NRT: Evidence: The NSA is funding the GCSB

Written By: - Date published: 3:02 pm, June 26th, 2014 - 12 comments
Categories: accountability, Spying - Tags: , , ,

no-right-turn-256Reposted from No Right Turn

Last week, The Intercept published details on the NSA’s programs with partners to tap international communications cables. Most of the article focused on a program called RAMPART-A, which seems to involve Denmark and Germany, with each helping the NSA to spy on the other (while claiming to their own governments that their citizens are protected). But buried in one of the background documents – the US “black budget” for Foreign Partner Access Project – was this titbit:

WINDSTOP currently partners with all the second parties, but primarily the United Kingdom (UK), to develop a well-integrated,over-arching architecture to utilize unprecedented access to communications into and out of Europe and the Middle East. Collection capabilities include Digital Network Intelligence processing and selection capabilities for e-mail, web, internet chat, and VOIP.

“Second parties” means the rest of the Five Eyes: the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. And while most of it is through the UK (likely involving this facility and their transatlantic cable taps at GCHQ Bude), all parties are involved. So, we now have an NSA document which says that the US is paying “our” GCSB (something both the GCSB and their spy minister have refused to answer). As for what they’re getting for their money, the obvious conclusion is access to data tapped from cables in the Pacific.

So, “our” spies take foreign money to work for a foreign power. Isn’t there a very ugly word for that?

12 comments on “NRT: Evidence: The NSA is funding the GCSB ”

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  1. thecard 1
    26 June 2014 at 3:21 pm

    What’s the very ugly word ?

  2. Tracey 2
    26 June 2014 at 3:24 pm

    It cant be true because the liar in chief doesnt know about it.

    • McFlock 2.1
      26 June 2014 at 4:03 pm

      akshully he’s pretty relaxed about it in thus dynnamik invironmint, and real nu zulders are more interested in the rugby, as far as he can see.

  3. exitlane 3
    26 June 2014 at 4:55 pm

    the NSA budget here…

    https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.documentcloud.org/documents/1200866/foreignpartneraccessbudgetfy2013-redacted.pdf

    shows that the NSA spent $US 14.5 Million in 2011, $US 28.17 million in 2012 and $US 10.5 million in 2013 on a cable tapping program for the 5 Eyes partners including New Zealand (ALL Second Parties ).

    So how much of this funding was handed to the GCSB in New Zealand?

    And where exactly does this appear in the Annual accounts of GCSB or the Government’s Budget for those years?

    Plenty of Questions for the Intelligence and Security Committee when it meets next. Because we now have “robust” oversight now – right? Should be a breeze to find out.

  4. Huginn 4
    26 June 2014 at 5:06 pm

    Weird that no-one seems to be questioning the value.

    ISIS takes over West Iraq and threatens to invade Baghdad – We know it’s all news to the Inteligence community (who seem to be getting their information like the rest of us, from Facebook and twitter) because Obama had to move fast to reinforce the security around the US Embassy in Baghdad.

  5. Colonial Viper 5
    26 June 2014 at 5:15 pm

    So…can the GCSB receive funding from any foreign power willy-nilly or does the PM have to sign off on it?

    • karol 5.1
      26 June 2014 at 5:49 pm

      The Prime Minister likes to keep informed of intelligence activities, but no-one tells him about major things like surveillance of Dotcom and a major shift in the US-NZ intel-relationship.

  6. Jrobin 6
    27 June 2014 at 1:04 am

    Now now, you know this upsets the PM, it could even make him talk to his wife to ask for permission to resign, according to Mr Roughans fascinating tell all.

  7. Sable 7
    27 June 2014 at 9:04 am

    Take a look at RT news. They have heavily covered this issue. Germany is believed to be the NSA’s center of operations in Europe. Many many countries are believed to be complicit in this scandel but nothing is really happening to stem the tide.

    We are in some ways one of the worst offenders in so much as our government simply changed the law to suit themselves ignoring pubic protest.

    Come September give Keys the boot but make sure whoever wants to take his place OPENLY renounces this process and PROMISES to end it. Got that David Cunliffe?

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