In 1955, a United States Senator claimed he saw a "greenish-yellow ball rising rapidly" over the Soviet Union. Was it a Soviet secret weapon, an extraterrestrial visitation, or something else entirely? And why was the CIA so intent on keeping its UFO investigations under wraps? From the early days of the Cold War, the CIA found itself drawn into the burgeoning world of UFO sightings, not because of aliens, but due to a deeper fear: what if these unidentified objects were Soviet aircraft or a psy...
Jun 29, 2025•35 min•Season 1Ep. 60
In the mid-1970s, new, more outlandish claims about the Roswell incident began to surface: not one, but multiple crash sites, military recovery of alien bodies, and secret autopsies. What do these reports of "bald" creatures in "silver unitards" have to do with the original 1947 mystery? As the Roswell mythology grew, accounts emerged of strange bodies, often described as small, mangled, and blackened, with large flexible heads and concave eyes. But the official US Air Force report from the mid-...
Jun 24, 2025•38 min•Season 1Ep. 59
The date was July 8th, 1947. The Roswell Daily Record boldly announced: "RAAF Recovers Flying Saucer." How did this headline ignite a global obsession with UFOs, and why has the official narrative shifted so many times since? From eyewitness accounts of glowing objects zooming across the sky to official reports of a recovered "disk," the Roswell incident remains one of the most compelling and hotly debated mysteries of the 20th century. But is the government merely guarding classified informatio...
Jun 22, 2025•36 min•Season 1Ep. 58
The ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel may have escalated last Friday when Israel launched predawn strikes on its regional enemy, but tensions have been brewing for years. In 2020, the Israeli National Intelligence Agency, Mossad, assassinated Iran's top nuclear scientist, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, using AI-powered weaponry. This attack laid the foundations for the contemporary Israeli attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities and signalled that this conflict was always simmering at the surface. List...
Jun 18, 2025•1 hr 48 min•Season 1Ep. 57
His poetry celebrated a cosmic struggle of violence and glory, but his end was far from a medieval power play. Why did Osama bin Laden spend his final years in a secluded compound in Pakistan, attempting to manage a global terrorist organisation while living a surprisingly mundane life? What were the chilling details of the raid that finally brought him down, and how did it forever change the landscape of global security? In the final episode of our series on Osama bin Laden vs the CIA, we delve...
Jun 16, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 56
A decade after 9/11, Osama bin Laden remained at large, a constant "running sore" for the US government. But how did a fleeting glimpse of a tall guy with a beard and the interrogation of a high-value detainee finally set the CIA on the right path? And what was the decision that President Obama had to make, knowing the risks and the history of missed opportunities? In this episode, we detail the relentless pursuit of Osama bin Laden, focusing on the critical intelligence trail that went from a v...
Jun 15, 2025•59 min•Season 1Ep. 55
On a clear September morning, the American homeland was shattered, revealing a vulnerability unforeseen for nearly two centuries. But, how did Osama bin Laden, soon to become the world's most wanted terrorist, orchestrate the largest mass murder in American history? What was the "chatter" among Al Qaeda members that something was imminent, and why couldn't the intelligence community piece together the puzzle? This episode plunges into the meticulous planning and devastating execution of the 9/11...
Jun 10, 2025•45 min•Season 1Ep. 54
"The walls of oppression and humiliation cannot be demolished except in a rain of bullets." These chilling words from Osama bin Laden's 1996 fatwa declared war on the United States. How did this Saudi Arabian millionaire transform into a global terrorist leader, openly inviting media attention even as he plotted attacks against America? And what were the critical missed opportunities for the CIA to capture or kill him before 9/11? Today we’re exploring bin Laden's return to Afghanistan in 1996, ...
Jun 08, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 53
How did a Saudi millionaire, seemingly more interested in a simple life than luxury, become the architect of a global terrorist organization? What personal and geopolitical forces converged to transform Osama bin Laden from a shy student into a war hero and the spiritual leader of Al Qaeda? And why was 1979 such a pivotal year for both him and the future of Islamic extremism? In this episode, Gordon and David dissect the pivotal year of 1979, a "hinge year" in the Middle East that profoundly imp...
Jun 03, 2025•55 min•Season 1Ep. 52
What kind of man was Osama bin Laden before he became the world's most wanted terrorist? How did his early life and radical beliefs shape the figure who would one day challenge the West? And what role did the Muslim Brotherhood play in his formative years? In this opening episode of a powerful new series, we journey back to Osama bin Laden's beginnings in Saudi Arabia. Through the lens of the CIA's relentless pursuit, we explore the man behind the myth, guided by those who knew him and the intel...
