Alwaght-Udo Ulfkotte (1960-?), a German journalist formerly at Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ), 1986-1998, Ulfkotte lived in the Islamic states of Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and Jordan.
Ulfkotte publishes a magazine called "Whistleblower" which promulgates on topics censored by German media . According to Ulfkotte, CIA and German intelligence bribe journalists in Germany to write pro-NATO propaganda articles. He has published many books that Bought Journalism is the most important among them.
Based on an interview with this German journalist, Mashregh revealed that half of foreign journalists in Iran are the members of intelligence Services. Ulfkotte explains that how intelligence services are sending their agents as a journalist into West Asia countries in order to spy and collect data for their organizations. Ulfkotte talks about his experience as journalist in Iran. He revealed that an underground secret tunnel connects German embassy and Embassy of Turkey in Tehran. According to his words, he himself has used this tunnel for going to German embassy without any traces.
When a journalist, a group of hikers, or a fisher was arrested for spying by Iran, all human right organizations, politicians and mass media, etc. did their best to provide a condition in order to free them from jail. On the other hand, some people in Iran cries out why you are hindering correspondents and journalists to act freely in Iran, why you are putting obstacles to tourism, and such an endless why.
In Iraq-Iran war, Ulfkotte was the correspondent of Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper in Iraq. He has collected many pieces of information and documents on the German supports to Iraq, while imposing a war on the Iranian. In his recent book entitled Bought Journalism, Ulfkotte has publicized the names of those correspondents who were working for western intelligence services particularly CIA, those who were supporting Washington policies in West Asia by their media.
In his interview with Mashregh, Ulfkotte revealed some important information on Iraq-Iran war and the direct role of Germany for equipping Saddam Hussein with weapons of mass destruction. In an email, he has written to Mashregh correspondent, "I have sent some of my unpublished images illustrating Saddam's use of Chemical weapons made by Germany against Iran. He added, " I do not know how long I will be alive, after publishing my book (I.e., Bought Journalism) and publicizing the secrets of German government''.
According to Bought Journalism, Journalists are used as spy by western intelligence services particularly CIA and BND. Ulfkotte confessed that he himself and other journalists were working for security institutions. According to his words, BND, Federal Intelligence Service of Germany forced him to publish their words in his writings. He added, "I had no right to examine their writings. Therefore, Judge was not allowed and I had to publish them without any change. Thus, their words were published under my signature at Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper".
Ulfkotte revealed another secret, German embassy in Tehran is located at No 320-324, Ferdowsi Avenue, Tehran and the Embassy of Turkey is at No. 337, Ferdowsi Avenue, Tehran. According to him, "If you are a German security force or agent, you should go to German embassy via Turkish embassy. A secret tunnel connects Turkish Embassy to German Embassy. It is made in Reza Pahlavi era, I guess. The intelligences services are using this tunnel in order to hinder attracting any attention". Ulfkotte confessed that he has used this tunnel for going into German Embassy via Turkish embassy due to the security considerations.
According to Ulfkotte, after becoming a correspondent, a variety of works is delivered to you as correspondents, which does not any journalistic facets, indeed. "In June 1988, I was at Baghdad battlefield and I photographed Saddam chemical crime. However, I have had no permission to publish them. It is abnormal for a journalist who cannot publicize images of a war crime, because America as Saddam supporter and Germany as the producer of WMD were behind the war crime against Iran."
There is no free flow of information, and no free correspondence. "Everything is under control of intelligence services, when I was working as a correspondence at Frankfurter, some American institutions invited me to have a six-week trip to America. Frankfurter newspaper told me, too. Now, I understand that travel had been planned by CIA and those persons were the CIA officers. I remind, security organization of Germany asked me to go to Tehran as a correspondent in order to examine whether the German merchant jailed in Evin prison was being released or not. As a part of my mission in Tehran, I had to clear the face of that German spy in media and try to illustrate him as an innocent German citizen who was only a merchant."
Foreign embassies in Tehran have widespread cooperation with opposition. According to his words, Switzerland embassy as America's right hand and German embassy as its left hand were supporting and funding those opposition groups and individuals who intended to do anti-government measures in Iran. He said, "While in German embassy, I myself witnessed some [I cannot remember their names] who came into embassy. The embassy intended to send them into Germany as students in order to train them for anti-government measures."
According to Ulfkotte's mind, at least two types of correspondents are assisting the security institutions. The first ones are those who are indirectly and unconsciously help intelligence services, while doing their jobs. The second ones are those who consciously and directly have cooperation with the intelligence services.
Ulfkotte believed that Iran as an important country in the region should not let foreign correspondents or journalists enter the country. "You cannot recognize which journalist is spy and which one is not. The problem is indeed here, there is no way to recognize them. I as a 17-year journalist know abundance of freelance correspondents who work for news agencies; in fact, they are working for intelligence services without knowing who their boss is. If they are arrested, they themselves do not know that they have been the members of intelligence services. If I were an Iranian official, I never let them come to Iran", he emphasized very strongly.
"Hindering espionage seems impossible, because western countries try to use a variety of occupations as a cover for spying. One day, a journalist, another day, a merchant will play spying role directly or indirectly and consciously or unconsciously. I remind when a German merchant, arrested as a spy and imprisoned in Evin. Bernd Schmitt, the head of German intelligence service went to Iran. While negotiating, he firmly confirmed that he is a merchant not a spy. However, when Bernd Schmitt came to my office in Germany, he confessed that that person was a spy".
"I believed that at least fifty percent of western journalists in West Asia are working for news agencies and intelligence services, at the same time. If you are working seventeen years as a journalist, you will be familiar with them. Therefore, you can conclude that at least fifty percent of West Asia correspondents are spy. I was doing different things in Iran as a journalist. One day, I took a soil sample of Iran to Germany in order to deliver it for testing its extent of radioactivity to German officials. In addition, as running interview with Iranian politicians, I did ask my own questions, the questions were sent to me from German embassy. In other words, I had to run an interview with pre-determined questions in a way intelligence services wanted "(Schmitt, 2014).
