International Media Intelligence Analysis

International Media Intelligence Analysis is an e-newsletter service affiliated with Réalité EU. It was set up in August 2005 by its director Simon Barrett.

According to its website the company “exposes the threats from state sponsors of terrorist organisations, extremist leaders and groups, financing of terrorism, proliferation of nuclear weapons, human rights violations as well as counter terrorist organisations' initiatives”. Réalité EU describes it as follows: 'provides journalists with specialised information on Israel, Middle East and terrorism related issues. IMIA also provides a biweekly news alert with information not generally covered by the mainstream media.'

The company is jointly owned by Simon Barrett and Jill Sinclair, a wealthy businesswoman who co-founded ZTT Records with her husband Trevor Horn.

It is registered to 8-10 Basing Street, London which is also the address of ZTT Records and several other associated companies.

Background

International Media Intelligence Analysis appears to have been set up by the British neocon Simon Barrett with the backing of the record executive Jill Sinclair. The first press reference to IMIA was in the Sunday Express in February 2006. It was incorporated as a UK company on 5 August 2005. On 9 August Simon Barrett registered the domains I-M-I-A.org and I-M-I-A.com – though those websites appear to have never gone live. It did maintain a website at imianews.org, but the domain was deleted on 15 December 2008 and there is no remaining evidence of the content.

International Media Intelligence Analysis was registered to a business address of SARM Studios. The registered address at Companies House was initially SARM UK Ltd, 8 - 10 Basing Street, London W11 1ET, although after tens days the reference to SARM UK Ltd was removed from the company’s official address. Barrett was the sole director of the company, whilst the accountant and businessman Colin Wagman served as company secretary. The company had two issued shares, one held by Simon Barrett and the other by Jill Sinclair. The company was dissolved on 14 April 2009.

Views

Simon Barrett is quoted in a Christian Broadcasting Network news report on the cartoon riots early 2006:

Terrorism expert Simon Barrett advises members of Parliament on terrorism issues. Barrett said, “Having spoken to a number of journalists and asking them questions -- would your paper be prepared to publish these cartoons? The answer [they give] is no, because we fear that we would be targeted, we would firebombed and we would labeled as being anti-Islamic.”

You can hear Barrett on the neo-con podcasts at Global Crisis Watch ("from the heartland of America, this is Global Crisis Watch -- taking you to the frontline on the war off ideas. With people who are fighting tyranny and terrorism with the poles of freedom. From the Twin Cities I am Richard Lafayette, and from inside the Washington Beltway, I'm Nick Grace. This is Global Crisis Watch")

Activities

Open Europe and International Media Intelligence Analysis held a briefing on 'Iran, Britain and Europe: Post hostage crisis, what can we expect next?' in Committee Room 9, House of Commons, Tuesday 22 May 2007, 2-4pm. With: Mark Fitzpatrick, Director of Non-Proliferation International Institute for Strategic Studies; Claude Moniquet, Director European Strategic and Intelligence Center; Patrick Mercer MP; Nazenin Ansari, Diplomatic Editor, Kayhan.

Affiliations

Réalité EU