From: A.Lizard Date: Tue Sep 7, 2004 11:46pm Subject: Re: PC-based software-defined radio At 04:23 PM 9/7/04 +0000, you wrote: sorry, I'd intended to mail that back to myself for my archive files. A.Lizard >Message: 11 > Date: Mon, 06 Sep 2004 14:37:31 -0700 > From: "A.Lizard" >Subject: > >At 03:59 PM 9/6/04 +0000, you wrote: > > >Message: 7 > > Date: Sun, 05 Sep 2004 22:20:20 -0400 > > From: "James M. Atkinson" > >Subject: Re: SDR analysis of covert transmissions > > > >I have own some SDR-14's, and have been quite pleased with them, but I wish > >the factory would build them faster (do I can buy a few more). -- member The Internet Society (ISOC), The HTML Writers Guild. "They need to wake up and smell the fire, it is their pants that are burning." hombresecreto, re: the famous SCO threat letter Personal Website http://www.ecis.com/~alizard business Website http://reptilelabs.com backup address (if ALL else fails) alizard@g..., alizardx@y... PGP 8.0 key available by request or keyserver. Download PGP from: http://www.pgpi.org for e-mail privacy. Disaster prep info: http://www.ecis.com/~alizard/y2k.html ***Looking for INTELLIGENT new technology public policy alternatives?*** http://www.ecis.com/~alizard/technology.html 9621 From: walshingham2000 Date: Tue Sep 7, 2004 7:18pm Subject: Call For Articles PGPBOARD Newsletter (November 2004) -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 CALL FOR ARTICLES ================= PGPBOARD is currently preparing our next quarterly newsletter slated for circulation during the second week of November, and is actively soliciting articles. Currently, we circulate to approximately 400 recipients, these include individuals, and several well known NGO's. The copyright remains with the author, and drafts of the newsletter are circulated to individual contributors prior to circulation for comments concerning the overall context of the newsletter in which their articles will appear. Best Regards Alan Taylor PGPBOARD Administrator Angeles City, Philippines http://groups.yahoo.com/group/pgpboard/ -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.2.6 (MingW32) - WinPT 0.7.92-cvs Comment: GPG HOME BASE v1.1.2-SMTP iD8DBQFBPk3PnlgTmL218Z8RAi1yAJsGWswPoq52hXjaU+6r9T3lVhK2bwCeM0F1 Ykpo15EBsuLLZi4T8shUGqM= =ECAG -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- 9622 From: George Shaw Date: Wed Sep 8, 2004 1:06am Subject: RE: Bugging device found at Sinn Féin aide's home I have seen the photographs of the "equipment". ANY agency with ANY knowledge at all would never have installed this kit, its level of sophistication is akin to my 7 year olds experiments with a "Learn Electronics 300 in 1 kit". They had access to the whole house and the attic (roof space) and could only install this 40 ft of wire and 4 PA mics modified with a army surplus Tx. Don't think so. Nice publicity stunt though. (The "find" was not that far from where I live). -- George Shaw MI3GTO / 2I0GTO “ Any Sufficiently Advanced Technology is Indistinguishable from Magic” ---Arthur C. Clarke Mobile: +44 (0) 7740 361 163 Email: george.shaw@u... Fax & Voicemail: +44 (0) 871 242 5365 EchoLink & eQSO (101English) connected 24/7 -----Original Message----- From: James M. Atkinson [mailto:jmatk@tscm.com] Sent: 07 September 2004 00:26 To: TSCM-L Subject: [TSCM-L] Bugging device found at Sinn Féin aide's home http://212.2.162.45/news/story.asp?j=95859500&p=9586xx8x&n=95860109 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- Ireland Online Bugging device found at Sinn Féin aide's home 06/09/2004 - 16:03:27 A bugging device has been found at the home of one of Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams' staff, it was claimed today. Republicans immediately blamed British agents who were "out to wreck" the Northern Ireland peace process. The listening equipment was allegedly found in the loft area of the woman‘s house in west Belfast. Sinn Féin Assembly member Michael Ferguson said: “There must be 10 different parts to this. I have never seen anything as elaborate before. It was through the whole roof-space of this woman‘s home and was clearly put there by one of the intelligence gathering organisations. “So, 10 years after the anniversary of the IRA ceasefire why are these people still doing this? They are clearly not committed to any peace process.” Workmen discovered the device after being called out by the woman, who carries out voluntary work at Mr Adams offices. The West Belfast MP, who was in Westminster ahead of a critical new bid later this month to restore the Stormont power-sharing administration, would be raising the issue with the British government, Sinn Féin insisted. “Gerry will be asking for an explanation," Mr Ferguson added. “That‘s without even dealing with the whole privacy matter for this woman. Her home and privacy has been invaded. This just shows the extent to which these people will go. “They have clearly got an agenda of their own and are not accountable to anyone.” The Northern Ireland Office refused to comment in response to Sinn Féin's allegations. 9623 From: Martin Brown Date: Wed Sep 8, 2004 2:42pm Subject: It ain't all high-tech! Good example of KISS (keep it simple, stupid) http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/state/9607715.htm?1c Martin Brown Brown & Sikes, Inc. Dallas, TX [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] 9624 From: Tech Sec Lab Date: Wed Sep 8, 2004 6:22pm Subject: Laser or similar perimeter intrusion system.... Hi guys Can anyone recommend a handy laser based system to install as a perimeter cross dectection unit. I am not looking for PIR's, all I need is a small outdoor rated product that can be quickly installed and connected up to any basic pulse alert alarm system for alarm trigger that acts as a cross beam for a distance of 10-20m. Cheers -Ois 9625 From: A Grudko Date: Thu Sep 9, 2004 4:05am Subject: RE: Laser or similar perimeter intrusion system.... -----Original Message----- From: Tech Sec Lab [mailto:tscmteam@o...] > Can anyone recommend a handy laser based system to install as a perimeter cross dectection unit. Unless you have a specific reason to use laser I have had good results from and would recommend (active) Infra Red beams manufactured by Peritec (or a similar quality manufacturer). Very easy to set up, low power consumption (possibly v.important for a portable system), low false alarm rate (just avoid the RX unit facing directly into the sun and watch out for insects getting into the unit). I have installed a number of the 30 and 120 Mtr units externally - use longer range units in heavy rain areas as the beam is attenuated by rain. Andy Grudko (British), DPM, Grad IS (South Africa) MIS/Grudko Associates, Est. 1981. PSIRA reg. No. 8642 www.grudko.com , agrudko@i... Pretoria HO (+27 12) 244 0255 - 244 0256 (Fax) Branches: Sandton (+27 11) 465 9673 - 465 1487 (Fax) Johannesburg (+27 11) 781 7206 - 781 7207(Fax) Mid Rand (+27 11) 318 1451 - 318 6846(Fax) Cellular (+27) 82 778 6355 - ICQ 146498943 SACI(Pres) SASA, IPA, WAD, CALI, UKPIN, IWWA. "When you need it done right - first time" --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.749 / Virus Database: 501 - Release Date: 2004/09/01 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] 9626 From: Robert Dyk Date: Thu Sep 9, 2004 7:12am Subject: RE: Laser or similar perimeter intrusion system.... I have had good success with RedNet or Redwall. These units originate in the UK. The RedNet system has 4 intersecting IR beams. It is programmable and good up to 120m. We have systems installed at a major airport in the harsh canadian environment with no failures in over 3 years. http://www.optexamerica.com/indexes/gen_index.cfm?class=redwall Cheers Robert Dyk robert@w... Worldwide Security Ltd. Mississauga, Ontario Canada This e-mail is confidential and may contain privileged information. If you are not the addressee it may be unlawful for you to read, copy, distribute, disclose or otherwise use the information in this e-mail. If you are not the intended recipient please notify us immediately. > -----Original Message----- > From: Tech Sec Lab [mailto:tscmteam@o...] > Sent: September 8, 2004 19:22 > To: TSCM-L@yahoogroups.com > Subject: [TSCM-L] Laser or similar perimeter intrusion system.... > > > Hi guys > > Can anyone recommend a handy laser based system to install as a perimeter > cross dectection unit. > > I am not looking for PIR's, all I need is a small outdoor rated > product that > can be quickly installed and connected up to any basic pulse alert alarm > system for alarm trigger that acts as a cross beam for a distance > of 10-20m. > > Cheers > > -Ois > > > > > > > > ======================================================== > TSCM-L Technical Security Mailing List > "In a multitude of counselors there is strength" > > To subscribe to the TSCM-L mailing list visit: > http://www.yahoogroups.com/community/TSCM-L > > It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion. > It is by the juice of Star Bucks that thoughts acquire speed, > the hands acquire shaking, the shaking is a