By Senior National Security Producer Suzanne Kelly
They called it "Operation Ghost Stories", and judging by the trove of detailed information posted online by the FBI, it was an espionage investigation that could have occurred at the height of the Cold War.
The FBI investigated, and then arrested, 10 Russian spies last year in a case that captured the nation's attention. Now, in response to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, the law enforcement agency is posting photographs, documents, and video clips of the suspects in secretly-taped meetings with undercover FBI agents.
The Russian Foreign Intelligence operatives (SVR) were suspected of trying to obtain classified documents (though the FBI says they never got any of them) and the FBI describes the operation as "well-funded" and "far-ranging".
One video details how Russian operative Christopher Metsos passed information to an official from the Russian Mission in New York in what's known in intelligence circles as a "brush pass."
The move is meant to like nothing more than a casual passing by to a person on the street (in this instance in a stairwell), but it is actually a method used to exchange information.
Another video shows Russian spy Anna Chapman, who has become a celebrity in Russia since being exposed, meeting in a New York coffee shop with an undercover FBI agent in 2010.
Another video shows how the Russian spies used cold war techniques like recovering packages from "dead drops", literally digging information that had been planted by their contacts, out of the ground.
The FBI information also details other techniques the operatives used, including something known in intelligence circles as "spotting and assessing", which was an operative's summation of whether friends or acquaintances may serve as espionage targets, as well as identifying and reporting other people whom they felt may hold positions of power or influence in the future. Their ultimate mission, according to the FBI, was to gain influence over U.S. policy.
FBI agents watched the suspects for years as they lived what would appear to be normal, American lives. It was a mission that was likely meant to last a lifetime.
"Our agents and analysts watched the deep-cover operatives as they established themselves in the U.S. (some by using stolen identities) and went about leading seemingly normal lives – getting married, buying homes, raising children, and assimilating into American society" reads the description on the FBI website.
All ten of the Russians pled guilty in federal court last year to conspiring to serve as unlawful agents of the Russian Federation, and were expelled to Russia in a swap for four Russian prisoners accused of spying for the U.S..
The FBI stressed that this was not an isolated case, attributing an unidentified FBI agent as saying "There are a lot of foreign services who want what we have, and that's why we have agents and analysts in FBI field offices across the country working with other intelligence community partners every day to address these threats."
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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Hello there, I love your blog security.blogs.cnn.com . Is there something I can do to receive updates like a subscription or some thing? I am sorry I'm not acquainted with RSS?
Once more, the elements of goodness and niceness triumph over the evil of Kaos.
Have you ever dreamed to be a SPY? http://octorama.com/desktop/display-1781
bet they got top level secrets like what dog so and so walks and what flavor starbucks in America is serving. Tough stuff those spies.
I can't believe we put out there what we recorded and saw, this will be gleaned for training material to be used by future spies on how to avoid being caught. It was released under the 'Freedom of Information Act', but yet you can't get copies of contracts issued by the city government to build stuff from my city. This makes little sense to me.
When you don't understand something, such as the Freedom of Information Act, it might prove useful to use the resources in front of you (i.e. the internet) to do a little research and inform yourself. That or just post on about how you don't understand something.
I didn't realize Amanda Bynes was a Russian spy.
im looking for work is anyone hiring
I'd like to do unmentionable things to her...It would be truly criminal.
I'd let her sneak my private package into her country.
Damn, that woman is HOT
Great, we used to shoot spies, now we idolize them? This country won't survive another major war.
...as well as identifying and reporting other people whom they felt may hold positions of power or influence in the future..
no, it's as well as identifying others people WHO they felt may hold positions.
I am so, so, saddened to see the level of language degeneration and degradation in this country. If there's a reason because of which the russians are bound to win it is because they know the difference between kto and kogo, whereas americans use (misuse) the latter to make themselves sound important while unmasking their own weak-mindedness. Some form of this can be applied to the entire american empire.
I vote we vote Anna Chapman in charge of the FBI! At least she is better looking than the director we have now!
I would LOOOOVE to see Anna Chapman exposed. She makes the Cold War hot.
Me too! In fact I would looove to looove Anna Chapman!
Anna can spy on me all she wants!
go to egotastic.com and look for her name, she has been, twice, thankfully
When I was in grade school, the FBI was defined as "Female Body Inspector".
I hope to god this was the case with Anna.
PS -> FBI field teams monitoring this CNN discussion, I've attached my resume'.
If Anna is involved you have to wait in line for that job buster!
G'Day! Spy Equipment Eguide,On a similar note, If you'd like to make a lttlie extra money, maybe sell some of your spy equipment and buy some new gadgets, you might enjoy setting up an account on eBay and selling some of your collection of spy equipment. You can take this further and open a store if you like it, but for the moment, have you ever thought about selling some of your stuff?Catch you again soon!
If you want to be an agent of interest of a foreign power wihout risk, just join AIPAC ! If you get in trouble, Netanyahu can come before congress and berate the FBI and Justice Department and get 29 standing ovations !
Ha! Good one. +1
Based on the lead picture, she's not a Russian spy...she's on an Enterprise away team.
If that were the case she should already be dead...
I want to do very naughty things with her. Heard she was a freak too.
Thats one hot russian spy...yummy. She can spy on me anytime!
nah, her boobs are drooping
Eerily similar to the plot for the movie SALT with Angelina Jolie. And that movie came out right when this story broke too.
