Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Russian Ministry of Defense: 37 Ukrainian drones destroyed in 4 hours over regions of Russia and the Black Sea.
Sheikh Qassem: Our supporters make up more than half of Lebanon's population, and all of these people are united under the banner of protecting Lebanon, its Resistance, its people, and its integrity.
Sheikh Qassem: There will be no phased handing in of our arms. [The Israelis] must first enact the agreement before we start talking about a defensive strategy.
Sheikh Qassem: Be brave in the face of foreign pressures, and we will be by your side in this stance.
Sheikh Qassem: Stripping us of our arms is like stripping us of our very soul, and this will prompt us to show them our might.
Sheikh Qassem: We will not abandon our arms, for they gave us dignity; we will not abandon our arms, for they protect us against our enemy.
Sheikh Qassem: The US efforts we are seeing are aimed at sabotaging Lebanon and constitute a call for sedition.
Sheikh Qassem: If you truly want to establish sovereignty and work for Lebanon’s interests, then stop the aggression.
Sheikh Qassem: The United States, which is meddling in Lebanon, is not trustworthy but rather poses a danger to it.
Sheikh Qassem: The United States is preventing the weapons that protect the homeland.

World intelligence heads hold secret meeting in Singapore: Reuters

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Reuters
  • 4 Jun 2023 10:59
3 Min Read

An informed source tells Reuters that during the secret gathering, intelligence chiefs touched on the Ukraine war and transnational crime.

  • x
  • World intelligence heads hold secret meeting in Singapore: Reuters
    China's Defense Minister Li Shangfu sits at the table with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong during the keynote address at the 20th IISS Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, on June 2, 2023 (Reuters)

Five sources told Reuters that top officials from almost two dozen of the world's powerful intelligence agencies met in secret this weekend on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue security gathering in Singapore.

According to the sources, such gatherings are planned by the Singapore government and have been held covertly for numerous years at a separate site alongside the security summit. The meetings have not before been publicized, Reuters pointed out.

The news agency highlighted that the Director of US National Intelligence Avril Haines took part in the meeting, adding that China was also represented, despite tensions between the two giants.

Reuters cited an Indian source as saying that Samant Goel, the Director of the Research and Analysis Wing of India, was among the attendees.

One informed source told the news agency that "the meeting is an important fixture on the international shadow agenda."

"Given the range of countries involved, it is not a festival of tradecraft, but rather a way of promoting a deeper understanding of intentions and bottom lines," the source pointed out.

Related News

Syria welcomes US decision to lift sanctions, hosts US delegation

Trump claims Gaza war to end in weeks, despite ongoing Israeli assault

"There is an unspoken code among intelligence services that they can talk when more formal and open diplomacy is harder - it is a very important factor during times of tension, and the Singapore event helps promote that," the source revealed.

In a related context, Reuters cited a spokesperson for the Singapore Ministry of Defense as saying that while attending the Shangri-La Dialogue, "participants including senior officials from intelligence agencies also take the opportunity to meet their counterparts."

The spokesperson admitted that "the Singapore Ministry of Defence may facilitate some of these bilateral or multilateral meetings," adding that "participants have found such meetings held on the sidelines of the (dialogue) beneficial."

The informed source told Reuters that the Ukraine war, as well as transnational crime, were discussed on Friday. One of the sources said that no Russian representative was present at the meeting.

According to the news agency, Ukraine's Deputy Defense Minister, Volodymr Havrylov, was present at the Shangri-La Dialogue but did not attend the secret meeting.

Elsewhere, Reuters cited another source as saying that the meeting's tone was "collaborative and cooperative," rather than "confrontational".

Read more: China warns against 'NATO-like' alliances in Asia-Pacific

  • United States
  • spy agencies
  • Shangri-La Dialogue
  • US
  • Avril Haines
  • China
  • Singapore
  • Intelligence meeting

Most Read

Tom Artiom Alexandrovich, executive director of the defense division of the Israeli National Cyber Directorate, undated (Social media)

Israeli-born US prosecutor drops Israeli officer child sex crime

  • Politics
  • 19 Aug 2025
Almost instantly after the Helsinki Accords were signed, organisations sprouted to document purported violations, whose findings were fed to overseas embassies for international amplification. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zeinab el-Hajj)

How ‘Human Rights’ became a Western weapon

  • Opinion
  • 23 Aug 2025
Israeli soldiers stand on the top of armoured vehicles parked on an area near the Israeli-Gaza border, as seen from southern Israel, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025 (AP)

Palestinian fighters target Israeli soldiers, vehicles in Gaza

  • Politics
  • 21 Aug 2025
Launch of a ballistic missile from Yemen toward the occupied Palestinian territories. (YAF military media)

Yemeni Forces announce firing hypersonic missile at Al-Lydd Airport

  • Politics
  • 22 Aug 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a press conference at the Prime minister's office in al-Quds, Occupied Palestine, Sunday, Aug. 10, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Netanyahu deliberately derailing truce with Gaza occupation: Hamas

Irish President Michael Higgins arrives to deliver his speech during a 42nd World Food Day celebration at FAO headquarters in Rome, on Oct. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Politics

Irish president renews call for UN military intervention in Gaza

US Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack speaks during an interview with The Associated Press at the US Embassy in Aukar, northern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Monday, July 21, 2025 (AP)
Politics

US envoy, Netanyahu discuss restraining attacks on Lebanon, withdrawal

Smoke billows following Israeli airstrikes in multiple areas in Sanaa, Yemen, Sunday, Aug. 24, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Ansar Allah vow sustained Gaza support despite Israeli strikes

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS