Bozur
Amicus
Posts: 5,515
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Post by Bozur on Feb 28, 2012 13:52:21 GMT -5
WikiLeaks publishes Stratfor e-mails. What's in them? By Peter Grier, Christian Science Monitor | 08:40 am
WikiLeaks says Stratfor is a corporate CIA — a shadowy firm that vacuums up intelligence from the top levels of governments around the globe. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange says that’s why his anti-secrecy group on Monday began releasing a trove of confidential Stratfor e-mails.
Stratfor has paid off informants, monitored activist groups on behalf of multinationals, and invested cash based on its intelligence findings, charged Mr. Assange during an appearance at London’s Frontline Club.
“What we have discovered is a company that is a private intelligence Enron,” said Assange, referring to the Texas energy giant that became a byword for corporate wrongdoing.
WikiLeaks is working with a network of international media organizations to organize and publish the e-mails, whose provenance remains unclear. It’s possible that explosive findings are yet to come. But an initial survey of the e-mails published so far on WikiLeaks's own website reveals not so much a corporate Central Intelligence Agency as a geopolitical version of the comedy “The Office,” complete with lunch theft, ribald interoffice accusations, jokes about interns, and unsubstantiated blather about world politics.
The e-mails also contain names, contact numbers, and internal passwords of dozens of clients and contacts — just the sort of non-vetted personal information that WikiLeaks has been criticized for publishing in the past.
The tortellini cape One e-mail chain released by WikiLeaks involves the theft of a bowl of pesto tortellini from a refrigerator in Statfor’s Austin, Texas, office. The perpetrator owns up to what he terms a mistake in food identification, but not before dispensing an intel-world homily: “Admit nothing, deny everything, and make counter-accusations.”
Spying for Coca-Cola The e-mails do reveal some clear examples of intelligence gathering on behalf of corporate clients. Among these was Coca-Cola, which prior to the 2010 Vancouver Olympics was apparently worried about the animal rights group PETA, for some reason.
A Coke manager sent Stratfor a list of questions it wanted answered at a private briefing, including how active PETA was in Canada, what its methods were, and whether PETA had links to other activist groups. The threat to a soda firm from PETA remained unclear.
Criminality of British soccer teams Other e-mails released include long lists of guidance — topics that Stratfor wished its analysts to cover. Organized by region, they were generally hortatory yet bland. A section on Eurasian economics, for instance, reminded that “bankruptcies and bank bailouts are important.”
Yet within these e-mails are occasional statements that perhaps bear further investigation. In a section on Britain written in 2009, for example, Stratfor urges close attention to who is buying the nation’s soccer teams.
“May seem silly, but European soccer leagues are avenues for money laundering. Good to know who is laundering what money,” states the e-mail.
Another section in that same 2009 e-mail notes that the Balkans is rife with organized crime, or “OC.” About the small Balkans nation of Montenegro, the e-mail makes the startling charge that “the entire country is OC, including the government.”
Stratfor equals Kremlin Time wasting in the corporate world can take many forms, from unnecessary meetings to office basketball pools. At one point, the Stratfor staff engaged in a hearty round of “Stratfor’s Kremlin Model,” in which they discussed who among them was equivalent to which official in Vladimir Putin’s Kremlin.
While undoubtedly learned, this discussion may have contributed just as much to the firm’s bottom line as would an interoffice Angry Birds tournament.
Stratfor itself has said the messages appear to be those stolen by hackers over the Christmas holidays. Beyond that, it will have little to say about the message content.
“Having had our property stolen, we will not be victimized twice by submitting to questioning about them,” said the company Monday in a statement. www.minnpost.com/christian-science-monitor/2012/02/wikileaks-publishes-stratfor-e-mails-whats-them
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Bozur
Amicus
Posts: 5,515
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Post by Bozur on Feb 28, 2012 13:54:46 GMT -5
AFERA VIKILIKS: TAJNI PODACI IZ PET MILIONA MEJLOVA "STRATFORA"
KRIMINALCI SJEDE U VLADI CRNE GORE Utorak, 28. Februar, 2012.| Autor: Ekipa Kurira
Korespondencija među „Stratforovim“ agentima otkriva da se cijela CG bavi organizovanim kriminalom, uključujući i vrh vlasti. Vikiliks je do tajnih mejlova došao zahvaljujući hakerskoj grupi Anonimusi, koja je upala na „Stratforov“ server u decembru 2011.
