the world from Afghanistan, to Brazil to the Virginia suburbs. Encountering Far Right Terrorists, Gun Runners, Spetsnaz and PMCs.You can find Marcel Plichta on:Twitter Grey Dynamics LinkedInYou can find Michael Ellmer on: Grey Dynamics LinkedIn TwitterWe spoke aboutRangers in Afghanistan. CIA Recruitment and Deep Cover. James Bond level spectacle. How realistic is the "No Russian" mission? Russian in the Virginia suburbs. Evil

When we're not with family, some of us at Grey Dynamics are spending the holiday break playing the new Modern Warfare! As a bonus for the holidays, we decided to record some episodes looking at the franchise's realism. In this first episode, we will take a look at the granddaddy of modern shooters, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.You can find Marcel Plichta on:Twitter Grey Dynamics LinkedInYou can find Michael Ellmer on: Grey Dynamics LinkedInWe spoke aboutRealism in the series. Special Air Service (SAS). Where is JSOC? The consequences of nukes

Today I spoke with Rory Cormac, an international relations lecturer at the University of Nottingham. He specialises in UK covert action and has written six books on the matter. Including his latest "How To Stage A Coup and ten other lessons from the world of secret statecraft".You can find Rory Cormac on:TwitterUniversity of NottinghamWe spoke aboutThoughts on the recent German coup attempt.Do coups work?The difference between UK & US intelligence culture.Staying away from conspiratorial mindsets.Foreign espionage in UK academia.The royal family and their relationship to UK intelligence.Intended consequences of covert action.Learning

Today I thought we would round up some of the best advice from our guests so far on the podcast. If you would like to check out further advice, here is Marcel Plichta's article on becoming an Intelligence Analyst. You can also find the links to the individual podcasts featured in this episode below.We spoke toJason L. spoke about being impartial, learning a language, writing for intelligence and more.Jack Margolin spoke about having a sense of purpose and finding your niche.Julie Nel spoke about problem-solving mindsets, constantly learning and not relying

Today I spoke with HI Sutton a.k.a Covert Shores. He writes about the changing world of underwater and seabed warfare, covering secretive and unusual vessel technologies used to fight beneath the waves. Combining the latest open-source intelligence (OSINT) with traditional science of defense analysis.You can find HI Sutton on:TwitterMastodonhisutton.comWe spoke aboutIllustrating cutting-edge technology in MS PaintHow Ukrainian USVs are changing naval warfareThe future of FrogmenNarco SubmarinesTsunami creating Russian Poseiden torpedoRussian Submarine activity in the ArcticThe Grey Dynamics Podcast is available on all major platforms!SpotifyApple Podcast Google PodcastAmazon Podcast Hosted on Acast.

Today I spoke with Marcel Plichta! He is at the moment doing his PhD at St. Andrews. And before that, he was an intelligence analyst for the DIA, which stands for Defence Intelligence Agency and is the Pentagon’s intelligence agency.You can find Marcel on:TwitterLinkedInWe spoke aboutUkrainian interceptor missile lands in Poland The Role of OSINT on TwitterBritish military withdrawal from MaliWagner PMC in Mali The importance of intelligence training Kamikaze drone solutions in Ukraine Reality TV Show "Make Me Prime Minister" The Grey Dynamics Podcast is available on all major platforms!SpotifyApple Podcast Google PodcastAmazon Podcast Hosted on Acast. See

Today I spoke with Mike Godwin! Mike is a freelance journalist who focuses on defence and security matters in Eastern Europe and the caucuses as well as NATO. He's a combat veteran of the United States Army and currently lives in Tbilisi, Georgia, where he runs his own journalism and OSINT platform.You can find Mike on:WebsiteInstagramTelegramTwitterLinkedInWe spoke aboutMike's experience in the US ArmyHis life as a journalist in GeorgiaSouth Ossetia and Abkhazia How Partisanship influences journalism The importance of on-the-ground experience The Role of Caucuses in the Ukrainian invasion Importance of having a life outside

Today I spoke with RageX! he collects, processes and processes before turning that into analysis 2.0. He focuses on Social Media intelligence (SOCMINT) and open-source intelligence (OSINT). On all his platforms, he caters to an audience of around 500 thousand.You can find RageX on:WebsiteInstagramTelegramTwitterTumblrWe spoke aboutStudying conflicts through OSINTFinding victims of war crimesHis loyalty to the truth The use of social media to disseminate information and intelligence His struggles with censorship on social media and powerful interests The Speed of dissemination on Twitter Telegram is a conflict search engine Power of information warfare in Ukraine The Grey Dynamics

