CIA Whistleblower: They Can See All Your Messages! I Was Under Surveillance In Pakistan!

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Jan 19, 2026

John Kiriakou, a former CIA counterterrorism officer turned whistleblower, shares his gripping journey of exposing the CIA's torture program, leading to his imprisonment. He discusses the shocking ease of surveillance on everyday citizens, revealing how intelligence agencies can track you in real-time. Kiriakou dives into the psychology behind spy recruitment and the ethical dilemmas faced in the field. With stories of deception and covert operations, he stresses the importance of speaking the truth, despite the risks involved.

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00:00 / 00:00

Ubiquitous Surveillance Is Real

Intelligence agencies can remotely control consumer devices and collect vast private data through undisclosed tools.
John Kiriakou warns that 'nothing is secret' and everyone is potentially exposed.

00:00 / 00:00

Coffee Shop Recruitment

John described recruiting an Al-Qaeda mid-level fighter by building trust in a coffee shop and offering a passport and ticket home.
The source gave specific information and then disappeared after being sent home.

00:00 / 00:00

Recruitment Leverages Vulnerabilities

The CIA targets emotional hooks called 'vulnerabilities' to recruit assets, with money accounting for most cases.
Kiriakou says 95% of recruits agree for financial reasons; other drivers include family, ideology, revenge, and excitement.

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Former CIA officer and whistleblower JOHN KIRIAKOU reveals how easily you’re tracked, the truth about surveillance, manipulation, and torture, and why exposing the CIA sent him to prison!

John Kiriakou is a former CIA counterterrorism officer and intelligence analyst who served for 15 years, including as chief of counterterrorism operations in Pakistan after 9/11. He publicly blew the whistle on the CIA’s torture program, for which he served 23 months in prison.

He explains:

◼️How intelligence agencies can monitor your car in real time

◼️The proven psychology the CIA uses to recruit spies

◼️Why he went to prison for exposing the truth, and would do it again

◼️The surveillance mistake that instantly makes you easier to track

◼️Why telling the truth is treated as a national security threat

(00:00) Intro
(02:32) I Blew the Whistle on the CIA
(04:09) What Was Your Role in the CIA?
(12:27) How Did You End Up Being a Spy?
(14:47) The CIA’s Strategy With Podcasters
(17:28) How Did You Get Into the CIA?
(23:14) What Was Your Training Like?
(27:38) People's Vulnerabilities
(31:13) What Can the CIA Really Get for Someone?
(32:59) Lying and Lie Detection
(37:34) Do You Often Have to ‘Take One for the Team’ in the CIA?
(41:13) What Does the Average Person Not Know About the World?
(47:21) Digital Security
(51:48) Sleeper Agents: Training Spies From Birth
(56:19) Is the Average Person Interacting With a Spy?
(58:10) How Many Spies Are There in the US?
(01:03:46) Conspiracy Theories
(01:05:11) Dosing Americans With LSD
(01:08:33) Are the CIA Involved in Iran?
(01:10:50) Have You Ever Killed Anyone?
(01:14:48) Which Spy Force Is the Most Impressive?
(01:21:15) Was Jeffrey Epstein a Spy?
(01:26:39) Who Is the Real Adversary?
(01:28:54) Is Venezuela a Cover for Something Else?
(01:33:04) Does China Want the US to Fall?
(01:33:52) Is the US Going Bankrupt?
(01:35:57) Why Does the US Government Keep Breaking the Law?
(01:39:52) Should You Be Pardoned by Trump?
(01:40:31) What Did You Stop Doing That Improved Your Life?

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You can purchase John’s book, Surveillance and Surveillance Detection: A CIA Insider's Guide‘, here: https://amzn.to/4qU7Cnv

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