Intelligence Squared Bellingcat Founder Eliot Higgins on Navalny, Syria and Skripal
Feb 5, 2021
Eliot Higgins, founder of Bellingcat, shares his incredible journey from college dropout to investigative journalism pioneer. He reveals how his team employs cutting-edge technology to expose significant global events, like the tragic downing of flight MH17 and the chemical weapon use in Syria. Higgins also discusses the high-stakes poisonings of Alexei Navalny and Sergei Skripal, illuminating how open-source intelligence connects these international incidents. The conversation delves into the ethical challenges and personal risks journalists face in the age of misinformation.
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Revolution on a Laptop
- Eliot Higgins's journey began by verifying videos from Libya during the Arab Spring using satellite imagery.
- This sparked his interest in open source investigations and the pursuit of truth.
Brown Moses to Bellingcat
- Higgins's blog, Brown Moses, gained recognition when newspapers began using his findings.
- This led to a major investigation about Croatian weapons smuggling into Syria, landing him on the front page of The New York Times.
The Power of Open Source
- The rise of smartphones and social media created a new era of readily available information during the Arab Spring.
- Higgins was uniquely positioned to capitalize on this and expose global events in real-time.