warning. > It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion. > =================================================== TSKS > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > 9627 From: Tech Sec Lab Date: Thu Sep 9, 2004 7:25am Subject: SA for UWB Handheld spectrum analyzer tackles ultra-wideband signals Jul 1, 2004 12:00 PM Further extending its reach to conduct accurate analysis of a new wave of wireless signals, Anritsu Company has readied a fully functional, battery-operated spectrum analyzer that can tackle ultra-wideband signals up to 7 GHz anywhere, anytime. Consequently, the next-generation handheld spectrum analyzer MS2721A offers test solutions to measure 802.11a, 3G and WiMAX signals, in addition to public safety and military communications systems. Plus, it weighs 6.4 pounds, to make it comfortable on the engineering bench as well as in the field. By comparison, the previous-generation unit handled signals to 3 GHz. According to Anritsu, the new handheld spectrum analyzer will enable developers to ensure integrity of data/voice transmission, while helping them to identify interfering signals. These analysis capabilities are becoming important with the rollout of new wireless infrastructures, wherein the RF signals are more complicated and at higher frequencies. Target markets for this high-performance spectrum analyzer include field service and signal surveillance, mobile wireless networks, wireless data/Internet, wireless broadcast, and military/aerospace. In essence, the MS2721A covers signals in the range of 100 kHz to 7.1 GHz. It can make a variety of measurements with the push of a single button. Some of these include field strength, channel power, occupied bandwidth, emission bandwidth, adjacent-channel power ratio (ACPR), AM/FM demodulation, and carrier-to-interference ratio (C/I). Besides high performance, Anritsu also guarantees measurement accuracy. As a result, the spectrum analyzer offers a phase noise of -100 dBc/Hz at 10 kHz offset, dynamic amplitude noise level (DANL) of -152 dBm at 2.2 GHz (typical) and a resolution bandwidth range of 10 Hz to 3 MHz. Over and above, the instrument automatically sweeps at the fastest possible speed to get accurate data. Other features include an 8.4-inch TFT color LCD with wide viewing angle, external/internal compact flash slots, and Ethernet 10/100 and USB 2.0 ports. The instrument's LCD offers three colored display traces ­ one live, two stored. For field use, the spectrum analyzer comes in a rugged case that can withstand harsh environments and rough terrains. The operating temperature range for the unit is -10°C to +55°C. Additionally, the spectrum analyzer incorporates a simple multilingual, customizable user interface in English, Spanish, French, German, Chinese and Japanese. To obtain long life and durability, it uses a Li-ion battery. The base price for the MS2721A starts at $15,950. 9628 From: Michael Puchol Date: Thu Sep 9, 2004 8:59am Subject: Re: SA for UWB Hi, I looked into getting one of the previous (3GHz) model SA made by Anritsu, but after some comments from more knowledgeable list members than I, I decided against it, mainly due to RF characteristics not being that good. How would you consider this unit based on the specs here given? I know some other gear Anritsu makes, and I have no complaint on it's performance, but I could do with a handheld SA, specially if it goes up to 7GHz and has reasonable performance. The price certainly has gone up a few notches. Regards, Mike ----- Original Message ----- From: "Tech Sec Lab" To: Sent: Thursday, September 09, 2004 2:25 PM Subject: [TSCM-L] SA for UWB Handheld spectrum analyzer tackles ultra-wideband signals Jul 1, 2004 12:00 PM Further extending its reach to conduct accurate analysis of a new wave of wireless signals, Anritsu Company has readied a fully functional, battery-operated spectrum analyzer that can tackle ultra-wideband signals up to 7 GHz anywhere, anytime. Consequently, the next-generation handheld spectrum analyzer MS2721A offers test solutions to measure 802.11a, 3G and WiMAX signals, in addition to public safety and military communications systems. Plus, it weighs 6.4 pounds, to make it comfortable on the engineering bench as well as in the field. By comparison, the previous-generation unit handled signals to 3 GHz. According to Anritsu, the new handheld spectrum analyzer will enable developers to ensure integrity of data/voice transmission, while helping them to identify interfering signals. These analysis capabilities are becoming important with the rollout of new wireless infrastructures, wherein the RF signals are more complicated and at higher frequencies. Target markets for this high-performance spectrum analyzer include field service and signal surveillance, mobile wireless networks, wireless data/Internet, wireless broadcast, and military/aerospace. In essence, the MS2721A covers signals in the range of 100 kHz to 7.1 GHz. It can make a variety of measurements with the push of a single button. Some of these include field strength, channel power, occupied bandwidth, emission bandwidth, adjacent-channel power ratio (ACPR), AM/FM demodulation, and carrier-to-interference ratio (C/I). Besides high performance, Anritsu also guarantees measurement accuracy. As a result, the spectrum analyzer offers a phase noise of -100 dBc/Hz at 10 kHz offset, dynamic amplitude noise level (DANL) of -152 dBm at 2.2 GHz (typical) and a resolution bandwidth range of 10 Hz to 3 MHz. Over and above, the instrument automatically sweeps at the fastest possible speed to get accurate data. Other features include an 8.4-inch TFT color LCD with wide viewing angle, external/internal compact flash slots, and Ethernet 10/100 and USB 2.0 ports. The instrument's LCD offers three colored display traces - one live, two stored. For field use, the spectrum analyzer comes in a rugged case that can withstand harsh environments and rough terrains. The operating temperature range for the unit is -10°C to +55°C. Additionally, the spectrum analyzer incorporates a simple multilingual, customizable user interface in English, Spanish, French, German, Chinese and Japanese. To obtain long life and durability, it uses a Li-ion battery. The base price for the MS2721A starts at $15,950. ======================================================== TSCM-L Technical Security Mailing List "In a multitude of counselors there is strength" To subscribe to the TSCM-L mailing list visit: http://www.yahoogroups.com/community/TSCM-L It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion. It is by the juice of Star Bucks that thoughts acquire speed, the hands acquire shaking, the shaking is a warning. It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion. =================================================== TSKS Yahoo! Groups Links 9629 From: A Grudko Date: Thu Sep 9, 2004 9:07am Subject: UK documentary I wonder if anyone recalls a UK documentary (I think ITV because I recall adverts) which I think was called 'The Buggist'. I have a (Betamax!) copy of it but can't find it. Convicted 'Buggist' David ??? went public in about '86 after his services resulted in the assassination of a politician in exile in Putney (if I recall), west London. I'm looking for some details for a paper I'm writing. Andy Grudko (British), DPM, Grad IS (South Africa) MIS/Grudko Associates, Est. 1981. PSIRA reg. No. 8642 www.grudko.com , agrudko@i... Pretoria HO (+27 12) 244 0255 - 244 0256 (Fax) Branches: Sandton (+27 11) 465 9673 - 465 1487 (Fax) Johannesburg (+27 11) 781 7206 - 781 7207(Fax) Mid Rand (+27 11) 318 1451 - 318 6846(Fax) Cellular (+27) 82 778 6355 - ICQ 146498943 SACI(Pres) SASA, IPA, WAD, CALI, UKPIN, IWWA. "When you need it done right - first time" --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.749 / Virus Database: 501 - Release Date: 2004/09/01 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] 9630 From: Tech Sec Lab Date: Thu Sep 9, 2004 2:07pm Subject: RE: RE: Laser or similar perimeter intrusion system.... Cheers Andy and Rob, No laser is not a requirement. I have contacted both companies for more info. I had used the RedWall systems before but didn't realise Optrex made the IR beam systems as well. On another note, I have some specialised custom made PIR's that we had from an old client but the company that made them have since gone belly up. They had a special plastic (maybe carbonate) mirrored lens, circular in shape that seemed to have deteriorated and lost its coating and hence blocked reliable operation. Does anyone know what type of lenses these are and where I might be able to order replacements? I can send some samples of the old lenses as well as dimensions if anyone thinks they might be able to help. Kind regards -Ois *************** Message: 4 Date: Thu, 9 Sep 2004 08:12:08 -0400 From: "Robert Dyk" Subject: I have had good success with RedNet or Redwall. These units originate in the UK. The RedNet system has 4 intersecting IR beams. It is programmable and good up to 120m. We have systems installed at a major airport in the harsh canadian environment with no failures in over 3 years. http://www.optexamerica.com/indexes/gen_index.cfm?class=redwall