Anna, I want to have hot nasty raunchy bareback sex with you and put it on video so I can make a great profit. Holler at me so we can do this. I'd love to give you a creampie.
Who doesn't?!
"I went home with the waitress
The way I always do
How was I to know
She was with the
Russians, too?" Thanks Warren!
She's probably slept with more men than Kim K
In my country, we call these girls 'open road'
I'd like to ride on that rode sometime.
LOL guys, you are desperate. Chapman was a very bad spy like the 9 other amateurs who did nothing for Russia but she is ugly, kinda looking like Peggy! You are attracted because you are excited by that spy story. No one wants to hear about her in Russia, she was booed and banned recently at the University in Moscow.
Dear Kara, you obviously know nothing about men.
lolzzzzz.correct
Men love shrimps, they don't care of the face/head, as long as the body is good.
i want to investigate her....all alone
The meeting between Anna Chapman and the spy took place in a Starbucks (noticed the decal on the window). Starbucks should find away to incoporate this into their advertising tag-line, i.e., "Starbucks: Free Trade Coffee – And Free Trade of International Secrets." I dunno.
ALWAYS beware of hot Russians!
I am a Narnian spy, I have been gaining access to embassies worldwide, Aslan will be proud!
Don't ever have children.
"and were expelled to Russia in a swap for four Russian prisoners accused of spying for the U.S" – thats it, why complain?
10 guilty of spy for 4 suspected of spying......kinda fishy if you ask me.
thats the ver. from cnn. did u read the russian version?
Blows my mind how much this is like a book I read called Zhena.
Good spies do not get caught in FBI stings.
I this doesnt make you wonder how many Iranians are already here, it should.
I don't believe it would be to hard to spot an Iranian spy. This girl could pass for any the girl next door.
Those guys in video #1 are terrible "spies"
Seriously! Worst.Brush pass.ever!
Right! Totally amateur! Seriously, who does an opposite arm pass like that? No wonder they were caught.
I agree! They need to go to a LA or Hollywood acting school for proper training. LOL!!!
Hottest Spy I've seen so far LOL
No doubt, that chick is built.
Yeah, she was a keeper for sure. silf.
I'd go under cover with her any time.
I love her dress in this photo! Who is the designer, anyone know?
KGB?
clever
yer are just simple beyond belief.
Posted on The new Zune browser is suiisrrpngly good, but not as good as the iPod's. It works well, but isn't as fast as Safari, and has a clunkier interface. If you occasionally plan on using the web browser that's not an issue, but if you're planning to browse the web alot from your PMP then the iPod's larger screen and better browser may be important.
You probably can get that dress @ 'Cold-War' clothing.com! LOL!!!
Kalishnikov!
Looks like Professor X's work...
Not sure about Anna and the Russians, but the designer for the Iranian spies is Donna Koran.
I don't know but she is the hottest thing I have seen from that country and any other for that fact. WOWWOWWOW!!!
Anna Chapman is a GREAT looking spy! She is a stunner! James Bond type femme fatale!
Absolutely, they should offer her a role in the next Bond flick. No security problem, the most she could probably steal is a semen sample from Daniel Craig.
Russia continues to operate under a system of suspicion and repression. This is why, as a player on the world stage, they are as scary and untrustworthy as they were 30 years ago.
Everything you just described can also be said of the good ole US of A.
A spy is just another kind of soldier defending his/her affiliation. Whether or not they are an enemy depends on yours. Our spies are protecting our interests and are no different than any other soldier.
so
@ Be Very Afraid ... you just described our allies, Britain and Israel, and Lord knows who else.
We do the same to them, all part of the game
Blah blah blah, we do the very same things, so does China, you really think they are the only ones playing the game; you really think there are not US spies at the Moscow embassy not gaining contacts as we speak? don't be so naive.
Tell me what you want .. she is a hot chick, in the end that's all what matters. Give her a Green Card ... the US is better off having her here than in Russia. It helps making this country look a lot better
I understand the view from your trailer may not be good, but please do not invite security risks into my home.
we're still spying on each other?
LOL. Sir we are still spying on England.
Nice rack!
My family are Irish spies that were planted here three generations ago. My current assignment is to monitor the flow of Guinness at pubs starting with letters A through R. My brother Shamus gets pubs S-Z. Other than that its regular day to day life.
I am also a spy working undercover for the govt of Argentina, based out of Mendoza wine country. i can feel for these 10 russians bc they are doing the same thing i am. i also hope i dont get deported to where i came from
From Argintina? any German blood from the post WWII era in your family???????
Daniel, you just blew your cover... better head back home hombre
Anna Chapman used me to spy on America. She had sex with me several thousands of times and did anything i wanted in hopes of getting me to leak highly confidential information. I am the janitor at Area 51. I am so glad I was able to keep my pillow talk to minimum and not leak anything but my bodily fluids to her.
You are gay, John! Don't try to "cover up" your coming out of the closet!
Im not gay cocoloco, your wife keeps saying that. Just because I had sex with your wife in her @ss doesnt make me gay.
IFor her, I'd sell my grandmother, mother, sister, cousins.....
I too am a spy.
I myself am a spy for the French West Indies, who really dreads being deported there. I sure hope no one traces my email address!
Spy v. Spy
The stuff of good movies.
.
Hacks and amateurs....
zombie kid, you think CIA and KGB were hacks and amateurs? What are you? 12 years old?