This is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 81%. (I'm a bot)

> Australia has exposed and quietly expelled a large Russian spy ring whose members were posing as diplomats, a local newspaper has reported just days after Australia's intelligence chief revealed that his agency had scored a major counterespionage success.

> The ring had operated in Australia for 18 months before it was uncovered and its activities were broken up by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, the country's main domestic spy agency, the newspaper reported.

> The Russian spies were quietly forced out of Australia over the past six months with their visas not renewed or cancelled, the newspaper reported.

Extended Summary | FAQ | Feedback | Top keywords: spy^#1 Australia^#2 report^#3 Russian^#4 ASIO^#5

ASIO never said where the spies were from, this pretty much confirms they were Chinese rather than Russian.

Shit journalism yet again.

Nah the second tier linked article actually says Iran. The headline is just plain wrong. Although to be fair they could have updated the web article I guess.

Original https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/2/14/australia-warns-of-foreign-surveillance-operations-names-iran

im still confused as to what they actually were

wow Australia is super serious at keeping their Fosters beer recipie safe as well how to cook shrimp on the barbe...

As an expat Aussie let me assure you we export Fosters because nobody local drinks it.

Beat me to it. Shittiest beer

It's actually an imported beer. It's brewed in the UK because no one drinks it.

TIL it's so bad nobody local will brew it. ;)

Before opening this thread, as an Aussie, I thought to myself "I bet you the first comment in here will be some neck beard trying to be funny with a boring stereotype about Australia" and there we have it.

As an aussie in a town with a lot of pubs, I have yet to see a pub that actually has fosters on tap. Only a handful even served it at all, and they were in more touristy areas.

It should be interesting to see if this intelligence bleeds into US politics. I think we have a Russian and Chinese operative issue in the US.

Not worth making room for these thoughts, we do the same shit to usa

lol ya I got aussie pals... i was just watching a Paul Hogan film when I saw this thread.. and I remembered his funny travel commercials...

ya I tried that beer once... never again... I may end up looking like Donk...

No one drinks fosters in Australia

Why don't they jail spies? What's this persona non-grata nonsense?

Well at least no one brought up the extremely over hyped and freaking done Emu war for once... Ah crap.

Blurs the line on what info they obtained is real or perhaps all fake. A knee jerk reaction gives away your hand and alerts all yet discovered members to grab and flee.

[removed]

Every nation has spies in another nation. That's basically the function of an Embassy... Unofficially.

And it's done because we want our spies back alive when they find them.

PNG does that.

yes, certainly. but you could swap prisoners if it comes to that. at least, you'd have the moral satisfaction 😉

Usually you can't jail a diplomat because of diplomatic immunity, hence non-grata.

Tourists maybe?

They do for the most egregious ones.

It goes both ways. How do you think the US has intel on what China is considering lol.

If you're a westerner in Russia you really need to gtfo

Remember when Obama kicked out a bunch of Russian "diplomats" just after the 2016 election?

Laugh it up. You can belittle the role Russia has played in the GOP but your opinion only showcases the treasonous behavior of Russian supporters within the GOP.

https://www.reddit.com/r/worldnews/comments/11ajb9g/australia_quietly_expels_major_russian_spy_ring/

Espionage always fascinated me in general. Intelligence agencies are essentially criminal wings of governments to me. Not domestically criminal of course but much of what Intelligence agencies do would be deemed illegal in whatever country they're operating in.

Point being it's a weird field with weird rules and there can be multiple reasons for not jailing spies immediately from maintaining relationships, ensuring your prisoners on the other side aren't abused, to not wanting to give away your hand like you originally stated.

Laws themselves are only as legitimate as the government that enforces them. Ie, espionage is 'legal' as it is backed by the political and military capital of the country operating the spies. Whereas you robbing a bank is backed only by you and your gun.

Wouldn't be the first time the English sent their unwanted here

They wouldn't as Foster's is not avilable in bars

Seems like jailing them would have the exact same effect.