Cheers Robert Dyk robert@w... Worldwide Security Ltd. Mississauga, Ontario Canada 9631 From: DATA_4N6_Engineering Date: Thu Sep 9, 2004 6:39am Subject: Re: It ain't all high-tech! i dont subscribe and counld not view the article --- Martin Brown wrote: > Good example of KISS (keep it simple, stupid) > > http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/state/9607715.htm?1c > > Martin Brown > Brown & Sikes, Inc. > Dallas, TX > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been > removed] > > > ===== Jon Asdourian 61 356B Red Porsche Coupe 69 Red MGC GT 63 Burgundy Austin Healey 3000 BJ7 356 Registry 16017, PCA 2002112915, MGCC 99577 AHCC __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail - 50x more storage than other providers! http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail 9632 From: Leanardo Date: Thu Sep 9, 2004 9:20am Subject: Re: Laser or similar perimeter intrusion system.... Ramsey Electronics has a slick little kit that uses a laser pointer module if you dont mind spending a little time assembling it. Hard to beat at $30.00 http://www.ramseyelectronics.com/cgi-bin/commerce.exe?preadd=action&key=LTS1 Bruce --- In TSCM-L@yahoogroups.com, "Tech Sec Lab" wrote: > Hi guys > > Can anyone recommend a handy laser based system to install as a perimeter > cross dectection unit. > -Ois 9633 From: Date: Thu Sep 9, 2004 11:47am Subject: Re: It ain't all high-tech! Sorry, guys, but found that the Star Telegram wanted a membership form to display the article. So, here it is in text form. Martin Brown wrote: >Good example of KISS (keep it simple, stupid) > >http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/state/9607715.htm?1c > >Martin Brown >Brown & Sikes, Inc. >Dallas, TX > > >[Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > >======================================================== > TSCM-L Technical Security Mailing List > "In a multitude of counselors there is strength" > > To subscribe to the TSCM-L mailing list visit: >http://www.yahoogroups.com/community/TSCM-L > > It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion. > It is by the juice of Star Bucks that thoughts acquire speed, > the hands acquire shaking, the shaking is a warning. > It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion. >=================================================== TSKS >Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] 9634 From: Date: Thu Sep 9, 2004 7:38am Subject: detecting phone recorders Hi, I'm developing a product that will be deployed to end-consumers, but we need to be assured that they don't have any voice-activated or line-activated telephone recorders attached to the phone line. I've read lots about various detectors - it seems that some equipment claims to keep the line voltage from dropping when a phone is picked up, but there seems to be no prevention against voice-activated recorders besides feeding them fake noise to run the tape out. Various other sites have advocated disconnecting all phones from the line and conducting a proper impedance test. To the best of my knowledge the recorders seem to have high impedance - how does this compare to regular telephones? Some other sites say that you can detect them by monitoring voltage and current, while others say this varies so much it's worthless. I don't think it would be feasible to to TDR testing at individual sites unless the circuitry can be miniaturized and a set algorithm figured out. Is there any way we could ask users to disconnect all phones, run some sort of test, and make sure that no devices have been attached and keep monitoring this...? Any help much appreciated. Imran Akbar 9635 From: moellerthy <1ach@g...> Date: Thu Sep 9, 2004 7:04pm Subject: Re: detecting phone recorders --- In TSCM-L@yahoogroups.com, wrote: > I have detected tape recorders and the like by simply doing a paralle test, a resistence test,series test, and TDR. Most likely you have read Level one spec's on that equipment. The most deadly attack is the inductive tap which may or may not leave a anomaly on the impedance however the magnetic field which the device draws its power from is AC AND IS CALLED INDUCED VOLTAGE. Regards ANDRE Holmes Neptune Enterprise Security 1ach@G... > Hi, > I'm developing a product that will be deployed to end- consumers, but > we need to be assured that they don't have any voice-activated or > line-activated telephone recorders attached to the phone line. I've > read lots about various detectors - it seems that some equipment claims > to keep the line voltage from dropping when a phone is picked up, but > there seems to be no prevention against voice-activated recorders > besides feeding them fake noise to run the tape out. Various other > sites have advocated disconnecting all phones from the line and > conducting a proper impedance test. To the best of my knowledge the > recorders seem to have high impedance - how does this compare to > regular telephones? Some other sites say that you can detect them by > monitoring voltage and current, while others say this varies so much > it's worthless. I don't think it would be feasible to to TDR testing > at individual sites unless the circuitry can be miniaturized and a set > algorithm figured out. Is there any way we could ask users to > disconnect all phones, run some sort of test, and make sure that no > devices have been attached and keep monitoring this...? Any help much > appreciated. > > Imran Akbar 9636 From: Cornolio Date: Thu Sep 9, 2004 3:37pm Subject: Re: Re: PC-based software-defined radio I know the lead developer of GNU radio (Eric Blossom) for a long time. He used to be on a secure phone project, but switched to software radio some time ago. It think it is a very interesting project: http://www.gnu.org/software/gnuradio/ When Eric visited Amsterdam I shot some video about the project. Two video clips are still online: http://diorella.boppelans.net/gnu-radio.zip (108 Mb) (contains gnu-radio-intro.mpg and gnu-radio_q-and-a.mpg) Enjoy :) With regards, Barry Wels On Tue, Sep 07, 2004 at 09:46:45PM -0700, A.Lizard wrote: > At 04:23 PM 9/7/04 +0000, you wrote: > > sorry, I'd intended to mail that back to myself for my archive files. > > A.Lizard > > >Message: 11 > > Date: Mon, 06 Sep 2004 14:37:31 -0700 > > From: "A.Lizard" > >Subject: > > > >At 03:59 PM 9/6/04 +0000, you wrote: > > > > >Message: 7 > > > Date: Sun, 05 Sep 2004 22:20:20 -0400 > > > From: "James M. Atkinson" > > >Subject: Re: SDR analysis of covert transmissions > > > > > >I have own some SDR-14's, and have been quite pleased with them, but I wish > > >the factory would build them faster (do I can buy a few more). > > -- > member The Internet Society (ISOC), The HTML Writers Guild. > "They need to wake up and smell the fire, it is their pants that are burning." > hombresecreto, re: the famous SCO threat letter > Personal Website http://www.ecis.com/~alizard > business Website http://reptilelabs.com > backup address (if ALL else fails) alizard@g..., alizardx@y... > PGP 8.0 key available by request or keyserver. Download PGP from: > http://www.pgpi.org for e-mail privacy. > Disaster prep info: http://www.ecis.com/~alizard/y2k.html > ***Looking for INTELLIGENT new technology public policy alternatives?*** > http://www.ecis.com/~alizard/technology.html > > > > > > ======================================================== > TSCM-L Technical Security Mailing List > "In a multitude of counselors there is strength" > > To subscribe to the TSCM-L mailing list visit: > http://www.yahoogroups.com/community/TSCM-L > > It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion. > It is by the juice of Star Bucks that thoughts acquire speed, > the hands acquire shaking, the shaking is a warning. > It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion. > =================================================== TSKS > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > 9637 From: Date: Thu Sep 9, 2004 3:17pm Subject: It ain't all high-tech One more try, fellas. Martin Brown Brown & Sikes, Inc. Dallas, TX [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] 9638 From: Steve Uhrig Date: Thu Sep 9, 2004 4:07pm Subject: Re: detecting phone recorders On 9 Sep 2004 at 14:38, , who eschews obfuscation, wrote: > I'm developing a product that will be deployed to end-consumers, but we > need to be assured that they don't have any voice-activated or > line-activated telephone recorders attached to the phone line. For consumers, the only real way to establish this baseline is with a competent sweep. You can't just give a set of parameters, as they are different all over the world. We all wish it was easy to do a baseline inspection somehow and know a line is clean. Even physical inspection of every millimeter of copper is not an assurance absent an experienced person who knows what to look for. > I've read lots about various detectors - it seems that some equipment > claims to keep the line voltage from dropping when a phone is picked up Some have tried this, to prevent voltage-activated devices from tripping when the phone goes off hook. However, if you feed artificial