1 00:00:00,320 --> 00:00:02,920 Speaker 1: Jesse Kelly here with a special treat for you today 2 00:00:03,240 --> 00:00:07,080 Speaker 1: in ad free episode of The President's Daily Brief with 3 00:00:07,240 --> 00:00:09,799 Speaker 1: Mike Baker. If you want to wake up every morning 4 00:00:09,840 --> 00:00:13,080 Speaker 1: and get in intelligence briefing just like the President, then 5 00:00:13,119 --> 00:00:16,239 Speaker 1: this is the podcast for you. Host Mike Baker is 6 00:00:16,280 --> 00:00:20,840 Speaker 1: a former CIA counter terrorism officer whose sole mission is 7 00:00:20,880 --> 00:00:24,120 Speaker 1: to deliver you insight and analysis on the most important 8 00:00:24,120 --> 00:00:27,240 Speaker 1: events around the globe. Get briefed and stay ahead with 9 00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:37,400 Speaker 1: the President's Daily Brief. 10 00:00:40,800 --> 00:00:45,360 Speaker 2: It's Wednesday, October twenty fifth. Welcome to the President's Daily Brief. 11 00:00:45,760 --> 00:00:48,760 Speaker 2: I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. 12 00:00:49,280 --> 00:00:53,040 Speaker 2: Let's get briefed. We'll kick off today's episode with a 13 00:00:53,240 --> 00:00:57,640 Speaker 2: warning from the US government. Federal officials are sounding the 14 00:00:57,640 --> 00:01:01,760 Speaker 2: alarm that terrorists from Hamas has Law and Palestinian Islamic 15 00:01:01,800 --> 00:01:06,000 Speaker 2: Jihad might be attempting to penetrate the southern US border. 16 00:01:06,480 --> 00:01:09,360 Speaker 2: It's a dire warning considering the current state of affairs 17 00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:13,520 Speaker 2: in the Middle East. Luckily, the US southern border is, 18 00:01:13,600 --> 00:01:16,160 Speaker 2: of course locked up tighter than a drum. I mean, 19 00:01:16,600 --> 00:01:19,760 Speaker 2: except for the thousands of individuals crossing illegally into the 20 00:01:19,760 --> 00:01:23,800 Speaker 2: country every day. Later in the show the world is 21 00:01:23,840 --> 00:01:27,520 Speaker 2: getting its first glimpse into the harrowing conditions of life 22 00:01:27,600 --> 00:01:32,120 Speaker 2: as a hostage of Hamas Israelis abducted on October seventh 23 00:01:32,600 --> 00:01:36,080 Speaker 2: are sharing harrowing tales of their time trapped in a 24 00:01:36,280 --> 00:01:41,560 Speaker 2: complex spider web of tunnels beneath Gaza Plus. As tensions 25 00:01:41,640 --> 00:01:46,120 Speaker 2: escalate in the Middle East, US intelligence sources unveil Iranian 26 00:01:46,160 --> 00:01:50,960 Speaker 2: backed malicious plans to escalate attacks on American forces, a 27 00:01:51,000 --> 00:01:55,280 Speaker 2: move seen as retaliation for the US backing of israel I. 28 00:01:55,320 --> 00:01:58,240 Speaker 2: Suppose it would be obvious of me to point out 29 00:01:58,280 --> 00:02:01,720 Speaker 2: that Iran is the reason how mos launched their seven 30 00:02:01,760 --> 00:02:06,200 Speaker 2: October murderous attacks, So for the Iranian regime to be 31 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:11,359 Speaker 2: churlish about the US backing Israel. Well, nobody ever accused 32 00:02:11,400 --> 00:02:16,240 Speaker 2: the Mothers of being self aware or introspective. Lastly, in 33 00:02:16,280 --> 00:02:19,480 Speaker 2: today's back of the brief, we step into the shadowy 34 00:02:19,560 --> 00:02:25,680 Speaker 2: world of CIA intrigue and assassinations. Ukrainian operatives purportedly mentored 35 00:02:25,720 --> 00:02:29,919 Speaker 2: by the agency in recent years reportedly successfully carried out 36 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:35,440 Speaker 