LONDON - Novi međunarodni skandal.
Cijela Crna Gora bavi se organizovanim kriminalom, uključujući i vladu, otkrivaju nova tajna dokumenta koje je juče počeo da objavljuje Vikiliks. Taj sajt je došao u posed više od pet miliona mejlova privatne američke bezbednosne kompanije „Stratfor“, koja se bavi geopolitičkim analizama i radi za multinacionalne kompanije, ali i za vladu SAD.
Vikiliks nije objavio ime svog izvora, ali se vjeruje da je objavljivanje materijala povezano s hakerskim upadom na „Stratforov“ server u decembru 2011. koji je izvela grupa Anonimus.
Mejlovi obuhvataju period od jula 2004. do decembra 2011. godine i pokazuju kako je „Stratfor“ imao mreže doušnika, strukture za davanje mita i tehnike za pranje novca po čitavom svijetu, pa i na Balkanu.
Ono što je američke obaveštajce najviše interesovalo kad je riječ o Balkanu, jeste organizovani kriminal, zatim sukob Srba i Albanaca na Kosovu, neonacistički pokreti, protesti raznih grupa, pa i sindikata, operacije islamskih terorista i napadi vezani za drogu i oružje.
U jednom od objavljenih mejlova nalaze se uputstva kako pratiti situaciju na Balkanu. U njemu je Crna Gora označena kao zemlja koja se bavi organizovanim kriminalom, uključujući i njenu vladu.
- Put Crne Gore u EU veoma je interesantan, kao i to u kojoj mjeri je kriminalna vlada zainteresovana da zaustavi organizovani kriminal koji je pokreće - navodi se u jednom mejlu.
U Hrvatskoj je, prema podacima američkih obaveštajaca, organizovani kriminal na visokom nivou, u Bosni na veoma visokom nivou i povezan je s Rusima, a albanska mafija najopasnija je na Kosovu i u Albaniji.
Interesantno je to da se Srbija nije našla na spisku za posebno praćenje organizovanog kriminala.
Rade za vladu SAD
Kompanija „Stratfor“ bavi se geopolitičkim analizama, a klijenti su joj multinacionalne kompanije. Postoje i dokazi o povjerljivim vezama između „Stratfora“ i korporacija poput „Lokid Martina“, „Nortrop Grumana“, koje proizvode vojnu opremu, ali i američke vlade, uključujući Stejt department, marince i vojnu obaveštajnu službu.
Kurir će narednih dana objavljivati najzanimljivije delove mejlova koje Vikiliks bude pustio u javnost.
Bosna je ključ regiona
Bezbednosna situacija na Balkanu je, prema mišljenju američkih obaveštajaca, veoma kompleksna. Oni pre svega prate situaciju u Bosni i Hercegovini i smatraju je ključnom za bezbednost celog regiona. Obaveštajcima je naređeno da prate da li bilo koja etnička grupa u BiH želi veću autonomiju i da li je izbilo nasilje bilo koje vrste.
- Poseban ključ za BiH jesu podjele između Hrvata i muslimana, kao i radikalizacija Republike Srpske. Treba na vreme da znamo da li ima naznaka nereda na fudbalskim utakmicama, organizovanog kriminala, svega što može da odvede do etničkog zločina - navodi se u mejlu.
