Hi Everyone,

I’m excited to welcome the final trainer from i-intelligence in this series!

In this newsletter, we’re diving into Arabic OSINT.

✨ My guest this time is Paolo Walcher 🙌

Paolo wrote for us a personal piece that reflects what Arabic OSINT means to him - a mix of techniques, quotes, and reflections. In two short episodes, he shares:

• Why Arabic OSINT is not just about geopolitics, but about perception

• How language changes what we can find, verify, and understand

• Practical tools from Yamli to TwoLingual that transform how we search

• Real-world examples: Gulf investments, compliance, and economic foresight

• Why “the future of intelligence belongs to those who can listen beyond their own language.”

Tomorrow will be Part 2, where you’ll be able to test your skills.

About Paolo Walcher

He serves as OSINT Trainer and Security Consultant at i-intelligence GmbH, specialising in Arabic-language OSINT, geopolitical risk analysis, and strategic intelligence. With an MSc in Crisis and Security Management from Leiden University, he brings expertise in counterterrorism, conflict monitoring, and the investigation of illicit networks and security threats.

He delivers advanced OSINT training to private sector clients, government agencies, intelligence services, police, and military forces worldwide. His work spans maritime OSINT, cultural and regional intelligence, and the intersection of AI and OSINT, examining how automation enhances intelligence collection while emphasising human judgement.

Previously, as a Security Business Intelligence Analyst at BMW Group, he provided intelligence on global conflicts including Ukraine. Earlier, he contributed to projects with EU Horizon 2020, Airpol, the Dutch Police, Siemens, and international partners, including human rights investigations and conflict verification.

Having travelled to over 53 countries and fluent in English, German, and Italian, he brings a global outlook essential for analysing regional dynamics and training professionals in advanced OSINT techniques, particularly for Arabic-language sources and Middle Eastern investigations.

Cybersecurity News 

• Mastercard Threat Intelligence: Mastercard launches its first-ever global threat intelligence solution to combat payment fraud at scale. Find out more.

• Cytellite Threat Intelligence: A real-time threat intelligence platform by Loginsoft, enabling instant searches across IPs, domains, vulnerabilities, and threat actors to uncover active cyber threats. Find out more.

• DFiR Galaxy Workstation: A new DFIR workstation concept designed to support large-scale digital forensic investigations and malware analysis. Find out more.

📰Reports

• MENA Cyber Summit 2025 Annual Report: Key takeaways from this year’s regional cybersecurity summit. Read report.

• Microsoft Digital Defense Report 2025: Global insights on cyber threats, trends, and nation-state activity. Read report.

OSINT Guest Section

Learning to See Differently: What Arabic OSINT Taught Me About Intelligence

Most people think Arabic OSINT is about geopolitics or security. It’s not.
It’s about learning to see differently  how language changes what we can find, verify, and understand.
Two years ago, I didn’t speak Arabic. Now it’s part of my daily intelligence work and teaching.
Here’s what I learned  and how simple tools can change the way you see the web, intelligence, and the world.

Learning to See Differently: What Arabic OSINT Taught Me About Intelligence
When Europeans hear “Arabic OSINT,” they often think of terrorism monitoring, geopolitical crises, or conflicts in the Middle East. Yet, Arabic-language open-source intelligence (OSINT) has become far more relevant to Europe’s economic, social, and commercial landscape than many realise.
In a global information environment where narratives move faster than institutions, the ability to search, read, and interpret non-English sources is no longer a regional specialisation  it’s a strategic advantage. Arabic OSINT is just one example of how language-based intelligence expands understanding and foresight for banks, corporations, and governments seeking to track supply chains, investors, migration routes, and public sentiment across Europe and beyond.

“OSINT starts where curiosity meets another language.”

KYC, Due Diligence, and Financial Integrity

For financial institutions, compliance officers, and investigators, language-based OSINT plays a crucial role in Know Your Customer (KYC), Anti-Money Laundering (AML), and sanctions compliance.
Many European companies and banks engage with partners, suppliers, and clients from Gulf states, Lebanon, Egypt, or North Africa environments where corporate ownership data, legal filings, and media coverage are often available only in Arabic.
Analysts able to read Arabic or use targeted non-English searches can uncover beneficial ownership structures, politically exposed persons (PEPs), or links to sanctioned entities that automated translation tools fail to detect.
For example, a logistics firm in Poland partnering with a Lebanese freight forwarder, or a German energy company vetting a Gulf contractor, can leverage Arabic OSINT to identify early warning signs  such as media reports of financial misconduct, corruption allegations, or connections to regional power networks.
This approach bridges the gap between legal compliance and real-world intelligence.

“Every translation opens a new reality , the analyst’s job is to connect them.”

