ZGram - 1/17/2002 - "Spying on America"

irimland@zundelsite.org irimland@zundelsite.org
Thu, 17 Jan 2002 17:50:33 -0800


Copyright (c) 2001 - Ingrid A. Rimland

ZGram - Where Truth is Destiny

January 17, 2002

Good Morning from the Zundelsite:

Here is an update on the reported Israeli spy ring story that seemed to
have dropped for a while into the well-known memory hole.  Read it for what
it says and don't forget to read between the lines.  The source is Newsmax,
dated yesterday:

[START]

Spying on America

Charles R. Smith

 FBI Investigates Foreign Spy Ring -  U.S. Companies Deny Involvement

In the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the FBI reportedly stumbled
on an espionage ring that had penetrated the wiretapping system of U.S. law
enforcement.  Fox News Channel reported that the FBI was holding nearly 100
Israeli citizens with direct ties to foreign military, criminal and
intelligence services.

 In a follow-up to these reports, the FBI did not deny that such actions
had been taken.  However, FBI spokesman Paul Bresson would not answer
specific questions on the reported espionage.

 "We have seen the Fox News segments that aired several weeks ago on this
topic and found some inaccuracies with it.  Because they are sensitive
issues, I do not have the luxury of discussing what precisely was accurate
and what was inaccurate about their reporting," stated Paul Bresson,
spokesman for the FBI.

 "Most of the questions [asked by NewsMax.com] are not directly answerable
by CALEA [Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act].  Your
questions may be more properly addressed to our National Security Division,
which I know would never discuss this with you, unfortunately," stated
Bresson.

 Employees of U.S. Companies Reportedly Involved

 The espionage operation reportedly includes employees of two companies
that perform official wiretaps for U.S. local, state and federal law
enforcement: Comverse Infosys and Amdocs.  Official spokesman for both
companies denied any involvement in the alleged espionage ring.

 "Amdocs is unaware of any investigation or allegations and has not been
contacted by any agency," stated Dan Ginsberg, of the PR firm Porter
Novelli, for Amdocs.

 "Amdocs has not been involved in any illegal or improper activity," said
Ginsberg flatly.

 "We know of absolutely no factual basis for suggestions that intelligence
agencies or others have misused our products for illicit purposes," stated
Paul Baker, spokesman for Comverse.

 "In particular, no company employees have been involved in any of the
incidents referred to in your December 19 story. Moreover, the reference in
that story to a suspected abuse of our equipment in a foiled Los Angeles
drug bust was completely erroneous.  Our equipment was not involved in any
such incident," said Baker.

 "Comverse Technology is a New York-based corporation that has been
publicly traded for 15 years.  It is an S 500 and a NASDAQ-100 Index
company that has won a worldwide leadership position in
telecommunications," noted Baker.

 "More than 10 years ago, Comverse established Comverse Infosys Technology
as a separate subsidiary to meet the monitoring applications needs of some
U.S. customers.  This group maintains the high-level security clearances
these customers require," said Baker.

 "In full compliance with U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) regulations,
this subsidiary's operations are completely segregated from all other
Comverse businesses and are insulated from any foreign influence," said
Baker.

 "The board of directors overseeing these operations consists of former
high-level military officers, including two retired Air Force generals
appointed by the DOD.  In addition, the DOD monitors Comverse Infosys
Technology's operations to ensure they remain in full regulatory compliance.

 "All equipment supplied by Comverse complies with all applicable
government security requirements.  The notion that 'backdoor' access has
been built into the systems is absurd.  For more than 10 years, these
systems have been sold to customers in more than 40 countries, who have
subjected them to rigorous and continuous security testing without a single
reported breach," said Baker.

 "As with any computer equipment that sits on a network, the Comverse
systems are protected by the security measures and access restrictions
imposed by the user of the network, whether a government agency or
telephone operator.  We fully support the evolving CALEA standard, and
remain committed to maintaining our industry leadership in providing secure
and reliable systems," concluded Baker.