Are you inland? It does seem that the coastal (perhaps more touristy cities) had Fosters available.

What's a Donk?

Nobody here drinks fosters and we call shrimp prawns.

You seem to be under the illusion that a hostile nation would only put spies in one side of their enemy's political factions.

I did in the early 2000s. Haven't seen them in 20 years. But I'm from the goldie and we gave tourists ask for that shite.

I didn’t even know we still made it. Never seen it in a bottle shop or pub.

Foreign stereotypes are nice. How many jokes have we made about yanks not having medicare to deal with obesity related illness or gun wounds?

[removed]

If there are Russian operatives in the Democratic Party, at least they’re still concerned about keeping it a secret.

7.4.2018 How did 8 GOP elected officials celebrate America’s Independence Day?

Scum is everywhere and they are going to do everything they can. Look at how many Conservative politicians back him. Trump got impeached for blackmailing Ukraine and they still kept him in. Screw oil all it funds is tyrants and fascists. Think I'm full of it? The Calgary Petroleum club just had German fascist as a guest and gave her a gift.

I'm not convinced anyone drinks Fosters. Their strategy is essentially getting people to buy one because "wow that's a big can of beer" and then never again.

You know the FSB is in shambles when even ASIO can catch them lol

It was bound to happen, it's our greatest shame. That and a certain someone doing a certain something at Engadine Maccas in 87.

Yeah, the Republican Party.

You don’t have to look hard to find the traitors in the United States. Most traitors are within conservative ranks or exploit conservatism somehow. Usually because conservatives can be bought easily.

Yeah, the Republican Party.

You don’t have to look hard to find the traitors in the United States. Most traitors are within conservative ranks or exploit conservatism somehow. Usually because conservatives can be bought easily.

This would be why.

Fosters was very popular until that ad.

That’s what killed it. The beer actually isn’t that bad.

Nah on the coast in North QLD. There's a handful of pubs around here that have Fosters available in cans/bottles, but none of them have it on tap.

Russian and Ginese?

We definitely do. Enough have been caught over the years that there must be more. Probably a very desirable posting for intelligence personnel from those countries.

Second oldest profession

Gotcha. Ages ago I visited SW coastal OZ, and it was the same thing, cans available in pubs, but not on tap.

Also, while on the topic of beer and travel and whatnot, I, as an American cannot believe how many other countries seem to want/ seem to enjoy Budweiser, it is basically the Fosters of America, and I could not be paid to drink it.

You think? /s

Well it's more organized crime, but espionage is also literally not legal. Spies are arrested and jailed all the time.

Edit: my thought isn't a unique one anyway. Many theorists have drawn comparisons between nations and organized crime. Nations are essentially the crime syndicates that retain the most power and influence.

It makes even more sense when you look at organized crime syndicates and how they run. You'll see a lot of parallels to how nations run. Alliances, treaties, laws, wars, even espionage etc...

The biggest difference is scale but we see with the cartels down in Mexico that crime syndicates can increase their scale so much that they're essentially their own nation with their own laws and governing bodies.

third!

First: give people what they want...
Second: Tell everyone they're going to hell for doing what they want...

and Third, get the dirt showing #2 does nastier things than #1 ever thought of.

Would it matter if all reactions were the same? Jailed if they stole legit info, or jailed if they sent back incorrect info?

If a kremlin plant views living in the US as desirable, it means they have some greed, vs pure ideology as their motivation. This would make that person more readily convertable to a double agent - after all, the amount of money and better life being offered by the US would be magnitudes greater. Esp. if the family can also move.

Of course, the kremlin knows this, therefore, it's highly likely that the kremlin plants that make it to the whitehouse are more likely to be ideologically driven than greed driven.

[removed]

I dunno about Australia but a donk in these parts is a 71-76 impala.

they're like flies, or worse, mosquitoes

[removed]

Aus. and The US (and others) share intel all the time, we are part of the Five Eyes Alliance, NSA/CIA/FBI are hooked into our communications just like their homeland, etc.

Are they going to do same with the Chinese spies ?

