How to get on a Watchlist
From the team at Encyclopedia Geopolitica, How to get on a Watchlist explores dangerous acts, organizations, and people. Each episode features conversations with leading experts about the risks these threats pose and how to stop them. Topics include assassinations, airliner shootdowns, kidnappings, and coups. The show examines both the actors behind such threats and the agencies around the world trying to counter them. Some tactical details are omitted for operational security and public safety.
Episodes
How to Steal an Election
In this episode, we speak to Nicolás Prados of Southern Pulse about election fraud, election security, and how to steal an election. Nicolás Prados is Projects Lead at Southern Pulse, focusing mainly on political risk and organized crime. Originally from Spain, he has worked for a number of years in Mexico, before obtaining a DPhil in History and an MPhil in Latin American Studies from the Un
How to Stalk a Celebrity
In this episode, we speak with Dr. Angela Lewis and Caleb Gilbert on stalkers, bodyguards, protective intelligence, and the world of celebrities. Dr. Angela Lewis is the Head of Global Intelligence, Investigations, and Threat Management for a talent agency that represents many of the most well-known sports and entertainment figures; she is also an adjunct professor and teaches intelligence co
How to Steal a Masterpiece
In this episode, we chat with Robert K. Wittman on art robberies, heists, and protective security in the art world. Robert K. Wittman is the former Senior Investigator and Founder of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation's National Art Crime Team. Robert joined the FBI as a Special Agent in 1988 and during his 20 year career with the Bureau, he recovered more than $300 million worth of stole
How to Close a Shipping Lane
In Season 1, we talked about “How to hijack a ship”, and earlier in this season, we talked about “How to deliver a ransom”. Today, we’re following on from these two episodes to discuss “How to close a shipping lane” with three fantastic guests.Firstly, we have Daniel Giordanio. Daniel is the Senior Threat Intelligence Manager at shipping giant AP Moller Maersk, where he focuses on assessing and mi
How to Kill Your Enemies
Today, we speak with Professor Luca Trenta on assassinations, targeted killings, and the history of such tactics.Dr Trenta is an Associate Professor in International Relations in the Department of Politics, Philosophy, and International Relations, Swansea University. His research focuses on the US government’s involvement in the assassination of foreign officials from the Cold War to the present d
How to Deliver a Ransom
Following on from the episode “how to hijack a ship” in Season 1 of this show, in this episode we sit down with Rob Phayre. Rob was a director of a crisis management consultancy based in East Africa during the peak of Somali Piracy. He worked on more than 40 kidnap for ransom cases with the majority being the release of vessels and crew kidnapped by pirates. He spent more than 18 years living in A
How to Silence a Whistleblower
In this episode, we speak to Gabriel Bourdon-Fattal, Director of Programmes at the Platform to Protect Whistleblowers, on how to silence and defend whistleblowers across the globe.Gabriel Bourdon-Fattal is the Director of Programmes at the Platform to Protect Whistleblowers in Africa and co-director of Climate Whistleblowers. Gabriel is an experienced human rights jurist and campaigner. Among othe
How to Rob a Bank
In this episode, we speak to the pseudonymous F. X. Regan about the ins and outs of bank robberies. The pseudonymous F.X. Regan was a street police officer in a major metropolitan police department, a SWAT team member, and is a retired FBI agent. After his 33 year career in law enforcement, he served as VP and COO for security at two large companies. In addition to writing full-time, he is a
How to Live a Double Life
In this episode, we speak to Colonel Olivier Mas about his experience as a clandestine officer for France's DGSE, the work that goes into creating backstories, and the high stakes world of covert Human Intelligence. A graduate of the École de Guerre, Colonel Mas worked for 15 years at the DGSE. His first years were spent in service to a special unit dedicated to undercover operations. I
How to Fake Your Identity
In this episode, we speak to former CIA Chief of Disguise Jonna Mendez about faking identities in the world of espionage and intelligence. Jonna was recruited into the CIA in 1966, where she lived and worked undercover in multiple countries across Europe and Asia. Jonna’s work included denied area operations in complex and high risk locations such as Moscow, East Germany, and Cuba. During her