2: numerous assassinations targeting Russians and their collaborators since the onset 37 00:02:35,560 --> 00:02:40,200 Speaker 2: of Moscow's invasion, with some hits allegedly reaching those with 38 00:02:40,280 --> 00:02:47,240 Speaker 2: Kremlin ties. But first our PDB spotlight. While recent events 39 00:02:47,280 --> 00:02:50,639 Speaker 2: in the Middle East have dominated the headlines, it's essential 40 00:02:50,680 --> 00:02:53,920 Speaker 2: for us to remember that the American homeland remains a 41 00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:58,840 Speaker 2: primary target for terrorist activities. With that in mind, and 42 00:02:59,160 --> 00:03:04,320 Speaker 2: internal Customs and Border Protection memo from October twentieth, originally 43 00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:09,639 Speaker 2: obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation, is raising alarms now. 44 00:03:09,760 --> 00:03:14,200 Speaker 2: The San Diego Field Office, Intelligent Division of CBB the 45 00:03:14,600 --> 00:03:18,519 Speaker 2: Customs and Border Patrol has pinpointed potential threats from groups 46 00:03:18,560 --> 00:03:22,880 Speaker 2: including Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jiad and has Belah that might 47 00:03:22,919 --> 00:03:27,240 Speaker 2: be working to infiltrate the southern US border. This warning 48 00:03:27,360 --> 00:03:32,000 Speaker 2: indicates that due to the Israel Hamas conflict, the CBP 49 00:03:32,120 --> 00:03:36,440 Speaker 2: and other law enforcement personnel could encounter individuals affiliated with 50 00:03:36,520 --> 00:03:39,840 Speaker 2: these groups traveling from the Middle East utilizing South and 51 00:03:39,920 --> 00:03:44,360 Speaker 2: Central America as transit roads. The memo further details that 52 00:03:44,520 --> 00:03:49,320 Speaker 2: foreign fighters driven by ideology or as mercenaries might try 53 00:03:49,360 --> 00:03:52,120 Speaker 2: to disguise their movements to or from the Middle East 54 00:03:52,240 --> 00:03:56,760 Speaker 2: via Mexico. Frankly, the alert from CBP's San Diego Field 55 00:03:56,800 --> 00:04:00,840 Speaker 2: Office shouldn't be surprising. The past twenty years in particular, 56 00:04:01,160 --> 00:04:04,600 Speaker 2: have been filled with examples of terror groups working to 57 00:04:04,760 --> 00:04:07,640 Speaker 2: enter the US via both the northern and southern borders, 58 00:04:08,120 --> 00:04:12,400 Speaker 2: at times looking to liaise with various Mexican cartel groups 59 00:04:12,440 --> 00:04:17,960 Speaker 2: that control the cross border trafficking operations. However, this latest 60 00:04:17,960 --> 00:04:21,720 Speaker 2: CBP memo doesn't come as an isolated piece of information. 61 00:04:22,800 --> 00:04:26,440 Speaker 2: Its release becomes more alarming when we consider the increasing 62 00:04:26,600 --> 00:04:31,920 Speaker 2: permeability of the US border as depicted by recent CBP data. 63 00:04:32,120 --> 00:04:35,200 Speaker 2: In the twenty twenty three fiscal year, over two point 64 00:04:35,240 --> 00:04:39,480 Speaker 2: four million apprehensions occurred, topping the two point three million 65 00:04:39,520 --> 00:04:44,000 Speaker 2: from the year before. For context, the figure stood at 66 00:04:44,040 --> 00:04:48,000 Speaker 2: one point seven million in twenty twenty one, and those 67 00:04:48,240 --> 00:04:51,880 Speaker 2: are just the known encounters. As we've mentioned before on 68 00:04:51,920 --> 00:04:56,359 Speaker 2: the PDB, conservative estimates indicate that the number of godaways 69 00:04:56,360 --> 00:05:01,400 Speaker 2: individuals who successfully enter the US illegally without encountering