Maria Butina loved living in the US.

Unfortunately the operatives are Tucker Carlson, Hanity, Hersh. People that can only be swayed by compromat.

Australian politicians are so incompetent you can just ask them for state secrets directly and they'll tell you. Hell, they'll brag. It's what comes from decades of blindly bending the knee to foreign policy and investors.

Seeya, cunts.

This is an issue not only for US. If Europe hasn't unveil them yet it means they have deep roots up here.

In the US, we elect our Russian spies to public office.

Agreed… France Germany Hungary… Russia had been busy spreading their authoritarian agenda against democracy. I honestly don’t understand why people think they would be better off.

Agree, UK should be a good lesson. Nevertheless, there are still protests, proving the situation is bad... Like really bad

Will be interesting to see whose names show up on the evidence gathered…

MICE - Money, Ideology, Coercion/Compromise, Ego.

Over 70% of the FBI fugitive list is Chinese spies or Russian hackers. They are everywhere and in every country. Australia is going to have a difficult time expelling Chinese intelligence assets.

Where's Danny Glover when you need him

Couldn't have said it better myself.

[deleted]

It's not a secret. It's a given that governments sends spies to each other, even the friendly ones.

Yeah nothing suspicious about Roy Moore speaking Russian ( /s probably just evidence their interests align)

It would start an arms race of sorts. You jail a spy, they jail yours. They kill a spy, we kill yours.

Things can get out of hand, and honestly removing them usually completely destroys whatever they were doing, same as jailing them.

Austria in particular, for some reason

Use MICE to make rats, got it

Some of them are also Democrats. Remember, their job is further the divide.

Police said they become suspicious when the accused routinely visited Outback Steakhouse for the bloomin’ onion

Look at it this way. U think u have an issue but how can u tell? But by there nature they are working in the shadows. They don't exactly have a convient book that says they have this many operatives working in this country. Some don't even know they are operatives.

For all u know the greatest operative ring in the US could be an ally country or like Greenland.

"JUST BEEN REVOKED!!!1"

Who?

Arrested Russian spy !

Well, this reason I think is a well known reason. Austria is considered russia's trojan horse at the heart of Europe for pretty long time now

Tulsi used to be a Democrat. Other than that I’ve got nothing.

What democrats?

Indeed, has the Australia goverment banned TikTok on goverment phones and corporate device yet, like the US, , Canada, and European Commission have done ?

Considering that it's America, only the African, Asian, and Latin American spies will face charges, along with ordinary Africans, Asians, and Latin Americans who did nothing wrong and were loyal to the United States.

And Russian and other European spies will face almost no consequences.

I'd argue that Central Asian immigrants are still in more danger in Russia than someone from Western Europe, or a European American.

[removed]

What ideology would you expect a Russian agent to have?

How come Trump didnt get the boot?

Will be curious to see where Russia tries to re-insert them. It won’t be in another Five Eyes country. PNG-ing them lets them still be in play, so other countries can unwind their other networks if they aren’t simply sent home.

So many people only want the bad guys to be on the other side.

Stir up the far right, stir up the far left, both accuse each other of being Nazis or whatever. Amplify the chaos to ensure maximum outrage from both sides. Made so much easier by all the algorithms the likes of Facebook produce to help you target people effectively!

You have Russian assets in Parlament!!

[removed]

Yes, exactly but part of improving is realizing you were wrong. Unfortunately the GOP does not and still puts Trump ( a guy who tried to blackmail Ukraine ) as their leading front runner for office. The problem is glaringly obvious.

Many Australian government agencies have.

Moscow has a history of recalling anyone back, who they even slightly suspect of being compromised. If there's any evidence at all, that person would be interrogated and disposed of. So it was always a dangerous game, getting that recall notice. Do they think your cover has been blown and want to keep you out of prison, or are they going to stick you in a furnace while still alive? You don't know. If you don't follow the order, they'll have their answer and send someone for you.

