Enigma control list | Non numbers | Numbers predictions
German speaking groups outside Germany (3/3) | News Items
Web sites | Contribution deadlines
Index | E2K NL Home
November 2003
Articles, newsreports and Items of interest :enigma2000-owner@yahoogroups.com
Morse stations | Voice stations | Oddities
Enigma control list | Non numbers | Numbers predictions
German speaking groups outside Germany (3/3) | News Items
Web sites | Contribution deadlines
Index | E2K NL Home
With reference to the story in the ENIGMA 2K newsletter issue 18 on the subject of the Swedish DC3 aircraft found in 300ft of water;- there was feature on this on the "Newsnight" programme on BBC2 TV on 25 - Sept. Unfortunatly I missed the start since it was already running when I switched the TV on but the general theme seemed to be that for most of the Cold War the Swedish government ran an electronic surveilance operation directed against the Soviet Union on behalf of NATO despite Sweden's declared policy of strict neutrality.
Also around late September or early October there were a couple of espionage and military intelligence related stories which seemed to vanish quickly from the media. First, I am sure I heard - possibly on the late news on BBC Radio 4 - of a new twist to the story of the "Gaul", the British deep water trawler which sank off northern Russia in 1974 ;- the story was to the effect that human remains recovered from the wreck had all been DNA tested and links had been found with living relatives of the crewmen; all except for one set of bones which could not be DNA linked to any relatives of any of the crew; and it was suggested that these were the remains of the intelligence officer who was on board the Gaul to undertake spying operations against the Soviet navy.
The other story in the news around this time concerned a military exercise somewhere in Scotland in which some soldiers from Ukraine were taking part; apparently they became a bit too enthusiastic and had set up a roadblock on a public highway and were stopping passing motorists and forcing them out of their cars and so on. In certain parts of the United States of America - amongst the good ol' boys of the survivalist and militia movements for example - it is widely believed that that the US government has plans to suspend the constitution and use foreign troops, the former Warsaw Pact countries, Albania and China are often cited as examples, to maintain order within the USA. It is quite easy to see how an incident like this might fuel someone's paranoia!
Strangely, these news strories seemed to vanish quickly from the broadcast media and I could find no mention of them in the newspapers. [TnxPoSW].
Following the arrest of an Iranian national, who is accused of involvement with an explosion in Argentine, the British Embassy Chancery building in Tehran Iran was struck by five rounds. No one was injured.
The shooting is believed to have been carried out but two gunmen who escaped on a motorcycle.
The British Embassy is the most visible symbol of the coalition in Iran, the US Embassy being closed when it was invaded by 'students' over 20 years ago. [Crack US troops - Delta Force- also launched a rescue operation of its Diplomats but failed miserably]. Two days prior the Embassy was pelted in protest of the US led coalition to protect Ayatollah Baqr al-Hakim who died in a bomb attack previously.
A second attack occurred six days later [09/09] when 3 or 4 rounds were discharged near to the Embassy at 2025z [0055 local].
If in some smothering dreams, you too could pace
Behind the wagon that we flung him in,
And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,
His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin,
If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs
Bitter as the cud
Worrying stuff indeed from the pen of Wilfred Owen, a British First World War poet, in his piece 'Dulce Et Decorum Est', which memorably paints a picture of the effects of a poison gas attack but also removes the lustre and fine veneer of patriotism
'My friend, you would not tell with such high zest
To children ardent for some desperate glory
The old Lie: Dulce et Decorum est Pro patria mori'
[A sweet and fitting thing to die for one's Country].
On Sunday 7th September Exercise Osiris was held in the confines of Bank London Underground Station to mimic the effects of a chemical agent being released on a tube train whilst in transit between two stations. At 1148, we are told, a simulated attack was made on a tube train outside Bank Station. The driver, aware of the mishap stopped the train some 50 yards short of the platform, and still within the tunnel. Two British Transport Policemen approached the train with a Chemical Agent Monitoring Meter, CAM, [probably manufactured by Graseby Instruments, now Graseby Dynamics Ltd of Watford Hertfordshire] and tested for chemical agent presence. [Was it actually an ICAM – Improved Chemical Agent Monitoring Meter]. The meter is simple to use having only an on/off switch and a mode select switch.. The modes are G and V, being nerve and vesicant agent respectively.
