Mapping the world's intel agencies: easy as Google
The Top Secret America investigation might be voluminous and mainstream, and Wikileaks might be spectacular, but mapping the world's intelligence agencies can also be as easy as ... Google.
Three 20-somethings in Portugal have purported to map the intelligence headquarters for more than a dozen countries, including the U.S., Israel, Albania, China, Cuba, Iran, Morocco and the U.K.
With more than 180 points, complete with flags of the countries, the three - who say they meet on the Internet -- spent three months on what they call "a simple but laborious effort" to map how "almost every country on Earth has someone, somewhere, collecting, processing, analyzing and disseminating intelligence."
Their map shows such intel spots as Zimbabwe's Central Intelligence Organization, "Her Majesty's Government Communication Centre" in the U.K., Nigeria's National Intelligence Agency, and the U.S. government's National Reconnaissance Office.
In an e-mail exchange, one of the map's authors told us a bit about herself. She's Ana Paula Coimbra, a 26-year-old clothing saleswoman who lives in Carnaxide, a town near Lisbon. She's quick to admit she's "not a member of any intelligence community," nor does she work for the Portuguese government or any European institution. But she does have a bachelor of arts in international relations. She created the Google mashup based on research from two friends she met on the Internet: Andre de Borges, a 24-year-old insurance broker, and Yannick Carvalho, a 25-year-old student.
Coimbra described herself and the others as the "type of people who at night talk in encrypted chat rooms about world events, espionage, geostrategy, read John Le Carre novels, read Jeff Stein's Spy Talk blog, and by day work like everybody else." She wrote, "Maybe we are spy buffs...and curious people."
How did they get the info for the points on the Google map?
Mostly from open sources, including official government websites and reports, newsletters, printed books and "information collected from newsgroups and online communities," she tells us. Other sources were people who live near some facilities in Spain, France, and South America.
Coimbra is quick to point out that "most of the locations are NOT a secret." She goes on to say that "even a person who doesn't care about politics or espionage can research that information." And she notes Google Maps is "very easy to operate" -- if you know a location, or have latitude-longitude coordinates, it is easy to insert text or images.
So why do it?
Their main objective, she said, is to show that every country has its own intelligence system. "Some intelligence agencies, services, departments and units are everywhere - some in our neighborhoods," Coimbra wrote in her e-mail.
She raises some interesting points: "I'm not against them, but I question their size, and how they hide themselves to the world. Why hide? Are they hiding from the terrorists or from the citizens?"
S she's received some feedback on her Google map so far. Some people questioned why their country wasn't on the list; others, mostly Israeli citizens, protested their country's inclusion.,
Still, their work hasn't raised too many eyebrows. As of Sunday, she said, "Nobody from any intelligence circle has contacted us."
Well, at least not yet.
By
Dana Hedgpeth
|
August 2, 2010; 10:13 PM ET
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Posted by: aabiii | August 4, 2010 12:42 PM | Report abuse
i didn't see any intelligence in palestine.
Posted by: jmr12 | August 4, 2010 2:41 PM | Report abuse
Patriotism is the LAST refuge of a scoundrel -
not to repeat myself.
But we get submissions from ALL OVER THE WORLD
VOLUNTARILY.
You can't BUY that CIA
You can't TURN people on a DIME OR A STACK of Benjiman's.
VOLUNTEER SUBMISSION.
It's kind of like a global crime watch.
It's very interesting -
I do believe we have a better optic than US CIA, OR DIA - on the who's who list - and where are they now files !
Now, what is interesting is the US Pentagon is seeking to burn bridges they've not even crossed.
Hostility isn't on this side.
I think some people fear the Hague.
And they very well SHOULD.
Can end this sooner than later.
I was NEVER a fan of the time locks.
NEVER
But - so it is - as it is- it is as if it as if is perhaps.
If it is it is as it is, if it is as it is - it is.
?
Language is more often than not a barrier to the truth- even the Ancient Greek's speculated language is a tool for deception.
As to leaving intel to a matter of SPATIAL aspects ?
Oh no.
I will easily state there are TEMPORAL aspects that will reveal what is to be revealed in time.
And the spatial coordinates ? of this release ?
IS GLOBAL-
People who don't even REALIZE IT - have it on their machines.
Looks like the entire population of the planet REALLY LIKED FREEWARE eh ?
Talk about a means for distribution.
Oh, this is BIGGER - FAR FAR FAR BIGGER than a bread box - OR a nation state.
This is GLOBAL
AS IT NEEDS TO BE.
People have a RIGHT to know.
Wikileaks is ONLY PART OF IT.
