The Institute for Intelligence and Strategic Security (IISS) is cautioning security personnel against unauthorized disclosure of classified intelligence and security information. Speaking in an interview with ATV Asem Dika program, Ag Director IISS, Nana Dr. Sadiq Adu-Twum, expressed serious concern about this development, noting that personnel engaged in the conduct posed greater threat to national security than the external extremist groups, adding that such leaks will enable extremists to change their modus operandi. Dr Sadiq Adu-Twum, while making reference to a press statement issued by the Institute on the recent leak of a national security intelligence meant for specific security authorities, explained that documents marked “confidential” are part of a class of documents which must not be disseminated to unauthorized persons. The Institute for Intelligence and Strategic Security remains committed to upholding high ethical and professional standards in the intelligence and national security domain. As an independent professional, non-partisan non-governmental organization, IISS is dedicated to promoting professionalism and professionalization within the field of intelligence and national security. Source: IISS Communication Bureau
China offers $15,000 cash — or a ‘spiritual reward’ — for national security tip-offs
Hong Kong (CNN)China is offering its citizens cash rewards of up to and above 100,000 yuan ($15,000) for tip-offs about people who endanger national security, as authorities intensify a years-long campaign to weed out what they see as growing threats from foreign espionage and “hostile forces.” Successful informants can receive either “spiritual rewards” in certificates or “material rewards” in cash, according to regulations released by the Ministry of State Security on Monday. The cash rewards are graded into four levels based on the value of the tip-off, ranging from less than 10,000 yuan ($1,500) to more than 100,000 yuan. Tip-offs should be specific about the people or actions involved, and the information needs to be new to the authorities. The reports can be made in person, online, by post or through the state security hotline. For years, Chinese authorities have encouraged the public to inform on foreign spies and their Chinese collaborators through propaganda and incentive campaigns — efforts that have gathered pace under the country’s leader Xi Jinping. “We must ensure that national security is all for the people and all by the people, mobilizing the efforts of the whole Communist Party and whole society to bring together powerful forces to safeguard national security,” Xi told officials in 2016. In 2017, the Beijing municipal government began offering rewards of up to half a million yuan ($75,000) for anyone who helps to expose a spy. Within a year, authorities had received nearly 5,000 reports and handed out rewards to informants ranging from scientific researchers to cab drivers, according to state-run Beijing News. The new measures aim to standardize such rewards and motivate the public, a Ministry of State Security representative told the Legal Daily, a state-run newspaper. “The formulation of the measures helps fully mobilize the enthusiasm of the general public to support and assist in national security work, and widely rally the hearts, morale, wisdom and strength of the people,” the ministry representative was quoted as saying. The regulations also come as Chinese officials and state media push the narrative that China is under grave, constant threat from “hostile foreign forces,” who are supposedly seeking to infiltrate and undermine the country in every possible way. “China’s national security is confronted with a severe and complex situation. In particular, foreign intelligence agencies and hostile forces have significantly intensified their infiltration and espionage activities with more diverse means and are targeting broader areas, posing a serious threat to China’s national security,” the ministry representative said. China’s growing suspicion toward foreign influences stems partly from its growing geopolitical rivalry with the West, especially the United States, as the country turns more authoritarian at home and assertive abroad under Xi. Xi’s efforts to strengthen national security started a year after he came to office. In November 2013, he set up a powerful National Security Commission — which he heads — to lead the effort and better coordinate the wings of the country’s security bureaucracy. In 2015, China passed a sweeping national security law covering a wide array of areas, including defense, politics, the economy, the environment, technology, cyberspace, outer space, culture, ideology and religion. It also set up a national hotline for citizens to report on suspected spies or espionage. On April 15, 2016, the country marked its first annual National Security Education Day with an avalanche of propaganda, including a comic-style poster displayed across Beijing warning young female civil servants about dating handsome foreigners — lest they fall for a potential James Bond. And for the country’s second National Security Education Day, an online publishing house issued books for schoolchildren to learn how to safeguard national security, containing games like “find the spy.” The Global Times, a state-run nationalist tabloid, said the books were part of an effort to mobilize students from primary schools to colleges as “a huge counter-spy force.” About the same time, an unofficial notice circulated widely on social media, listing ways to spot a potential spy. Foreign correspondents, missionaries and NGO staff were among those identified as likely suspects. So too were people “with vague jobs, multiple titles and plenty of money”, those who have “studied abroad in many countries” and “people who