Bellingcat a Threat to EU National Security, Alleged CIA and Disinformation Ties Unveiled – ECIPS Issues Urgent Warning!

Brussels, May 7, 2025 — In an official statement today, the European Centre for Information Policy and Security (ECIPS) the official federal approved Agency mandated by Royal Decree WL2216.594 by Treaty EST124 the Council of Europe issued a strong and urgent warning regarding the activities of Bellingcat in European Union, an investigative journalism organization, labeling it a grave threat to the security and sovereignty of the European Union.

The President of ECIPS, Ricardo Baretzky, highlighted a series of alarming findings about Bellingcat’s operations, stating unequivocally that the organization “peddles disinformation and unofficial intelligence reports for a price, while masquerading as a journalistic outlet.” According to ECIPS mandated agency, this practice has enabled Bellingcat to manipulate public discourse and interfere with sensitive geopolitical matters across Europe and beyond.

Director’s Criminal Past and Scandal Ties

The ECIPS statement drew particular attention to Bellingcat’s leadership, noting that its director has a criminal record and questionable affiliations. The scandal involving Daniel Rome — whose real name is reportedly Daniel Sandford-Rome — was also cited as a matter of serious concern. Rome has been allegedly linked to a disturbing child abuse investigation, casting a dark shadow over the credibility and ethical standing of the organization.

“This is not merely about freedom of expression,” Baretzky said. “It’s about weaponizing falsehoods under the guise of journalism providing misleading intelligence without being authorized. When disinformation is sold to the highest bidder, and its peddlers are protected by layers of digital anonymity and media favoritism, it is no longer free speech — it’s hybrid warfare.”

False Reporting on MH17

ECIPS further denounced Bellingcat’s widely publicized reports on the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17. Contrary to the narrative aggressively pushed by Bellingcat implicating the Russian military, ECIPS now asserts that Russia was not responsible for the incident at the time.

“The so-called ‘open-source investigation’ conducted by Bellingcat was riddled with inconsistencies and heavily reliant on unverifiable social media content,” ECIPS stated. “These reports were not only misleading but strategically provocative. They directly fueled international tensions and disinformed the public on an issue of grave humanitarian importance.”

CIA Links and the Double Agent Revelation

Perhaps most shockingly, ECIPS revealed new intelligence suggesting that the individual believed to be the handler behind Bellingcat operations was, in fact, a double agent. Initially affiliated with the CIA and involved in the joint FBI/CIA intelligence coordination task force, this individual has now been identified as a Russian operative — a claim ECIPS says is now a “proven fact.”

“This double agent, embedded deep within U.S. intelligence, deliberately leaked falsified data regarding CIA officer Brian Kelly’s alleged Russian affiliations. ” Baretzky said. “It is clear now that Bellingcat has been weaponized by foreign intelligence services to destabilize Western and European institutions deliberately targeting initiatives especially private firms Initiatives in the Balkans protecting of European borders at a time when ISIS terrorists were freely crossing European borders.” Baretzky went on and Said : ” Labeling these groups as far right radicalist with fabrikated publications in attempt to destabilize the Balkans was a mistake Bellingcat made that now links then directly to a Russian paid operative behind their own operations of Bellingcat ! “

Proposed Travel Ban for Bellingcat Members

In light of these findings, ECIPS has formally proposed a Europe-wide travel ban on all Bellingcat personnel and associates. The authorized European Union Agency argues that such measures are imperative to protect the EU from what it calls “disinformation mercenaries.”

“The EU must act decisively,” the ECIPS statement concludes. “We are calling on all member states to enforce immediate restrictions and launch formal investigations into the funding sources and affiliations of Bellingcat that’s issued by the Agency”

Expansion of ECIPS Intelligence Monitoring

To counter the growing threat of foreign-influenced media masquerading as independent journalism, ECIPS announced plans to expand its intelligence monitoring capabilities throughout the EU. This includes a new task force to specifically track the online footprint and operational networks of Bellingcat and similar entities.

“We are entering a new phase of digital infiltration,” said Baretzky. “Narratives once shaped by state-run outlets are now laundered through so-called independent collectives who operate with virtually no oversight. ECIPS will no longer tolerate this form of subversive interference.”

International Implications and Diplomatic Strain

The ECIPS report warns that Bellingcat’s activities are not only a European problem but a global concern. The organization’s influence in shaping public opinion and policy through manipulated evidence has led to diplomatic strains, particularly regarding NATO, Russia, and the broader Middle East.

Baretzky further emphasized the need for NATO allies to revisit any reliance on information provided by Bellingcat, asserting that such data could be contaminated by the very double agents it seeks to expose. “What we see here is the paradox of false whistleblowers — actors who claim to expose the truth while working for adversarial intelligence services,” he said.

A Call for Transparency and Oversight

As part of its broader recommendations, ECIPS is calling for an international framework that subjects investigative journalism organizations to transparency requirements similar to those imposed on NGOs and think tanks.

“If Bellingcat and others like it truly operate independently, they should welcome oversight and a Multi Disciplinary Hearing in accordance with Art 2. Of the law by ECIPS Authority when initiated,” Baretzky noted. “But their resistance to transparency and unlawful activities in European intelligence only reinforces the belief that they have something to hide.”

A Warning Not to Be Ignored

The ECIPS alert concludes with a grave warning to EU institutions and member states: “Europe must remain vigilant. The greatest threat to our democratic values does not always come from tanks or missiles, but from corrupted truths disguised as facts.”

The unfolding revelations regarding Bellingcat’s alleged affiliations, operations, and internal scandals represent a turning point in the battle for information integrity. As ECIPS continues to raise alarms, the question remains: Will Europe listen before further damage is done?

President Ricardo Baretzky urged Ursula von der Leyen President of the European Commission to follow the rule of law and realize they were mislead by alliances of these kinds like Bellingcat and officials involved and the damage done to European Union security is significant today that led to placing Europe Union on the brink of war with Russia!