Jun 01, 2025•58 min•Season 1Ep. 51
He risked everything to expose the KGB's darkest secrets, but Vasily Mitrokhin had two non-negotiable demands: his family's safety and his archive's publication. How did MI6 navigate these unprecedented requests? What secret deal was struck with the Americans to fund his resettlement? And why did Mitrokhin himself express anger at his handlers? This episode delves deeper into the nail-biting exfiltration of Vasily Mitrokhin and his family from a turbulent post-Soviet landscape. From a comically ...
May 27, 2025•47 min•Season 1Ep. 50
The Cold War may have ended, but the hunt for dangerous secrets never truly stops. What happens when a disillusioned KGB archivist decides to betray his masters? How did he manage to steal masses of top-secret files from the heart of the Soviet Union? And what did the CIA miss that MI6 was able to seize? This is the incredible story of Vasily Mitrokhin, a man with a "profound, even spiritual hatred" for the KGB he served. For years, he meticulously copied secret documents, turning a hidden archi...
May 25, 2025•48 min•Season 1Ep. 49
Do we have any privacy in the modern era? Why did Snowden do the things he did? Was he successful? And what is the closest Gordon Corera ever came to being a spy? Listen as David McCloskey and Gordon Corera discuss the legacy of Edward Snowden. ------------------- To sign up to The Declassified Club, go to www.therestisclassified.com or click this link. To sign up to the free newsletter, go to: https://mailchi.mp/goalhanger.com/tric-free-newsletter-sign-up ------------------- Order a signed ...
May 20, 2025•55 min•Season 1Ep. 48
Stories continue to flood out of the Snowden leaks and it's not just American doing the spying. How were the British 'Mastering the Internet'? Should we be surprised that America are spying on their allies? And what damage will these revelations do? Listen as David McCloskey and Gordon Corera discuss how the stories from Edward Snowden's leaks continue to make headlines around the world. ------------------- To sign up to The Declassified Club, go to www.therestisclassified.com or click this lin...
May 18, 2025•41 min•Season 1Ep. 47
The world has met Edward Snowden and now he fears repercussions. How will he escape Hong Kong? Where will he go? And will any nation be willing to risk the fury of the USA and help him? Listen as David and Gordon continue the story of Edward Snowden and the leaks that changed the world. Exclusive INCOGNI Deal: To get an exclusive 60% off an annual Incogni plan, go to https://incogni.com/restisclassified Get our exclusive NordVPN deal here ➼ nordvpn.com/restisclassified It's risk-free with N...
May 13, 2025•40 min•Season 1Ep. 46
With Snowden now in possession of 1,500,000 secret American files, how can he get them in the public eye? Which journalists will he choose to help him? And why does he choose to hole himself up in a hotel room in Hong Kong? Listen as David McCloskey and Gordon Corera discuss just how Snowden and the journalists he was working with plan to publish one of the most consequential stories of the 21st century. Exclusive INCOGNI Deal: To get an exclusive 60% off an annual Incogni plan, go to https://in...
May 12, 2025•46 min•Season 1Ep. 45
Edward Snowden has decided he is going to leak some of America's biggest secrets, but first he needs to steal them. How do you steal from some of America's most secure facilities? Does he have the access he needs? And is he working alone? Listen as David McCloskey and Gordon Corera share how Edward Snowden stole 1,500,000 files from the American system. ------------------- To sign up to The Declassified Club, go to www.therestisclassified.com or click this link. To sign up to the free newslett...
May 06, 2025•38 min•Season 1Ep. 44
Who was Edward Snowden? Was he an ideologue or a disgruntled employee? And what led him to orchestrating the biggest leak in modern American history? Join David McCloskey and Gordon Corera as they discuss Edward Snowden, his life inside the American secret state, and his momentous decision to act against it. ------------------- To sign up to The Declassified Club, go to www.therestisclassified.com or click this link. To sign up to the free newsletter, go to: https://mailchi.mp/goalhanger.com/tri...
May 04, 2025•49 min•Season 1Ep. 43
The game is afoot, and the stakes are higher than ever. Who was the real villain in the Minions spy saga? How did a fintech tycoon become a key player in Russian espionage? And what does this case reveal about the Kremlin's increasingly brazen tactics? As the story of the Bulgarian spy ring unfolds, a web of deception and international intrigue emerges. The key to the puzzle lies in the identity of the handler, a man whose double life and connections to Russian intelligence raise troubling quest...
Apr 29, 2025•39 min•Season 1Ep. 42
What do a fading seaside hotel, a self-proclaimed Q, and an eyelash champion have in common? They're all part of a bizarre Russian spy ring operating in the UK. But beneath the absurdity lies a serious threat. What were these "Minions" really up to? And how close did they come to compromising Western security? This is the story of a group of Bulgarians, directed from Moscow, who engaged in a series of increasingly audacious espionage operations across Europe. From tracking journalists to plottin...