voltage into the line, you won't let the central office go off hook when the client wants to use the line. Going off hook places a load on the phone line, which draws current, which causes a voltage drop per Mr. Ohms' law. The central office needs to see the current being drawn to go off hook. So you can't camoflauge this. One intercept device we manufacture looks strictly at the delta phone line voltage. Any sudden change will trip our device. We don't look for an absolute voltage with a Zener like the toys do. As long as the voltage changes, we activate. It's not possible to fake the thing out and still trigger the CO to go off hook when needed. > but there seems to be no prevention against voice-activated recorders > besides feeding them fake noise to run the tape out. In the real world that's not really necessary, as on-hook phone lines have all kinds of noise and garbage and signaling and stuff on them. Voice activation doesn't generally work on phone lines, and faking out voice activation with your own noise source is an impotent CCS marketing claim. > Various other sites have advocated disconnecting all phones from the > line and conducting a proper impedance test. To the best of my > knowledge the recorders seem to have high impedance - how does this > compare to regular telephones? Some other sites say that you can > detect them by monitoring voltage and current, while others say this > varies so much it's worthless. The last statement is correct. > I don't think it would be feasible to to TDR testing at individual > sites unless the circuitry can be miniaturized and a set algorithm > figured out. That's why there are professional, competent sweepers. Because the canned toy bug detectors do not and can not work. > Is there any way we could ask users to disconnect all phones, run some > sort of test, and make sure that no devices have been attached and keep > monitoring this...? Any help much appreciated. Nope. What's normal here may cause someone else to mess their pants. Depends on local conditions and how far one is from the central office, quality of materials and workmanship in that country, that community and in that facility, which vary all over from barely adequate to very nice. Each will give different readings. My own office has three phone lines on three separate exchanges, from three separate central offices. Each is a different distance from the central office. Each has different on hook and off hook voltages. If I were a novice, how would I determine which, if any, of my three lines were bugged simply by reading voltages and currents? Can't. A TDR is the primary effective tool, and then only when in trained and experienced hands which have inspected many many lines and know what's normal and what warrants further inspection. Some things really can be done only by an experienced professional, no matter how hard you try to work around this. I commend your ideas, but suggest you do some more research on the matters mentioned above. Regards ... Steve ******************************************************************* Steve Uhrig, SWS Security, Maryland (USA) Mfrs of electronic surveillance equip mailto:Steve@s... website http://www.swssec.com tel +1+410-879-4035, fax +1+410-836-1190 "In God we trust, all others we monitor" ******************************************************************* 9639 From: Richard T. Gray Date: Fri Sep 10, 2004 4:44am Subject: "The Thing" I just completed a book by the technical director of MI5, who talked about about technology he developed in the late 60's that functioned on the same principle as the "The Thing," which was a wooden seal with a resonate cavity diagram and wire that served as the antenna. The technology he referred to in the book, was an inanimate object, such as an ashtray that based on it's angles would resonate when shot with an RF beam and would act as a microphone. IF this threat was available in the 60's I could only fathom what is available today from the intelligence agencies. The police department I work for would kill for such technology to utilize with court ordered operations, yet I have never seen anything similar to this in the catalogs we get. (We must not be on the right mailing list :) I have attempted to research this technology on the Internet, but have only developed newspaper articles on "the thing." Anyone with links to technical papers on this subject would be greatly appreciated. I have a couple questions regarding Resonate threats: 1. What is the most probable freq. that would be targeted at such devices? 2. Is there any equipment that you could purchase that would project a wide range of freq. within your sweep area and listen for any object to resonate sound? If not, how could you adequate assure that no such device is within the protected area? The RF source may not be present at time of sweep. 3. If the RF source was present from the threat, would it carry the sound in a modulation that you could listen to with a normal scanner equipment or would you have to run a filter or special equipment to listen to the sound on the RF? Thanks in advance for any comments on this topic. Ricky Gray Rayne Police Department 337.207.6999 Richard T. Gray Jr. The Focus Group, Inc. A Professional Investigative Agency PO Box 62582 Lafayette, LA 70509 337-207-6999 Voice 877-762-4122 Fax 9640 From: Date: Fri Sep 10, 2004 10:44am Subject: [Fwd: It ain't all high-tech] -------- Original Message -------- Subject: It ain't all high-tech Date: Fri, 10 Sep 2004 10:04:44 -0500 From: brnsike@s... Reply-To: brnsike@s... To: brnsike@s... Posted on Tue, Sep. 07, 2004 Tape recorder bugs Weatherford friends By Gale M. Bradford Special to the Star-Telegram WEATHERFORD - For more than 20 years, the five members of the Weatherford Men's Business and Professional Club have gathered weekly for lunch at a local restaurant, mostly to talk about life. Occasionally the five friends, all with ties to Weatherford College, discuss goings-on at the school. It appears that their conversations are also of interest to someone else. On Aug. 19, the group discovered a listening device beneath their table at the Chuckwagon Restaurant. Parker County District Attorney Don Schnebly is reviewing the case. "We were shocked to find the recording device," retired Weatherford College teacher Merle Bull said. "We don't know for certain who planted it, and we believe it's probably not the first time it's happened. I hope they (the district attorney's office) do a full criminal investigation, and if they find enough evidence, I hope they will prosecute." The other club members are teachers Nancy McVean, Quinton Reeves and Kent Miller, plus retired teacher Max Ratheal. All five are possible witnesses in a wrongful-termination lawsuit filed by instructor Morri Hartgraves against Weatherford College; college President Don Huff; Vice Presidents Arleen Atkins and Duane Durrett; board members Pat Hamilton, Roger Grizzard, Clarence Culwell and Jean Bryan; former board member Raymond Curtis; and four faculty members. Hartgraves, who began teaching science at the college in 1994, contends that Huff demoted, then fired him, in February 2002 for criticizing the college's reluctance to hire women and minorities. The parties will go to mediation this month in Fort Worth, according to Truman Dean, a Cedar Park attorney who represents Hartgraves. The club members are friends of Hartgraves, who now teaches at South Plains College in Levelland. They said they are curious if the tape recorder is related to the lawsuit. Bull, Reeves and Miller said at last Thursday's lunch that they might consider legal action against whomever was involved in recording their conversations. McVean said she would not, but that she is still amazed by the actions. "Taping private conversations is unethical, illegal and I wish the whole thing would go away. ...," she said. "It's hard to work in an environment where you're worried that someone is listening to your private conversations." Miller found the device, with its red light on, stuck to the underside of the table. Bull said he detached the device. "After making a few derogatory remarks ... I punched the `off' button and the red light went out. ... It had two layers of double-sided tape, which had held it to the bottom of the table top. ... "We asked our waitress if she knew anything about it. ... She said that a man and woman had been sitting there shortly before we arrived," Bull said. "She also said that two people had been coming in either before we arrived or after we left for at least a couple of weeks. ... They would ask about the Weatherford College people who ate there." A waitress at the restaurant confirmed that someone arrived at the table after the club members left. Bull said that he intended to return to the restaurant with a college yearbook to see if she or another waitress recognized anyone. But according to Bull, the two waitresses said they had already done that for an investigator with the district attorney's office. The waitresses said that they had been told by the investigators not to discuss the case and refused to identify