October 31, 2013
The US is the Super-Snooper
by Hanin Fadiyah@www.harakahdaily.com
The United States is running clandestine communications intelligence facilities at its embassies in Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Bangkok, Phnom Penh and Yangon.
The country is doing so by tapping telephones and monitoring communications networks from electronic surveillance facilities in US embassies and consulates across east and south-east Asia, according to information disclosed by intelligence whistleblower Edward Snowden.A top secret map dated August 13, 2010 lists nearly a hundred surveillance facilities worldwide, the map however, shows no such facilities are located in Australia, New Zealand, Britain, Japan and Singapore – the US’s closest allies.
Snoopy the Snooper
According to the map published by Germany’s Der Spiegel magazine today, a joint Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) – National Security Agency (NSA) group known as ” Special Collection Service” conducts the sweeping surveillance operation, as well as clandestine operations against specific intelligence targets.The map, which was initially published in full on Der Spiegel‘s website but subsequently replaced with a censored version, lists Special Collection Service facilities at 90 locations worldwide, including 74 manned facilities, 14 remotely operated facilities and two technical support centres.
The map confirms the global reach of US signals intelligence operations with special collection facilities located in most major capitals on every continent.Read the full story here
Din Merican: the Malaysian DJ Blogger 
I wonder what Ambassador John Malott has to say about his country’s snooping activities around the world. Is the US so insecure that the country feels the need to take this to extremes? What is worse is that its intelligence activities are being exposed to all of us. It even spies on allies like Germany. It speaks volumes about that country which considers itself a beacon of democracy, freedom and justice. Sheer hypocrisy.
The US is the super snooper=expected, not news worthy;
The US is not snooping at all=that is unexpected and real news.
Asking John Mallot, ex-ambassador to give his comments=naive and meaningless;
Asking the present ambassador to give his comments=appropriate
Asking Anifah Aman and Zahid Hamidi to give intelligent answers to whether they knew about this and any action taken prior to disclosure by Snowden=an obligation, like wajib in Islam.
Asking Zahid and Anifah whether they will instruct the US ambassador to leave the Malaysia=impossible dream
Americans are the most psychologically unsecured people. Uncle Samm, being a big bully and self-appointed glibal policeman, stirsmup trouble everywhere. So it attracts small fries liken the islamists who live to strike back. Therefore it has to be n guard at all times and thinks the best defence is offense. So it believes uf it spies n other nations, it could preempt all attacks. People like Angela Merkel are ‘legitimate’ target because she was an Eadt German! Uncle Samm finds it hard to penetrate a country like China so it carrols small nations around Beijing for its bidding. For that it has to fish some secrets about their leaders that could be be held for ransom. Najib is just one easy prey! That may account for why KL is one of those being spied on.
What is new or news? I am not surprise. It all depends on the end result of what these spying achieved. These information can be used morally or immorally, like any other information. Unless there are evident proving that these information has been abused than there are cause for concern.
Are the American or any other countries not being spied upon? If you think not than we are naive.
Our internet are monitored too. Is this not also spying. Infringement of human right to our privacy?
These spying thing is too complex for layperson like me and most here because we cannot make any difference. We can’t even influence the management of our own country. So I am saving my breath for others.
In conclusion, not only the American or Ambassador John, infect the entire human race are sheer hypocrisy.
Bases on their statements on Malaysia I do not think that they are doing it.
don’t go overboard with your criticism of the US, Obama is no more the most powerful person in the world but wannabe cowboy Putin! why not criticise the snooping activities of Russia, and previously the USSR? the most interesting and important question would be, why these information are collected and for what these information are being used for. there is a 14 storey building in the outskirts of Shanghai fully equipped and manned for industrial and military espionage of other countries.
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But at least the Russians do not pretend to be holier than thou. We know that the KGB is brutal and will be not bow to common decency when it comes to defending mother Russia.–Din Merican
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if you take your pooch out for a walk next time would you tell him not to snoop or sniff at all the interesting and intoxicating scent at every tree and lamp post?! collecting information is natural. also a kind of education actually, its better to be the leader of the pack than a tag-along.
MT Lai,
Merkel is a hamburgerin (born in Hamburg – West Germany).
there is no difference between East and West Germany now. the German Democratic Republic doesn’t exist since 1989!
Reeper,
I repeat my comments about me not being surprised by countries snooping around. All countries including malaysia snooping each other since time immemorial. The only difference is USA caught with their pants down. No big deal. Of course, we should condemn USA on their activities of staging coups in countries to establish governments favourable to them even though they are despotic. Pinochet! Shah of Iran! Ring a bell.
This is a very interesting documentary on Angela Merkel. I am surprised that she was shocked that she was being snooped at. Or is it part of political game. On the side line, watch yes prime minister, tangled web. It’s an open secret that french & brits snoop at each other. Even malaysia & singapore snoop at each other. Wanna bet
Uncle Din
Well at least those in US who are supposed to be spying are earning their up keep. What about our very own CIA – I mean the PM Research Dept. Some of the personnel were posted to our Foreign Embassies/High Comms. and operating under the guise Diplomats. One such person was the SPR Deputy Chairman who was posted as a Minister in Malaysian US Embassy in the 1990s. Well his oufit was snooping on the Malaysian embassy staff and students. That is the best that they could manage.
very true looes74,
Angela is not an outstanding politician and no way near Maggie or indira.
being born in Hamburg but growing up in East germany where her father was a pastor she hasn’t the leadership quality required. she’s being voted in because of her conservative party coalition which is harvesting the product of Schröder’s social democratic government’s austerity programme introduced then. its worth mentioning that she is politicking just like Kohl, her mentor, with bags of money. she wades through politic just like a duck, say her subjects.
like Malaysia, Germany has no new crop of leaders of merit worth mentioning.
” I am surprised that she was shocked that she was being snooped at. Or is it part of political game. ” Looes74
the latter will be true. she won the election but she doesn’t have the majority to form a government. the backdoor hagglings with the social democrats are being eclipsed by the NSA snooping affair, so its a welcomed break for Angie to make compromises without much public exposure. one of these compromises is the fixing of minimum wage which the conservative, employer friendly, party have been avoiding for quite sometime. the second would be the dual nationality issue which would benefit the Turks living here as non-citizens.
yup, now is time for lunch