Secret Service Using Jamming Equipment?

Tri-City Herald | 8/23/2003 | John Trumbo

[steve86]

President Bush visited the Ice Harbor Dam on the Snake River yesterday. I watched his motorcade and was impressed with the security arrangements.

In a Tri-City Herald article published today titled "Security formidable for visit" is the following paragraph:

"Several journalists at the dam discovered that their communications equipment, such as satellite phones and cell phones, wouldn't work until Bush's visit was finished"

This implies that some sort of jamming equipment was used, but I am very skeptical. For one thing, my cell phone has never worked at nearby parks on the Snake River, simply because of the distance from the adjacent highway and repeater towers.

I don't know about the satellite phones. I am pretty certain that local law enforcement continued to utilize their normal equipment and frequencies. This is not a high-threat area by any means. Only invited supporters were allowed in for the speech. Mostly farmers and local Republicans.

I am not asking for any classified information, but is there anything in the public domain suggesting that electronic interference is employed by the Secret Service? If not, the local reporter (jtrumbo@tri-cityherald.com) may need a good wrapping of tin foil.

[coloradan]

If the phones worked at the location before and after the visit but not during, then the phone service providers were either jammed or turned off during the visit.

[Ex-Dem]

Wouldn't the jamming affect the earpieces the Secret Service people wear too?

[meatloaf]

I've heard third hand that the SS uses procedures and equipment to ensure the president's safety that are beyond what most of the public would expect.

[steve86]

Incidentally, another article in the paper overstated the degree of conflict between a group of protesters and another group of supporters. In fact, I have seen more strident arguments in a supermarket check-out line. One protester said something to the effect of "Where are the jobs?". A supporter replied "We like Bush".

Gee, I hope no one got hurt in that altercation.

[steve86]

I did see one of the tactical communications vans in the motorcade. Heavy-duty four-wheel drive van with all kinds of communications antennas. It would have been interesting to use some kind of frequency monitor, if you really knew how to interpret it.

[PLMerite]

I would imagine it's to prevent command-detonated thingies from working.

[Bon mots]

Yeah, it's easy to jam cellphones. You can too!

Portable Model

Conference Room Model

Courtesy of our friends in Israel... Good Source

[r9etb]

Wouldn't the jamming affect the earpieces the Secret Service people wear too?

Not if it's at a different frequency. (And it's undoubtedly encrypted and frequency-hopped, too.)

The reason they'd want to jam is quite simple: Hamas has successfully used cell phone-based triggering devices for remote control bombs. All you've got to do is "call" the detonator, and BOOM!

Cell phones and satellite phones operate within very narrow frequency ranges, so it's not difficult to jam those. They may do a broad-spectrum jam, too, to rule out detonators working on other frequencies.

Finally, you want to disrupt timing. If the president leaves point A for point B, potential attackers could benefit by knowing when he left.

[steve86]

I would imagine it's to prevent command-detonated thingies from working.

Hadn't thought of that. Good point.

[Bon mots]

They can jam from as little as 9 meters up to 1 kilometer in radius!

Take one to the movies! Just leave your pacemaker home.

[Petronski]

I would not be surprised to learn that the president moved about in a communications blackout bubble. Seems like a logical measure.

[Newbomb Turk]

I once saw a device employed that was supposed to broadcast a short burst up and down the most common radio freqs in an effort to make any radio triggered explosives detonate prematurely.

Hopefully while still in possession of the bomb builders.

[Servant of the Nine]

The SS would hardly need jamming equipment, they could just request the phone companies to shut down the desired cells and screen sat uplinks from the area.

So9

[theFIRMbss]

>I've heard third hand that the SS uses procedures and equipment to ensure the president's safety that are beyond what most of the public would expect

Yes, from what I've heard --
third hand also! -- that is a
big understatement.

[paul51]

Yup. I imagine they follow a lot of procedures that are not broadcast to the general public

[cmsgop]

I just saw one of the advance teams leave Boeing Field at 9am today.

[steve86]

If the president leaves point A for point B, potential attackers could benefit by knowing when he left.

Yes, and law enforcement apparently was briefed to not give out location information. I was standing right next to a person who asked a State Patrol "Has the President left the dam yet?". The officer said no, but then the motorcade appeared after a very short time, far shorter than it would take to drive the distance. As the officer (who was willing to chat about other things) was listening to his radio the whole time, I'm sure he was deliberately giving disinfo for security reasons.

Incidentally, it was interesting to see Washington State Patrol Officers on BMW motorcycles riding out in front of the motorcade, doing their best imitation of Kenny Roberts turning a corner near where I was standing. As a road racing enthusiast, I would have to say that their cornering technique didn't quite match Robert's, but the approach and departure speeds did impress the spectators. Guess there's no American bike brand right now that fits their requirements.

Overhead was a SS helicopter, I think a rented Bell Jet Ranger, but no aerobatics were performed other than a couple of steep banks.

[pabianice]

A double-layered tin foil cap helps block out the Government's mind-control transmissions...

[Maria S]

Interesting website; all about encrypting, other computer stuff I don't have a clue about:
http://cryptome.org/


Another weird website with an interesting article; just one I stumbled on.

http://www.geocities.com/aerialbehaviormod/

"Aerial Mind-Control (Not Fiction)
The Threat to Civil Liberties
by Judie Wall, Editor/Publisher Resonance
Newsletter of the MENSA Bioelectromagnetics Special Interest Group
USAF COMMANDO SOLO: AERIAL MIND CONTROL BROADCASTS
The United States Air Force uses aerial mind-control broadcasts against civilian population as well as enemy troops. Some of these actions against civilians are done with the intent of influencing public opinion and the outcome of elections."