themselves. Bull took the recorder home with him on Aug. 19. That afternoon, he said, a Weatherford police officer came to his residence and asked for it. The officer told Bull that it belonged to a drug task force. After having the officer sign a receipt for the device, Bull gave it to him. Weatherford Police Chief Jerry Blaisdell confirmed that two of his officers were contacted by Weatherford College instructor Tim Poston on Aug. 19 and were asked if they would assist in retrieving the recorder. Blaisdell said he called the district attorney's staff and turned the recorder over to them. "Tim spoke with Ronny Villerreal. Villerreal went out to the college and met with Poston and Weatherford College Campus Police Chief Paul Stone and some others," Blaisdell said. Poston did not return phone calls seeking comment. Stone said he couldn't discuss the case. Poston was head of the Criminal Justice Department when that course of study began at the college about 20 years ago. He now teaches geology. "During this process, the officers became uncomfortable with what this actually involved," Blaisdell said. "They called me and explained their concerns." Recording without consent can range from a misdemeanor to a second-degree felony, Blaisdell said. College officials acknowledged the investigation in a statement released Friday and said their board of trustees will be briefed on the situation at today's regular meeting. Charles Davis, executive director of the Freedom of Information Center at the University of Missouri in Columbia, said the taping was highly questionable. "All legality aside, it's extraordinarily unethical to hide tape recorders to monitor conversations without the obvious consent of the parties involved," Davis said. "It's very clear in this instance that what someone was trying to do was capture a conservation without anyone knowing it." Davis called the taping intrusive. "These are not folks that are going to be covered by any public meeting law," he said. "This is just an informal social gathering. And to think that your conversations are being monitored by someone and could potentially be used against you in some way, really the violates the very heart of privacy." [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] 9641 From: Richard T. Gray Date: Fri Sep 10, 2004 5:53am Subject: Fiction book recommendation Can anyone recommend any fictional books that the author utilizes technical threats or TSCM throughout the story? Thanks in advance, Ricky [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] 9642 From: James M. Atkinson Date: Fri Sep 10, 2004 11:47am Subject: Kidnap Warning in Mexico I would like to give list members a safety heads-up. I have information from a reliable source that a terrorist group is soliciting TSCM people to come to Mexico under the guise of performing bug sweeps and security consulting for a major petroleum company. Once in Mexico these terrorists kidnap the TSCM or security person and hold them hostage, steal their equipment, and so on.. Also, they are pressuring TSCM firms near the Mexican border to just "drive down" with their equipment, and asking a lot of personal details of TSCM folks (ie: Parents contact data, if they are married, do they own a house, etc). The "customer" is offering hundreds of thousands of dollars for a small sweep, but they insist of making payment in person to you once you arrive. They have also offered to provide several people with first class airfare, etc. if the (soon to be hostage) will come down to talk about it in person. Be EXTREMELY careful of any queries you get from Mexico, as it may be a kidnap attempt in the making. More to follow. -jma ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We Expertly Hunt Real Spies, Real Eavesdroppers, and Real Wiretappers. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- James M. Atkinson Phone: (978) 381-9111 Granite Island Group Fax: 127 Eastern Avenue #291 Web: http://www.tscm.com/ Gloucester, MA 01931-8008 Email: mailto:jmatk@tscm.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- World Class, Professional, Ethical, and Competent Bug Sweeps, and Wiretap Detection using Sophisticated Laboratory Grade Test Equipment. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9643 From: Mark Allen Earnest Date: Fri Sep 10, 2004 10:58am Subject: Re: Fiction book recommendation -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 Cryptonomicon touches on the subject a bit Mark Earnest Lead Systems Programmer Emerging Technologies The Pennsylvania State University Public Key - http://www.personal.psu.edu/mxe20/gpgkey.txt On Sep 10, 2004, at 6:53 AM, Richard T. Gray wrote: > > > Can anyone recommend any fictional books that the author utilizes > technical > threats or TSCM throughout the story? > > Thanks in advance, > > > Ricky > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > > ======================================================== > TSCM-L Technical Security Mailing List > "In a multitude of counselors there is strength" > > To subscribe to the TSCM-L mailing list visit: > http://www.yahoogroups.com/community/TSCM-L > > It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion. > It is by the juice of Star Bucks that thoughts acquire speed, > the hands acquire shaking, the shaking is a warning. > It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion. > =================================================== TSKS > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.2.4 (Darwin) iD8DBQFBQc83ooNLpLZfPIMRAgPbAJ9ILUVv9JYY9ru1GlBlHl216jxZtgCgrJM3 bf38GmLOngxHEf1FB89kHOM= =vA3E -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- 9644 From: J. Coote Date: Fri Sep 10, 2004 1:18pm Subject: RE: Fiction book recommendation Richard and List: Some of John LeCarre's novels involving tradecraft include (but do not rely on) clandestine radio or surveillance technologies from the cold war era to the eighties or nineties. If you're a commo person you might empathize with the agent in 'Looking Glass War' or think like the funkpeilwagen operator on the other side. Good novels that would shine even without the gadgets. Some hard sci-fi novels project the "bleeding edge" of technology ten or twenty years info possible futures- other SF stories are more like the imaginings of our TSCM "clients from hell" on a bad medication day. Too many stories and authors to put down here. I've been noticing more hard SF stories using nanotechnology- molecular sized machines and electronic devices. Jay -----Original Message----- From: Richard T. Gray [mailto:ricky@l...] Sent: Friday, September 10, 2004 3:54 AM To: TSCM-L@yahoogroups.com Subject: [TSCM-L] Fiction book recommendation Can anyone recommend any fictional books that the author utilizes technical threats or TSCM throughout the story? Thanks in advance, Ricky [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] 9645 From: James M. Atkinson Date: Sat Sep 11, 2004 11:31am Subject: Kidnaping in Mexico Here is a few articles that you can read for a better understanding of the kidnapping cottage industry in Mexico. http://washingtontimes.com/world/20040906-102131-9688r.htm Kidnappings take a toll By Niko Price ASSOCIATED PRESS Published September 7, 2004 MEXICO CITY - With a broad grin beneath his black shades, Jesus Solorzano Martinez says he was stupid -- although his language isn't quite that pretty. Solorzano is a rarity in Latin America -- a kidnapper who got caught. His first and only kidnapping netted duffel bags full of neatly rubber-banded wads of bank notes on the outside and cut-up newspaper on the inside. Within hours, police were at his door. Now 52 and a 14-year veteran of Mexico City's Northern Penitentiary, he regrets what he did -- or rather how he did it. He says he should have gone for easier targets and asked for less than the $19 million ransom as his younger counterparts do these days. "You go to a nice neighborhood and pick up practically anyone off the street," said Solorzano, who is serving a 35-year sentence for kidnapping a textile magnate. "You ask for [$17,000], and they pay without complaining. If you do five of those a week, pretty soon you're rich." Wave of crime Latin America is in the throes of a kidnapping epidemic -- an increasingly brutal and lucrative crime wave that is spreading terror throughout society and sending businesses fleeing to safer parts of the world. Latin America accounts for 75 percent of the world's abductions, according to London-based consultants Control Risks Group. The insurance industry estimates more than 7,500 kidnappings a year in Latin America, but analysts say those statistics and government counts aren't reliable because so few kidnappings are reported -- 1 in 10 by some estimates. "Latin America is the home of kidnapping, and it's where the great majority of kidnappings take place," said Rachel Briggs, head of international programs at Demos, a London think tank. As the wealthy shut themselves off behind elaborate alarm systems, armored cars and bodyguards -- or simply flee to Miami -- kidnappers are increasingly turning to Latin America's middle classes, choosing victims with