Australian spies secretly monitor phone calls in the Philippines: Edward Snowden disclosure May 20, 2014 Australian spies are helping the United States secretly monitor telephone calls across the Philippines, leaked US intelligence documents reveal. According to top secret US National Security Agency documents disclosed by former intelligence contractor Edward Snowden, Australias electronic spy agency, the Australian Signals Directorate supports a top secret NSA intelligence collection program codenamed MYSTIC, which harvests telecommunications metadata – in several countries, including the Philippines. The previously top secret documents published by The Intercept news website reveal the MYSTIC program uses data collection systems that are installed in mobile phones for legitimate commercial services, but which also serve a covert mission ... the provision of SIGINT [signals intelligence]. Collection of telecommunications metadata reveals the times, source and destination of phone calls and text messages and provides intimate detail on individuals and their relationships with other people, businesses and other organisations. A 2013 NSA document shows that comprehensive MYSTIC harvesting of telecommunications data in the Philippines is carried out by the Australian Signals Directorate, formerly known as the Defence Signals Directorate, which is a so-called 5-eyes partner with its American counterpart. Through an operation codenamed VENATOR, Australian and US access to Philippine telecommunications data is provided via [a] DSD asset in a Philippine provider site which collects Philippine GSM, Short Message Service (SMS) and Call Detail Records. GSM or Global System for Mobile communications is the most widely used digital cellular communications technology in the world today. In 2013 the NSA noted that the covert Australian monitoring operation will soon become a source of lucrative intelligence about terrorist activities in Southern Philippines. brisbanetimes.au/technology/technology-news/australian-spies-secretly-monitor-phone-calls-in-the-philippines-edward-snowden-disclosure-20140520-zri6r.html
Posted on: Tue, 20 May 2014 07:11:14 +0000
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