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Goalhanger

Enter the secretive world of spies, espionage, and covert operations. 
Hosted by former CIA analyst turned spy novelist, David McCloskey, and veteran security correspondent, Gordon Corera, this podcast unravels real-life spy stories, intelligence secrets, and the hidden power struggles shaping global events. 
From Cold War espionage to modern-day intelligence agencies like the CIA, MI6, and Mossad, explore the world of double agents, classified missions, and the shadowy figures who operate in them. Whether you're a true crime addict, a thriller fan, or fascinated by spy stories, this is the show for you.

The Rest Is Classified

What will western and Syrian spy services be focusing on following the fall of Bashar al-Assad? Is Russia and Iran’s withdrawal from Syria similar to the US withdrawal from Afghanistan? Were the security services predicting that the Assad regime would collapse so quickly? 

Join David McCloskey and Gordon Corera as they answer all these questions and more in this emergency episode of The Rest Is Classified. 

For further reading, check out David and Gordon’s recommended profiles below:

Razan Saffour - @RazanSpeaks
Aaron Zelin - @azelin
Leila Al-Shami - @LeilaShami
Charles Lister - @Charles_Lister
Synaps Network - @SynapsNetwork
Kim Ghattas - @KimGhattas
Emma Beals - @ejbeals
Steve Heydemann - @SHeydemann
Rim Turkmani - @Rim_Turkmani
Lina Ghoutouk - @linaagho
Sednaya Missing - @sednayamissing

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Email: classified@goalhanger.com
Twitter: @triclassified

Assistant Producer: Becki Hills
Producer: Callum Hill
Senior Producer: Dom Johnson
Exec Producer: Tony Pastor
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4. The Rise and Fall of Assad's Spy State

Mazar i-Sharif has fallen without much of a fight. The Taliban's grip on Afghanistan is looking all the more shaky. It seems as if the American policy to work with the warlords is paying dividends. Enemy fighters are surrendering to them. But is it all too rosy? In the centre of Mazar i-Sharif, the Americans take 400 Al-Qaeda captives to Qala-i-Jangi, the Fort of War. They believe they have surrendered. But all is not as it seems...

Listen as David McCloskey and Gordon Corera discuss the first CIA teams in Afghanistan in the days after 9/11.

Further Reading:

First Casualty: The Untold Story of the CIA Mission to Avenge 9/11 by Toby Harnden - buy it here.

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Email: classified@goalhanger.com
Twitter: @triclassified

Editor: Vasco Andrade
Assistant Producer: Becki Hills
Producer: Callum Hill
Senior Producer: Dom Johnson
Exec Producer: Tony Pastor
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5. CIA vs the Taliban: Bin Laden's Trojan Horse (Ep 2)

How did Bashar al-Assad become one of the Middle East’s most feared dictators? What role did Hezbollah play in the assassination of the Lebanese Prime Minister in 2005? And how did Assad’s rise to ultimate power mirror the ascent of Michael Corleone in the Godfather? 

As the new millennium dawned, Bashar al-Assad prepared to step into his father’s shoes as the next authoritarian president of Syria. While he enjoyed a smooth ascension to the top job, trouble was brewing over the border in Lebanon as the Lebanese Prime Minister sought to escape the debilitating control of its Syrian master. What follows is a story straight out of the Godfather canon with a mafiosi state fighting for ultimate power and a network of spies working to neutralise opposing gangs. 

Listen as Gordon Corera and David McCloskey discuss the Syrian plot to assassinate the Lebanese Prime Minister at the turn of the 21st century.

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Email: classified@goalhanger.com
Twitter: @triclassified

Assistant Producer: Becki Hills
Producer: Callum Hill
Senior Producer: Dom Johnson
Exec Producer: Tony Pastor
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6. The Real Godfather: Assad’s Syrian Mafia (Ep 1)

Did the assassination of Rafic Hariri lay the foundations for the ultimate downfall of the Assad regime? And was the Syrian dictator always destined for evil, or was evil thrust upon him? 

Rafic Hariri is looking over his shoulder, anxious for his future, with Bashar al-Assad hellbent on his removal from power. He steps up his security detail and coordinates convoluted exit strategies, but his efforts are ultimately in vain. So, what was the long-term impact of the assassination of the Lebanese president for the Syrian dictator? Listen as David and Gordon tell the story of the gruesome killing of President Hariri and the parallels between Assad and the ill-fated mafiosi, Michael Corleone.

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Email: classified@goalhanger.com
Twitter: @triclassified

Assistant Producer: Becki Hills
Producer: Callum Hill
Senior Producer: Dom Johnson
Exec Producer: Tony Pastor
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7. The Real Godfather: The Assassination that Shook Syria (Ep 2)

The daring, gadget-loving, mischievous founder of MI6. Mansfield Cumming, the first C, was a former navy man brought out of retirement to keep tabs on German spies around the outbreak of the First World War. Over the following decade he established MI6 and set it on course to be a central part of the British security apparatus. Known to test the mettle of potential employees by taking a knife out and stabbing his own wooden leg; Mansfield was an eccentric man who's personality has come to shape the institution which he founded. 