 FBI Response Raises Questions

 Despite the extensive denials by Amdocs and Comverse, the curious response
by the FBI has raised more questions than answers.  Sources inside Capitol
Hill are investigating the allegations and made no comments on the
allegations of espionage at this time.  However, the demands for answers
continued to grow outside political circles.

 "If national security is the overriding issue in the FBI's treatment of
this case, the correct response to your questions should have been 'Sorry,
we have no comment at this time,'" said Douglas Brown of the Nathan Hale
Institute.

 "Of course, the most reassuring response would have been 'There's no truth
to the stories,' but apparently the bureau can't say that.  Maybe the
spokesperson is well-informed?" questioned Brown.

 "Something is up.  One of the things that gave the Fox report added
credibility was 'investigators within the DEA, INS and FBI have all told
Fox News that to pursue or even suggest Israeli spying through Comverse is
considered career suicide.' I think it pretty much captures the bizzaro
world U.S. law enforcement and intelligence continues to operate in during
the post-Clinton years," said Brown.

 "Everything is opposite still in their world, since the Clintonistas still
control it.  The more you screw up, the higher you go.  Forget 'The West
Wing' and 'The Agency' type shows, 'Seinfeld' reruns do a better job of
capturing reality in D.C.," said Brown.

 "If the Israelis have used the companies named in the Fox reports for
intelligence purposes, it lies somewhere between the Liberty incident and
Jonathan Pollard affair for outrageousness. Yet, if true, one has to admire
the creativity and ingenuity of Israeli intelligence," said Brown.

 Are Israeli Spies in the U.S.?

 "First, they have taken advantage of a technically bumbling and
compromised law enforcement and counterintelligence community and may have
essentially made U.S. law enforcement wiretapping activities a branch of
Israeli intelligence. It would be quite impressive if true," noted Brown.

 "They have used their technical expertise in-house to identify and exploit
cutting-edge technologies and companies.  In gaining control over those
technologies and companies, they would also have shown a deft handling of
merger and acquisitions, personnel recruitment, and playing the capital
markets.

 "In addition, as publicly traded companies, private and institutional
investors from around the world would be funding Israeli intelligence
activities.  Again, pretty impressive, if true, and really pretty much the
model, or a variation of the model, now used by the intelligence agencies
of China, Russia and some of our European allies," said Brown.

 "If they [the Fox reports] do turn out to expose Israeli intelligence
operations, one's admiration for Israeli ingenuity would be more than
tempered by amazement at the sheer stupidity and recklessness of the
Israelis' actions," noted Brown.

 "First, they would have seriously damaged their relationship with the
United States on many levels.  Since that relationship is fundamental to
Israel's existence, not a smart move.

 "Second, while Israel, like the prodigal son, will always be able to
ultimately rely on America's protection, Israeli high-tech companies are a
major target for Russian intelligence and organized crime," stated Brown.

 Damage to U.S.-Israeli Relations

 "The prodigal son may have left our back door open to some of the most
dangerous people in our global village.  In other words, Israeli ingenuity
in infiltrating and exploiting the U.S. high-tech industry may be seriously
undermining the security and power of the country that is, in fact, the
ultimate guarantor of its existence.  Again, not a smart move," said Brown.

 "Finally, if the Israelis are using such a modus operandus for penetrating
U.S. high-tech companies and government agencies, it is not a method of
operation appropriate or necessary for a close ally to engage in.  The risk
of backlash and recriminations are much too great.  Russian and Chinese use
of such methods is understandable and a natural evolution and outgrowth of
intelligence operations conducted for decades, but Israel should adhere
more closely to the more open and, unfortunately, usually perfectly legal
methods used by allies like Japan," stated Brown.

 "It looks like Louis Freeh may have another chapter to write in his
memoirs - right after the Hanssen chapter," concluded Brown.

[END]

( http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2002/1/16/110443.shtml )

=====

Thought for the Day:

"Talent does what it can, and genius does what it must." :)

(Owen Meredith)