How to Sabotage a Supply Chain
In this episode, we speak to Theresa Campobasso about the threats facing supply chains across the world. Theresa Campobasso is Senior Vice President of Strategy at Exiger, a Supply Chain Security software company, where her operational and technical strategies drive success for both federal government organisations and private industry. She has spent over 15 years in supply chain securi
How to Run a Troll Farm
In this episode, we talk about misinformation, disinformation, and troll farms in the 21st century with Olga Belogolova and Regina Morales.Olga Belogolova is the Director of the Emerging Technologies Initiative at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). She is also a professor at the Alperovitch Institute for Cybersecurity Studies at SAIS, where she teaches a course on d
How to Wage Economic Warfare
In this episode, we speak to Max Hess and Nicholas Michelon about economic warfare.Maximilian Hess is a political risk analyst and consultant, as well as a fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute. Max is the founder of Enmetena Advisory. Max speaks German, Russian, Georgian and Spanish, and has written for the Financial Times, the New Statesman and Foreign Policy, alongside a regular colum
How to Steal Corporate Secrets
In today's episode we speak to Dr. Maria Robson-Morrow and Holden Triplett about the fascinating world of corporate espionage.Dr. Maria Robson-Morrow is the Program Manager at the Harvard Kennedy School's Intelligence Project. She worked as a global security intelligence analyst at Nexen Energy in Canada and then as an independent security intelligence consultant before returning to academia to st
How to Conduct a Drone Attack
In this episode, we speak with Dr. James Patton Rogers on how to conduct a drone attack.Dr. James Patton Rogers is the Executive Director of the Cornell Brooks Tech Policy Institute at Cornell University. An expert on disruptive technologies and the history of weaponry and war, James currently advises the United Nations and NATO on the global proliferation of drones and 4IR systems. James also wor
How to Steal a Nuke
In this episode, we talk to Vitaly Fedchenko on nuclear security.Vitaly Fedchenko is a Senior Researcher with the SIPRI Weapons of Mass Destruction Programme. He has worked at SIPRI since 2005 and has 20 years of experience in nuclear security research and nuclear security assistance program implementation. He received a Master’s degree in nuclear materials protection, control and accounting in 20
How to Get Rich Selling Fake Drugs Online
In this episode, we speak to Anne Devaud, global head of product security at one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical firms, about the threats posed by pharmacrime gangs. She has spent the last 25 years in both the private sector, and in France’s customs enforcement agency combating crimes such as smuggling and counterfeiting. Anne holds a Masters in political science from the Institute Etudes Po
How to Launder Money
Today, we discuss money laundering in the modern and everchanging world. Yaya is an Adjunct Senior Fellow at the Center for a New American Security where his research focuses on crypto, blockchain, and central bank digital currencies. Earlier in his career, he spent seven years as both an economic and counterterrorism analyst in the CIA, where he regularly briefed federal law enforcement, U.S. mil
How to Avoid Being Killed in a Warzone
On this episode, we discuss combat reporting, warzones, and how to survive them with Rosie Garthwaite. Rosie is an executive producer at BBC World Service's Investigations Unit, and is currently based in London making documentaries and interactives about the Middle East and North Africa. She founded Mediadante, producing the Emmy-nominated, “The Workers Cup”, that premiered on the opening night of
How to Break the Internet
In this episode, we discuss the security of deep-sea internet cables with Dr. Bruce Jones. Bruce Jones is a senior fellow with the Strobe Talbott Center for Security, Strategy, and Technology in the Foreign Policy program at the Brookings Institution; he also works with the Center for East Asia Policy Studies, and is a consulting professor at the Freeman Spogli Institute at Stanford University. Hi
How to Recruit a Spy