Real Estate, Investment, and Economic Foresight
The wave of investment from the Middle East into Europe’s real estate and energy sectors is another reason language matters.
Gulf investment firms, real estate developers, and sovereign funds frequently announce projects, acquisitions, and tenders first in Arabic-language sources. Monitoring these outlets enables European analysts and investors to track capital flows, identify new players, and spot opaque intermediaries before they surface in English-language media.
In Warsaw, for example, the visibility of Gulf-backed investment funds and construction partnerships has grown  yet much of the information trail remains in Arabic, on regional news sites or financial portals.
Similarly, reverse monitoring of European projects promoted to Gulf investors can reveal emerging market interests and investment patterns long before public data confirms them.
Arabic OSINT also serves as an early-warning tool for macroeconomic shifts. During the Red Sea shipping crisis, Arabic-language updates from port authorities and local Yemeni sources provided the first alerts of maritime disruptions  hours or even days before major English-language media picked up the story.
“It’s not about Arabic. It’s about learning to see differently.”

Where Does OSINT Start?
It starts with you.
With your curiosity to explore what others overlook. With your willingness to translate, understand, and connect dots across languages.

Even simple tools can lead to meaningful discoveries when used with understanding. The strength of modern intelligence lies in your ability to combine skills, think across disciplines, and use what is already at hand. Today’s investigator has access to more information than any generation before. With OSINT  and especially language-based OSINT  there is nothing you cannot uncover if you know how, and where, to look.

“The future of intelligence belongs to those who can listen beyond their own language.”

Tomorrow the second part!

OSINT Tools

Recently, i-Intelligence published their Handbook as a website for the first time.

You can check out the 2025 version here.

I still remember reading one of their first handbooks back in 2018, and later the 2020 edition in PDF.

Arabic Digital Intelligence & Language Tools

Regional Cybersecurity Portals & Resources

• Top 5 Arabic Search Engines: Arabic-speaking users can benefit from local search engines that offer better Arabic support and region-specific results tailored to the MENA region. More info. 

• Due Diligence in Arabic: MENA Intel offers localized due diligence and background check resources. Learn more. 

• Research Library: Resources for Arabic information analysis and linguistic OSINT. Check it out.

Arabic Language & NLP Tools

• Arabic NLP Resources: Large dataset for Arabic language analysis, useful for OSINT and AI projects. Discover.

• Arabic Dialect & Translation Tools: Exploration of Darija to Gulf Arabic translation methods and GitHub tools. Read more.

• Arabic Name & Sentiment Analysis:
  Practical guide for OSINT analysts working with Arabic datasets.

• Arabic for Nerds: Linguistic deep-dives for researchers and language learners. Check it out. 

AI

• AI in the UAE: Google and UAE’s AI Office launch “AI for All” initiative.

• Araby AI: The Arabic-first generative AI platform transforming language processing.

• Google Ai Search Now Speaks Arabic: Google introduces Arabic-language support for its Gemini AI search model delivering culturally relevant, context-aware responses for Arabic-speaking users across more than 200 countries.

  

Arab Media & Investigative Journalism

• Daraj Media Investigations: Platform focused on investigative journalism and in-depth reporting across the MENA region.

• Arab News: Leading English-language news source covering Saudi Arabia and the Gulf region.

• Amwaj Media: News and analysis portal covering social, political, and economic events in the Arab world.

• ARIJ (Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism): Organization supporting investigative journalism and publications across Arab countries.

• Siraj Syria Network: Regional and local reporting and analysis focused on Syria and neighboring countries, in collaboration with the OCCRP.

Upcoming CyberSec / OSINT Events

This section was put together earlier when we originally planned the newsletter for November 2, but I decided to postpone it so we could bring you truly valuable content created with Paolo.

Paid

• DEF CON Training + Arab Cybersecurity 2025 & Arab International Cybersecurity Conference & Exhibition 2025: These back-to-back events take place in Bahrain at Exhibition World Bahrain (Sakhir).

  • For the first time in the region, DEFCON is coming to Bahrain. The intensive two-day DEF CON training on 3-4 November 2025 for hands-on skill building.

  • Then, the broader conference and exhibition runs 5-6 November 2025, bringing together global experts, delegates, vendors and interactive “villages” under the patronage of Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa.

On demand webinar

• Flashpoint: “Generative AI for Analysts – Craft Better OSINT Queries”
  Learn how to integrate generative AI into your OSINT workflows for faster, more accurate intelligence gathering. Watch on Flashpoint

CTF

• HackInFest: Cybersecurity event 7–8 November 2025 in Italy, bringing together students and professionals for challenges, workshops and talks. 

• Global Missing Persons OSINT CTF: Community challenge to locate missing persons via OSINT. November 15, 9:30 AM PT Tickets.

• Qatar National CTF 2025, VOCO Hotel, Doha 8th November. More information here.

• Space Cybersecurity Hackathon 2025 (Bahrain): First-of-its-kind event merging space science and cybersecurity, organized by Bahrain Space Agency and National Cybersecurity Centre under the patronage of HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa. November 5–6, 2025 | Manama, Bahrain. Check it here.

  Other

  • Post-Event Report: e-Crime & Cybersecurity Congress - Abu Dhabi (16th Edition, Sept 10, 2025). Organized by AKJ Associates, featuring VERACODE and Green Method. Full PDF.

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