------- Forwarded Message From: "Mat Guthrie" <matguthrie@enterprise.net> To: mmlist-l@newciv.org Date: Wed, 14 Aug 1996 20:14:39 +0000 Subject: All Int' Communications Are Monitored - - -> SearchNet's snetnews Mailing List Hi there all, I heard an amazing news report on the radio today, that confirmed what I've heard and suspected for a long time - all international communications *are* continually being monitored!! The report was on "The World at One" news report on BBC Radio 4 - about as respected, reliable and informative a source as any mainstream media is ever likely to be. The feature spoke about a book that's come out in New Zealand called "Secret Power" by Nicky Hager, that has been endorsed by the former (?) Prime Minister of New Zealand himself. It supposedly goes into great detail about an international agreement called "Echelon" of which the US, UK, France, New Zealand, Australia and several other nations are all participants. According to Nicky Hager - who was interviewed on the program - a system of monitoring stations have been set up in various countries in the world that continually monitor ALL fax, email, telephone and satellite communications etc, "sniffing" for keywords using super computers. When these key words are identified the information is automatically logged and according to Hager, sent directly to the US intelligence services. Now whilst many of us have undoubtedly come across this sort of information before and undoubtedly many of us have probably scoffed at such ascertions as merely impossible and blatantly paranoid, something very significant sets this report apart. Before the book was published, Hager went with his manuscript to the New Zealand Prime Minister who had been responsible for signing NZ up to the agreement (I got the impression that he is no longer in power). Anyway, the PM was so shocked by the revelations that the book contained, that he has written the forward to the book. Supposedly he says that he had no idea of the true nature of the agreement and the powers which it bestowed on the intelligence services and is obviously trying to distance himself from the storm that's beginning to brew up about it. Maybe he's just covering his arse or maybe he was just another puppet head of government who wasn't properly informed about what was really taking place in his own country, but either way, the fact that he has got involved with the book adds considerable credibility to it's claims. Those of you who have often said that such wide-scale monitoring is "obviously impossible" might be wise to re-evaluate your positions! Anyway, there was no further report on the BBC Radio 4 evening news and nothing about it on TV, so maybe that's all we're hear about it over here in the UK - and maybe even less for you lot in the good old US of A. The book isn't in print over here, so needless to say, I'll be contacting a book seller over in New Zealand to see if I can get myself a copy and I'll keep you informed. If anyone out there in NZ could give me a phone number of a sizeable book shop over there, I'd really appreciate it and if anyone else has any info on this, please pass it on. I wonder if "Secret Power" is now on their keyword list? If it is then - "Hi there big bro'. I hope you're all having a nice day!"<g> Take care out there, See ya Mat ================================================ WHAT'S THE FUTURE GOT IN STORE FOR MANKIND??? For a different perspective on: Global Trends, The Environment, Surveillance Technologies, Current Events and Prophecy, Visit: http://homepages.enterprise.net/matguthrie/ THIS PAGE IS CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION =============================================== He who is conscious of danger creates peace for himself; he who takes things lightly creates his own downfall. I Ching