Eliot Higgins

The page-turning inside account of the organization solving international mysteries and wielding the power of the internet to fight for facts. In 2018, Russian exile Sergei Skripal and his daughter were nearly killed in an audacious poisoning attempt in Salisbury, England. Soon, the identity of one of the suspects was revealed: he was a Russian spy. This huge investigative coup wasn't pulled off by an intelligence agency or a traditional news outlet. Instead, the scoop came from Bellingcat, the open-source investigative team that is redefining the way we think about news, politics, and the digital future. We Are Bellingcat tells the inspiring story of how a college dropout pioneered a new category of reporting and galvanized citizen journalists-working together from their computer screens around the globe-to crack major cases, at a time when fact-based journalism is under assault from authoritarian forces. Founder Eliot Higgins introduces readers to the tools Bellingcat investigators use, tools available to anyone, from software that helps you pinpoint the location of an image, to an app that can nail down the time that photo was taken. This book digs deep into some of Bellingcat's most important investigations-the downing of flight MH17 over Ukraine, Assad's use of chemical weapons in Syria, the identities of alt-right protestors in Charlottesville-with the drama and gripping detail of a spy novel.

Global Crime, Online Sleuths, and the Bold Future of News

We Are Bellingcat

Review of "We Are Bellingcat: An Intelligence Agency for the People" by Eliot Higgins

"We Are Bellingcat" by Eliot Higgins is a captivating and insightful exploration into the world of open-source intelligence (OSINT) and the groundbreaking work of Bellingcat, the collective of citizen journalists he founded. This book offers a deep dive into how ordinary individuals, armed with digital tools and a passion for truth, can uncover and expose significant global events and misconducts.

1. Power of Open-Source Investigation: The book emphasizes the transformative power of open-source intelligence. Higgins illustrates how Bellingcat uses publicly available data, social media, and digital forensics to investigate critical issues like the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 (MH17) and the Syrian civil war.

   - "Open-source investigation is not just about finding information; it's about creating new ways to understand the world around us."

2. Democratization of Intelligence: Higgins highlights the democratization of intelligence gathering. He argues that anyone with internet access can contribute to investigative journalism, breaking the monopoly of traditional intelligence agencies.

   - "Bellingcat is proof that a small group of determined individuals, equipped with the right tools and mindset, can make a significant impact."

3. Case Studies and Investigations: The book is rich with detailed case studies, providing a behind-the-scenes look at how Bellingcat's investigations unfold. These narratives are both thrilling and enlightening, demonstrating the meticulous and often painstaking process of digital sleuthing.

   - "The investigation into the Skripal poisoning revealed a complex web of deception, but through perseverance and collaboration, the truth came to light."

4. Ethical Considerations: Higgins addresses the ethical dimensions of open-source investigations. He explores the balance between transparency and privacy, and the moral responsibilities of those who engage in this form of journalism.

   - "With great power comes great responsibility; the same tools that can expose the truth can also be misused."

5. Impact on Journalism and Accountability: The book underscores the impact Bellingcat has had on journalism and global accountability. By leveraging technology and crowd-sourced intelligence, Bellingcat has set new standards for investigative journalism and has held powerful entities accountable.

   - "Bellingcat has shown that the truth can prevail, even in the face of disinformation and propaganda."

"We Are Bellingcat" is highly recommended for anyone interested in modern journalism, digital forensics, or global affairs. It's a compelling read that not only educates but also inspires. Eliot Higgins provides a detailed and engaging narrative that highlights the potential of citizen journalism in the digital age.

Overall, "We Are Bellingcat" is a must-read for those who believe in the power of truth and the ability of ordinary people to make an extraordinary difference in the world.

Erwin Lemuel Oliva

Review of "We Are Bellingcat: An Intelligence Agency for the People" by Eliot Higgins

"We Are Bellingcat" by Eliot Higgins is a captivating and insightful exploration into the world of open-source intelligence (OSINT) and the groundbreaking work of Bellingcat, the collective of citizen journalists he founded. This book offers a deep dive into how ordinary individuals, armed with digital tools and a passion for truth, can uncover and expose significant global events and misconducts.

1. Power of Open-Source Investigation: The book emphasizes the transformative power of open-source intelligence. Higgins illustrates how Bellingcat uses publicly available data, social media, and digital forensics to investigate critical issues like the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 (MH17) and the Syrian civil war.
   - "Open-source investigation is not just about finding information; it's about creating new ways to understand the world around us."

