Amman – July 2026

ARIJ organized a webinar titled “Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) & Cross-Border Investigative Collaboration,” delivered by Research Fellow in the Department of International Relations at the University of Exeter (UK) and Former Visiting Fellow at the Royal Institute of International Affairs, Chatham House, Tom Mayne, and moderated by investigative journalist and ARIJ Investigations Editor Mohamed Komani, with an attendance of more than one hundred participants from over 20 countries (60% female). The webinar covered Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) methodologies, investigative workflows, cross-border collaboration, and the ethical and security considerations in investigations based on this type of data. This webinar is part of the activities of the seventh Data Journalism Diploma, in partnership with the Norwegian Embassy in Jordan.

From Following the Money to Uncovering Cross-Border Corruption

Mayne drew on his extensive fieldwork spanning academic circles and anti-corruption organizations to place participants before the fundamental questions that open source work raises: How do you track a shell company registered across multiple jurisdictions? And how do you link an individual to hidden financial assets buried under complex legal structures? He grounded his explanations in real investigations he oversaw throughout his career, from Global Witness reports on natural resource exploitation in Eurasia, to his academic research on kleptocratic mechanisms in post-Soviet Central Asian states and how their proceeds seep into Western financial systems through clear legal loopholes.

Mayne presented his methodology for tracing corruption networks through company registries, property ownership records, and publicly available court documents, emphasizing that open data is not merely a research tool but is fundamentally an accountability tool, much of what is assumed to be hidden actually exists in official records for those who know how to search. The webinar also addressed the importance of cross-referencing sources and the necessity of tying every conclusion to verifiable documentary evidence, cautioning that open sources alone are insufficient unless paired with rigorous verification and sound management of legal and security risks. The session concluded with an open discussion on the applicability of these methodologies in Arab contexts, and the challenges of accessing official records in environments where transparency is scarce.

High Participant Satisfaction

Post-webinar evaluation results showed an overall satisfaction rate of 86%, while trainer Tom Mayne received a performance rating of 89%. In terms of professional impact, 95% of participants reported that the training changed their approach to handling sensitive data, whether through a clearer understanding of ethical and security considerations or a partial shift in their methodology.

Participant Testimonials

Mona Haj Yahya from Syria said: “The training provided real-world examples of using open source data to track cross-border funds and companies, which deepened my understanding of data-driven investigative methodologies and opened new horizons for applying these tools in my journalistic work.”

Mahmoud Khadr Al-Shboul from Jordan noted that “the training reinforced his conviction that open data holds far more information than we imagine, and that mastering the search changes the way one thinks about producing investigative journalism.”

Mohamed Saad Al-Umairi from Saudi Arabia expressed that the webinar “strengthened his skills in leveraging open data, digital research and verification tools, and exploring modern investigative approaches based on information analysis and source linking.”