less care and treating them with more brutality. Criminals see kidnappers win huge ransoms and prosecutors win few convictions, so many car thieves and drug smugglers switch to what they perceive as a less risky and more lucrative business. As the fear spreads, the public is becoming frantic. Hundreds of thousands of people are taking to the streets to demand that their governments take action against the crime wave, and the fortunes of several Latin American presidents are tied to their responses. But the bitter reality, many analysts say, is that there is little anyone can do to halt kidnappings, at least in the short term. The booming kidnap industry nets hundreds of millions of dollars in ransom each year. And like any business, they say, it will continue to thrive until it is no longer profitable. Costly peace of mind The threat of kidnapping long has led Latin America's upper classes to retreat into fortresses. High walls have risen around homes, and high-tech alarm systems are ubiquitous. Executives shuttle from office to home in armored cars and are guarded by well-dressed bodyguards wearing Secret Service-style earphones at fashionable restaurants. Such protection doesn't come cheap. Vagner D'Angelo, head of corporate security in Brazil for the risk-management group Kroll Inc., estimated that for a company vice president, the minimum security costs would run $80,000 the first year. NBA star Manuel Ginobili said he invested in tight security for his family in July. Police in his native Argentina intercepted telephone calls indicating that kidnappers were targeting his family as he negotiated a multimillion-dollar contract to continue with the San Antonio Spurs. "There's always a car outside. Security people are following them and taking care of them," Mr. Ginobili said. "It's not easy to go visit your friends and have a guy next to you, but we have to accept the consequences because this is not a joke." 'Quicknappings' One effect of the wealthy's retreat behind barriers is that kidnappers increasingly are targeting Latin America's middle classes -- and even the poor. In the past few years, the region has seen a blossoming of a new kind of abductions, variously called "quicknappings" or "express kidnappings." These are kidnappings without the research. Criminals cruise shopping malls, nightclubs or restaurants, choosing their victims on the spot based on the car they're driving, the watch they're wearing or the company they're keeping. Such kidnappings often are quite brutal. "Because they don't know how much money you have or where you have it, they figure they can beat that out of you," said Frank Holder, president of Kroll's investigations, intelligence and security group in New York. "They have a high propensity to violence because they haven't done their homework." Often such kidnappings are quick. Victims are forced to withdraw their daily limit from their ATM card, then are sometimes held for another day or two to repeat the process. If the kidnappers catch a whiff of serious money, they can begin more traditional ransom negotiations. Jorge Terrats, a 37-year-old hairdresser in Mexico City, said his two kidnappers were violent from the moment they burst into his taxi. "They hit me in the face and pushed me onto the floor with a pistol to my back," he said. "When I told them I didn't know the PIN number for my bank card, they hit me some more." His kidnappers made off with $80 in cash from his wallet and the daily limit in his bank account. They also took his jacket, his belt, his rings and even his shoes before dumping him three hours later in a scary neighborhood an hour's drive from home. "I didn't leave my apartment for a week, I was so afraid," he said. Fighting back As the list of potential victims expands to include just about anybody, fear is spreading through society. Restaurants, theaters and nightclubs are watching patrons disappear, and young people are becoming virtual prisoners in their own homes. "The decent people are living in jails, and the criminals are walking the streets," Juan Carlos Blumberg said from Buenos Aires. Mr. Blumberg, a textile businessman, has become the voice of Argentina's outrage after his son, Axel, was abducted in March in an opportunistic kidnapping. Mr. Blumberg negotiated the ransom down to $6,000, but the kidnappers killed Axel after a shootout with police. At his son's wake, Mr. Blumberg heard Axel's friends ask one another, "Who's next?" "I told them I would fight so that no other kid would go through what my son did," he said. Mr. Blumberg led two marches in April that drew hundreds of thousands of angry Argentines into the streets. In a country of 36 million people, he has collected 4.9 million signatures on a petition for tougher anti-crime measures. Mexico, too, has seen a wave of middle-class anger erupt into the streets. In late June, hundreds of thousands of people dressed in white marched through Mexico City to protest crime that has spun out of control. "People are waking up," said Fernando Schutte, one of the organizers of the march. But in July, after his nephew was kidnapped for the second time, Mr. Schutte said he was giving in. "I'm sending my family to live in another country," he said. "I've tried to make my children dedicated to their country, and it's very sad that I have to do this." What the citizens' groups are demanding is nothing less than a cultural revolution. They want an end to the corruption that pervades most Latin American societies, a remaking of their judicial systems to create U.S.-style jury trials and dramatic new investments in police, courts, education and social programs. They also want harsher penalties. Small steps Some governments have begun to respond. In Argentina, because of the overwhelming popular support for Mr. Blumberg's demands, the government lowered the minimum age for kidnapping convictions from 16 to 14 and removed the possibility of bail for many types of kidnapping charges. Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, facing similar demands, has used the military to go after the guerrillas responsible for most kidnappings, with some success. Colombia is the only country in the region where kidnappings are dropping. According to Pais Libre, a victims' support group, kidnappings fell from 3,706 in 2000 to 2,201 last year. Police in Sao Paulo, the state where most of Brazil's kidnappings occur, enlarged their antikidnapping squad and increased training. The government says the number of kidnappings is falling, although security analysts -- and many residents -- are skeptical. Two weeks after the Mexico City march, President Vicente Fox pledged an extra $87 million for law enforcement this year and said he would double the 2005 budget for fighting crime. But activists criticize the government for what they call a failure to implement their demands. Government action could help, but analysts insist that to bring kidnapping under control, it isn't enough. Societies themselves will need to change. "What people are doing is banging on pots and pans and hoping that the government will take care of the problem," Mr. Holder said. "What it would take is less-corrupt police, less-corrupt judiciary, investment in resources and preventive programs and civil society getting more involved. "For that to occur," he said, "you're talking about decades, not years." http://washingtontimes.com/upi-breaking/20040609-060436-4537r.htm Kidnappings still plague Mexico By Eliza Barclay UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL Washington, DC, Jun. 9 (UPI) -- Kidnapping in Mexico has long been a lucrative industry that has plagued the country's psyche with fear and filled the pockets of plotters and conspiring law enforcement officers. While federal data from the Mexican Attorney General indicates that the country's kidnappings are on the decline, experts say official conclusions are wrong. The Mexican daily El Universal Wednesday obtained a report from the Attorney General's office, which cited that only four remaining kidnapping groups in the country are large enough to be classified as organized crime rings. According to the document, the PGR has broken up over 45 groups dedicated to the crime and arrested 292 kidnapping suspects since President Vicente Fox took office in 2000. It also claims to have rescued 424 victims, and that only 5 percent of all ransoms demanded by kidnappers have been paid. But Mexican crime experts say the real figures on kidnappings and other crimes could be five times as high as the government figures. The government's numbers are inaccurate in part because many victims are unwilling to report crime out of fear of neglect from the notoriously corrupt police. René Jiménez Ornelas, who tracks kidnappings at Mexico's National Autonomous University (UNAM), told El Universal he estimates there are around 3,000 kidnappings a year. "Mexico has a history of complicity between law enforcement an actual kidnappers," Armand Peschard-Sverdrup, director of the Mexico project at the Center for Strategic & International Studies in Washington, DC, told United Press