Taliban terrorises RAF families (tapped into soldiers' mobile phone calls, phoned families)

The Sun (U.K.) ^ | August 23, 2007 | TOM NEWTON DUNN

[Stoat]

 EXCLUSIVE 

Taliban terrorises RAF families

 

 
Phone ban ... Our Boys in Afghanistan

 

By TOM NEWTON DUNN
Defence Editor
August 22, 2007
 
 

 

TALIBAN fanatics terrorised the wife of an RAF officer by phoning her and saying: “You’ll never see your husband alive — we have just killed him.”

 

Rebels in Afghanistan are targeting British forces’ families with hate calls after tapping into Our Boys’ mobile phones.

The tearful wife rang the RAF fearing the worst after receiving the midnight call — and was told her husband was safe and well.

But the Taliban calls are a sick new plot to destroy morale, and British forces in Afghanistan have now been BANNED from using mobiles.

Army chiefs believe extremists are using sophisticated eavesdropping equipment to trace home numbers when forces call their loved ones in Britain.

Intelligence analysts have tracked the hate calls to numbers in Pakistan, a hotbed for Islamic extremism and the Taliban’s prime recruiting ground.

 

Hate plot ... Taliban fighter
 

 

Pakistan’s notorious ISI spy agency — a known supporter of the Taliban — is believed to be intercepting Our Boys’ calls. It is also feared the Taliban may be getting intercept information from Iran.

Now all British troops’ welfare calls have to be made on secure military phone lines. But squaddies are fuming as they are only allowed 30 minutes’ call time each week.

One senior officer said: “We assume these days that every conversation over mobile phones is being heard by our enemies.

“They have some pretty powerful friends and allies, who are giving them some very sophisticated help. They will use that information in any way they can to damage us, whether it is physically or mentally.”

Hate calls are the latest tactic in the ever-more sophisticated war raging in Afghanistan’s lawless south.

A British forces spokesman in Afghanistan confirmed the hate calls, adding: “We are fully aware of the security implications of using personal mobile phones in Afghanistan and have therefore imposed a ban on their use to protect individuals and their families.”

The MoD confirmed that families of troops in Iraq have also suffered from “nuisance calls” in the past year.

[Stoat]

I'm guessing that this sick tactic will have the opposite effect....it's one thing to have competent, highly-trained soldiers come after you, but it's quite another if they are fuming mad at you for making their mothers upset. You don't mess with a man's family and expect to live....not ever.

[Anti-Bubba182]

"..Army chiefs believe extremists are using sophisticated eavesdropping equipment to trace home numbers when forces call their loved ones in Britain..."

Where did they get this equipment?

[SoldierMedic]

This was also going on in Iraq about a year ago.

[Stoat]

This was also going on in Iraq about a year ago.

From the posted article:

The MoD confirmed that families of troops in Iraq have also suffered from “nuisance calls” in the past year.

So it seems that once again, similar tactics move from one theater of battle to another....perhaps because it's the same enemy?  The Leftists who say that "we should have stayed in Afghanistan because Iraq has nothing to do with it" don't see the common puppet-master behind the screen.....Iran?

[Stoat]

"..Army chiefs believe extremists are using sophisticated eavesdropping equipment to trace home numbers when forces call their loved ones in Britain..."

Where did they get this equipment?

Guessing Iran?

"..Army chiefs believe extremists are using sophisticated eavesdropping equipment to trace home numbers when forces call their loved ones in Britain..."

Where did they get this equipment?

[SoldierMedic]

What has generally been happening is the tactics are pioneered and developed in Iraq, and after success are employed in Afghanistan.

[txhurl]

bttt

[STARWISE]

What animals ... beyond twisted.

[Stoat]

Thank you very much for pinging your list   :-)

[bajabaja]

Nobody has said it yet, but it seems that GPS coordinates are given away here, and not just for the call’s recipients. I am not sure exactly what they think this accomplishes, other than identifying their locations and devastating a loved one.

Cruel bastards need to be GPS’ed permanently. With their own help.

[VOA]

As soon as they find a Taliban phone-guy...
Hand him on over to Michael Vick and some of his worst dogs.

Failing that get “a couple of brothers” with a pair of pliers and
a blow-torch to help him during the rest of his soon-to-end life.
(a tip of the hat to “Pulp Fiction”/ Mr. Taratino for that!)

[SoldierMedic]

?

[glorgau]

One has to wonder how they tap into the calls as any digital calls are encrypted.

Given that, they probably got the numbers from the local PBX.

[glorgau]

We are fully aware of the security implications of using personal mobile phones in Afghanistan...

But didn't take proper measures until harm had been done.

[Stoat]

We are fully aware of the security implications of using personal mobile phones in Afghanistan...

But didn't take proper measures until harm had been done.

There was probably quite a bit of pressure to continue to allow them to use their own phones....from the article:

Now all British troops’ welfare calls have to be made on secure military phone lines. But squaddies are fuming as they are only allowed 30 minutes’ call time each week.

But perhaps all of this will have a silver lining of sorts....from the article:

Intelligence analysts have tracked the hate calls to numbers in Pakistan, a hotbed for Islamic extremism and the Taliban’s prime recruiting ground.

Perhaps employing this sick tactic has given the British (and American) intelligence analysts more useful information than is being disclosed at this time?

We are fully aware of the security implications of using personal mobile phones in Afghanistan...

But didn't take proper measures until harm had been done.

[Stoat]

As soon as they find a Taliban phone-guy...
 

You won't get any arguments from me  :-)

[Stoat]

Cruel bastards need to be GPS’ed permanently. With their own help.

I'm guessing that this tactic may end up helping us (and our British Friends) far more than them.  From the article:

Intelligence analysts have tracked the hate calls to numbers in Pakistan, a hotbed for Islamic extremism and the Taliban’s prime recruiting ground.

Who knows how much additional information is able to be gathered when a call comes in to a British phone exchange from Pakistan?  There is probably a whole lot that is not being disclosed here, and it's not the sort of thing that will benefit the Taliban.

[SevenofNine]

This is rude

[Stoat]

Thank you very much for pinging your list   :-)

[Kathy in Alaska]

Hoping the Brits use the gained knowledge to good advantage...I’m sure they are angry enough.