At least, that's how it was in the 60's. That's as far back as declassification goes right now. That's how Oleg Penkovsky was disposed of, allegedly. Arrested and placed in a furnace, which was then turned on.

Here it comes! Get the cattle cars ready we are coming for the Russian American population.

We definitely do, that's why trump put dumb dumbs in charge of border and pentagon. It's gone be a while till all that trash is smoked out. Even the trains derailment and forest fires are probably from operatives.

Ya think?

The gop politicians are proud of that practice, the contstituents.... still believe in imaginary friends that grant wishes when you pray.... so... you know, they aren't really ready for anything.

Look at you being all open minded and honest. Reddit swallows the “divide” philosophy hook line and sinker. All Republicans bad and all Democrats good.

Do you think 45 shows up as Don T, DT, or D Trump to protect his anonymity?

[deleted]

My thoughts exactly. I mean, Australia is a close ally of the U.S. but they are also in close proximity to China and is part of the Five Eyes Alliance. My guess is the Russians are cross-referencing intel gathered from Australia and elsewhere to paint a clearer picture of the West's strategic interests considering how far they went in conducting such a huge operation in Australia.

They're definitely intensifying espionage efforts. This may be related to Ukraine.

Yea the GOP is infested.

[removed]

No, but who in the Democrat ranks favors Russia in the same way conservatives do? Just lay them out because I assure you that democrats don't coddle or tolerate much that embarrasses them when it comes to corruption or even looks like it.

100% right!

Don't be silly. The comments are referring to politicians, not ordinary citizens.

Nah, why pay for their upkeep when they could join the Russian front lines?

And as an added bonus there's always the need for more fodder at the front lines.

Then poison the lot

The reason is the same as for why the US, UK and Germany have a huge population of agents in Austria - because they never left after WWII and Austria doesn't have the resources to kick them out or the interest to fight with all those countries.

Austria-Hungary and Russia used to have the biggest secret services in Europe, after WWI the infrastructure in Vienna was almost immediately used by the west to spy on eastern Europe, during WWII by the Nazis and since Austria's occupation "legally" by everyone.

And Western services are very happy to spy on Russia from a rather save place, that's why the US has been putting in effort to warm up their relationship to Austria in the past years instead of piling on pressure. They are well aware of the situation in Vienna, their own agents help creating it after all.

[removed]

I think MtG is a Russian spy

Don't be so hard on yourself.

She seems to have done really well for herself. Very short stint behind bars in one of our less awful prisons and sailed right into a sweet political gig when she got sent back. One of my favorite tidbits from her story:

>On at least two separate occasions she got drunk and spoke openly about her contacts within the Russian government, even acknowledging that Russian intelligence services were involved with the gun rights group she ran in Moscow. Twice, classmates reported her actions to law enforcement because they found her comments so alarming, sources said.

https://edition.cnn.com/2018/08/02/politics/maria-butina-republican-circles/index.html

One of the things that makes the US posting attractive is that, if they get caught, they're likely looking at pretty human treatment. And, if they stay loyal, a decent situation when they return home.

infested complicit

t-Rump is definitely under Putin’s thumb.

“Pampers”

It wouldn’t be the first time.

It's obvious with trump and far right that this HAS been an issue for to long.

[removed]

[removed]

In the UK there is no fear of secret Russian intelligence. We pay them to be involved with our politics instead...

im under the impression that Australians rarely drink fosters and its just something that gets exported to america.

Why not lock them up considering the way Russia uses spies as active saboteurs so often?

NZ needs to follow suit.

Well yeah we root out politicians being bribed by China semi-regularly at this point, but it's still a surprise to see Russia trying to directly infiltrate us.

Because to be honest Russia has probably already infiltrated US spy networks, lots of people have been accused of selling information to China, that's just how the spy game has always been.

I knew someone trying to get into an Australian intelligence agency focusing on cybersecurity, presumably counter-intelligence, have no idea about their operations obviously but I know trying to get in is no joke, definitely have to keep a low profile.

Like with the Red Guardian!

Antony blinken seems real sus.. Ron DeSantis.

