NEWS: Internet Blows CIA Cover, page 1

posted on Mar, 11 2006 @ 10:09 PM

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The CIA is now finding out that anyone with a few dollars and an internet connection can gain access to a list of CIA employees, internal agency telephone numbers, and the location of secret CIA facilities around the United States. Using a service that complies public information a search for the term Central Intelligence Agency will come up with a list of employees, some of whom are undercover agents. The CIA Director was "horrified" when told of the problem by the Chicago Tribune.

www.chicagotribune.co m
WASHINGTON -- She is 52 years old, married, grew up in the Kansas City suburbs and now lives in Virginia, in a new three-bedroom house.

Anyone who can qualify for a subscription to one of the online services that compile public information also can learn that she is a CIA employee who, over the past decade, has been assigned to several American embassies in Europe.

When the Tribune searched a commercial online data service, the result was a virtual directory of more than 2,600 CIA employees, 50 internal agency telephone numbers and the locations of some two dozen secret CIA facilities around the United States.

But an online search for the term "Camp Peary" produced the names and other details of 26 individuals who according to the data are employed there. Searching aviation databases for flights landing or taking off from Camp Peary's small airstrip revealed 17 aircraft whose ownership and flight histories could also be traced.

Please visit the link provided for the complete story.

news.yahoo.com

This just blows me away quite frankly. Like the article says it calls into question all the charges that are bought up against people for disclosing the names of undercover operatives. I doubt that all the good agents that they have wernt stupid enough to leave all there information public but it makes you wonder, is your neighbor on the list?

[edit on 11-3-2006 by North Rider]

cyberdude78

posted on Mar, 11 2006 @ 10:40 PM

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As curious as I can be sometimes, this is just downright dangerous. Although I think the public has the right to know certain things, we don't need to be putting our own people in danger like this. It's just crazy that a site should be allowed to place the lives of our agents in danger like this.

Astronomer68

posted on Mar, 11 2006 @ 10:43 PM

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What an amazing thing to find out--especially if you are the Director of the CIA. However, a check of names did not reveal anyone I knew. For the CIA to get caught out like this, is as you said, mindboggling. They have a whole section whose sole job is to search publicly accessable records & databases trying to learn classified information. It appears they should have looked a bit closer to home.

As an afterthought, I recall back in the 70's when a search of U.S. libraries was conducted, that particular section discovered all the information on building an atomic bomb was available if one knew where & how to look.

[edit on 11-3-2006 by Astronomer68]

Vitchilo

posted on Mar, 11 2006 @ 11:35 PM

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Will they use that as a pretext to close internet? To save our liberties?

subz

posted on Mar, 12 2006 @ 03:49 AM

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Originally posted by cyberdude78
It's just crazy that a site should be allowed to place the lives of our agents in danger like this.

It's not like the site did it on purpose, it just collates publically available information for searches. If the information wasn't left in the public domain by the CIA in the first place they wouldn't be in jeapordy. Blame where blame is due.

This thread should read: The CIA Blows Own Cover

[edit on 12/3/06 by subz]

ChemicalLaser

posted on Mar, 12 2006 @ 09:32 AM

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Apparently a subscription is required to read the original story? Anyone have a link or an image of the full text of the original?

justyc

posted on Mar, 12 2006 @ 09:46 AM

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Originally posted by ChemicalLaser
Apparently a subscription is required to read the original story? Anyone have a link or an image of the full text of the original?

this is a useful site - www.bugmenot.com... if you just want to read one article from a subscription website

soficrow

posted on Mar, 12 2006 @ 09:52 AM

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Originally posted by subz

This thread should read:

The CIA Blows Own Cover

I certainly hope nobody is stupid enough to think the Internet is responsible. As someone pointed out above, the CIA has an entire department devoted to Internet security - they obviously didn't do their job.

As far as Plame goes - it's a different issue. The existence of this error does NOT justify or neutralize the Bush administration's role in outing Plame.

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shanti23

posted on Mar, 12 2006 @ 12:04 PM

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If you want to keep it secret, don't make it available online.
It really is as simple as that.

Here's a tip: in the occupation data field, don't put: CIA Agent!

grimreaper797

posted on Mar, 12 2006 @ 12:22 PM

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its one thing to make public of what the agency is doing as a whole in order moniter them so they arent making illegal actions, its another thing to list the agents and such...that is bad. the CIA did this to themselves though and should be fully accountable for this incident. such personal information shouldnt be let out, only general info about what the CIA as a whole has been doing.

nativeokie

posted on Mar, 12 2006 @ 12:29 PM

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Although logic says the Plame issue is different the courts have often taken the illogical stance on rulings in the past. You can almost bet this will be used in the Libby trial. It would not surprise me to see it work.

blobby

posted on Mar, 14 2006 @ 05:12 AM

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Will they use that as a pretext to close INTERNET? To save our liberties?

Funny that i was thinking the same thing but more in the way of them wanting to Regulate the INTERNET their way or no way, USA already wanted control over Internet but was refused thank God, as the Internet does not belong to one country but to the world.

Britguy

posted on Mar, 14 2006 @ 10:05 AM

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Rather Ironic really that those who would spy on us and invade our privacy are themselves exposed to the rest of the world

The problem is not with the Internet but with all those marketing and data gathering companies that hold huge databases on us all listing everything about our lives, buying habits, marital status, addresses and telephone numbers etc. I care more about that unwarranted invasion of privacy than any spook losing his cover. Look how many of these data companies are hacked and contribute to huge identity theft problems. When these companies sell data about me to other data or marketing companies, they do so without my knowledge or authorisation and I finf it outrageous that in this age of supposed data protection thay are allowed to do so.