Bezbednost
Organizovani kriminal posebno da se prati: • Hrvatska - visoka aktivnost • Crna Gora - cijela zemlja je organizovani kriminal, uključujući Vladu • Bosna - visoka aktivnost, povezana s Rusijom, tako da je dvostruko važna • Albanija/Kosovo - pažljivo motriti aktivnosti Albanske mafije
Obratiti pažnju i na ostalo: • Srbi na sjeveru Kosova, mogu da buknu bilo kada. Albanci u Preševu i muslimani u Sandžaku (oba u Srbiji) • Povećan broj neonacističkog nasilja, naročito u Vojvodini protiv Mađara (Srbija),
Hrvatska (protiv Roma i Srba) • Protesti, nemiri, sindikalne aktivnosti... Oni nisu organizovani kao u Zapadnoj Evropi, ali štrajk albanskih rudara na Kosovu 80-ih godina na izvestan način je zapalio cijeli region • Bilo kakve neuobičajene radnje islamskih terorističkih grupa • Napadi vezani za oružje i drogu
Inostrani odnosi Posebno pratiti: • Makedonija - problem s Grčkom • Slovenija - problem s Hrvatskom • Srbija - odnosi sa svima
Ruski potezi na Balkanu: • Treba obratiti pažnju na bilo kakvo pripajanje energetskih kompanija u regionu • Rusija daje zajmove regionu • Bilo kakvi potezi ruskih lidera/političara/biznismena u regionu • Rusko-srpski odnosi su naročito važni za nadgledanje. Nije važno što te dve zemlje igraju prijateljsku fudbalsku utakmicu, o tome moramo sve da znamo
Vesti: organizovani kriminal, vlada crne gore, Afera vikiliks, kompanija Stratfor www.kurir-info.rs/planeta/kriminalci-sede-u-vladi-crne-gore-186818.phpwww.in4s.net/index.php/politika/srbija-cg-srpska/16099-cela-cg-vladav-se-bavi-organizovanim-kriminalom
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Post by uz on Feb 28, 2012 20:51:06 GMT -5
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Post by Emperor AAdmin on Feb 28, 2012 20:56:25 GMT -5
The Mafia paradise that holds secret to tycoons' alliance By RICHARD PENDLEBURY and NEIL BARNETT Last updated at 1:00 AM on 24th October 2008 Springtime in Brussels and a familiar figure is wreathed in smiles as he announces his latest diplomatic masterstroke.
After three years of talks Peter Mandelson, the EU Trade Commissoner, has secured a bilateral agreement with the tiny Adriatic nation of Montenegro.
'Today's signature is an important milestone,' he cooed. Montenegro's progress towards becoming a reliable world trading partner had been 'remarkable'.
'Future Monaco': The port of Tivat in Montenegro is going to be transformed into the 'Monaco of the Adriatic' and has a tight circle of wealthy backers
Even so, one imagines that Montenegrin trade prospects rarely dominate small talk at the world's most glamorous restaurants. But they might well have done so at the Moscow dinner table we know Mandelson to have shared with his good friend, Oleg Deripaska, only a few weeks before the Brussels' announcement in April.
Or, indeed, on any of the other occasions when the commissioner has broken bread with the Russian and their mutual friend - and Deripaska's business partner and adviser - the British financier, Nat Rothschild.
Why? Because Deripaska, Russia's wealthiest man, is also the single largest private employer of Montenegro's 680,000 population, responsible for half of the nation's legitimate economic output. Rothschild - who this week caused a political firestorm by accusing Geroge Osborne, the Tory Shadow Chancellor, of soliciting a £50,000 donation from Deripaska - also has a stake in one of the Russian's projects in Montenegro, as well as other heavy business links with him.
Tycoon alliance? Nat Rothschild (left) has a stake in one of Oleg Deripaska's projects in Montenegro
Indeed, this unholy alliance may very well be the key to understanding Rothschild's astonishing betrayal of his old university chum, Mr Osborne.
BUT why has a tiny state like Montenegro assumed such importance to Deripaska and his business partners? It is no secret that the country has a significant and well-established black economy. As one Balkan business analyst said: 'It is the one country in the region that isn't just bedevilled by corruption, it's a kleptocracy.'
Montenegro, which broke from a federal union with Serbia two years ago, has been governed by prime minister Milo Djukanovic since 1991. More...
Mandelson to face questions over links to Russian tycoon and plans for a £5bn super-rich haven in Montenegro
The cast list of The Corfu Connection reads like something out of an Agatha Christie novel
Djukanovic is an interesting character. He had long been ' tolerated' by the West for opposing the regime of late Serbian tryrant Slobodan Milosevic. But allegations of links to hugely profitable, mafia-run tobacco smuggling between his country and the EU have seen him repeatedly investigated by Italian prosecutors.
If Djukanovic is the political leviathan of this tiny state, then his friend Deripaska, similarly tainted by alleged mafia-links, is his economic equivalent.
It is said that Djukanovic personally handled the controversial sale of Montenegro's most important state-owned industrial asset - the KAP aluminium firm - to a subsdidiary of Rusal, Deripaska's aluminium concern.