Boris Johnson 💯

There's that Democrat on a NYC council that got a street named after a Hitler praising, anti-jew, Nation of Islam dude.

Kristin Richardson Jordan

She is considered Far Left. The republican comment on that decision was fair and not crazy, it was her that seems crazy. That's about the only dem I can think of that is batshit, and they aren't even in state politics.

I'm sure there are more tho!

[removed]

Steven Seagal must be behind jt

Would have been better to imprison them.

[deleted]

No $hit...some are in Congress!!

Why is Australia even worth spying on? Russia is just a minor trading partner and we've obviously not a military threat to them (at least not on paper, but given its abysmal performance against Ukraine maybe we are)

Only one party openly supports Kremlin values i.e. reactionary traditionalism, anti-democratic illiberalism, authoritarianism, anti-lgbt and anti human rights, anti-NATO, anti-green energy/pro-petrol state etc etc.

So, uh, yeah. The GOP is in lockstep with Russia. Democrats not at all.

Why don't they just throw those spies in a barrel of acid? I'm pretty sure the Russians would do similar practices to rid spies of other countries.

What about JPG?

[deleted]

Unindicted conspirator #1

RASCLS is another framework for agent recruitment as well.

>six influence factors, reciprocation, authority, scarcity, commitment (and consistency), liking, and social proof.

https://cyberwar.nl/d/fromCIA.gov/Burkett-MICE%20to%20RASCALS.pdf

Or search, "From MICE to RASCLS" in the google box.

[removed]

Biden is evil and brilliant. Too bad he can't confess to blowing up Nordstream because that would get him re-elected - and start World War 3. It appears that America and Norway teamed up to pull a Viking raid on the Nordstream Pipeline and blow it up. What that means is Norway is now the #1 supplier of natural gas to europe. They will make an additional $112 billion dollars which they'll invest in their cutting edge renewable energy grid. Norway's grid is already 98% renewable from hydro and they are installing enough wind turbines onshore and offshore to match that capacity and double the renewable output and sell the excess to Europe. Clever Viking bastards. And America's liquid natural gas exports to Europe have increased 137% and God knows how many billions that's worth. So let's hope The Big Guy is taking that 10% of Norway's action and America's action and flowing that money in Ukraine. That means Biden is using money stolen from Russia's pockets to help Ukraine prove that the Russian military is a paper tiger of depressed murderous rapists, and Putin is a coward hiding behind nuclear weapons. Biden is ****** evil and brilliant. Think Trump would have the balls to do something like that? Trump thought Finland was part of Russia. Too bad Biden can't fess up to it.🔥🔥

I imagine it will be a little more subtle... like PP. Not necessarily because he's a dick, but because of his Petite Phalanges.

This is likely intentional.

Russia wasn't looking to install a puppet government because that is an unrealistic and unsustainable, IMO.

They want to destabilize the machine, and nurture the culture war.

[removed]

CANADA PLEASE START TAKING NOTES LMAO😭😭 OR THIS COUNTRY IS DEAD

WHatever happened to "A man is only as good as his word" Honor, respect fellow man and pride? I mean,for all... You know what , Im an American, so of course I've heard that "Trump was suspected of cheating the election". But, I never understood how or why. No one had, an answer. Now ,I get it... THis might explain why Trump was, so chummy with Putin? I mean his relatioship with him is kind, of an Oxymoronic Parodox; as being diplomatic with forein leaders is classy and respectable. I respected his charm with other counties.. Although, I didnt want him elected as has a fowel mouth.

Acting like a recless, funy clown would be fine at a personal getogether, but not in front, of young ears and eyes present... He has little cooth. He is reckless! I think he talked like a thug, in order to, gain favor.. I would, of voted for him, if he was more professional.. He almost had my favior while elected, yet I would not get over the fact that... A decent person will be conscious of P's and Q;s Leaders should not teach, fowel mouthed negative behaviors. He isnt truely a good man, at least, not in polotics.

Should have expelled them from their mortal coils.