Imagine Hitler and Christ merged together !
ok - maybe not :)
But BEFORE those LOUSES over at Homeland tried to get their damned split gigabit backplane sniffer HOOKS into ANYTHING ?
Actually even after :)2)
Global media share TRUMPED any limitations of ANY INTEL 'spatial' coordinates using IP IV and VI.
To date? US cyber czar BARELY is catching up on the sixbone tunneling going on - BARELY -
we span BLOCKS of 8192 VI's with fragments - and HA - I DARE ANY USELESS DHS LACKEE to PUT HUMPTY BACK TOGETHER AGAIN.
Better call Keith - at NSA -
HA
that's all you got ?
Keith Alexander ?
INTELLIGENCE isn't gathered SPATIALLY anymore - maybe you could make an argument at one specific server - or another client machine - or another and another and another and another - sure.
but - A FULLY FUNCTIONAL NETWORK EXISTS THROUGH FRAGMENTED PACKETS and there isn't a GOD DAMNED WAY TO sort that out - unless you REALLY have eternity on your side.
We use embeds into images - we use the sixbone- we use IV - we use shortwave - we use microwave -
INSURANCE ?
MY insurance is being PRO HUMAN SPECIES.
REGARDLESS OF THOSE WHO SEEK TO DIVIDE IT.
What's YOURS ?
Bank of America can FAIL in 24 hours at ANY TIME.
So can PNC
So can Chase
IT GOES ON.
Posted by: NationalismDividesHumanity | August 8, 2010 11:50 PM | Report abuse
Oh, I see an ING Orange ad above.
SO CAN ING
24 hours
ANY DAY
Posted by: NationalismDividesHumanity | August 8, 2010 11:50 PM | Report abuse
Mapping the World's intelligence agencies.
Those days are OVER people.
ALL the nation state combined efforts - EVEN IF that were to happen.
Can't stop the time locks.
Oh noes ! Sleeper Cell Terrorist MACHINES !
OH NOES !
GET A REAL JOB US CIA, DoD - DIA - NSA
"MY parents went with AIG"
Oh, no kidding - they REALLY DID GO with AIG
Goldman can keep as MANY DIAMONDS AS THEY CAN SWALLOW at the SEWER PLANT.
Posted by: NationalismDividesHumanity | August 8, 2010 11:53 PM | Report abuse
It's Princess Leia -
If money is all you care about
Actually
You won't even get that.
TALKING GLOBAL
PNC ? your Poland deposit accounts ?
Think again
Bank of America ?
Royal Bank of Scotland ? aka - Citizen's Bank in US ?
Chase ?
There will come a day of retribution
on that day?
Not only will you realize WHAT caused this - your PREDATOR NATURE on communities FAR beyond what was FAIR profit ?
Goldman ?
ML ? hiding behind BofA ?
It will happen in HOURS.
NOT DAYS
HOURS.
Should have refunded all those OVER DRAFT FEE's FOR THE LAST 10 years.
naw -
it's just the right thing to do.
Time lock - and well
kind of like this
BLAMMO
Posted by: NationalismDividesHumanity | August 8, 2010 11:57 PM | Report abuse
To the Hague
Forget SHAVING the beards off the faces of those driving in windowless VANS known as PNC - Bank of America- Chase -
To the Hague -
wikileaks has in possession some - hmm -
Porter ?
PORTER?
OH PORTER?
yeah - SUCK IT DOWN US CIA
YOUR DAYS ARE NUMBERED
Kennedy would have been RIGHT to get RID of you - seems you got rid of him.
NOT ANYMOREREZRZSZSZSZSZSZSZSSZSZSSZSZSZS
Dear President Obama
You REALLY NEED TO run a private inquiry into just what the HELL is coming down the CHUTE HERE to the HAGUE as to US CIA.
It's going to get pegged to you - UNFAIR - indeed.
I like you President Obama -
What is coming down the chute ?
ENDS the US CIA
SIGNED SEALED DELIVERED - I'm yours !
Tim Miltz
SSN 183-66-7923 (Porter gave me more !)
That's the real deal.
Posted by: NationalismDividesHumanity | August 9, 2010 12:01 AM | Report abuse
when people see what the US CIA has done ?
they won't ASK
Was it in international waters
They won't ask
Was it in Italy
they won't ask - why did Italy tell the US CIA to GET THE HELL OUT.
Then again ?
Maybe the WILL
Going to be an INTERESTING ELECTION
I'd say those connected to Bush Cheney regime ? are TOAST.
ALL HAIL WIKILEAKS.
Thanks -
Roger Roger
Looks like we got a BEAUTIFUL MISSION GOING HERE
it's building up - it's building up.
