FC: The Economist on Echelon spy system: Tapping is routine

[Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>]

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http://www.politechbot.com/cgi-bin/politech.cgi?name=echelon
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http://www.economist.com/editorial/freeforall/current/index_br9568.html

The Economist
Online edition Apr 29th - May 5th 2000

Those perfidious Anglo spies

Allegations that Britain helps America and others spy on its European
allies have annoyed some across the Channel

This is an Anglo-Saxon Protestant conspiracy. So much for Britain's
commitment to European solidarity; its real union is with America.  So
complained Jean-Claude Martinez, a French member of the European
Parliament after a debate on eavesdropping by Britain and other
English-speaking countries. Is electronic snooping in danger of driving a
further wedge between Britain and its European allies?

The spy system Mr Martinez decried, dubbed Echelon, has long been a target
of conspiracy theorists and campaigners for civil liberties. They claim
that western spies routinely gather and share private information by
monitoring electronic communication and satellites. In particular, the
Anglo-Saxons (American, Canada, New Zealand and Australia, as well as
Britain) are said to listen to Europeans by using equipment set up during
the cold war.

A recent report for the European Parliament by a British journalist,
Duncan Campbell, detailed how easily communications can be monitored. He
described various sites in Britain (some used by American security
services) where information is gathered and processed. This report, along
with earlier ones and allegations in the French press, spurred demands
from more than 170 MEPs for a further inquiry: it is a very dangerous
attack on the sovereignty of member states, complained one speaker. The
MEPs will get a temporary committee of inquiry and Portugal, the current
president of the European Union, plans a discussion of industrial
espionage for an informal meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers next
month.

There are two broad accusations against Britain and its English-speaking
allies: that they illicitly monitor communications among European
governments and businesses, and share that information between themselves;
and that such monitoring is done for commercial gain.

[...]

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