law enforcement, 70 00:05:01,920 --> 00:05:05,719 Speaker 2: could number over one point five million during the past 71 00:05:05,720 --> 00:05:10,159 Speaker 2: couple of years. Moreover, the past year witnessed a marked 72 00:05:10,160 --> 00:05:13,599 Speaker 2: increase in the number of individuals on the FBI's terror 73 00:05:13,640 --> 00:05:17,720 Speaker 2: watch list detained at the border. Eighteen such individuals were 74 00:05:17,760 --> 00:05:21,840 Speaker 2: captured last month alone, culminating in a record breaking one 75 00:05:21,960 --> 00:05:24,640 Speaker 2: hundred and sixty nine encounters at the southern border in 76 00:05:24,720 --> 00:05:28,320 Speaker 2: twenty twenty three. This number clips is not just the 77 00:05:28,320 --> 00:05:31,680 Speaker 2: twenty twenty two record, but also the totals from the 78 00:05:31,800 --> 00:05:36,880 Speaker 2: six preceding fiscal years combined. Now, there's one more data 79 00:05:36,920 --> 00:05:38,880 Speaker 2: point that might be of interest to us on this, 80 00:05:39,440 --> 00:05:43,440 Speaker 2: and that's the recent demographic shift among those apprehended at 81 00:05:43,440 --> 00:05:48,760 Speaker 2: the border. Venezuelans have become the most apprehended nationality, surpassing 82 00:05:48,800 --> 00:05:53,160 Speaker 2: Mexicans for the first time ever. Here's why that's noteworthy. 83 00:05:53,279 --> 00:05:57,240 Speaker 2: The Maduro regime in Venezuela has some deep rooted connections 84 00:05:57,279 --> 00:06:01,400 Speaker 2: with Iran and Iranian proxy hast has been digging its 85 00:06:01,400 --> 00:06:05,760 Speaker 2: heels into Venezuela for decades now, running various criminal rackets 86 00:06:05,800 --> 00:06:10,000 Speaker 2: and maintaining active cells in the country. So not to 87 00:06:10,080 --> 00:06:13,600 Speaker 2: state the obvious, but I guess I'm about to. Border 88 00:06:13,640 --> 00:06:18,600 Speaker 2: security is a critical component of national security and homeland security. 89 00:06:18,680 --> 00:06:21,280 Speaker 2: If you don't know who is coming across your border, 90 00:06:21,680 --> 00:06:25,760 Speaker 2: you cannot have an accurate threat assessment. Coming up after 91 00:06:25,800 --> 00:06:29,400 Speaker 2: the break, an eighty five year old Israeli woman shares 92 00:06:29,600 --> 00:06:33,240 Speaker 2: chilling details of our captivity as a Hamas hostage inside 93 00:06:33,279 --> 00:06:38,520 Speaker 2: a sprawling network of Gaza tunnels, plus fresh intelligence indicates 94 00:06:38,560 --> 00:06:42,599 Speaker 2: that Iranian back militias are preparing for intensified attacks on 95 00:06:42,760 --> 00:06:47,560 Speaker 2: US forces, motivated by America's support for Israel. I'll be 96 00:06:47,640 --> 00:06:52,600 Speaker 2: right back. Welcome back to the President's Daily brief. A 97 00:06:52,640 --> 00:06:56,120 Speaker 2: total of four hostages have now been released from the 98 00:06:56,320 --> 00:06:59,280 Speaker 2: grand total of more than two hundred belief to be 99 00:06:59,360 --> 00:07:02,680 Speaker 2: held in Gaza. The latest two are both elderly Israeli 100 00:07:02,680 --> 00:07:06,720 Speaker 2: women grabbed and dragged into Gaza during the brutal Hamas attacks, 101 00:07:07,520 --> 00:07:10,200 Speaker 2: and what they've shared since being released gives us some 102 00:07:10,440 --> 00:07:14,560 Speaker 2: insight into amasa's methods. First, let's take a look at 103 00:07:14,560 --> 00:07:17,520 Speaker 2: the latest data that we have on the hostages themselves. 