-Caveat Lector- -----Original Message----- From: Martin H. Katchen <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: Lee Markland <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Wednesday, January 06, 1999 3:29 AM Subject: Fw: NBC: UNSCOM linked to U.S. espionage, Annan very upset and investigating ties -----Original Message----- From: Bill Nalty <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Tuesday, January 05, 1999 11:54 PM Subject: CAS: NBC: UNSCOM linked to U.S. espionage, Annan very upset and investigating ties >http://www.msnbc.com/news/229398.asp > >UNSCOM linked to U.S. espionage > >U.S. used U.N. facilities to eavesdrop on Saddam, >sources tell NBC News; > >U.N.’s Annan ‘very upset’ and investigating ties > >MSNBC >WASHINGTON, Jan. 6 — U.S. intelligence agencies used U.N. arms >inspectors’ facilities to tap into the most sensitive communications of >Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and his colleagues in an effort to topple >his regime, several sources tell NBC News. Other sources confirmed that >U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan is investigating the relationship >between U.N. weapons inspectors and two U.S. intelligence agencies — the >CIA and the National Security Agency — as first reported in the >Washington Post in its Wednesday edition. > > THE PRIMARY FOCUS of the Annan investigation, which began in >November, is a purported eavesdropping capability built into the network >of the U.N. Special Commission, known as UNSCOM, the agency in charge of >eliminating Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction, two advisers to Annan >told NBC News. UNSCOM uses 27 radio towers throughout Iraq to relay >video from 211 monitoring sites and Annan wants to know if the towers >were used to intercept Iraqi communications and to relay them to U.S. >intelligence. > Eighteen of the 27 towers are in Baghdad and are ideally located >for eavesdropping on Saddam’s office, said one adviser. > “We believe the intelligence operations is ongoing and that even >with UNSCOM inspectors out of Iraq, it is possible it is still operating >today,” said one adviser. > The two advisers, who spoke to NBC on condition of anonymity, >said that Annan was “very upset” and that the U.N. chief weapons >inspector Richard Butler “has built himself the world’s biggest >doghouse.” U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan ><Picture: Image: Annan> Annan’s office believes the operation >began during the tenure of Butler’s predecessor, Rolf Ekeus, now the >Swedish ambassador to the United States. According to Annan confidants >quoted by the Post, Butler denied the reports of eavesdropping when >questioned by the secretary general. > One adviser said the operation, if confirmed, would permit Iraq >to claim again that UNSCOM is a nest of spies. > > The future of UNSCOM has been in doubt ever since the inspectors >left Iraq shortly before the U.S. and British airstrikes against Iraq >Dec. 16-19 to punish Iraq for not complying with arms inspectors. > The arms inspectors accuse Baghdad of blocking their efforts and >Iraq has in turn repeatedly accused UNSCOM officials of espionage. > >LISTENING TO SADDAM > According to NBC sources, the groundwork was laid for the U.S. >intelligence agencies to spy on Iraq in 1993, when former UNSCOM chief >Ekeus sought the United States help in gathering intelligence in order >to locate Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction. At first, CIA officials >insisted they “take over and direct” the operation, but UNSCOM refused >and instead sought assistance from Great Britian, Australia and Israel, >the sources said. A year later, the U.S. agreed to cooperate with >UNSCOM. > In March of 1998, UNSCOM achieved what a source described as “the >greatest intelligence breakthrough since the end of the cold war,” >allowing it to tap directly into Saddam’s radio telephone systems and >listen not only to details of his weapons systems, but private insights >into the leadership structure of his regime. > The sources report that when the United States learned of the >development, it tried to take over the operation and UNSCOM resisted. In >fact, Washington was prepared to override UNSCOM and launch its own >communications intercept satellite in August, but failed when the Titan >IV rocket carrying the spy satellite blew up on launch. > In addition to the eavesdropping, U.S. intelligence agencies also >used UNSCOM information and monitoring equipment to target Iraqi sites >during the U.S.-British airstrikes last month, the sources said. In some >cases, the TV monitors provided live pictures to offices in the United >States, allowing the agencies to watch the sites being destroyed “live” >on TV. > U.S. officials confirm that the Washington Post had some of the >story several months ago, but was persuaded not to run it for national >security reasons by Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, National >Security Adviser Sandy Berger and CIA Director George Tenet. > >UNCERTAIN FUTURE FOR UNSCOM > UNSCOM chief Butler has been a frequent target of Iraqi criticism >and some of the advisers who spoke to the Washington Post acknowledged >that Annan was trying to place pressure on him to resign in the hopes >that his successor might have a smoother relationship with Iraq and its >Security Council allies. > Annan accumulated enough evidence on the eavesdropping, some >through intermediaries passing on classified U.S. information, to ask >Butler about the reports last month, the Post said. According to two of >the confidants, Butler denied them to Annan. > “A number of member states have assisted UNSCOM in various >aspects of its work, and one of those is the United States.” Butler told >the Post Tuesday night. “But as far as I am concerned I have always been >assiduous in insisting that any assistance given to us be strictly >related to our disarmament mandate. I have never approved of any >assistance to any member state which would serve their unilateral >purpose.” > A Clinton administration official, speaking on condition of >anonymity, told the Post, “We’ve already established that Saddam’s >personal security apparatus and the apparatus that conceals weapons of >mass destruction are one and the same.” Distinguishing between them >would be impossible for intelligence-gathering efforts, he added. > The CIA, State Department and White House declined Post requests >for formal comment. > Two advisers quoted by the Post suggested that Annan was allowing >news of his investigation to be released as a way of raising the issue >without formally confronting the United States. > Annan “would like to see the news media report this, and let the >chips fall where they may,” said one adviser. > Annan’s investigation is being headed by American John Ruggie, >assistant U.N. secretary general and former dean of the Columbia >University School of Diplomacy, and Andrew Mack, Annan’s director of >strategic planning and former chair of the Department of International >Relations at the Australian National University. > > NBC’s Jim Miklaszewski and Robert Windrem and The Associated >Press contributed to this report. > > >========================================================================== >This mailing list is for discussion of Clinton Administration Scandals. 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