regularly go somewhere to meet other people.” But these campaigns have not only raised suspicion of foreigners living in China. They have also been used to target government critics, social activists, lawyers, journalists, feminists and other outspoken members of the Chinese public — especially given the extremely broad and vague definition of “national security.” On social media, liberal commentators are often accused by nationalists of being traitors to their country and labeled “walking 500k” — meaning they work for foreign spies and are worth a cash reward if reported. Their accounts are frequently attacked by nationalist trolls and reported to censors — and subsequently wiped from platforms. Foreign forces and their Chinese collaborators are increasingly blamed for a host of social issues — from substandard illustrations in primary school textbooks to mounting criticism against the country’s zero-Covid policy. Following the release of the new regulations, some Chinese social media users joked that Chinese “traitors” have depreciated to 100,000 yuan from 500,000 yuan in 2017 because there were simply too many of them nowadays. Source: CNN
Prosecute persons involved in leakage of National Security Information-IISS
The Institute for Intelligence and Strategic Security (IISS) has called for investigation and prosecution of persons involved in leakage of intelligence meant to fight against violent extremism and other threats to national security. In a statement issued by the Institute, it notes that the trend of authorized disclosure of information and intelligence poses threats to national security and charged the Ministry of National Security to bring the culprits to book. The statement further called for review of the recruitment regime to ensure undesirable elements do not gain entry into the security and intelligence agencies as employment of such persons in sensitive positions endangers national security. It also advised all citizens and in particular security personnel to guard against unauthorized disclosure of classified information, citing such conduct as offence punishable under Security and Intelligence Agencies Act 2020 (Act 1030). Full statement below. Click to read IISS Press Release
IISS Trains Pentecost University Journalism Students.
The Institute for Intelligence and Strategic Security (IISS) has trained 20 Students of the Department of Communication Studies of the Pentecost University on principles of investigation and intelligence gathering. The training forms part of the institute’s corporate social responsibility toward building the capacity of relevant stakeholders in intelligence gathering, investigations and analysis to advance the course of safeguarding national security. The head of the Department of Communication Studies, Mrs Miriam Annan noted that the training could not have come at a better time than this era of emerging threats of terrorism and violent extremists, whereby every individual must be concerned about the issue of safety and security. She further charged the journalism students to be more serious, especially with the acquisition of investigative journalism skills to contribute to the maintenance of peace, security and stability. The Acting Director of the institute who is also a lecturer at the University, Nana Dr Sadiq Adu-Twum said it is imperative to provide a better understanding of crime and criminal analytical skills to would-be journalists to be able to help weed the various rots in society including the much talked about phenomena of coorruption. The training was facilitated by Assistant Superintendent of Police Mr Godwyll Addison, a senior law enforcement officer, and also a senior instructor of the IISS Department of Training and Development. Source: IISS Communication Bureau
Reverse name of NIB to BNI – Security Analyst
Director of the Institute for Intelligence and Strategic Security, Mr. Moses Jatuat has called for the immediate reversal of the nomenclature of the erstwhile Bureau of National Investigation. His calls come on the back of newspaper publication about alleged compromise of security information through mistaken delivery of official documents meant for the intelligence agency to National Investment Bank (NIB) which shares the same acronym as the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB). According to a report by Day Break newspaper, documents meant for the National Intelligence Bureau which is Ghana’s internal intelligence agency are wrongly sent to the National Investment Bank since the public is yet to come to terms with the name change of the Intelligence Agency which came into being as result of enactment of the Security and Intelligence Agencies Act, 2020 (Act 1030). The new Act changed the name of the agency from Bureau of National Investigation to National Intelligence Bureau. This Mr. Jatuat observes, raises serious concerns about security of sensitive information and intelligence bothering on national security, and called for immediate steps to restore the old nomenclature (BNI). Explaining further, the Intelligence specialist indicated the current law (Act 1030) only sort to change the word ‘Investigation’ to ‘Intelligence’ and questions the rationale for changing the entire nomenclature from BNI to NIB when there has not been substantial change to the name of the Bureau. While describing the move as needless, Mr. Jatuat rather charged the National Security Council and Ministry of National Security to invest adequately in improving the intelligence capability of the Bureau by equipping it with modern communication and intelligence gathering logistics and required human resource to effectively carry out its mandate of providing the needed intelligence to counter threats to national security of the Republic. Source: IISS Communication Bureau (www.iissgh.org)