Today I spoke with Anna Kruglova! Anna is a Lecturer of Terrorism Studies and a Programme leader for MA Terrorism and Security at the School of Arts and Media at the University of Salford. She obtained her PhD in international studies from Queen’s University Belfast and her MA in international conflict studies from King’s College London and her MSc in Security Studies from UCL. Her research interests are focused on terrorist propaganda and she is particularly interested in exploring what role the Internet, media and social media play in the recruitment process and radicalisation. She

Thank you for joining the Great Dynamics Podcast, today I spoke with Samuel Bendett! Samuel is an advisor with the CNA Strategy, Policy, Plan, and Program centre where he is a member of the Russia Studies program.He's also an adjunct senior fellow at the Center for New American Security. His work involves research on Russian defense and technology developments, unmanned and autonomous military systems and artificial intelligence, as well as Russian military capabilities and decision-making during crises. And he's also an honorary Mad Scientist, which is very cool with the US Army TRADOC

In this episode of the Grey Dynamics Podcast, I spoke with Gareth Westwood. Garrett is an 11 year veteran of the intelligence community in the uk. He served in different roles in the military as well as in the foreign service. In the last two years, He spent his time building and running an internal global corporate intelligence team in a large pharmaceutical company as the head of Global Intelligence. We Spoke about:Gareth's career starting as Music teacherThe intersection of complex musical composition and technical intelligence analysis The value of joining the military

In this episode of the Grey Dynamics Podcast, I spoke with my old mentor partner and friend Julie Nel! Julie is an experienced senior leader within the security industry, with a career spanning 30 years across UK Military and Law Enforcement. She specialises in Intelligence and Serious and Organised Crime and has served as Force Director of Intelligence and the National Lead for Intelligence in Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabularies (HMIC).Currently, she is the founder and managing director of the private intelligence and investigative firm B4secure We Spoke about:Julie's career in the military

In this episode, I sat down with my friend and former British Army engineer, paratrooper turned humanitarian, adventurer, filmmaker and entrepreneur Dave Luke.Dave is Artios Global's CEO and an Information and Strategy advisor who has led humanitarian relief, research assessments and media production in complex emergencies and transitional states for 15 years. He has worked in more than 50 countries.We discussed:His journey from Northern Ireland to the highest peaks in the world.His love for humanitarian workThe art of storytelling and its role in research and intelligence.How to lead with unconditional honesty and trustBuilding

Thank you for joining the Grey Dynamics podcast. We have a very special guest, Jack Margolin! Jack is the program director of the Conflict-Affected States Program at C4ADS, which is a nonprofit organization that uses publicly available information and emerging technology to disrupt international crime and conflict. He has investigated corruption, arms trafficking, and nuclear proliferation from Russia to South Sudan.We spoke aboutIllicit Nuclear Technology Procurement by companies in Pakistan and IndiaSudanese state-owned cartel and its connections with the Wagner Group Comparing and contrasting publicly accessible information (PAI) and open source intelligence

Hello everybody! Thank you for joining the Grey Dynamics Podcast. I'm your host Ahmed Hassan. We spoke with Kyle Cunliffe. Kyle is a lecturer at Salford's University Intelligence Programs. His research focuses on intelligence and Cyberspace, particularly where those two meet. We spoke about The difficulties facing human intelligence practitioners in a growing world of high-tech surveillance.  How video games inspired Kyle to study intelligence.The Tensions between intelligence scholars and practitioners.Knowing what you are good at and utilising that for a role in Intelligence.Information overload through social media.And much more!The Grey Dynamics Podcast is available everywhere If

Marcel is at the moment doing his PhD at St. Andrews. And before that, he was an intelligence analyst for the DIA, which stands for Defence Intelligence Agency and is the Pentagon's intelligence agency. Right now he lives in beautiful Scotland working on other exciting problems that he will talk about with us today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we spoke with former military intelligence analyst and New Zealand native Alcon S2. We talked about the role of OSINT in social media discourse and taking the mystique out of intelligence analysis tradecraft on social platforms. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thank you for joining the Grey Dynamics podcast today! We have a very illustrious guest, Jason L. Jason served as a Marine for 12 years. After that, he joined the Nuclear Security Industry. And from there on out, he was recruited by the CIA. Today he has a different role in the Intelligence Community (IC).The Podcast is available here and on most streaming platforms! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Grey dynamics podcast offers insight into the often murky and hidden world of intelligence. Brought to you by current and former intelligence practitioners that know the routes through the grey zone. With your host Ahmed Hassan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.