Declassified DoD Inspector General Report on NSA Thinthread and Trailblazer Systems from December 15, 2004.
Tag Archive for Domestic Surveillance
Arizona, Intelligence Fusion Centers
(U//FOUO) LulzSec Release: Arizona Fusion Center Counter-Surveillance Tactic Used at Demonstration
The information contained in this bulletin identifies a tactic recently employed against an Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZ DPS) officer. The incident occurred at a scheduled demonstration by a known citizen action group to protest the traffic cameras on Arizona’s highways. This information is provided for situational awareness to assist law enforcement engaged in public event site security; and for those monitoring potential threats at public gatherings.
U.S. Coast Guard
(U//FOUO) U.S. Coast Guard Maritime Homeland Threat Summary June 2011
The Maritime Threat Summary is a monthly product the Maritime Homeland Threat Analysis Branch (MHTAB) of the US Coast Guard (USCG) Intelligence Coordination Center produces for USCG Homeport. It highlights suspicious maritime activities and security incidents associated with the US Maritime Transportation System (MTS).
News
Fusion Center Locations Revealed
Since 9/11, the U.S. Government has engaged in a multibillion-dollar effort to construct a domestic intelligence network for the ostensible purpose of combating terrorism, criminal activity and violent extremism. One of the central components of this system is the network of “fusion centers” that have sprung up around the country over the last several years. These entities integrate local law enforcement with a state’s police force, Department of Justice, or Office of Emergency Management and are designed to facilitate law enforcement intelligence activities throughout the jurisdiction, providing federal authorities access to local information and databases, while simultaneously allowing federal agencies to disseminate classified intelligence materials to local authorities. There are almost always federal representatives present in local fusion centers and Secretary Napolitano has recently testified that DHS is “committed to having an officer in each fusion center.” Most fusion centers also work with representatives of the private sector, particularly those industries related to so-called “critical infrastructure and key resources.”
Intelligence Fusion Centers
Fusion Centers Map, Locations, Contact Information
A nearly complete list of the actual physical locations, phone numbers, and email addresses of fusion centers around the United States.
Federal Bureau of Investigation
(U//FOUO) FBI College Campus Liaison Initiative Brief
FOUO FBI College “Campus Liaison Initiative Brief” from June 2010.
U.S. Air Force
(U//FOUO/LES) U.S. Air Combat Command Threat Information Fusion Cell Reports
The following five reports are from the U.S. Air Force Air Combat Command’s Threat Information Fusion Cell. The “Homeland Defense Information Summary” reports focus entirely on domestic security matters and feature content from local police departments and regional fusion centers. The very existence of the reports should be a matter of scrutiny given the fundamental divide between domestic military affairs and civilian law enforcement necessitated by legislation such as the Posse Comitatus Act.
News
Florida Fusion Center Monitored BP Protests, Ron Paul Events, Code Pink
Several restricted documents produced by the Central Florida Intelligence Exchange (CFIX) and obtained by Public Intelligence indicate that a variety of protests and political events are monitored by the regional fusion center for potential threats and violent activity. These events span the political spectrum from a summit hosted by Ron Paul’s Campaign for Liberty to anti-war protests conducted by Code Pink and Veterans for Peace. While the documents make no mention of specific threats arising from the events, they do indicate that the fusion center monitors political action in a variety of forms and sometimes requests law enforcement officers to report on constitutionally-protected activities.
Florida, Intelligence Fusion Centers
(SBU) Central Florida Intelligence Exchange Domestic Security Intelligence Report August 2010
On 13-15 August 2010, the Campaign for Liberty will be holding their second annual Florida Liberty Summit at the Rosen Center Hotel in Orlando, Florida. The Campaign for Liberty is a political organization founded by Congressman Ron Raul. The website for the event states it is a way for “liberty minded activists…to network, learn, and build as our grassroots Revolution to reclaim our Republic and restore our Constitution”. During the 2009 Florida Liberty Summit the start of the program had to be postponed for 30 minutes due to International Drive being backed up with attendees attempting to park. Based on the groups calculations, there was around 1500 people in attendance. Although the attendance numbers on the group sites promoting this year’s event are low, the continued support of Ron Paul and his party may produce similar attendance numbers and issues to that of the 2009 event.
Corporate, Pennsylvania
Complete Pennsylvania Homeland Security Intelligence Bulletins October 2009-September 2010
This archive file contains 137 bulletins that were produced by the Institute of Terrorism Research and Response, an American-Israeli company under contract to the Pennsylvania Department of Homeland Security, from October 2009-Setember 2010. We believe this represents the complete collection of reports produced by the company for the State of Pennsylvania.