On this episode, we speak to former CIA operative Marc Polymeropoulos on how to recruit a spy. Marc retired from the Senior Intelligence Service ranks in 2019 after serving for 26 years in the Intelligence Community in operational field and leadership assignments. He is an expert in counterterrorism, covert action, and human intelligence collection. Marc is one of the IC's most highly decorated fi
How to Poison Your Enemies
In our next episode, we interview Dr. Neil Bradbury on poisons and their uses. Dr Bradbury is a graduate of the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, and the University of Wales School of Medicine, with degrees in Biochemistry and Medical Biochemistry. Although he grew up in the UK, he now lives and works in Illinois, USA, where he’s a scientist, teacher and writer. His first book “A Taste for Po
How to Invade a Country
In the first episode of our second season, we interview Mick Ryan on how to invade a country. Mick Ryan is a retired major general in the Australian Army. A graduate of the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies and the U.S. Marine Corps University Command and Staff College and School of Advanced Warfighting. He has commanded at platoon, squadron, regiment, task force, a
How to Kill a Journalist
In the Season 1 finale, we discuss the threats posed to journalists around the world with Dr Mark Grant. Dr Grant is the head of high risk, safety and security at Sky News, and has operated in high-risk environments around the world for nearly 2 decades and has supported and directly managed security for the BBC and CNN. Mark holds a doctorate in security risk management, with a focus on journalis
How to Hijack a Ship
In the penultimate installment of the first season of the podcast, we discuss the threats to global shipping posed by piracy, state actors, and other dangers with two members of the Encyclopedia Geopolitica team. Cormac Mc Garry is an Associate Director at the specialist risk consultancy Control Risks, where he heads up their maritime security intelligence and analysis services. Most of his work i
How to Join an Extremist Group
In the latest installment of our new podcast, we sit down with Dr Muhammad Fraser-Rahim to discuss radicalisation and extremism, and how individuals find themselves recruited into extremist groups. Dr. Fraser-Rahim currently is Vice President, Global Intelligence, Resilience and Response Operations at Salesforce and is on faculty at the Citadel and Yale University as a Visiting Assistant Professor
How to Kidnap an Executive
In the latest installment of our new podcast, we sit down with a kidnapping historian and author and an executive protection and kidnap & ransom expert, to discuss the topic of executive kidnappings. Philip Jett is a retired attorney who has represented multinational corporations, CEOs, and celebrities from the music, television, and sports industries. He is the author of The Death of an Heir:
How to Stage a Coup
In the first installment of our new podcast, we sit down with Professor Rory Cormac to discuss coups, subversion, and covert influence. Professor Cormac teaches International Relations at the University of Nottingham, and specialises in secret intelligence and covert action. Rory is the author of "Disrupt and Deny: Spies, Special Forces, and the Secret Pursuit of British Foreign Policy", and the c
How to Assassinate a Diplomat
In the third installment of our new podcast, we sit down with Fred Burton to discuss threats to diplomats around the world. Fred is a former police officer, special agent and New York Times best-selling author. He has served on the front lines of high-profile investigations like the hunt for and arrest of Ramzi Yousef, the mastermind behind the first World Trade Center bombing; the 1988 plane cras
How to Get Rid of a President
In the second episode of "How to get on a Watchlist", we sit down with Dr. David Priess to discuss the risks Presidents face from assassinations or impeachments in order to remove them from office, as well as the risks posed by Presidents trying to cling onto power. Dr. Priess is the publisher and chief operating officer at Lawfare. He's a former intelligence officer at the CIA and author of THE P
How to Shoot Down an Airliner
In this episode we sit down to discuss the risk posed to commercial airliners by terrorism and armed conflicts with Aviation Security expert William Sandover. After 29 years in the UK Foreign Office, with postings in Vienna, Buenos Aires, Paris and Pakistan, William joined British Airways in 2008 as their International Risk Adviser, responsible for analysing the security threats to the airline's o
