Nexus - 0606 - New Times Magazine-pages

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It should hardly be surprising that ECHELON ends up being used by elected and bureaucratic officials to their political advan- tage or by the intelligence agencies themselves for the purpose of sustaining their privileged surveillance powers and bloated bud- gets. The availability of such invasive technology practically begs for abuse, although it does not justify its use to those ends. But what is most frightening is the targeting of such "subversives" as those who expose corrupt government activity, protect human rights from government encroachments, challenge corporate pol- luters or promote the Gospel of Christ. That the vast intelligence powers of the United States should be arrayed against legitimate and peaceful organisations is demonstrative not of the desire to monitor, but of the desire to control. It should hardly be surprising that ECHELON ends up being radar system that the Brazilians wanted to purchase. The US firm used by elected and bureaucratic officials to their political advan- Raytheon was a competitor as well, and was forwarded reports tage or by the intelligence agencies themselves for the purpose of _ prepared from intercepts.* sustaining their privileged surveillance powers and bloated bud- In September 1993, President Clinton asked the CIA to spy on gets. The availability of such invasive technology practically Japanese auto manufacturers that were designing zero-emission begs for abuse, although it does not justify its use to those ends. cars and to forward that information to the Big Three US car man- But what is most frightening is the targeting of such "subversives" ufacturers: Ford, General Motors and Chrysler. In 1995, the as those who expose corrupt government activity, protect human = New York Times reported that the NSA and the CIA's Tokyo sta- rights from government encroachments, challenge corporate pol- tion were involved in providing detailed information to US Trade luters or promote the Gospel of Christ. That the vast intelligence Representative Mickey Kantor's team of negotiators in Geneva, powers of the United States should be arrayed against legitimate facing Japanese car companies in a trade dispute.*’ Recently, the and peaceful organisations is demonstrative not of the desire to Japanese newspaper Mainichi accused the NSA of continuing to monitor, but of the desire to control. monitor the communications of Japanese companies on behalf of American companies.* COMMERCIAL SPYING Insight magazine reported in a series of articles in 1997 that With the rapid erosion of the Soviet Empire in the early 1990s, President Clinton ordered the NSA and FBI to mount a massive Western intelligence agencies were anxious to redefine their mis- surveillance operation at the 1993 Asia-Pacific Economic Co- sion to justify the scope of their global surveillance system. Some operation (APEC) conference, held in Seattle. One intelligence of the agencies' closest corporate friends quickly gave them an source for the story related that over 300 hotel rooms had been option: commercial espionage. By redefining the term "national bugged for the event—a move which was designed to obtain security" to include spying on foreign competitors of prominent information regarding oil and hydro-electric deals pending in US corporations, the signals intelligence game has got uglier. Vietnam, that was passed on to high-level Democratic Party con- And this may very well have prompted the recent scrutiny by the tributors competing for the contracts.” European Union that ECHELON has endured. But foreign companies were not the only losers. When While UKUSA agencies have pur- Vietnam expressed interest in purchasing sued economic and commercial infor- two used 737 freighter aircraft from an mation on behalf of their countries While UKUSA agencies have American businessman, the deal was with renewed vigour after the passing . scuttled after Commerce Secretary Ron of communism in Eastern Europe, the pursued economic and Brown arranged favourable financing for NSA practice of spying on behalf of | eommercial information on behalf § two new 737s from Boeing.” US companies has a long history. . . . But the US is not the only partner of Gerald Burke, who served as of their countries with renewed the UKUSA relationship which engages Executive Director of President vigour after the passing of in such activity. British Prime Minister Nixon's Foreign Intelligence A A Margaret Thatcher ordered the GCHQ to Advisory Board, notes commercia communism, the NSA practice of monitor the activities of international espionage was endorsed by the US | Spying on behalf of US companles § media mogul Robert Maxwell on behalf Government as early as 1970: "By h long histor of the Bank of England." and large, we recommended that, ei el etal sto y- Former CSE linguist and analyst Jane henceforth, economic intelligence be Shorten claimed that she had seen inter- considered a function of the nationa cepts from Mexican trade representatives security, enjoying a priority equivalent to diplomatic, military and _ during the 1992-1993 NAFTA trade negotiations, as well as 1991 technological intelligence."* South Korean Foreign Ministry intercepts dealing with the con- To accommodate the need for information regarding interna- struction of three Canadian CANDU nuclear reactors for the tional commercial deals, the intelligence agencies set up a small, Koreans in a US$6 billion deal.” Shorten's revelation prompted unpublicised department within the Department of Commerce: Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Sheila Copps to launch a probe the Office of Intelligence Liaison. This office receives intelli- into the allegations after the Mexicans lodged a protest. gence reports from the US intelligence agencies about pending But every spy agency eventually gets beat at its own game. international deals that it discreetly forwards to companies that Mike Frost relates in Spyworld how an accidental cellphone inter- request it or may have an interest in the information. cept in 1981, of the American Ambassador to Canada discussing a Immediately after coming to office in January 1993, President —_ pending grain deal that the US was about to sign with China, pro- Clinton added to the corporate espionage machine by creating the vided Canada with the American negotiating strategy for the deal. National Economic Council, which feeds intelligence to "select" The information was used to outbid the US, resulting in a three- companies to enhance US competitiveness. The capabilities of year, $2.5-billion contract for the Canadian Wheat Board. CSE ECHELON to spy on foreign companies is nothing new, but the out-spooked the NSA again a year later when Canada snagged a Clinton Administration has raised its use to an art. $50-million wheat sale to Mexico.* In 1990, the German magazine Der Spiegel revealed that the Another disturbing trend regarding the present commercial use NSA had intercepted messages about an impending $200 million of ECHELON is the incestuous relationship that exists between deal between Indonesia and the Japanese satellite manufacturer the intelligence agencies and the US corporations that develop the NEC Corp. After President Bush intervened in the negotiations technology that fuels their spy systems. Many of the companies on behalf of American manufacturers, the contract was split that receive the most important commercial intercepts— between NEC and AT&T. Lockheed, Boeing, Loral, TRW and Raytheon—are actively In 1994, the CIA and NSA intercepted phone calls between involved in the manufacturing and operation of many of the spy Brazilian officials and the French firm Thomson-CSF about a systems that comprise ECHELON. 22 - NEXUS While UKUSA agencies have OCTOBER —- NOVEMBER 1999