104 00:07:18,320 --> 00:07:21,280 Speaker 2: Israel is now saying that a total of two hundred 105 00:07:21,320 --> 00:07:24,640 Speaker 2: and twenty two hostages were taken during the October seventh 106 00:07:24,680 --> 00:07:29,000 Speaker 2: rampage in southern Israel. The IDF said on Friday that 107 00:07:29,120 --> 00:07:31,800 Speaker 2: more than twenty of the hostages taken to Gaza were 108 00:07:31,880 --> 00:07:35,280 Speaker 2: under the age of eighteen, and between ten and twenty 109 00:07:35,320 --> 00:07:39,360 Speaker 2: of the hostages were over the age of eighty. Now, 110 00:07:39,480 --> 00:07:42,640 Speaker 2: if you've been following the news, you'll remember that Judith 111 00:07:42,680 --> 00:07:47,560 Speaker 2: and Natalie Ronnan, a mother daughter duo from Evanston, Illinois, 112 00:07:47,840 --> 00:07:50,360 Speaker 2: were the first two hostages to be released by Hamas 113 00:07:50,440 --> 00:07:56,120 Speaker 2: last week. Both are US Israeli citizens. This week, Hamas 114 00:07:56,200 --> 00:08:00,720 Speaker 2: let go two more hostages, Israeli civilians named Yokove the Liftschitz, 115 00:08:00,800 --> 00:08:05,680 Speaker 2: who's eighty five, and nerd At Cooper seventy nine. What's 116 00:08:06,000 --> 00:08:09,960 Speaker 2: somewhat ironic is that both Liftschitz and Cooper were actually 117 00:08:10,080 --> 00:08:14,400 Speaker 2: peace activists. They often helped transport sick folks from Gaza 118 00:08:14,640 --> 00:08:19,960 Speaker 2: to various Israeli hospitals. Liftschitz shared some intense details about 119 00:08:19,960 --> 00:08:23,840 Speaker 2: her capture. She described how Hamas terrorists ambushed her community 120 00:08:23,880 --> 00:08:26,840 Speaker 2: near Gaza, tossed her onto a motorbike and roughed her 121 00:08:26,920 --> 00:08:31,240 Speaker 2: up again. She's eighty five years old. From there, she 122 00:08:31,320 --> 00:08:34,360 Speaker 2: was taken into Gaza, where she treked for hours through 123 00:08:34,400 --> 00:08:37,760 Speaker 2: what she described as a spider web of tunnels. Now 124 00:08:37,800 --> 00:08:41,440 Speaker 2: we've previously described the Hamas underground tunnel network known as 125 00:08:41,480 --> 00:08:46,280 Speaker 2: the Gaza Metro. Liftschitz was eventually grouped with about twenty 126 00:08:46,280 --> 00:08:49,560 Speaker 2: five other hostages and then moved again to a small 127 00:08:49,640 --> 00:08:54,600 Speaker 2: room filled with mattresses. Throughout her captivity, she said they 128 00:08:54,600 --> 00:08:57,440 Speaker 2: were given medical care and then had one meal a day, 129 00:08:57,880 --> 00:09:02,600 Speaker 2: Peter bread with cream, cheese and cucumber. Now, Lifshitz was 130 00:09:02,640 --> 00:09:05,720 Speaker 2: brave enough to describe her sixteen days with Hamas as 131 00:09:06,320 --> 00:09:09,640 Speaker 2: very unpleasant and difficult, and she says she's haunted by 132 00:09:09,640 --> 00:09:13,319 Speaker 2: the memories. It's also worth noting that her eighty three 133 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:18,080 Speaker 2: year old husband remains a captive of Hamas. Looking at 134 00:09:18,080 --> 00:09:20,839 Speaker 2: other aspects of this conflict, one of the things that 135 00:09:20,880 --> 00:09:22,959 Speaker 2: we're keeping a close eye on here at the PBB 136 00:09:23,480 --> 00:09:26,360 Speaker 2: are the growing number of drone and missile attacks on 137 00:09:26,559 --> 00:09:30,840 Speaker 2: US military and diplomatic personnel around the Middle East. Over 138 00:09:30,880 --> 00:09:33,440 Speaker 2: the past week alone, there have been about a half 139 00:09:33,520 --> 00:09:37,920 Speaker 2: dozen publicly confirmed attacks on US forces. Now, we've noted 140 00:09:37,920 --> 00:09:41,960 Speaker 2: previously that these attacks are very likely being carried out 141 00:09:42,080 --> 00:09:47,400 Speaker 