International. "As a result, law enforcement is still seen skeptically by the Mexican people." Mexico City police are known for frequently enhancing their modest salaries with bribes for traffic offenses and other small transgressions. And authorities have reported instances of police taking part in hold-ups and kidnappings. Guillermo Velasco Arzac, the director and president of Mexico United Against Delinquency, a civil organization, announced June 2 Mexico ranks second in the world for the highest number of kidnappings registered each year. "The phenomenon of kidnapping in Mexico is derived from the lack of coordination between the country's political bodies," Velasco Arzac said. Velasco Arzac, also a member of the Civic Advisors for Public Security and Justice, said a change in Mexican penal laws is urgent. He added the number of abductions in the country "as it continues to be high, is occupying second place in the incidence of this crime" at the global scale. Nevertheless, he signaled that year after year the number of this type of crime has gone down in Mexico. But he asserted because "the bands of kidnappers have not fallen apart," the phenomenon of kidnapping continues to register high incidence in the country. Velasco Arzac said additionally the penal laws are obsolete and insufficient for attacking the problem. Meanwhile, President Vicente Fox said Wednesday his government is not evading its responsibility around kidnappings and guaranteed that it will redouble its resources and collaboration with states to combat the illicit crimes. In a recent report from the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations reported that in the last decade kidnappings have multiplied in countries like Mexico, Spain, Germany, Poland, the United Kingdom, and Trinidad and Tobago. Mexico exemplifies the gravity of the phenomenon, which has doubled its figures between 2001 and 2002 from 245 to 464 incidents of kidnapping, according to the report. Armand Peschard-Sverdrup noted that the prevalence of kidnapping in Mexico is a small part of a much broader problem that beleaguers Mexico's judicial system. "As long as Mexico has a problem of impunity and a lack of professionalism among the Mexican law enforcement, problems like kidnapping will continue," Peschard-Sverdrup said. "But the Attorney General has done an incredible job of professionalizing the federal law enforcement so far." Mexican Attorney General Rafaél Macedo has created a Mexican version of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, called the Agencia Federal de Investigacion. Most promising, Peschard-Sverdrup said, is President Fox's comprehensive judicial reform proposal which will come up in the next Congressional session beginning in September. "Judicial reform will be an important part of the upcoming legislative debate," Peschard-Sverdrup said. http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/story.jsp?story=557264 Mexico City: The new kidnap capital of the world 05 September 2004 Leaning back in a chair in his Mexico City office, systems analyst Roberto Garcia winces as he remembers the phone calls. The commands were simple. "Pick up the receiver by the second ring or we will beat your nephew until he bleeds. Fail to make the ransom demand and we will send him back to you in pieces." Scooped off the streets of the Mexican capital as he went out for a hamburger near his home in the modest Iztapalapa neighbourhood, the youngster was held bound and blindfolded for five weeks. Threatened, abused and alone as his family scrabbled to pull together 1m peso (around £50,000) ransom, the middle-class Garcia family were thrown into a terrifying new world - but one that is becoming ever-more familiar to Mexicans. "We thought that we wouldn't be vulnerable to kidnapping because we don't have the kind of money they ask for," says the soft-spoken 64-year-old as he recalls the ordeal. "Now the poor, the middle-income and the rich are all being targeted. Kidnapping has become an industry." In a recent report, international risk consultants Kroll Inc estimated that some 3,000 people were victims of kidnapping in Mexico last year - around 20 times the number actually reported to the country's notoriously corrupt police force - placing the fast-modernizing nation of 100 million people second only to strife-torn Colombia in the global kidnapping league. In June, the wave of abductions triggered the largest street demonstrations seen for a decade in Mexico which in turn led to the resignation of the country's public security minister. The kidnaps also form the chilling backdrop to Man on Fire, a fast-paced thriller by British director Tony Scott that premiere's across the UK next month. While abductions are rife throughout the country, Mexico's vast capital bears the brunt. The largest city in Latin America with 20 million residents, smog-choked Mexico City is ringed by a dizzying labyrinth of cinder-block slums and has an urban sprawl that covers an area twice the size of Greater London - few taxi drivers claim to know more than half of its streets. The city is also home to 18 well-organised kidnap gangs that have an ever-broader range of carefully chosen victims. Drawing on a range of conspirators including policemen, bank clerks, domestic servants and security guards at residential blocks across the capital, these gangs work up a detailed profile of their victims that enables them to choose a window of opportunity for the kidnap and set a realistic ransom. Whereas abductions were once cyclical, analysts say the activity now forms a year-round "war without quarter". "It used to be that kidnappings would pick up just before holidays such as Mother's Day, Christmas and Holy Week because the criminals needed the money to party," says Max Morales, a Mexico City security analyst who is widely regarded as one of the country's foremost authorities on kidnapping. "But we started this year freeing two people on 4 January and there is no longer any respite." The ransom market is thought to be worth in excess of $100m (£56m) a year. This huge pot is now also luring a range of opportunistic criminals from across Mexico City and beyond. The emerging gangs are less business oriented and more emotional than their predecessors and, as a result, more violent. Since the beginning of 1996, Mexican kidnappers have shot, stabbed and strangled over 160 of their hostages, with more than half of the fatalities occurring during a surge of criminal activity in the past three years. In one recent case that sickened crime-weary Mexicans, two young brothers were shot dead and their bodies tossed in a skip even after their parents paid a $600,000 (£335,000) ransom. Another case in July involved the kidnap and murder of Mexico's 1997 Woman of the Year, Carmen Gutierrez. A highly regarded specialist in rehabilitative medicine, Gutierrez was snatched as she left her smart apartment complex. Her abductors became jittery during negotiations, strangled her and tossed her body in a sewage canal on the city's outskirts. Then, noticing that she was still alive, they held her head under the water until she stopped breathing. Most in Mexico find it difficult to conceive of anyone being capable of such brutality. Some clues as to what types of people the kidnappers might be came in a recent profile of six gang leaders that was leaked by the AFI - Mexico's equivalent of the FBI - to the newspaper Reforma. The profile showed them to be long-term offenders with a history of crimes including assault, robbery, extortion and murder, who had spent years in the brutal prison system. Rounded up in separate swoops during the first half of the year, these mafia leaders had nicknames common in the Latin American underworld, including El Alacran and El Duende - The Scorpion and The Goblin - and liked to spend the freely flowing ransom money on baubles including white-gold watches and fast motorbikes. They were also armed with weapons including Uzi submachine guns, fancy Beretta, Colt and Taurus pistols and AK-47 assault rifles - known in gangland slang as the "cuerno de chivo" or "goat horn" because of its distinctive curved ammunition clip. As in Scott's film, the Santa Muerte death cult also figured large in their stories. The scythe-wielding figurine of Our Lady of Death is revered by gangsters, thieves and prostitutes in the capital's crime-ridden Tepito neighbourhood who call on her for protection. Spurned by the Catholic Church, the cult has spilled out of the barrio and now counts policemen and politicians among its tattooed and talisman-wearing devotees, and has chapters as far away as Los Angeles. The kidnappers do not work alone. Victims' testimonies routinely include accounts of "arrests" by uniformed police officers who have used their squad cars to pull over intended targets. Among those charged for several recent abductions are current and former employees of the various branches of the federal and municipal forces. In June, a group of elite officers was detained after abducting a businessman with the aid of false arrest warrants. In a bid to cover their tracks and protect