In this Christmas special, listen as David and Gordon discuss the founding of Britain's Secret Intelligence Service.

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Email: classified@goalhanger.com
Twitter: @triclassified

Assistant Producer: Becki Hills
Producer: Callum Hill
Senior Producer: Dom Johnson
Exec Producer: Tony Pastor
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8. The Man Who Made MI6

How did a group of North Korean cyber criminals manage to pull off the biggest bank heist in history? Did Kim Jong Un really orchestrate the murder of his own brother? And what does it take to keep an authoritarian state afloat? 

A seemingly innocuous spearfishing email lands in the inbox of an unsuspecting employee at the Central Bank of Bangladesh. Months of patient digital hacking follow, all masterminded by a team of cyber criminals within North Korea’s shadowy spy service. But how did they manage it? Listen as David and Gordon uncover how the North Korean state created one of the world’s most dangerous crime syndicates.

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Email: classified@goalhanger.com
Twitter: @triclassified

Assistant Producer: Becki Hills
Producer: Callum Hill
Senior Producer: Dom Johnson
Exec Producer: Tony Pastor
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9. North Korea’s CIA: Inside Kim’s Crime Family (Ep 1)

What happens when an authoritarian state runs its security services like an organised crime syndicate? Why did a group of North Korean cyber criminals gamble away vast sums of stolen money in the casinos of Las Vegas? And did Kim Jong Un's spies get away with their billion dollar heist?

After over a year of work, the North Korean cyber criminals are inside the Central Bank of Bangladesh and about to escape with their bags of cash, but there's a glitch. The account they plan to send the stolen money to in the Philippines has triggered a security alert with the Federal Reserve in New York. Will they avoid getting caught in the act? Listen as David and Gordon share the dramatic details of how a North Korean spy ring orchestrated one of the biggest bank robberies in history. 

Get our exclusive NordVPN deal here ➼ www.nordvpn.com/restisclassified

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Email: classified@goalhanger.com
Twitter: @triclassified

Assistant Producer: Becki Hills
Producer: Callum Hill
Senior Producer: Dom Johnson
Exec Producer: Tony Pastor
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10. North Korea’s CIA: The Billion Dollar Heist (Ep 2)

How did a Russian spy manage to infiltrate the upper echelons of London and New York society? Was Anna Chapman really an old fashioned Russian honeytrap or was she underestimated by the world's press? What was life like for wealthy Russians in "Londongrad" in the early 21st century? 

The year is 2001 and the 18-year-old daughter of a Russian oligarch is partying in London. She meets a handsome young man at a warehouse rave and her passport to a new life in Western Europe glistens before her very eyes. What could possibly go wrong? Join David and Gordon as they take us back to the height of Londongrad and what happens when a Russian spy tries to infiltrate high society. 

Get our exclusive NordVPN deal here ➼ www.nordvpn.com/restisclassified

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Email: classified@goalhanger.com
Twitter: @triclassified

Assistant Producer: Becki Hills
Producer: Callum Hill
Senior Producer: Dom Johnson
Exec Producer: Tony Pastor
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11. The Spy Who Loved Me: Undercover in Londongrad (Ep 1)

The net is closing in around Anna Chapman. She is being watched by the FBI as they suspect her of being a Russian spy. Her moves are being tracked, but it is not as simple as they think. With the US and Russia trying to reset relations and President Medvedev stateside, the FBI are not in a place to be arresting Russians in New York. Especially when they can’t prove what she is. So what will they do?

Listen as David McCloskey and Gordon Corera discuss Anna Chapman and the precarious nature of her life in the USA.

Get our exclusive NordVPN deal here ➼ www.nordvpn.com/restisclassified
It’s risk-free with Nord’s 30-day money-back guarantee!

Email: classified@goalhanger.com
Twitter: @triclassified
Assistant Producer: Becki Hills
Producer: Callum Hill
Senior Producer: Dom Johnson
Exec Producer: Tony Pastor
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12. The Spy Who Loved Me: A Russian in New York (Ep 2)

Is the Chinese state using TikTok to spy on you? Why did President Biden move to shut TikTok down in the US the day before Trump's inauguration? And where does TikTok fit into China's cognitive warfare strategy?

On Sunday 19 January, TikTok users in the United States opened their apps to receive an error message from the company, explaining that "a law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S.". Op eds were written, influencers took to other social media apps to express their dismay, and politicians scrambled to explain why they were taking drastic action against the Chinese tech company. But, what did the 24-hour ban really mean for national security and data privacy in the US? 

Listen as David and Gordon take a deep dive into how China spies in the 21st century. 

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Pre-order a signed edition of David's latest book, The Seventh Floor, via this link.

Get tickets to see David and Gordon in conversation at Waterstones Trafalgar Square on Tuesday 28 January at 19:00 GMT via this link.

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It’s risk-free with Nord’s 30-day money-back guarantee!

Email: classified@goalhanger.com
Twitter: @triclassified
Assistant Producer: Becki Hills
Producer: Callum Hill
Senior Producer: Dom Johnson
Exec Producer: Tony Pastor
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

5. CIA vs the Taliban: Bin Laden's Trojan Horse (Ep 2)

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