[CAM L1A1]. Was Detector Kit, Chemical Agent, Residual Vapour, No1 MK1, NSN 6665-99-961-6082 used. Deifferent from the CAM it consists of a pouch containing an aspirating pump and various reagents and detector ‘tickets’ for the detection of vapour hazards.
They were no doubt wearing an S10, or more likely the AR10 civilian respirator and a noddy suit, tastefully turned out in Blue, de riguer of the moment. [Noddy suits can be made more fashionable with the wearing on the extremities of Detector Paper, Chemical Agent No2 Mk2 Liquid, one colour, NSN 6665-99-225-1005. Of course the paper could give a false positive if the bearer is smothered in aerosol deodorant]. The paper only responds to direct liquid contamination and will not react to vapour.
On board the train 60 casualties were patiently waiting. All volunteers from the Met Police Training College Hendon [and no doubt replete with chips with their breakfast from the canteen that morning] these disciplined young persons patiently waited to be rescued as any British member of the public would also do.
The London Ambulance Service and London Fire Brigade, along with Police Controls would be meeting at the RVP, sorry, rendezvous point and a plan to deal with the immediate problems would be taken from operational requirements.
Ladders, we were told, were extended to allow easy access to the track for rescue personnel wearing green chemical exclusion suits. [On the Sky TV report whilst all this was going on a bloke could be seen walking about in T shirt and Jeans in the affected area]!
Unfortunately it took 30 mins for the first help to arrive - but hey, this is Britain and no doubt there was an incident elsewhere involving refugees and asylum seekers, who must come first.
On the surface, reports would be made of the temperature, wind speed and direction and any other meteorological information that might seem necessary. The fact that animals were still flying above the station and no dead pets were about would also hint at the fact that the liberated agent had not reached the surface. Of course Air and Ground temperature affect agent characteristics, higher air temperatures possibly causing the evaporation of aerosol particles and, due to the diminished size of the particles, increase the chances of them reaching the lungs. If the temperature is low the opposite occurs, temperature affects the persistence of the agent greatly. Humidity will affect the dissemination [and therefore] the effectiveness of a chemical agent. Rain is a variable factor that may, or may not help disperse an agent. Wind is self explanatory and for a chemical agent to be most effective the wind needs to be steady and less than 4knots/hr. A built up urban area may cause higher persistence in agents rather than in an open area. Porous brickwork may absorb agents for them to be released at a slow rate on an undeterminable date.
Decontamination was carried out under tents and casualties ferried to University College Hospital, although some presented themselves under their own steam.
A sample of the agent would be placed in a modesty container and transported to an adequately equipped laboratory for detailed analysis, possibly at the hospital used for the treatment of casualties. The London facility is believed to be in the Camberwell area of London and probably not even stocked up as such either!
The exercise started at 1148 and ended at 1515. A success, or just a message to those who might perpetrate such a horror on England?
One thing though - This must have been the only tube that has run to time lately - and you can bet a penny to a pound of s**t that the casualties didn't have to wait 8 hours in casualty for treatment whilst Britain's refugees and asylum seekers get seen first. After all us Nationals only pay for all this. Wonder if there was a busker on the train with his guitar ruining decent music and expecting money for it, or the usual east European woman with her baby begging from carriage to carriage?
Was it realistic? Apart from the emergency services part, there were no screaming, panicking persons defaecating in fear, running up the tunnel the wrong way in sheer panic, fighting each other to get out to save their life above all others. Did anyone set about the rescuers - I'll bet not. No they all behaved in a really decent and disciplined good manner, returning to Hendon to take another appreciative look at the Carp pond behind Peel House before debrief and the completion of a 728 to claim for soiled clobber. [Further reading: Jane's Chem-Bio Handbook, 2nd Edition ISBN 0 7106 2571-5]
Why Exercise 'Osiris'? Osiris was the ancient Egyptian great God of the Dead, King of the Afterlife - synonymous with the Land of the Dead and the setting Sun. Bit explanatory that! I’d hate my sun to set in some dirty underground station, to be truthful!
