ECHELON

ECHELON is the catch-all name used to refer to the signals intelligence (SIGINT) collection and analysis network operated on behalf of the five signatory states to the UK–USA Security Agreement (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States, known as AUSCANZUKUS).

The system has been researched and reported on in a number of public sources. Its capabilities and political implications were investigated by a committee of the European Parliament during 2000 and 2001 with a report published in 2001, and by author James Bamford in his books on the National Security Agency of the United States.

In its report, the European Parliament states that the term 'ECHELON' is used in a number of contexts, but that the evidence presented indicates that it was the name for a signals intelligence collection system. The report concludes that, on the basis of information presented, ECHELON was capable of interception and content inspection of telephone calls, fax, e-mail and other data traffic globally through the interception of communication bearers including satellite transmission, public switched telephone networks and microwave links.

See Also

• File:Secret Power.pdf - An eBook about New Zealand's involvement in Echelon by Nicky Hager
• Document:Echelon News April 2000 - English translations of 3 French articles linking Echelon to Commercial espionage
• Document:PADDIES JOIN GLOBAL SPY NETWORK - May 2000 artcile in The Phoenix alleging the co-option of Ireland into the Echelon system.

External Links

• Wikipedia - Echelon (signals intelligence) main page
• Secret Bases UK - Bude Echelon Station

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