Rusal is the world's largest producer of the metal and benefited greatly from two EU aluminium import tariff cuts which were made while friend Mandelson was trade commissioner.
Some say that KAP was considerably underpriced. There are whispers of kickbacks.
Others resent the way in which Russia has taken such a huge stake in their country.
Since 2001 Russia has commanded first place in the countries investing in Montenegro.
Investor: Lord Rothschild, father of Nat, is also on board for the Porto Montenegro marina development near the town of Tivat Tourism from Russia has rocketed, too. But the main source of investment in recent times has been in real estate, mostly along the gorgeous Adriatic coast.
There are those cynics who say that much of the Russian property investment is a money laundering operation by criminal elements from the Russian Federation.
Of course, there is no suggestion that this might explain Mr Deripaska's interests in the region.
But there is undoubtedly one project for which he has particularly-high hopes - or at least had before the credit crunch shrank his £14billion fortune. That is the extraordinary Porto Montenegro marina development near the town of Tivat.
It is often said of Monaco that it's 'a sunny place for shady people'. Given the identities of some of its recent investors, much the same could be said of the beautiful Montenegran coast.
But at Tivat they really are going to build what has been billed 'the Monaco of the Adriatic'. A Four Seasons hotel is part of the multi-billion-pound plan, as well as hundreds of luxury appartments and berthing for 800 boats - 150 of them superyachts.
Once again prime minister Djukanovic was personally involved in the negotiations, which saw an abandoned ex-Yugoslav naval base and dockyard sold to foreign investors in early 2006. Once again there were allegations of underpricing.
The yard was bought by a firm called TriGranit, Hungary's biggest property developer. It is co-owned by a Hungarian-born Canadian billionaire named Peter Munk and Nat Rothschild.
Munk, 80, is owner of Barrick Gold, the world's largest gold producing company. He was advised to invest in Montenegro by the Rothschild family, with whom he has long enjoyed business ties.
Then he made a call to Deripaska. 'Oleg made the first phone call to the prime minister (Djukanovic) and opened the door for me,' Mr Munk explained.
But Munk and Rothschild were not alone in the project. Also on board are Nat's father Lord Rothschild and two other business big names. One, Bernard Arnault, the chairman of luxury goods conglomerate LVMH, adds lustre.
The other - Deripaska himself - adds a blizzard of cash and a warship-sized yacht, the 283ft Queen K, which has been the subject of recent notoriety as a honeypot for Britain's political elite. Work on the Montenegrin project is already well under way. Giant palm trees have been brought in from Spain, the pier fenders are lined with African teak and fountains made from Venezuelan stone tinkle prettily.
Porto Montenegro should open for business next year. PM Djukanovic hopes that he can persuade the EU to accept Montenegro as a member by 2012, which should help the Tivat development considerably.
Certainly, its tight circle of wealthy backers have much at stake. Munk sits on the international advisory board of Rusal, Deripska's metals giant. Nat Rothschild (whose JNR firm advises Deripaska) sits on the equivalent board at Barrick Gold.
In return, Munk has reportedly invested heavily in Nat Rothschild's New Yorkbased Atticus hedge fund.
How very cosy. But this nexus of tens of millions of pounds of wealth has been much reduced in recent weeks and is still precarious, thanks to the world financial downturn. Fear stalks the oligarch mansions. Even Deripaska is reportedly struggling to meet debt repayments on a part of his metals empire and will have to liquidate assets. In this fraught enviroment, George Osborne - the Shadow Chancellor - made a stupid misjudgment.
He chose to score a cheap political point by leaking embarrassing remarks about Peter Mandelson - the same Commisioner Mandelson who had so enthusiastically praised Montenegrin economic progress and had shown a liking for tariff cuts.
And by so doing, Osborne also unwittingly shone an unwelcome light on Mr Rothschild's most important business partner, Mr Deripaska. So Rothschild went on the attack. When business is this stormy, you have to choose your place of shelter. And Rothschild's was the Porto Montenegro connection.
Read more: www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1080171/The-Mafia-paradise-holds-secret-tycoons-alliance.html#ixzz1njQuMsVs
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Post by uz on Feb 28, 2012 21:06:30 GMT -5
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Post by dusko1 on Mar 14, 2012 18:07:59 GMT -5
Criminals are also sitting in Serbian, Russian, Italian, U.S. and other governments. What's your point?
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