For those of you who have served the Colours and suffered the initial basic training remember this: BLOT-BANG-RUB!
The expansion of MI6 has caused it to acquire a new property for £2M per annum rent in the West End.
The lease is a long one for the building which offers some 60000sqft [5574sqM] for use by the SIS. It is apparent that SIS has outgrown its Vauxhall Cross headquarters and has called for a 10 to 20% increase in budget and a rapid expansion in its counter-terrorism unit.
It is claimed that whilst the deal has been agreed and signed, a get-out clause allows MI6 to walk away from the deal if its identity is matched to the building.
From Gallus Galus we hear about the construction of a NSA eavesdropping station in South Algeria [according to a newspaper]:
ALGIERS (AP) - An American eavesdropping station will be built soon in SouthAlgeria, claims Sunday "Le quotidien d'Oran" ("the daily newspaper of Oran"), quoting "informed sources". This station of the National Security Agency (NSA) which will be based in Tamanrasset (3.550km south of Algiers) aims at "intercepting then analysing all communications by telephone, data-processing network or radio".
Moreover, referring to these same "informed sources", the daily newspaper announces a visit by American General Charles Wald, No2 of the American Command in Europe, to South Algeria. Arrived Saturday to Algiers, he will be received there by the major general Mohammed Saheb, commander of the sixth military region area, which encompasses territories having borders with Mali, Niger, Mauritania, Morocco and Libya.
Pointing out published information one month ago by the "New York Times" relating to a project of an American military base settlement in this area, the "Quotidien d'Oran" estimates that the visit of General Wald General "addresses Algerian-American concerns about security in this area where threats are multiple". The last events having had for theatre this area of the world are as many factors which worry Washington and mobilize the Algerian army, explains the newspaper. One can thus quote the thwarted coup d'etat against the Mauritanian President Maaouya Ould Sid' Ahmed Taya, ally of the United States and Algeria, supposed links between Al-Qaïda and the Salafist Group for Predication and Combat (GSPC), and its role in abducting 31 European tourists or the proliferation of weapons and smuggling. Since the attacks of September 11, the Algerian-American military co-operation knew an unprecedented boost, noticeably stressed by Algerian officers following training in the United States, the common naval operations between the Algerian navy and the sixth U.S. fleet based in the Mediterranean, the delivery of the first night vision equipments and the exchange of intelligence about Al-Qaïda.
More info: http://fr.news.yahoo.com/030907/5/3dvln.html.
[Tnx Gallus Galus]
However JoA suggests that, "There are 3 high points in the Hoggar region: Tahat 2918m., Assekrem 2728m., and further East and less likely is Dj. Serkout 2306m. Maybe it will be situated on one of these." [Tnx JoA]
Eleven suspected Algerian terrorists were arrested in a series of anti-terrorist raids on business premises and homes on 30/09, as announced by Sir John Stevens, Chief Constable, on LBC97.3.
This was the culmination of a long running investigation by the Police and MI5 into the links in North African communities with supporters of extremist Islamic groups. Eight were held at London’s maximum security Police Station whilst three were held in Manchester. A fourth person in Manchester was released. The Manchester arrests were compared in the ‘Daily Mail’ as not being as significant as those in London.
Two 600ft hight antenna mast ahve been demolished at the former British Intelligence radio station at Criggion, 10miles from Welshpool, in mid-Wales.
The station was originally built during WW2 and its heyday was in the 1960's. After the fall of communism in the mid 1990's the station became surplus to requirement.