Apr 27, 2025•38 min•Season 1Ep. 41
The future of warfare is already here, and it's more terrifying than we imagined. How did Israel deploy a remote-controlled robotic gun to assassinate a high-profile target? What does this operation reveal about the rise of AI-assisted killings? And are we prepared for a world where drones and robots can kill without human intervention? In 2020, the killing of Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh demonstrated the deadly potential of remote-controlled weaponry. But this is just the beginn...
Apr 22, 2025•51 min•Season 1Ep. 40
How do Israeli and Iranian intelligence fight each other? Who's the man behind the Iranian nuclear programme? And what is the Mossad operation aimed at slowing it down? Listen as Gordon Corera and David McCloskey look into the shadow war between Iran and Israel and the Israeli attempts to slow down the Iranian nuclear programme. ------------------- Order a signed edition of David's latest book, The Seventh Floor, via this link. ------------------- Get our exclusive NordVPN deal here ➼ www.nordvp...
Apr 20, 2025•51 min•Season 1Ep. 39
Legacy, hosted by historian Peter Frankopan and broadcaster Afua Hirsch, delves into the lives of some of history’s most influential figures - from Margaret Thatcher to Napoleon, JFK to Cleopatra unpacking what their pasts reveal about our present. In their latest season, they’re exploring the legacy of Sigmund Freud, a man more involved in the world of espionage than you might expect... Listen here: https://wondery.com/shows/legacy/season/19/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoic...
Apr 17, 2025•9 min
How did Cold War paranoia fuel the CIA's mind control experiments? What did popular films like The Manchurian Candidate have to do with the agency's secret programs? And did the CIA really help shape the counterculture of the 1960s? In the shadowy world of espionage, the line between science fiction and reality blurred, and as the Cold War deepened, fears of communist brainwashing led the CIA down a twisted path of experimentation. But the agency's quest for mind control may have had unintended ...
Apr 15, 2025•46 min•Season 1Ep. 38
From LSD-fuelled hallucinations to medically-induced comas, the CIA explored every avenue in their search for mind control. But how did they justify these gross violations of human rights? And what does it reveal about the hidden history of the Cold War? In the clandestine world of espionage, the pursuit of knowledge can have a dark side. As the US and the USSR battled to come out on top, the CIA embarked on a series of top-secret experiments, pushing the boundaries of ethics and legality in the...
Apr 13, 2025•50 min•Season 1Ep. 37
Who was the eccentric chemist at the heart of the CIA's most controversial experiments? What happened when Langley was turned into a testing ground for mind-altering drugs? And how did the quest for a truth serum lead to a psychedelic free-for-all? Inside the CIA, the search for a mind control breakthrough took a bizarre turn. Driven by the relentless pursuit of Sidney Gottlieb, LSD was introduced into the daily lives of unsuspecting officers. From laced coffee to drug-fuelled office parties, th...
Apr 08, 2025•54 min•Season 1Ep. 36
What if the government knew how to control your mind? Could a secret program unlock the secrets of the human psyche? And how far would the CIA go to win the Cold War? In the shadowy world of espionage, the line between science and sinister experiments blurs. As the Cold War gripped the globe, the CIA embarked on a desperate quest to weaponise the mind. Unwitting Americans became guinea pigs in a series of covert experiments, pushing the boundaries of ethics and legality. Listen as Gordon and Dav...
Apr 06, 2025•46 min•Season 1Ep. 35
What did the West know about Russia’s invasion before it happened? How did Ukraine prepare for a war they weren’t sure would come? And why did Moscow underestimate its opponent so disastrously? Western intelligence agencies warned that Russia was preparing to invade Ukraine - but even they were surprised by how badly Moscow’s strategy would unravel. From supply chain breakdowns to failed attempts at a decapitation strike on Kyiv, the war’s first days exposed deep weaknesses in Russia’s military ...
Apr 01, 2025•40 min•Season 1Ep. 34
How did Russia’s invasion of Ukraine go so badly wrong? What crucial mistakes did the Kremlin make in the opening days? And why did Putin’s inner circle give him false intelligence about what would happen? When Russian forces rolled across the border with Ukraine in February 2022, they expected a swift victory. Instead, they encountered fierce resistance, logistical chaos, and intelligence failures that shattered their plans. As Ukraine fought back, the world watched in shock as war returned to ...
Mar 30, 2025•37 min•Season 1Ep. 33
How did Ukraine defy the odds against Russia? What role did Western intelligence play in preparing Kyiv for war? And what did Western intelligence know that Russia didn’t? For months, Western intelligence warned of an imminent Russian attack, but when the invasion finally came, it didn’t go according to Moscow’s script. Poor planning, logistical failures, and underestimating Ukrainian resistance turned what should have been a quick operation into a prolonged and costly war. Listen as Gordon and ...
Mar 26, 2025•45 min•Season 1Ep. 32
