Omid "David" Townsend is a PhD candidate in the Department of War Studies, King's College London, and a member of King's Intelligence and Security Group (KISG). His research interests are currently focused on the Russian Intelligence Services (RIS) Illegals.

David holds an MA in International Affairs from Georgetown University, where he wrote his thesis on counterinsurgency and Afghanistan. He also holds a BA from Portland State University.

He currently serves as the lead instructor for the University of West Florida’s Intelligence Analysis and works in cybersecurity in the private sector.

David served as a US Army intelligence officer on active duty and in the reserves for over 12 years. He also worked in the defence and intelligence community as a contractor supporting a number of government agencies and military units focusing on counterterrorism, threat finance, counterproliferation, cybersecurity and sanctions. 

Research Interests

• Tradecraft
• Russia
• Iran
• KGB
• GRU
• SVR
• HUMINT
• Counterintelligence
• Cybersecurity

Thesis

Title: The Evolution of Technology and its Impact on the Russian Illegals Program

David’s research aims to explore the impact of technological advancements on human intelligence (HUMINT) operations, with a specific focus on the Russian illegals program.

Supervisor: Dr Daniela Richterova

Publications

• Brunel University (2024). Persecution in the Shadows: An Investigation into the Role of the Ministry of Intelligence and Security of Iran in Targeting the Baháʼí Religious Minority.

• Copenhagen, International Association for Intelligence Education (2023). Enhancing Civilian and Student Counterintelligence Capabilities through Short Courses: Surveillance, Elicitation, and Report Writing in the Evolving European Landscape.

• Georgetown University (2015). Simulating Stress and Crisis within an Intelligence Driven Scenario.

• Georgetown University (2011). Reviewing the History and People of Afghanistan: In Search of Solutions in a Counterinsurgency (MA thesis).

• George Washington University (2010). Hezbollah and Iran: The New Resistance Model and Why it Will Fail.