The battle between the United States and authoritarian regimes is moving beyond the confines of cyberspace and increasingly taking place on American soil as countries like China and Iran target dissidents and minority groups in increasingly overt operations.
Senior FBI counterintelligence officials warned Wednesday of new tactics and “lines being crossed” by a growing number of countries, saying the US now faces a “tipping point” as it tries to fend off transnational repression.
“The change that we’re trying to highlight is sort of an increase in the level of threats, of violence, intimidation … that crosses lines that we haven’t seen before,” a senior FBI counterintelligence official told reporters, briefing them in condition of anonymity on the guidelines established by the office.
“China, Iran and other countries see this as a priority to stabilize their regimes and make sure they continue to exist,” a second senior official said. “They are increasing the priority of this, they are more willing to go to American soil to go after dissidents.”
Wednesday’s FBI warning comes just days after the bureau arrested two New York City residents, accusing them of operating a secret and illegal police station on behalf of the Ministry of Public Security of China.
“We cannot and will not tolerate the Chinese government’s persecution of pro-democracy activists who have sought refuge in this country,” US Attorney Breon Peace said in announcing the charges Monday.
“We remain determined and steadfast in fighting any attempt by the Chinese Communist Party to oppress and intimidate our residents,” he added.
FBI officials on Wednesday declined to share details about how many countries are involved in the transnational crackdown.
multiple threats
“We try not to accumulate threats,” the first FBI official said, noting that China and Iran “have been major repeat offenders.”
Other US officials have pointed to allegations against suspects linked to Belarus, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. And concerns about Russia are ever-present.
A database maintained by the US-based Freedom House has tracked 854 physical incidents of transnational repression committed in 91 countries by 38 governments since 2014, including 79 incidents in 2022 alone.
China was the most prolific, according to Freedom House data, engaging in 253 incidents of what the organization described as “direct physical transnational repression” over the past nine years.
Turkey was second, followed by Tajikistan, Russia, Egypt, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Belarus, Iran and Rwanda.
growing sophistication
In their Global Threat Assessment earlier this year, US intelligence agencies said the Chinese government is actively monitoring Chinese students abroad.
If that’s not enough, Beijing is willing to “enlist the help of China-based commercial firms to help police and censor its critics,” the report says.
As for Iran, the report warned that Tehran “remains committed to developing surrogate networks within the United States, a goal it has pursued for more than a decade.”
Some of Iran’s attempts have made US headlines, including multiple plots targeting Masih Alinejadan Iranian-American human rights activist and Persian television presenter from the voice of america.
Earlier this year, the US Department of Justice indicted three members of an Eastern European criminal gang in connection with a plot to kill Alinejad outside her New York City home.
In another case last year, a Chinese MPS official was accused of trying to interfere in the congressional campaign of a US military veteran who had been involved in the 1989 pro-democracy protests in Tiananmen Square.
The Chinese embassy in Washington on Wednesday night denied the FBI’s accusations.
“China’s police do not engage in ‘transnational suppression and coercion’ against so-called ‘dissidents’ and ‘dissidents,'” embassy spokesman Liu Pengyu told the VOA in an email.
“The Chinese government strictly abides by international law and fully respects other countries’ police sovereignty,” he said, accusing the United States of seeking to “blur China’s image.”
However, US officials have repeatedly rejected denials such as China’s.
Officials say authoritarian regimes often make good use of cyberspace to intimidate and silence those they don’t like.
“He’s certainly an enabler,” a second FBI official told VOA. “Any country with even limited resources can certainly engage in at least online bullying with very little investment or expertise.”
“It’s really challenging,” the official added.
[Masood Farivar contribuyó a este despacho]
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