News
Your Cellphone is Tracking You
For some time, it has been apparent that wireless telephone providers are storing location data on all of their customers. This information indicates the location of an individual’s cellular phone signal from its corresponding cellular tower to provide an approximate location of the user at any given time. Wireless providers are paid for supplying this information to law enforcement and the companies work to provide user-friendly guides to potential customers indicating what details they can provide. We have previously published law enforcement subpoena guides from Verizon, Nextel, MetroPCS, T-Mobile, AT&T, Sprint, among other service providers. Many of the companies providing this information to law enforcement take steps to hide the reality of their information retention. One guide in particular, regarding the Verizon Wireless Law Enforcement Resource Team, is labeled as being only distributable among law enforcement personnel. The guide advertises a wide variety of services available to law enforcement, including details on any user’s “cell sites” going back nearly one year. Another subpoena guide produced by Verizon offers a price list for these services including $125 an hour for “expert testimony”. Active surveillance using trap and trace is the most lucrative for Verizon with a price of up to $1000 a month, not including setup fees and other administrative costs.
Corporate, Department of Justice
Confidential Law Enforcement Telephone, Cellular, Satellite & VoIP Investigation Guide
Confidential Law Enforcement Telephone, Cellular, Satellite & VoIP Investigation Guide, March 10, 2010.
Department of Homeland Security, Intelligence Fusion Centers
Fusion Center “Privacy and Civil Rights Framework” Enhancement
Over the past three years, federal, state, and local officials have worked tirelessly to ensure that robust privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties protections are integrated into fusion center policies and business processes. These efforts have included developing Baseline Capabilities and model privacy policy templates and providing training and subject-matter expertise to fusion centers.
National Security Agency, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Utah Data Center (UDC) Brief
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Utah Data Center (UDC) Brief, November 13, 2009.
Corporate
Google Wireless Network-Based Location Approximation Patent
Google Wireless Network-Based Location Approximation Patent, January 28, 2010.
National Security Agency
Yakima Training Center
The Yakima Training Center (YTC) is a United States Army training center (Army maneuver training and live fire area) located in south central Washington state. It is bounded on the west by Interstate 82, on the south by the city of Yakima, on the north by the city of Ellensburg and Interstate 90, and on the east by the Columbia River. It comprises 327,000 acres (132,332 hectares) of land, most of which consists of shrub-steppe, making it one of the largest areas of shrub-steppe habitat remaining in Washington state. According to a 2001 report by the European Parliament, the Yakima Training Center is also an integral part of the ECHELON global communications interception system.
European Union
2001 EU Parliament Report: Echelon Global Private and Commercial Communications Interception System
The existence of a global system for intercepting private and commercial communications (the ECHELON interception system)
A. whereas the existence of a global system for intercepting communications, operating by means of cooperation proportionate to their capabilities among the USA, the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand under the UKUSA Agreement, is no longer in doubt; whereas it seems likely, in view of the evidence and the consistent pattern of statements from a very wide range of individuals and organisations, including American sources, that its name is in fact ECHELON, although this is a relatively minor detail . . .
Corporate
2007 MySpace.com Law Enforcement Guide
MySpace.com (“MySpace”) is committed to assisting law enforcement, to the extent permitted by law, in investigations related to unlawful activity. This Law Enforcement Guide is designed to serve that purpose by providing information to facilitate law enforcement requests for user data held by MySpace. The Guide specifies what information is collected by MySpace, how long that information is retained, how to tailor requests to ensure MySpace produces the specific information sought, and the legal process necessary to permit MySpace to disclose different types of information. Finally, the Guide provides contact information for MySpace personnel dedicated specifically to responding to law enforcement requests, including emergency requests.
Corporate
MySpace: Working with Law Enforcement
• Data retained by MySpace
– IP activity related to all logins and image uploads are retained for at least a year.
– Basic subscriber information is retained for at least a year.
– Private messages, blogs, and comments are available if they still exist live on the site.
– Deleted front end profile information is NOT retained by MySpace, nor do we retain previous versions of the profile.
Congressional Research Service
Government Collection of Private Information: PATRIOT Act Reauthorization
Shortly after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Congress enacted the USA PATRIOT Act, in part, to “provid[e] enhanced investigative tools” to “assist in the prevention of future terrorist activities and the preliminary acts and crimes which further such activities.” To that end, the Act eased restrictions on the government’s ability to collect information regarding people’s activities and conversations, both in domestic criminal investigations and in the realms of foreign intelligence gathering and national security.
Office of Inspector General of the Depratment of Defense
Unclassified Inspectors General Report on the President’s Surveillance Program
Title III of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Amendments Act of 2008 required the Inspectors General (IGs) of the elements of the Intelligence Community that participated in the President’s Surveillance Program (PSP) to conduct a comprehensive review of the program. The IGs of the Department of Justice, the Department of Defense, the Central Intelligence Agency, the National Security Agency, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence participated in the review required under the Act. The Act required the IGs to submit a comprehensive report on the review to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and the House Committee on the Judiciary.