His connections to the security state are clearly far from over. Stopping one job at the Atlantic Council and starting a new NGO that parrots NATO / US talking point does not make that a "former tie" he still very clearly a propagandist working on behalf of the US / NATO imperial alliance

Here he is promoting ISIS propagandist on twitter:

http://exiledonline.com/shamiwitness-when-bellingcat-neocons-collaborated-with-the-most-influential-isis-propagandist-on-twitter/