Posted on 04/09/2008 7:18:41 PM PDT by nuconvert
'German firm helps Iran monitor Israel'
April 8, 2008
Jerusalem Post
The Munich-based energy and electrical giant Siemens has with "high likelihood" delivered sophisticated data surveillance systems to Iran, an Austrian investigative journalist disclosed in a public broadcast ORF report on Monday.
Speaking from Vienna, journalist Erich Moechel told The Jerusalem Post that he was "99 percent certain" that "Monitoring Centers," used to track mobile and land-line phone conversations, had been sent to Iran. These systems could enable the Iranian intelligence service to document conversations between Israel and Iran and "build a communication profile."
According to Moechel, the technology can show "how many telephone conversations over the last 10 years between Israel and Iran" took place, as well as the locations of the communications.
Moechel, a specialist in the field of data protection and surveillance, said that he was highly certain that the Iranian regime had purchased German-designed "Intelligence Platform" systems, which allow the Iranian secret service to monitor "financial transactions and traffic and airplane movements."
The Intelligence Platform would enable the Islamic Republic to amass complex databases showing, for example, the activities of international companies in Iran that also conduct business with Israel and other countries.
When questioned about the delivery of intelligence equipment, Wolfram Trost, a Siemens spokesman, declined to confirm the sale of the Monitoring Centers and Intelligence Platforms to Iran. Trost said Siemens "adheres to the European Union, United Nations and German guidelines" covering restricted trade with Iran.
The sale of "dual-use goods" - which can be applied for military usage and a nuclear weapons program - to Iran is unlawful under EU and UN sanctions as well as German export control regulations.
Trost referred the matter to Siemens's joint partner in the Iranian deal, Nokia Siemens Network.
Telephone calls seeking a comment from the Nokia Siemens Network in Espoo, the Finnish telecommunications partner, were not returned.
Moechel wrote in his article that the integrated intelligence devices were used against persecuted minority groups and political dissidents in Iran. He cited German and Austrian privacy experts who noted that these types of machines would not be lawful within the EU.
The public prosecutor in Munich told the Post that Siemens was the subject of an ongoing bribery scandal investigation. The company has acknowledged that it spent €19 million to bribe Iranian officials in January.
Siemens, which conducts an over-$500-million trade relationship with Iran, provides vital engineering and technological equipment for Iran's infrastructure. American and Israeli critics have urged Siemens to sever its business ties with Iran.
Once a Nazi company, always a Nazi company.
You got that right. They’re a bunch of free wheeling wh0res in the Fatherland apparently.
“Persia owes Siemens...”
Excuse me?
Ve have vays of listening to you talk.
What else is Siemens providing considering Siemens bought Westinghouse Power Generation (Nuclear) in 1998, with its headquarters in Orlando, Florida?
However, if the equipment sold by Siemens to the Iranians works as well as the equipment they foisted off on the United States Postal Service, then no harm, no foul (inasmuch as that stuff doesn't work worth a d----d...)
the infowarrior
Oh dear, I worked a temporary job in the Orlando office of Westinghouse, back in 1996.
When money is involved they no conscience.
Bullcrap.
I might remind you that Iran is killing American troops in Iraq today and Siemens is giving corporate life support to the Ayatollahs...
Their motto should be:
Siemens: Putting Profits Before People By Providing Power Generation for Genocide
Siemens AG
Siemens AG of Germany, one of the world’s leading telecommunications companies, has long had significant operations in four terrorist-sponsoring states: Iran, Sudan, Syria and Saddam Hussein’s Iraq. These ties represent significant infrastructure projects, whose values total hundreds of millions of dollars.
Siemens has extensive ties to Iran via direct operations in the country and through the operations of a number of corporate subsidiaries, including Iranian subsidiaries. Its projects in the country include development of a cell phone infrastructure and upgrade projects on the country’s fixed line network. The company is also heavily involved in Iran’s power industry. Siemens has provided equipment and technology in carrying out these projects.1 Recently Siemens signed a $570 million deal with Iran to build 150 railroad locomotives, increasing the number of locomotives in the country by nearly 50 percent.2
Siemens ties to pre-war Iraq were particularly notorious thanks to its sale to Saddam Hussein’s regime of six devices known as lithotripters. While these machines were purchased under the guise of using them for medical purposes (i.e., to smash kidney stones), when the electric switches that power them are strung together, they can be used as detonators for a nuclear weapon. It was not until Iraq ordered numerous replacement switches, however, that the worrisome dual-use nature of this component became public knowledge.3
Siemens also has extensive ties to Sudan and Syria. In Sudan, the company is involved in the country’s power generation industry and in Syria, Siemens has helped construct the country’s wireless phone system.4
In a related development, Siemens has recently undergone a probe after suspiscions of a massive overseas slush fund were uncovered. These funds were allegedly used to bribe officials and leaders in other countries in order to secure contracts. Suspected contractees included the Greek interior officials in charge of the 2004 Olympic games and the regime of the fomer Nigerian dictator Sani Abacha. Transparency International, a global bribery watchdog group, has threatened to end Siemens’ membership from the group pending the probe’s results.5
Siemens’ activities place it on the “Dirty Dozen” list for the following reasons:
Advanced Technology: Siemens’ work in the telecommunications and power generation industries of these countries involves advanced technology and equipment. Siemens’ high-tech projects often introduce into terrorist-sponsoring and WMD-proliferating states technology that can have real military value. The likelihood that dual-use technology will be diverted to nefarious purposes is increased when a company contracts with state-owned companies. Such partnerships are common when foreign companies, such as Siemens, invest in rogue states.
Revenues: Siemens is involved in large-scale projects in these countries totaling hundreds of millions of dollars. Not only does this create revenues for the terrorist-sponsoring government in question. It also serves as an engine for broader economic growth.
Moral and Political Cover: When leading global companies such as Siemens AG partner with terrorist-sponsoring states, it sends a clear message to these governments: Sponsoring terrorism is not a concern as long as there are corporate profits to be made. It disregards the human rights issues caused by its customers, as is evident with its deals with Sudan and former Nigerian Dictators, and ignores standard business practices through the use of bribes. Its message undermines U.S. sanctions and international diplomatic efforts to bring change to these countries.
UPDATE: On Janaury 22nd, 2007 Siemens announced it was pulling out of Sudan within six months. Siemens though has no plans to stop doing business with other state sponsors of terrorism such as Iran. DivestTerror.org will continue to monitor Siemen’s actions to see if they still merit being on the Dirty Dozen list.
That is truly worrisome.
Wrong. Westinghouse Nuclear is headquartered in Pittsburgh and was purchased by British Nuclear Fuel, and later sold to Toshiba and the Shaw Group (20%). The Orlando operation Siemens bought was the steam and gas turbine business, and Siemens has totally screwed them up.
Thanks for the correction. I had a friend who relocated out of Pittsburgh to Orlando with them and believed they took many of the nuclear engineers with them.
No. Orlando was all steam & gas turbine / generators.
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