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German Helicopter Flies Low Altitude Over US Consulate to Check for Surveillance Gear
http://downtrend.com ^ | september 10, 2013 | James Daniels

Posted on 09/11/2013 1:17:10 PM PDT by lowbridge

Der Spiegel reported Monday that the German government has confirmed a previously reported operation targeting potential US spying facilities in Germany in late August.

According to the report, a German Federal Police helicopter circled at an altitude of just 200 feet over the US Consulate in Frankfurt. The main objective was to take high-resolution photographs to identify suspected listening posts on the building’s roof.

However, the Germans may have had an additional motive. As noted in the report, an unnamed official claimed Germany wanted to send a message that eavesdropping technologies would not be tolerated on its soil. Specifically, the message was supposed to be, “Stop. Germany strikes back!”, according to Der Spiegel.

Allegedly, the operation was ordered by Chancellor Merkel’s Chief of Staff Ronald Pofalla. According to the report, while Pofalla believes the NSA scandal has passed, he is furious about reports of spying technologies at US diplomatic outposts in his nation.

As Der Spiegel notes, experts believe the flyover was more symbolic than a serious attempt to locate spy gear. Experts believe the Germans wanted to make it clear they can get more aggressive on this issue, if necessary.

(Excerpt) Read more at downtrend.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Germany; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: germany; nsa
Full title: German Helicopter Flies Low Altitude Over US Consulate to Check for Surveillance Gear, Warn US on Spying
1 posted on 09/11/2013 1:17:10 PM PDT by lowbridge
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To: lowbridge

Full Title: Obama substantially Changes America


2 posted on 09/11/2013 1:21:02 PM PDT by Cold Heart
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To: lowbridge

Obama making really sure the Germans totally LOVE us, I see.

How’s that Russian RESET BUTTON coming, btw..?

And now about Iran..?


3 posted on 09/11/2013 1:22:52 PM PDT by gaijin
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To: lowbridge

Throw your Nobel Peace Prize at them, Barry.


4 posted on 09/11/2013 1:24:54 PM PDT by AppyPappy (Obama: What did I not know and when did I not know it?)
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To: lowbridge

The police? This is a political move. The police don’t have the equipment to detect spy equipment. The way to do it is to set up a broad range antenna and scan the spectrum while focusing on likely targets. Likely targets are windows and plastic or fiberglass domes on the roofs. It is unlikely an embassy would have such radiating equipment because it needs to be in a location where it can hit a target of interest.

More likely, satellite phone emissions and transfer towers would be targeted. They might bounce microwaves or lasers off individual windows, but that wouldn’t be done from an embasy. They need plausible deniability.

Spying as suggested in the article is extremely unlikely.


5 posted on 09/11/2013 1:26:24 PM PDT by Gen.Blather
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To: Gen.Blather
...but if they want to know if espionage is being conducted out of US diplomatic facilities in Germany, I can certainly answer that for them.

Yes, we're spying on you and we use our embassies and consulates to do it, just like every other first-world country does to every other other first-world country.

There. Ya happy?!?

6 posted on 09/11/2013 1:38:59 PM PDT by Oberon (Big Brutha Be Watchin'.)
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To: lowbridge

Still kicking themselves over losing the Battle of Stalingrad, I betcha.


7 posted on 09/11/2013 1:41:24 PM PDT by JoeTheGeorgian
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To: lowbridge
It's the biggest consulate in the world. It used to be a US Army hospital. Check it out on Wikimapia.
8 posted on 09/11/2013 1:47:19 PM PDT by cynwoody
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To: lowbridge

“an unnamed official claimed Germany wanted to send a message that eavesdropping technologies would not be tolerated on its soil”

Totally bogus since the US maintains NSA/NRO/DIA and other assets on German soil with the cooperation and joint operation of the German military and government.


9 posted on 09/11/2013 1:49:52 PM PDT by CodeToad (Liberals are bloodsucking ticks. We need to light the matchstick to burn them off. -786 +969)
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To: lowbridge

I’m thinking that several dozen million candle watt spot lights trained on that helicopter would deter future such “visits”


10 posted on 09/11/2013 1:52:01 PM PDT by taxcontrol
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To: lowbridge
I saw this story on Drudge yesterday and I had a good laugh! There are still many US military bases in Germany to do all kinds of stuff from.

I spent several TDY’s at Tuefelsberg in Berlin as a trainer teaching cryptography.

The facility is closed now. Here’s a picture:

I also taught the same classes at Bad Aibling outside of Munich:

I spent half my military career around giant "golf balls". Germany had/has a lot of them!

11 posted on 09/11/2013 1:54:57 PM PDT by Alas Babylon!
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To: Oberon

“Yes, we’re spying on you and we use our embassies and consulates to do it, just like every other first-world country does to every other other first-world country.”

Churchill said, “Countries don’t have friends. Countries have common interests.” Yes, we spy, they spy, we all spy.


12 posted on 09/11/2013 1:57:28 PM PDT by Gen.Blather
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To: lowbridge

Every country has always spied on every other country. Germany can’t say they aren’t spying on the US.


13 posted on 09/11/2013 2:21:19 PM PDT by bgill (This reply was mined before it was posted.)
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To: lowbridge

They don’t need us to save them from the Russians anymore. + Barry is alienating them on purpose.


14 posted on 09/11/2013 2:30:02 PM PDT by glorgau
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To: Gen.Blather

15 posted on 09/11/2013 3:18:34 PM PDT by ASA Vet (Don't assume Shahanshah Obama will allow another election.)
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To: lowbridge

How things change...


16 posted on 09/11/2013 3:22:39 PM PDT by OldNewYork (Biden '13. Impeach now.)
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To: bgill
Every country has always spied on every other country. Germany can’t say they aren’t spying on the US.

Of course not, but they can slap Obama and that's what they're doing here. Nothing more, nothing less.

17 posted on 09/11/2013 4:27:41 PM PDT by BfloGuy (People who know what theyÂ’re talking about donÂ’t need PowerPoint.)
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