Echelon rumored to be used in NZ spying on Fiji

June 11, 2001 5:06 PM

Echelon rumored to be used in NZ spying on Fiji
Echelon, as seen on TV, is suggested to monitor gobzillions of electronic communications. People are starting to wonder if New Zealand used Echelon to monitor the progress of the May 2000 coup and hostage taking in Fiji, in addition to the tradition undercover operations. Memorable quotation: "It is not a question of if others are spying on Fiji but of who, how and, to a much lesser extent, why."
posted by rschram (8 comments total)

Unfortunately, all they were able to intercept were the long-distance calls intended for Phoenix. Bula vinaka, beachside!
posted by kindall at 5:31 PM on June 11, 2001

Echelon Watch. I particularly like the list of supposed echelon filter words.
posted by sarahw at 5:46 PM on June 11, 2001

Bula vinaka, beachside!

I could never figure out what that guy was saying. I thought it sounded like 'Coney Island Pizza Hut.'
posted by Mrmuhnrmuh at 5:59 PM on June 11, 2001

New Zealand's favourite crazy kids, Havoc and Newsboy, went to the facility - sneaked over the fence at Waihopai base (where NZ's echelon node is) and danced to drum and bass. It was better than it sounds, believe me.

Nicky Hagar is the guy writing books about the subject and appearing in front of government.

But spying on Fiji... who wants to watch those racist dogs? The takeover consisted of George of the jungle and his well-known mates rushing the government with guns and several knife-fighting monkeys. Sure, they may have made a few local phonecalls in preparation but I doubt it reached satellites and therefore possible interception.
posted by holloway at 7:00 PM on June 11, 2001

Echelon is a spooky story someone made up to scare children at night. It is nothing.
posted by tranquileye at 7:51 PM on June 11, 2001

Ah, tranquileye, that's just what they want you to think!

That keyword list is great though, they must have one hell of a filtering system if they can search for such rare words as 'a', 'aol' and 'msnbc'. And what is so dangerous about the phrase 'Bubba the Love Sponge'. On second thoughts, I don't what to know.

Of course by mentioning all these words in one sentence I will no doubt be tracked down and interrogated by the powers that be...
posted by astro38 at 2:40 AM on June 12, 2001

I don't what to know => I don't want to know
posted by astro38 at 2:41 AM on June 12, 2001

Echelon filter words:

ASPIC: Isn't aspic jelly something you cook with? Are the spooks on the lookout for some recipe tips?

Secert Service: Keeping an eye on all those dyslexic terrorists out there.

scully: Echelon techs missed X-Files because they were working overtime.

Enemy of the State: Will Smith fans, we're watching you. Drop those Fresh Prince videos and come out with your hands up.

Furbys: If the people running our international espionage networks actually believe that urban myth about Saddam Hussein being able to build superbombs out of Furby innards, we really are in trouble.

HRT: You'd be amazed what you can blow up with oestrogen.
posted by CatherineB at 8:26 AM on June 12, 2001