France opens US espionage case Wednesday, July 5, 2000 EUROPE | The French government has opened judicial investigations into claims that the United States and other allies are using a global surveillance network to conduct espionage. The espionage, say French authorities, is used to assist U.S. business firms in garnering information that could help them win lucrative contracts over European rivals. A decision was announced shortly before members of the European Parliament were due to decide Wednesday whether a commission should investigate whether the rights of Europeans are being infringed by the global system, called "Echelon." The global system, with listening posts in the U.S., Great Britain, Australia, Canada and New Zealand, is reportedly capable of intercepting most electronic transmissions, including email, cellular telephone calls, and even faxes as well as regular telephone conversations. Both the U.S. and Britain have denied conducting commercial espionage through Echelon. The system, run by the National Security Agency, was set up during the Cold War, sources say. French state prosecutor Jean-Pierre Dintilhac will undertake a preliminary investigation into the workings of the network, a spokesman announced Tuesday, adding that the probe would not necessarily lead to legal action. At his request, France's counter-intelligence organization, DST, reportedly carried out a preliminary investigation into whether the monitoring could be construed as having been "harmful to the vital interests of the nation." Some French lawmakers called for the inquiry, saying French citizens and companies were being harmed by Echelon. Earlier this year Justice Minister Elisabeth Guigou told the French parliament that Echelon apparently had been used to spy on commercial rivals to major American corporations involved in bidding wars. She urged French businesses to be especially alert, and said vital information should never be contained in communications, especially those transmitted via satellite. European lawmakers in Strasbourg are due to decide today on what to do about Echelon, which one French member has dubbed an "Anglo-Saxon Calvinist" conspiracy against Europe. Some members of the European Union parliament said Echelon was responsible for the European consortium Airbus losing out to Boeing in a bidding war for $6 billion worth of aircraft for the Saudi Arabian national carrier in 1992-93. And, they say, the French communication firm Thomson-CFS lost a radar contract in Brazil two years later to the American Raytheon Corp., again allegedly after the NSA intercepted communications relating to the deal. Former CIA director James Woolsey, has confirmed that companies suspected of bribery and corruption and sanctions-busting have been monitored. He said Airbus officials had been discovered offering bribes to Saudi officials at the time the aircraft contract was being considered <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance�not soap-boxing�please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'�with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds�is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html">Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/">ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
