Pratap Chatterjee

ACLU Reveals FBI Hacking Contractors

James Bimen Associates of Virginia and Harris Corporation of Florida have contracts with the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to hack into computers and phones of surveillance targets, according to Chris Soghoian, principal technologist at the American Civil Liberties Union’s Speech, Privacy and Technology Project. “Bimen and Harris employees actively hack into target computers … Continue reading “ACLU Reveals FBI Hacking Contractors”

Eavesdropping on the Whole World

How do U.S. intelligence agencies eavesdrop on the whole world? The ideal place to tap trans-border telecommunications is undersea cables that carry an estimated 90 percent of international voice traffic. These cables date back in history to 1858 when they were first installed to support the international telegraph system, with the British taking the lead … Continue reading “Eavesdropping on the Whole World”

How Booz Allen Made the Revolving Door Redundant

Edward Snowden, a low-level employee of Booz Allen Hamilton who blew the whistle on the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA), unexpectedly exposed a powerful and seamless segment of the military-industrial complex – the world of contractors that consumes some 70 percent of this country’s 52-billion-dollar intelligence budget. Some commentators have pounced on Snowden’s disclosures to … Continue reading “How Booz Allen Made the Revolving Door Redundant”

Gunfight at Abbottabad: Dismantling the Myth of an American Hero

In Hollywood Westerns, the sheriff engages in a shootout with bad guys and wins. Such was the story of Wyatt Earp, who killed rustlers in the "Gunfight at OK Corral." Then there is the American cowboy, represented by John Wayne — tall, handsome, Anglo-Saxon — who rides into town whistling before he dispatches the "bad … Continue reading “Gunfight at Abbottabad: Dismantling the Myth of an American Hero”

WikiLeaks Files Reveal Failures of US Intelligence

Was Adel Hamlily an agent for MI6, the British secret services, and simultaneously a "facilitator, courier, kidnapper, and assassin for al-Qaeda"? Was there a secret al-Qaeda cell in Bremen that even the German government knew nothing about? And could it be possible that an 11-year-old Saudi villager was leading a terrorist cell in London? Earlier … Continue reading “WikiLeaks Files Reveal Failures of US Intelligence”

Inspectors Call Afghan Police Tracking System a Failure

A system designed to track the success of Afghan police training is deeply flawed, says a report from the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan (SIGAR). Some 67 out of 101 Afghan National Police (ANP) units rated capable of working independently had regressed within a year, says the report that was published Tuesday. “It basically has … Continue reading “Inspectors Call Afghan Police Tracking System a Failure”

Congressional Commission to Examine Contractors in War

Should private contractors like Blackwater be allowed to continue to provide armed security for convoys, diplomatic and other personnel, and military bases and other facilities in Afghanistan and Iraq? A bipartisan U.S. Congressional commission will spend two days cross-examining 14 witnesses from academia, government and the companies themselves to come up with an answer. "Some … Continue reading “Congressional Commission to Examine Contractors in War”

The Pentagon’s Propaganda Networks

Propaganda networks that conduct "psychological warfare" for the Pentagon have been in vogue for a long time. Mike Furlong, a senior Pentagon official who is now being investigated for running a covert network of contractors to supply information for drone strikes and assassinations in Afghanistan and Pakistan, had a long history of working in this … Continue reading “The Pentagon’s Propaganda Networks”

Afghanistan Spy Contract Goes Sour for Pentagon

Mike Furlong, a top Pentagon official, is alleged to have run a covert network of contractors to supply information for drone strikes and assassinations in Afghanistan and Pakistan for the U.S. government. The contract built upon his decade-long experience in running propaganda programs for the military in Bosnia, Kosovo, and Iraq. Officially, Furlong worked in … Continue reading “Afghanistan Spy Contract Goes Sour for Pentagon”

Allegations of Fraud Scheme at Kuwaiti Pentagon Contractor

The Sultan family of Kuwait runs a variety of businesses alleged to be at the heart of a scheme to overcharge the U.S. military by as much as a billion dollars over the last seven years. The company is currently scheduled to face criminal arraignment on Feb. 8 in Atlanta, Ga. Federal criminal investigators say … Continue reading “Allegations of Fraud Scheme at Kuwaiti Pentagon Contractor”