CIA expands online recruitment of informants to China, Iran, North Korea

WASHINGTON: The US CIA on Wednesday launched a new drive to recruit informants in China, Iran and North Korea, adding to what it says has been a successful effort to enlist Russians.

The premier US spy agency posted instructions in Mandarin, Farsi and Korean on its accounts on X, Facebook, Instagram, Telegram, LinkedIn and the Dark Web on how to contact it securely, a CIA spokesperson said in a statement.

“Our efforts on this front have been successful in Russia, and we want to make sure individuals in other authoritarian regimes know that we’re open for business,” the spokesperson said, adding that the CIA was adapting to increased state repression and global surveillance.

A Mandarin-language video posted to Youtube featuring only written instructions advised individuals to contact the CIA via its official website using trusted encrypted Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) or the TOR network.

“Your safety and wellbeing is our foremost consideration,” it said.

It asked for individuals’ names, locations, and contact details not associated with their real identities, along with information that could be of interest to the CIA, cautioning that responses were not guaranteed and could take time.

The CIA’s thirst for intelligence has grown as China expands cooperation with Russia and Iran and flexes its regional military muscle.