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2000 04 03 * Ekstra Bladet * Is there a spy on the line? * Bo Elkjaer, Kenan Seeberg

Ex-spy meets his victim: Ekstra Bladet sets up a meeting between former Echelon spy Fred Stock and the secretary-general for Denmark's Amnesty organization. Amnesty is concerned.

  

Echelon is monitoring and spying on Amnesty International, according to what former Canadian Echelon agent Fred Stock tells Ekstra Bladet. The illegal surveillance and spying has been going on for years, and countless reports on Amnesty are circulating in the global espionage network.

Thursday afternoon, ex-spy Fred Stock had a personal opportunity to elaborate on the illegal surveillance to Amnesty International.

This happened when Ekstra Bladet simply went to the office of the Denmark's secretary-general, Lars Normann Jørgensen, phoned Fred Stock in Canada and handed the receiver to Lars Norman, so the two of them could talk. The monitored target from Denmark and the spy who changed sides from Canada.

"Hello, this is Lars. What can you tell me about the surveillance of Amnesty International?" the secretary-general asks on the phone across the Atlantic to Canada.

The replies are alarmingly detailed:

"When I was working for CSE (the Canadian Security Establishment, Canada's Echelon service ¯ ed.), I saw countless reports on Amnesty International," explains ex-spy Fred Stock.

"The great majority of the reports were final products prepared by the NSA (National Security Agency, the US's Echelon service - ed.)." The NSA collected the raw intelligence from all around the world and used it in the reports I received," says Fred Stock.

REPORTS ON PRISONERS

Amnesty's Danish secretary-general, Lars Normann Jørgensen, continues his questioning:

"Did the reports cover our campaigns? Or were they reports on individuals who work for Amnesty, or on some of the victims we are trying to help?"

"Some of the reports were about eyewitnesses and prisoners of conscience in prisons around the world. But there were also reports on forthcoming campaigns, and occasionally we received reports with other information about the organization."

"My job was to receive the incoming reports and forward them to the analysts who were responsible for evaluating the contents."

Ex-spy Fred Stock has a long talk with Amnesty's secretary-general. After they hang up, it is Ekstra Bladet's turn to talk with the Mr. Jørgensen.

Are you surprised?
"No, not really. We know it's going on. But the proportions astonish me. I also think it's interesting that they collected reports on prisoners of conscience and political prisoners. These prisoners are often prominent persons who occasionally end up in very important positions. Take Nelson Mandela or Vaclav Havel, for instance," says Lars Normann Jørgensen.

"In general, I would say that if someone wanted to know more about Amnesty, we prefer that they enter through the front door," he adds with a wry smile.

"But it's a rather atypical problem for Amnesty International. Usually, we are the ones trying to clarify how 'other' persons' rights are being violated."

What are the implications for your organization?
"It clearly gives rise to a fundamental concern for the safety of both the victims and the witnesses," concludes the secretary-general.

Now, Lars Normann intends to alert his Amnesty colleagues in Canada, and tell them about Fred Stock. At the same time he will contact Amnesty International Headquarters in London.

"I want to make sure that the Canadian organization realizes that Fred Stock possesses this knowledge. Afterward, I will contact our international headquarters in London to find out how we can clear this up with the responsible politicians."