Weekly Opinion Editorial
by Steve
Fair
Albrecht Dittrich was born in 1949 in Russia. His father was a schoolteacher and a committed Marxist/Leninist. In 1969, while a senior in college, Dittrich was approached by the Committee for State Security (KGB) and asked to join the agency. He moved to East Berlin, where he was taught Morse code, cryptography and English. In October 1978, he moved to New York City, taking the name of a dead ten-year-old- Jack Philip Barsky.
Dittrich's mission was to insert himself into American society, make contact with foreign policy think tanks and try to befriend President Jimmy Carter's National Security Advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski. That proved harder than the KGB anticipated due partly to Dittrich's abrasive, confrontational personality. He was a sleeper agent for the KGB in the U.S. for ten years- 1978-1988. After the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, his name was revealed to American spy agencies and they monitored his activity for 8 years. In 1997, Dittrich/Barsky was arrested for espionage, but never charged. Dittrich has appeared on cable news networks as an expert on espionage. He is a frequent commentor on the Russian interference in U.S. elections. His autobiography, Deep Undercover, was published in 2017.
Intelligence experts have raised alarms about
potential Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) or Hezbollah-linked sleeper
cells being activated in the U.S. and Europe.
Sleeper cells are dormant, undercover agents or terrorist operatives embedded within a population, waiting for orders to activate and conduct attacks. These networks exist to disrupt, spy, or commit violence, often established well in advance to avoid detection. Concerns currently focus on Iran-linked proxy networks potentially activating across Europe and North America.
During the Biden administration, about 1,500 Iranians were intercepted at the southern border, but who knows the number who got through. At least 700 were released into the United States. "We have no idea how many people got around obviously. The numbers are deeply concerning,” Senator. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, says. Three observations:
First, illegal immigration is a national security issue. A cornerstone of America's identity is that it is a land of immigrants. But immigration is a contentious issue. The vast majority of illegal immigrants crossing the southern border are coming to America for jobs, but not all. Some want to destroy the U.S. and our way of life. Detecting and screening out the bad actors is the challenge.
Second, they live among us. It's not if sleeper cells exist in the U.S.- it's how many. Sleeper cell operatives often live as ordinary citizens for years, sometimes acting with support from within the country or from abroad. Dittrich married, had a daughter, held a job, and interacted with Americans undetected for years. He was exposed only after the USSR fell. Moles are hard to detect because, by nature, they are good at hiding.
Third, Americans are not defenseless. Thank God for the Second Amendment. The United States is the most armed country in the world, with over 120 guns per 100 residents. When the sleeper cells raise their ugly head, they will face significant civilian opposition in the U.S.
The public acts as the 'eyes and ears' for potential threats. All Americans should be aware of unusual, out of the ordinary behavior- even from those people they think they know. Report suspicious activity like individuals conducting surveillance on infrastructure, attempting to gain access to restricted areas, or displaying unusual behavior that raises a red flag. It's better to be safe than sorry.
If Iran yells 'Olly olly oxen free,' Americans
should be locked and loaded!
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