Dutch intelligence instrumental in launching FBI’s investigation into U.S. election meddling
De Volkskrant reports:
The Cozy Bear hackers are in a space in a university building near the Red Square. The group’s composition varies, usually about ten people are active. The entrance is in a curved hallway. A security camera records who enters and who exits the room. The AIVD hackers manage to gain access to that camera. Not only can the intelligence service now see what the Russians are doing, they can also see who’s doing it. Pictures are taken of every visitor. In Zoetermeer, these pictures are analyzed and compared to known Russian spies …
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Access to Cozy Bear turns out to be a goldmine for the Dutch hackers. For years, it supplies them with valuable intelligence about targets, methods and the interests of the highest ranking officials of the Russian security service. From the pictures taken of visitors, the AIVD deduces that the hacker group is led by Russia’s external intelligence agency SVR.
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Recently, the head of the AIVD, Rob Bertholee, said on the Dutch TV program CollegeTour that there is ‘no question’ that the Kremlin is behind the Russian hacking activities.
De Volkskrant notes that President Trump’s refusal to accept and admit the fact Russia’s election interference has forced the U.S. intelligence community to leak information to prove the Kremlin’s broad hacking and disinformation campaign, and that some of the leaks made the Dutch intelligence professionals angry.
This has led to anger in Zoetermeer and The Hague. Some Dutchmen even feel betrayed. It’s absolutely not done to reveal the methods of a friendly intelligence service, especially if you’re benefiting from their intelligence. But no matter how vehemently the heads of the AIVD and MIVD [the AIVD’s military counterpart] express their displeasure, they don’t feel understood by the Americans. It’s made the AIVD and MIVD a lot more cautious when it comes to sharing intelligence. They’ve become increasingly suspicious since Trump was elected president.
Far-right conspiracy theorists, conservative talk radio and TV personalities, and some GOP lawmakers, in an attempt to cast doubt over the FBI investigation and the Mueller probe —and the probe’s eventual conclusions, should these conclusions find fault with Trump — have been advancing the notion that the FBI launched its investigation of Russian meddling in the 2016 election as a result of the Steele Dossier, which was paid for in part by the Hillary Clinton campaign.
Christopher Steel is a British intelligence Russia specialist, who served as the head of MI6 Russia desk from 2006 to 2009. He continued to provide information and analysis to the FBI after he retired from government services and launched a private intelligence company.
The Steele Dossier was taken so seriously by the FBI not only because Steele was considered a credible and reliable Russia expert – but because much of the raw intelligence contained in the dossier dovetailed with information the FBI already had from other sources – one of them being Dutch intelligence.
Engadget reports:
The AIVD alerted their U.S. counterparts, opening a line of communication and evidence-sharing that was allegedly key to the FBI launching investigations into Russia’s influence over the presidential election. During the time the AIVD had access to the network, which is said to be up to two and a half years, the agency witnessed various keyboard battles between Cozy Bear and U.S. gatekeepers, including attacks on the State Department.
Engadget concludes:
Russia is accused of running a comprehensive campaign aimed at disrupting the election, from hacking individuals and state voting systems to disseminating fake news and engineering opinion on social media. However many official probes take place, we’ll probably never get a clear picture of exactly what went on, but according to this new report, the Netherlands was instrumental in helping the US understand and combat Russian cyberespionage. And all because the AIVD stumbled upon a network that ended up being a goldmine of intelligence.
