Echelon papers leaked

[Peter Gutmann]

In 1996, New Zealander Nicky Hager wrote a book "Secret Power" containing a
great deal of information on Echelon, with a particular NZ perspective.  A few
days ago, papers held by the Prime Minister of the time were accidentally
released and appeared in the Sunday Star Times.  Some quotes from the story at
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/sundaystartimes/0,2106,3540743a6005,00.html:

  The top-secret intelligence report found among David Lange's papers shows
  New Zealand had been spying on friendly countries throughout the region.

  Targets included Japanese and Philippines diplomatic cables and the
  government communications of Fiji, the Solomons, Tonga and "international
  organisations operating in the Pacific".

  The Government Communications Security Bureau's 1985/86 annual report also
  reveals that one of New Zealand's main targets was "UN diplomatic" cables,
  but which agencies of the United Nations were targeted is not stated.

  [...]

  "A total of 171 reports were published, covering the Solomons, Fiji, Tonga
  and international organisations operating in the Pacific. The raw traffic
  for this reporting provided by NSA the US National Security Agency)."

  The GCSB also produced 238 intelligence reports on Japanese diplomatic
  cables, using "raw traffic from GCHQ/NSA sources". This was down from the
  previous year: "The Japanese government implementation of a new high grade
  cypher system seriously reduced the bureau's output." For French government
  communications, the GCSB "relied heavily on (British) GCHQ acquisition and
  forwarding of French Pacific satellite intercept".

  [...]

  Each page of the 31-page report that mentioned eavesdropping operations was
  headed "TOP SECRET UMBRA HANDLE VIA COMINT CHANNELS ONLY". COMINT stands for
  "communications intelligence".

There's also a second story at
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/sundaystartimes/0,2106,3540733a6005,00.html
covering US pressure on NZ over its anti-nuclear policy.

Peter.

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