Report of the Interception of Communications Commissioner for 2002 HC 1047
Report of the Intelligence Services Commissioner for 2002 HC 1048
Annual Report of the Chief Surveillance Commissioner to the Prime Minister and to Scottish Ministers for 2002-2003 HC 1062
The House of Commons Session Papers are out on the TSO site and ENIGMA 2000 received an email which stated: 'If you haven't already then have a read at http://www.official-documents.co.uk/menu/com2003.htm which are the official reports of the secret service commissioners. They give an interesting insight into these official matters without revealing anything. My favourite quote was from the Communications Commissioner':
"13. In February 2002, at the request of the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), I paid a short visit to Jamaica, Barbados, and Trinidad to discuss the question of legislation governing the interception of communications with representatives of the governments, senior officials, members of the judiciary and others in those countries. I believe that this visit was welcomed and fruitful. It was followed up successfully by members of the legal department of SIS. "
Our correspondent remarked, "Don't you just hate those awful business trips to the West Indies right in the middle of the UK winter !! and you can bet it was followed by several members of SIS :) Odd there don't appear to be any trips to Belgium or anywhere boring like that." [Excellent post IW, please post again!].
This URL has been sent in by IW:
http://slate.msn.com/id/2088261/
Very interesting and worth a read.
Ottawa Sun
September 19, 2003
Nine Israelis face deportation
Spy agency suspects they may be foreign agents
By JOHN STEINBACHS and ANDREW SEYMOUR
Ottawa Sun
NINE Israeli nationals -- who[m] CSIS suspects are possible foreign agents -- were arrested by Immigration and Ottawa police tactical officers last Friday, blocks from Parliament Hill. The nine have all been charged by Immigration for working in Canada illegally. All are in their 20s and were apparently selling art in Ottawa.
The arrests follow similar takedowns of Israelis in Toronto and Calgary over the past few weeks.
An Ottawa police source said police were told members of the group were possible agents from Mossad, Israel's spy agency, but given no further information by CSIS.
CSIS declined to comment yesterday.
All nine have since been released and are staying in several rooms at a Lisgar St. apartment-hotel.
Citizenship and Immigration spokesman Rejean Cantlon confirmed that nine Israelis were arrested last Friday for working in Canada without a permit. Immigration hearings were held Wednesday and nine exclusion orders were issued.
No weapons
Ienav Sofer, Amit Yedudai, Rani Rahuhim Katsov, Roy Laniado, Shulamit Gorelik and Anatoly Belnik received exclusion orders for two years for working without authorization and misrepresentation. Koby Cole, Sharon Moskovitz and Yafit Avram were issued exclusion orders for one year.
All will be deported as soon as paperwork is ready, likely within the next few weeks, Cantlon said.
They were arrested with the help of tactical and patrol officers Friday between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m.
No weapons were found in their rooms.
Yesterday, eight were found walking down Lisgar St., but offered no comment when asked if they were Israeli art students.
This is not the first time students selling art in Ottawa have caused concern with law enforcement. In 2001, Centrepointe residents complained of foreign students selling paintings in their neighbourhood that turned out to be fakes.
"We're outraged"
The story of Israeli art students peddling paintings in foreign countries has been reported in the media and on the Internet in the past.
U.S. reports have alleged that groups of students had been trying to sell art in federal government buildings, prompting concerns about intelligence gathering, but no proof has ever been found linking the art peddlers with espionage.
"I keep seeing these things and looking into them, I really don't know how credible they are," said former CSIS chief of strategic planning David Harris. "Certainly it would be extremely surprising if such an outfit would repeat a (technique) in that sort of way."
Israeli Embassy spokesman Ben Forer said the matter is being treated very seriously.
"These are illegal workers ... we're outraged by this," he said. "We expect Israeli citizens that would like to work in Canada to equip themselves with the appropriate work permits before they come to Canada."
Forer laughed when asked if the arrests had anything to do with terrorism or if the nine are agents of Mossad -- whose operatives have been known in the past to favour using bogus Canadian passports.
"We don't know full details about what the paintings were but it was a completely commercial matter," Forer said.
[Story apparently pulled from the Ottowa Sun prior before it was run].
An ex-soldier [REME] on the Robert Elms show on BBC94.9 rang in to say that the massive car park under Hyde Park was a bomb shelter. He was most emphatic that there were blast doors, still operational today.
A visit has been made to this car park and it is massive, complete with a long service corridor. We also believe it to be the venue for the exchange of Dr Radliffe for money, and the shooting of the CIA agent Barney by Harry Palmer [Sir Michael Caine] in the great British film, 'The Ipcress File.' [Tnx KW].