2. Democratization of Intelligence: Higgins highlights the democratization of intelligence gathering. He argues that anyone with internet access can contribute to investigative journalism, breaking the monopoly of traditional intelligence agencies.
   - "Bellingcat is proof that a small group of determined individuals, equipped with the right tools and mindset, can make a significant impact."

3. Case Studies and Investigations: The book is rich with detailed case studies, providing a behind-the-scenes look at how Bellingcat's investigations unfold. These narratives are both thrilling and enlightening, demonstrating the meticulous and often painstaking process of digital sleuthing.
   - "The investigation into the Skripal poisoning revealed a complex web of deception, but through perseverance and collaboration, the truth came to light."

4. Ethical Considerations: Higgins addresses the ethical dimensions of open-source investigations. He explores the balance between transparency and privacy, and the moral responsibilities of those who engage in this form of journalism.
   - "With great power comes great responsibility; the same tools that can expose the truth can also be misused."

5. Impact on Journalism and Accountability: The book underscores the impact Bellingcat has had on journalism and global accountability. By leveraging technology and crowd-sourced intelligence, Bellingcat has set new standards for investigative journalism and has held powerful entities accountable.
   - "Bellingcat has shown that the truth can prevail, even in the face of disinformation and propaganda."

Overall Recommendations

"We Are Bellingcat" is highly recommended for anyone interested in modern journalism, digital forensics, or global affairs. It's a compelling read that not only educates but also inspires. Eliot Higgins provides a detailed and engaging narrative that highlights the potential of citizen journalism in the digital age.

Descriptive Adjectives

- Revelatory
- Engaging
- Inspiring
- Thought-provoking
- Meticulous

Overall, "We Are Bellingcat" is a must-read for those who believe in the power of truth and the ability of ordinary people to make an extraordinary difference in the world.

'We are Bellingcat' is well-written. You don't need previous knowledge to understand the technical or political parts, and the book gives me hope for the future.

Anna Loverus

Ricardo Sousa

3 stars for the book
5 stars for Bellingcat (for what it represents and what it has already accomplished, with much more to come)

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER 'John le Carré demystified the intelligence services; Higgins has demystified intelligence gathering itself' Financial Times 'Uplifting . . . Riveting . . . What will fire people through these pages, gripped, is the focused, and extraordinary, investigations that Bellingcat runs . . . Each runs as if the concluding chapter of a Holmesian whodunit' Telegraph 'We Are Bellingcat is Higgins's gripping account of how he reinvented reporting for the internet age . . . A manifesto for optimism in a dark age' Luke Harding, Observer How did a collective of self-taught internet sleuths end up solving some of the biggest crimes of our time? Bellingcat, the home-grown investigative unit, is redefining the way we think about news, politics and the digital future. Here, their founder – a high-school dropout on a kitchen laptop – tells the story of how they created a whole new category of information-gathering, galvanising citizen journalists across the globe to expose war crimes and pick apart disinformation, using just their computers. From the downing of Malaysia Flight 17 over the Ukraine to the sourcing of weapons in the Syrian Civil War and the identification of the Salisbury poisoners, We Are Bellingcat digs deep into some of Bellingcat's most successful investigations. It explores the most cutting-edge tools for analysing data, from virtual-reality software that can build photorealistic 3D models of a crime scene, to apps that can identify exactly what time of day a photograph was taken. In our age of uncertain truths, Bellingcat is what the world needs right now – an intelligence agency by the people, for the people.

An Intelligence Agency for the People

Joanna Rosenwink 

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an audiobook of We Are Bellingcat for review purposes.

I had not heard of Bellingcat until a few days ago when I first saw this book mentioned. I thought it sounded fascinating so I jumped at the chance to review the audiobook.

Bellingcat are an independent investigation agency who use open source information to solve crimes such as the bombing of civilians. Among the perpetrators they have identified are the operatives responsible for the Salisbury poisonings and the downing of Malaysian Flight 17.

This was a fascinating book which covered the author’s first forays into online investigation, how Bellingcat was formed and information about how they got to the bottom of some of their biggest cases.

I was so enthralled by this book that I listened to 50% on the first day and I’m not normally as interested in non-fiction.

This is an engaging and enthralling book which I would recommend to anyone interested in current affairs or true crime.

We Are Bellingcat Global Crime, Online Sleuths, and the Bold Future of News

Reviews