A little known US government agency, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, has been keeping an eye on events within the US borders. Since the
911 attacks, this small department of about 100 people have focused their efforts on working with the Homeland Security department to keeping an eye
on what goes on at home. According to reports, about 2 times a month, the agency is called upon to help with the security of events in the US. It also
provides imagery to help forces defend against possible terrorist attacks. A cited example was for the Reagan funeral procession in Simi Valley. The
route was mapped out by the agency to allow security forces to better plan and secure the event. Others may include political conventions and nuclear
plants.
story.news.yahoo.com
BETHESDA, Md. - In the name of homeland security, America's spy imagery agency is keeping a close eye, close to home. It's watching America. Since
the Sept. 11 attacks, about 100 employees of a little-known branch of the Defense Department called the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency — and
some of the country's most sophisticated aerial imaging equipment — have focused on observing what's going on in the United States.
Their work brushes up against the fine line between protecting the public and performing illegal government spying on Americans.
Roughly twice a month, the agency is called upon to help with the security of events inside the United States. Even more routinely, it is asked to
help prepare imagery and related information to protect against possible attacks on critical sites.
For instance, the agency has modified basic maps of the nation's capital to highlight the location of hospitals, linking them to data on the number of
beds or the burn unit in each. To secure the Ronald Reagan funeral procession, the agency merged aerial photographs and 3D images, allowing security
planners to virtually walk, drive or fly through the Simi Valley, Calif., route.
The agency is especially watchful of big events or targets that might attract terrorists — political conventions, for example, or nuclear power
plants.
Everyone agrees that the domestic mission of the NGA has increased dramatically in the wake of Sept. 11, even though laws and carefully crafted
regulations are in place to prevent government surveillance aimed at Americans.
Please visit the link provided for the complete story.
The activities of the agency however may border on spying on American citizens. This is despite laws that are supposed to prevent this from
happening. The agency has stated that it is not interested in the activities of individual citizens. Critics like Steven Aftergood, an Federation of
American Scientists, say "What it all boils down to is 'Trust us. Our intentions are good,'" Others have called for public oversight of these
activities as well. The level of detail provided by the agency is tailored to the perceived threat. According to the NGA's associate general counsel,
Laura Jennings "In most cases, it's not intrusive,"It is information to help secure an event and to have people prepared to respond should there be an
attack, or to analyze the area where a threat has been made." .
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I have really mixed feelings about this. While I don't relish government intrusion, I wonder how we can be kept safe with such methods.
Good find, Fred.
Oh, and BTW, for your many efforts recently:
You have voted FredT for the Way Above Top Secret award. You have one more vote left for this month.
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Originally posted by FredT
Everyone agrees that the domestic mission of the NGA has increased dramatically in the wake of Sept. 11, even though laws and carefully crafted
regulations are in place to prevent government surveillance aimed at Americans.
Sure, until we take those carefully crafted regulations and dispose of them...then we can get to some serious "surveillance."
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Coming from a country that seems to have a cctv camera every 100 yards or less i can't talk but,
The orwellian view of the future is here and here to stay what was that green stuff they were eating again?
On another note i just read they are trying to catch speeders using satellite technology things are getting better/worse lol.
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Hey FredT,
The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency is actually not that new of an organization. It is just a re-organization of several functions, one of
whom was the National Imagry and Mapping Agency (NIMA), under a single umbrella. The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency is tasked with providing
imagry and mapping coordinates, as well as several other information sets, to the US Government. They are responsible for providing information and
maps that the majority of the US government, including the military, use. Their web site is : www.nima.mil... which if you
notice, still includes the old NIMA mil address.
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This is what really gets to me.
performing illegal government spying on Americans.
Why spy on American citizens? Shouldn't the government be going after foreign terrorist? And if our government IS spying on the American public, then
they're not going after terrorist. They're going after us. Why? What if I didn't agree with how the government was performing in todays society.
I'm guessing the government doesn't like that so they'll start spying on me, acting like I should behave and do as they say. Huh?
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