SVETY IS COMING AFTER YOU OLLIE-
SLEEP WELL
Seems the Caucasus Mountains can't hold her !
And you know what THAT means Ollie.
You are a danger to yourself and others around you - PLEASE visit Fox News ! She's like a viper ollie - remember ? what you DID ? She'll be in and out before you can say- hey- my shoes - my shoes ! remember the shoes Ollie ? REMEMBER ? YOU BETTER YOU GOD DAMNED POS.
Posted by: NationalismDividesHumanity | August 9, 2010 12:04 AM | Report abuse
Mapping the world's Intel is actually
like waiting for Wikileaks time locks to open.
It's not SPATIAL
It's TEMPORAL
Now - any decent intellectual would say- hey hey hey - Einstein brought forward that time and space are two facets of the same thing.
the continuum.
I ONLY WISH politically - there existed a continuum YET - oh - I wait- I wait- until nationalism is DISSOLVED.
Nuclear weapons and nationalism don't mix people.
Albert wrote TWO letters - ONE to say- let's do this - the second ? TOTAL REGRET - and THAT IS WHERE I LIVE.
BETTER MINDS can solve this.
I think of another Albert pondering -
To get out of this - we will need better thinking than what got us into this - ok ok - he didn't say that- but it was my best attempt at rewording it.
As to wording - he once had a moment with Jung - Jung said - the man would come to me and ramble about mathematics - and I had no clue- but ONE day- he asked me about the psyche- and I explicated- and he responded- it is most unfortunate - that fields of special knowledge require special language and that prohibits communication.
I suppose I'm always at that junction.
Roger Roger
we got a beautiful mission going on here.
US DOD ? DIA ? CIA ?
In fact? US ?
Hague can ONLY DO SO MUCH you know ?
NATO will be knocking on the door sooner than later - after what the WORLD SEES of US INTELLIGENCE OPERATIONS - at VARIOUS LOCATIONS - Starting with ?
Forget the Sands
65% off the Ariana Hotel in Afghanistan !
Dear President Obama- get on the RIGHT SIDE HERE - we have FAR FAR FAR more intel than ALL nations combined.
MPEGS TOO - !
I cleaned up the audio on Abu Ghraib personally- all hail Waves C3 - nice tool - amazing tool. Will give the world a FIRST HAND LISTEN to US ops that make HITLER look like a Ken and Barbie DAY AT THE BEACH
And you can take THAT
ALL THE WAY
to the BANK OF AMERICA.
Posted by: NationalismDividesHumanity | August 9, 2010 12:13 AM | Report abuse
Dear US DOJ
as always
please come visit
You never do
figured it was worth a shot
Let's make some press
la la la
COME ON DOJ - let's play f'ing ball ! DAMN IT !
Posted by: NationalismDividesHumanity | August 9, 2010 12:23 AM | Report abuse
40 degrees - 01' 42 28 N
52 " 56 " 58.02
SLAM DUNK
Posted by: NationalismDividesHumanity | August 9, 2010 1:38 AM | Report abuse
Roger Roger
anyone want some coords that can make SOMEONES DAY ?
WE GOT EM
LET NATO AND US FORCES SUCK BALLS compared to these.
Where DIA FAILED
Where CIA FAILED
WE HAVE EM
Guess what ?
Price is FREE
better hop in irc.gimp.net
Yeah
KINDA LIKE THAT
HEY NSA
Too bad you could only find Keith !
LOOK ME UP
I'm NOT FOR SALE
NOR do I play ball for NATION STATES.
Tim Miltz
SSN YOU GET - 183-66-7923
BETTER GO WATERBOARD PORTER FOR THE REST
Posted by: NationalismDividesHumanity | August 9, 2010 1:46 AM | Report abuse
The comments to this entry are closed.
Thanks for helping to provide our sworn enemies data so that they can plan in the next few years to be able to do another 911. The TS organizations need to be just that SECRET. Stop putting those good patriot's lives at risk for protecting your right to publish. It's not fair.
If you really care about the safety and security of the American way of life, ask about why the Intel Community cannot coordinate their facts and come to agreement. Take for example, if a person has a TS clearance, why is it not accepted by other governamnt organizations. Example, Army grants a TS to an individual but DIA won't accept it so DIA spends more money and resources to re-adjudicate or re-grant the individual their own "DIA" TS. That is a waste of tax payers money and shows distrust among the agencies.
Please. please, don't let the enemy know the TS locations because when those locations become common knowledge and are targeted and our defenders are killed, be assured that you were just as responsible as the terrorist who did the killing.