Resource Center

War on Error

Number 19444
Subject Terrorism
Source Center for Public Integrity
State Washington, D.C.
Year 2002
Publication Date June 12
Summary An investigation by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists and the Center for Public Integrity reveals that "more than six months of live pictures from U.S. aerial spy missions had been broadcast in real time to viewers throughout Europe and the Balkans. The spy flights, conduct by U.S. Army and Navy units and AirScan Inc, a Florida-based private military company, were used to monitor terrorist and smugglers trying to cross borders. The broadcasts were not encrypted, meaning that anyone in the region with a normal satellite TC receiver could spy on U.S. surveillance operations as they happened. Live pictures from the spy planes had been transmitted over the Internet by satellite enthusiasts. The stories pointed to a major security lapse at a time when questions were being asked about intelligence failures prior to September 11, 2001.
Category Contest Entry
Pages 17
Keywords satellite;aerial;spy;missions;U.S. Army;Navy;AirScan Inc;September 11;2001;surveillance;online;CD
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