2: by groups supported by Iran at Iran's encouragement. Now, top 142 00:09:47,559 --> 00:09:51,960 Speaker 2: US officials have shared that current intelligence reveals that Iranian 143 00:09:52,000 --> 00:09:55,640 Speaker 2: backed militia groups are planning to heighten attacks on US 144 00:09:55,720 --> 00:09:59,240 Speaker 2: troops in the Middle East. If you ask why, well, 145 00:09:59,400 --> 00:10:03,720 Speaker 2: Iran wants to leverage the region's resentment towards US support 146 00:10:03,760 --> 00:10:08,400 Speaker 2: for Israel. When describing the potential for regional conflict with Iran, 147 00:10:08,960 --> 00:10:11,440 Speaker 2: one US official went so far as to say that 148 00:10:11,480 --> 00:10:16,920 Speaker 2: there are quote red lights flashing everywhere. However, there's some 149 00:10:17,080 --> 00:10:23,520 Speaker 2: nuance in the intelligence officials haven't identified explicit directives from Tehran. Instead, 150 00:10:23,720 --> 00:10:28,600 Speaker 2: it seems the Iranian government might be indirectly encouraging these actions. 151 00:10:29,320 --> 00:10:33,800 Speaker 2: Pentagon spokesman Brigadier General Patrick Ryder stated, quote, we haven't 152 00:10:33,840 --> 00:10:36,760 Speaker 2: seen a direct order, for example, from the Supreme Leader 153 00:10:37,120 --> 00:10:42,160 Speaker 2: directing such attacks. And John Kirby, the National Security Council spokesman, noted, 154 00:10:42,559 --> 00:10:46,160 Speaker 2: we understand Iran seeks to maintain a level of deniability 155 00:10:46,280 --> 00:10:50,240 Speaker 2: in this situation. Well, John Kirby and others in the 156 00:10:50,240 --> 00:10:53,200 Speaker 2: current White House seem to have come around finally to 157 00:10:53,280 --> 00:10:56,240 Speaker 2: the idea that they can no longer dance around the 158 00:10:56,280 --> 00:10:59,280 Speaker 2: issue of whether Iran is necked deep in the current 159 00:10:59,320 --> 00:11:05,360 Speaker 2: Middle East ko including culpability for the seven October Hamas attacks. Now, 160 00:11:05,360 --> 00:11:08,560 Speaker 2: whether that results in a tougher approach to Iran, including 161 00:11:08,960 --> 00:11:13,320 Speaker 2: meaningful economic sanctions that dry up the regime's oil revenues, well, 162 00:11:13,320 --> 00:11:16,520 Speaker 2: that remains to be seen. The Biden White House spent 163 00:11:16,559 --> 00:11:21,080 Speaker 2: the past three years softening the Iran policy, reversing course 164 00:11:21,160 --> 00:11:25,280 Speaker 2: now and essentially admitting a mistake. Well, that may be 165 00:11:25,760 --> 00:11:29,000 Speaker 2: a bridge too far. Coming up in the back of 166 00:11:29,040 --> 00:11:34,480 Speaker 2: the brief, Ukraine's supposedly CIA trained agents reportedly eliminate multiple 167 00:11:34,559 --> 00:11:40,360 Speaker 2: Russian targets and collaborators. I'll be right back. Welcome back. 168 00:11:40,880 --> 00:11:43,400 Speaker 2: In today's back of the brief, let's dive into some 169 00:11:43,520 --> 00:11:48,120 Speaker 2: interesting developments surrounding the CIA and its involvement with Ukrainian intelligence. 170 00:11:48,760 --> 00:11:52,400 Speaker 2: The Washington Post has recently shed light on how Ukraine's 171 00:11:52,440 --> 00:11:57,800 Speaker 2: CIA trained intelligence agencies have reportedly assassinated a considerable number 172 00:11:57,840 --> 00:12:02,360 Speaker 2: of Russians and Ukrainian collaborators ever since Moscow started its invasion. 