MI5 was told of a plot to assassinate a media tycoon in London. The Russian billionaire, Boris Berezovsky was to be stabbed with a pen containing a poison. The venue for this attack was to be Bow Street’s Magistartes courthouse that he would attend to contest charges of fraud.
The assassin apparently lost his nerve and betrayed the plot to British Security Services. [Tnx E].
Capita Ras posted a recent ad for Administrators in Central London £16576 [pay award pending] plus excellent benefits. Needing only 2 A levels or equivalent and 5 GCSE’s inc Maths and English at Grade C or above you’ll receive a comprehensive induction programme, ongoing development and varied career opportunities. ‘Beyond that, benefits include a good pension scheme, generous holidays and excellent social and gym facilities.
Central London – surely not, Vauxhall Cross slums it on the South bank, unless of course it’s the new West End location that no one must know about! [Millbank is only marginally better as it’s only just north at the end of Lambeth bridge. [Tnx E].
Mossad have purchased land near to the Syrian border in Northern Iraq for the purpose of spying on Syria and Iran. The land covers around 618 acres and has already been fenced in prior to an intelligence base being constructed there.
Sources have added that other Israeli bases will be built near the Iraqi/Iranian border to monitor traffic and cells that gather along the Iranian border.
It is believed that the Mossad agents speak fluent Arabic and Kurdish and are disguised as locals.
It comes as no surprise that there is ‘extensive teamwork between American and Israeli intelligence personnel on the Iraqi border’ to ward off potential Islamic extremists targeting American forces. [Al-Bayyan, via ‘E’]
Menwith Hill has is the subject of an interesting article in the latest [November] issue of ‘National Geographic magazine on the general theme of high-tech surveillance. The article includes a photograph taken at Menwith Hill showing several satellite dish installations and three vertical lattice masts which look as though they might have something to do with shortwave radio. [via PoSW, tnx].
That is the cost to Great Britain of the US led fiasco in Iraq. What has it achieved so far? Apart from the appalling conditions in Iraq that will pervade as long as america gives the orders there is also the question as to where the money will come from. Looking at the performance of the NHS and the high amount of stealth taxes being sneaked on the British public it is obvious.
Incidentally, congrats to 18 yo Trooper Finney who rescued and continued to act in defiance of the so-called friendly fire incident by some gung-ho A10 american pilot in Iraq. Tpr Finney was awarded the George Cross, the highest award available for his bravery. Three other British servicemen earned the Queen’s Gallantry Medal for similar selfless acts in friendly fire incidents. [KW, who sent this news in asked us to state that our blokes have to earn their medals].
In passing DoK wants to know hat has happened to his old base, RAF Habbaniyah, 50 miles from Baghdad and the town of Falujah which he knows well. DoK recalls that the British forces, Iraq, had excellent relations with the Iraqis.
An interesting piece in The Times [31/10] gave details of the acts of Piracy on the high seas. The acts are almost impossible to stop and ships masters are advised to ensure they are beyond 75 miles from land in the affected areas.
There is also the interesting suggestion that use of maritime VHF radio is avoided to stop Pirates locating their next victims.
In his letter to ENIGMA 2000 PoSW concluded with this rather chilling observation:
"To end with ; I am finishing this letter a bit after 7 AM om Wednesday 22-October. I was listenening to the "Today" programme on BBC Radio 4 on 198 kHz longwave while typing until a short while ago when the dulcit tones of John Humphreys suddenly vanished; the big transmitter at Droitwich has gone off the air! It was reported a few years ago that the captains of Britain's nuclear submarine fleet regularly check to confirm they can receive the 198KHz signal and if they can't hear it they assume Britain has been knocked out by a nuclear strike and come to a state of war readiness; I hope that procedure no longer applies!"
[Tnx PoSW]
Morse stations | Voice stations | Oddities
Enigma control list | Non numbers | Numbers predictions
German speaking groups outside Germany (3/3) | News Items
Web sites | Contribution deadlines
Index | E2K NL Home