Domestic_and_Global_Spying_Unlimited

Nancy Thomson

The need for monitoring everything and everyone didn't just start with 9-11. In 1952 Truman signed orders to implement the very secret National Security Agency (the NSA.) This organization was so secretive that no one would admit it existed. Thus it was nicknamed the No Such Agency, or the Never Say Anything. With multiple wars and the rapid use of electronics in surveillance the NSA finally opened a small window on its activities. Even members of Congress weren't allowed details on Echelon the Spy in the Sky global satellite run by the NSA.

The huge eavesdropping NSA with its 12 miles of underground computers is headquartered at Fort Meade Maryland. They also have an important office in England. Problems have arisen due to the new chattering masses on cell phones, e-mails, and telephone lines. The Super Spy agency has a backlog of more than 8,000 hours of unreviewed tapes. Could some of this information contain terrorist transcripts? A modernization program is over budget and behind schedule. In addition Microsoft has devised an almost unbreakable computer encryption and fiber-optic cable is harder to tap than the satellite communication traffic. All of these things make it more difficult for the electronic spying personnel at NASA (Orange County Register, 10-3-05)

The CIA, much smaller than the NSA, is implicated in transferring captives to other countries. According to contract documents, the Navy secretly used a 33-plane fleet to carry suspects in Europe to countries such as Egypt where torture is allowed. While most of the focus was on the CIA, it became apparent that the U.S. military was also involved. Italy has issued arrest warrants for 19 CIA operatives who are accused of kidnapping a Muslim from an Italian town and flying him to Cairo. Some of the secret Navy plane locations such as Las Vegas Nevada, Smithfield North Carolina, and two sites in Florida are known, but others are not (Seth Hettena, AP, Orange County Register, 9-25-05)

China secretly tried to buy U.S. electronic equipment to intercept our satellite data sent to ground stations. This order came from the highest level of the Chinese government. However two Chinese stole the money intended to be used for the purchase, embarrassing their communist leaders. China's intelligence service (MSS) has told its spy agents in the U.S. to find the two men and liquidate them and their families (Bill Gertz, Washington Times; 9-25-05)

Meanwhile back in the U.S., the Pentagon's Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) wants permission to approach Americans for information without revealing they are military spies. Both the CIA and FBI are exempt from disclosing their identity when questioning Americans, but the military was not. The DIA recruits spies in other countries and maintains an overseas intelligence -gathering network. Now congress is in the process of granting the Pentagon cover over spying on U.S. citizens (Greg Miller, Los Angeles Times; 10-1-05)

As the Pentagon seeks authority over civilians, trouble is brewing in their own upper ranks. There are many influential Israeli lobbying groups in Washington, the most important is the American Israel Public Affairs Committee known as AIPAC. A former Pentagon analyst, Lawrence Franklin, pleaded guilty to passing secrets to Israel via this organization. During meetings in restaurants, health clubs and other places, Franklin relayed secret information to two AIPAC employees. One of these employees was AIPAC'S research director for two decades, the other a top expert on Iran. The Franklin indictment also included passing information to an undisclosed Israeli Embassy official in Washington.

Franklin worked under neocon Douglas Feith, ranked third in control of the Pentagon. Feith has since resigned.

In our area millions are being spent by the Los Angeles Transportation Authority to place cameras on the subway and light rail. These monitoring devices will have high -resolution cameras. Zooming in on suspicious people, the entire fleet of 225 transportation vehicles will be provided with cameras inside. The general public is unaware how often they are being monitored in their cars and are under surveillance in public places.