173 00:12:03,160 --> 00:12:06,800 Speaker 2: This information is attributed by The Washington Post to over 174 00:12:07,040 --> 00:12:12,640 Speaker 2: two dozen anonymous intelligence and security officials from Ukraine, the US, 175 00:12:12,679 --> 00:12:17,120 Speaker 2: and other Western nations. Now, these assassinations have supposedly been 176 00:12:17,120 --> 00:12:20,840 Speaker 2: carried out by the two main intelligence agencies in Ukraine, 177 00:12:21,000 --> 00:12:25,480 Speaker 2: the SBU, which is the Security Service of Ukraine kind 178 00:12:25,520 --> 00:12:30,040 Speaker 2: of like our FBI, which handles domestic matters, and the GUR, 179 00:12:30,440 --> 00:12:33,640 Speaker 2: which is the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine. Think of 180 00:12:33,720 --> 00:12:37,160 Speaker 2: GUR as playing a role similar to the CIA, focused 181 00:12:37,200 --> 00:12:41,880 Speaker 2: on international threats and national security. The Post highlighted some 182 00:12:41,960 --> 00:12:46,200 Speaker 2: specific incidents led by these agencies. For instance, the SBU 183 00:12:46,760 --> 00:12:51,360 Speaker 2: was reportedly responsible for targeting Daria Dugina, whose father is 184 00:12:51,400 --> 00:12:56,400 Speaker 2: the pro war ulternationalist Alexander Dugan. She met her end 185 00:12:56,480 --> 00:12:59,520 Speaker 2: in a car bombing in this past August. On the 186 00:12:59,559 --> 00:13:03,840 Speaker 2: gr guar's list, a high ranking Russian draft officer who 187 00:13:04,000 --> 00:13:08,120 Speaker 2: was unexpectedly ambush during its routine morning run this past summer. 188 00:13:08,760 --> 00:13:12,920 Speaker 2: The GUR also reportedly executed drone strikes on Russian territory, 189 00:13:13,320 --> 00:13:15,240 Speaker 2: one of them just a few months back in May, 190 00:13:15,600 --> 00:13:19,040 Speaker 2: as the reporting goes, targeted the Kremlin and caused quite 191 00:13:19,080 --> 00:13:22,320 Speaker 2: a spectacle by setting part of its roof ablaze. The 192 00:13:22,440 --> 00:13:27,000 Speaker 2: report also revealed that Russian officials in occupied Ukrainian territories, 193 00:13:27,200 --> 00:13:31,480 Speaker 2: as well as suspected Ukrainian collaborators, faced fatal consequences in 194 00:13:31,640 --> 00:13:36,880 Speaker 2: SBU and GUR operations. Now, while there is liaison and 195 00:13:36,960 --> 00:13:41,040 Speaker 2: training that takes place between the CIA and the Ukrainian services, 196 00:13:41,080 --> 00:13:43,679 Speaker 2: the agency has made it clear that they had no 197 00:13:43,720 --> 00:13:48,400 Speaker 2: involvement in these reported assassination operations. In the event anyone 198 00:13:48,440 --> 00:13:52,760 Speaker 2: wants to decry the Ukrainian actions, perhaps maybe let's first 199 00:13:52,800 --> 00:13:56,800 Speaker 2: recall the long history of putin In targeting and assassinating foes, 200 00:13:56,880 --> 00:13:59,800 Speaker 2: both in Russia and across the Globe. The Putin regime 201 00:14:00,200 --> 00:14:04,480 Speaker 2: has no moral ground from which to protest anything, and that, 202 00:14:04,720 --> 00:14:08,199 Speaker 2: my friends, is the President's Daily Brief for Wednesday, twenty 203 00:14:08,240 --> 00:14:11,680 Speaker 2: five October. If you have any questions or comments, reach 204 00:14:11,679 --> 00:14:15,280 Speaker 2: out to me at PDB at the First tv dot com. 205 00:14:15,920 --> 00:14:20,040 Speaker 2: I'm Mike Baker. I'll be back tomorrow. Until then, stay informed, 206 00:14:20,640 --> 00:14:28,600 Speaker 2: stay safe, stay cool. 207 00:14:30,560 --> 00:14:33,240 Speaker 1: If you enjoyed the President's Daily Brief with Mike Baker, 208 00:14:33,480 --> 00:14:36,600 Speaker 1: I encourage you to subscribe wherever you get your podcast, 209 00:14:36,920 --> 00:14:39,520 Speaker 1: or simply click the link in the description. You won't 210 00:14:39,520 --> 00:14:39,960 Speaker 1: regret it.