Pink panther in Iran

April 3, 2007 11:01 PM

Is now captured Robert A. Levinson a spy? a government agent?
Perhaps someone on non-official cover (NOC)? or just a guy doing some research for a book in Iran. The WaPo cuts through the mumbo jumbo here.
posted by specialk420 (11 comments total)

Both links go to the same article... did you intend to post something with more mumbo-jumbo-cuttage? This article linked just repeats the government line without any analysis at all.
posted by Malor at 11:37 PM on April 3, 2007

The botched US raid that led to the hostage crisis: How a bid to kidnap Iranian security officials sparked a diplomatic crisis
posted by homunculus at 11:45 PM on April 3, 2007

15 Britons In a Sea Of Intrigue
posted by homunculus at 11:51 PM on April 3, 2007

ABC News' bizarre "scoop" on Iran's nuclear program
posted by homunculus at 12:36 AM on April 4, 2007 [1 favorite]

When you say the WaPo cuts through the "mumbo jumbo", are you referring to the allegations you make about Levinson being a spy - which aren't even addressed in the one article you double-link to?

Anyway, homonculus, thanks for freaking me out.
posted by phaedon at 1:22 AM on April 4, 2007

I apologize - Non-official cover. My point was: Despite Ms. Wright's perhaps perceived slight lean to the left of far right ... Is this what journalism has sunk to? Not a call or word to the company he supposedly works for to ask if he was there on government business? Does his company get black contracts like our friends at Blackwater?
posted by specialk420 at 6:16 AM on April 4, 2007

wow. That Salon story while entirely unsuprising - is chilling.

What is with our press? Does anyone live in DC and run into these people on the street - they should be run out of town like wormtounge
posted by specialk420 at 6:40 AM on April 4, 2007

15 Brits Freed: It's American Dips Who Should be Worrying Now
posted by homunculus at 11:04 AM on April 4, 2007

Wow, is our media lazy. Mr. Levinson's was with the FBI from 1976-1998. He is credited in some places as the CEO of a leading international agency, and in otherplaces is merely a "partner". He is previously linked to an "espionage firm" by the name of DSFX, or Defense Strategies Fairfax International. He has been on Frontline and BBC Programmes

It appears that he gives a presentation on recruiting and maintaining informants, has previously investigated Ukrainian organized crime, participated in a panel discussion at the New School at the World Policy Institute, and was due to speak at an "Offshoring Conference" later this month on dealing with lucrative but risky Russian clients. His bio on this site is a nice synopsis too - he seems to work for private industry in socialist and former-communist nations dealing in money-laundering and organized crime.

As of 2004, he was listed as CEO of Safir-Rosetti (website), which is somewhat interesting, and is most recently listed as working for Business Integrity International.
posted by rzklkng at 11:15 AM on April 4, 2007

nice work rzklkng - why does our press suck so bad? so its safe to say the guy was a spy ... what would happen to an Iranian spy if caught in this country?
posted by specialk420 at 11:15 PM on April 4, 2007

specialk420, I don't think he's a spy. I think he was working for a private client and got scooped up somehow. Although it would be brilliant to have someone relatively findable working under NOC, this is guy is a little too old to be playing secret-agent man. He seems to be career law-enforcement especially regarding Russian business and organized crime. I didn't look into whether any of the things he was working on in the past had crossed paths with anyone in the Livishenko poisoning, but it certainly could have made enemies amongst the Russians. Also as subtext, the Iranians have been having some trouble making their financial obligations to Russians for nuclear fuel (I think).

On the other hand, the MSM has repeated over and over that he's from Coral Springs, when in fact it's Coral Gables, and Florida, particularly the South, is home to Fort MacDill (SOCOM) and a lot of intel folk "retire" down there. His fraternity affiliation of Phi Beta Kappa is interesting - lots of notable movers and shakers.
posted by rzklkng at 5:33 AM on April 5, 2007