one another, corrupt, high-ranking officers band together in a secret group called La Hermandad - The Brotherhood. La Hermandad links the underworld gangs of the city's shantytowns to the upper echelons of the authorities, who profit from criminal endeavours ranging from drug trafficking to extortion. "What you have to understand," says Morales, as we talk in his offices high above the thrumming traffic of the capital's smart Colonia del Valle district, "is that police corruption is not just a matter of taking bribes to turn a blind eye but of policeman who are active kidnappers. What's worse is that people charged with cracking the corruption continue to tolerate it." So real is the fear of high-level corruption in law-enforcement circles that Mexico's attorney general, Raphael Macedo, recently had microchips implanted beneath the skin of 160 top federal prosecutors and investigators to ensure access to a highly sensitive new crime database that went live last month was secure. The devices, manufactured by the Florida-based VeriChip Corp, carry unique identification codes to foil attempts by impostors trying to gain access to the network. While Mexico's law-enforcement community struggles to combat the corruption that threatens it from within, wealthy Mexicans are going to ever-greater lengths to protect themselves, turning to the private security companies piling into a booming market now worth hundreds of millions of pounds each year. It is estimated that up to 1,000 firms are currently offering security services, ranging from those supplying baton-toting guards to shopping malls, to a dozen or so companies that offer top-of-the-range VIP protection packages. The most comprehensive deals on offer include risk-assessment services, employee screening and crisis management - shorthand for kidnap negotiation in a worst-case scenario. Also popular are armoured cars. The leading specialist in this market, O'Gara-Hess & Eisenhardt, pegs the number of companies offering top-flight vehicle armour in the Mexican capital at 50, almost double the number five years ago. Piling state-of-the-art materials - including Kevlar, aramid fibres, blast- and bulletproof steels, and 2.1mm-thick ballistic glass - into the bodies of luxury European and American cars, is a $28m-a-year (£16m) industry in Mexico. But with the simplest armour starting at $20,000 (£11,000), and the cost of providing armed guards for a family of four at $50,000 (£28,000) a year, protection is out of the reach of most Mexico City residents, four of whom are kidnapped on average each day. A further 70 or so a day, meanwhile, are snatched off the streets in what are known as "express" kidnappings, where criminals (often lurking among the city's taxi cabs) force their victims to withdraw money from their bank accounts before releasing them. In late June, up to a million demonstrators dressed in white packed the streets of the city to demand government action in the biggest protest that the country had witnessed in more than a decade. The march, which filled the city's eight-lane Reforma thoroughfare from gutter to gutter, later claimed the scalp of Public Security Minister Alejandro Gertz, who stepped down in the face of such strong criticism. "The rally's success didn't surprise me as crime is now one of Mexicans' greatest worries, although it may have taken some politicians by surprise," says march organiser Fernando Schutte from the office of his family estate agency in the city's colonial San Angel district. "Public security is the state's primary reason for being, and if it isn't providing it, then you have to go out and demand it. I don't want to hear speeches, I want to see results," he adds. While Mexico's law enforcement and justice system is choked by corruption and a lack of resources that frustrates the best of political intentions, even the most severely tested in the crime-blighted capital share Schutte's steadfast conviction that the police and criminal-justice system must be made to work. Among them is accountant Eduardo Gallo, whose 25-year-old daughter, Paola, was snatched four years ago by a kidnap gang and shot dead despite the prompt payment of a ransom. Facing indifference from prosecutors, Gallo singlehandedly tracked down Paola's killers in an 11-month manhunt that took him right up to the US border. Although there were moments when Gallo may have considered exacting his own brand of justice, in the end he simply handed the kidnappers over to the courts. "It wasn't so much that I had the faith or confidence that the system of justice would work, but the alternative was to kill them," he says. "My parents brought me up with respect for the law, for society and for people's lives, and these were the values that I had passed on to my own children. I couldn't simply throw that aside when faced with a problem." 'Man on Fire' opens on 8 October EXPRESS KIDNAPPING: Maria Jose Cuevas, graphic designer, 32 Cuevas was pulling up outside her home (where she agreed to be photographed here) in the capital's fashionable La Condesa neighbourhood on a quiet Sunday evening in late spring. As she parked her VW, she felt the presence of a man nearby. "I turned and saw that he had a pistol. He told me to get in the back of the car, then two more men got in: one up front accompanying the driver, and one in the back with me. All three were about 20 years old and had guns. "The situation was desperate. I had a pistol pressed into my ankle and another stuck into my ribs. You are in your own space, your car, but you don't have control over it or anything else. Outside, you see life going on as if nothing was happening, and you can't call for help. "My father is one of the most famous painters in Mexico - Jose Luis Cuevas - and at first I didn't know whether it was a kidnap that would last several days and end in a ransom demand, or if it was a so-called express kidnapping that would last just a couple of hours. But when they asked who my family was, I started to calm down a little as it looked like it was just random. "They asked for my bank card, and they drove to three or four ATMs to withdraw cash. By sheer luck I only had 10,000 pesos (around £500). I told them to check the balance, and they believed I didn't come from a rich family. "After they got the money, they carried on driving around and I got very anxious about where they were taking me. They hurl every kind of cliché at you to frighten you. They tell you you are going to sleep in a cellar - like a proper kidnap. They say they are going to take you out on to the highway, implying that they are going to kill or rape you. "Inside I was dying of fright, but I was chatting to them and outwardly very calm. I was telling them how the situation in Mexico was very difficult, and that I didn't agree with robbery or hold-ups but I understood why they did it. I was becoming their accomplice. "After about three hours, they decided to let me go. They parked up in a dark street. When everyone else had got out of the car, the driver reached out and squeezed my shoulder. He stayed looking right into my eyes for a few seconds. It was a little moment in which I felt like he was both trying to ask me to forgive him and thanking me." KIDNAPPED BY POLICE: Miguel Castillo, marketing director, 35 Castillo was leaving the bakery he worked at in the capital's Barranca del Muerto district at around 9.30pm on a spring evening when he found the path to his Volkswagen GTI blocked by a federal police squad car. "The police forced me to get out of my car, saying that it was stolen. Three or four officers then threw me face down into the back of the car and put their feet on top of me. They drove off with the radio turned on loud so that I couldn't figure out where I was going. I still don't know which route they followed. "They handed me over to some civilians who held me captive in a safe house. I was stripped naked and placed in a completely dark room with a cement floor. They tied my left hand to a concrete post with wire, and left me there for five nights and six days. "Their mistreatment was systematic. They didn't feed me. They beat me frequently, and they told me they were going to kill me. It was a psychological game. When they came for me, they always shoved a torch right in my face so that I couldn't identify them. You feel complete impotence as your life depends entirely on your kidnappers' attitude and moods. "I had to identify my family and give them their details. It wasn't until the fifth day that they finally got in touch with them. My family was going frantic with worry as they had no idea where I was. They paid a ransom [he declines to say how much] and I was put back into the boot of my car and taken for a drive. "They left me in the countryside in Morelos state - adjacent to Mexico City. After the sound of voices had receded, I began to call for help. A farmer heard me and helped me to climb out through the back seats. I went to a nearby house and used the phone to call my mother. "It has left me with a lot of anger because of the situation they put my family in. If I lost a family member or a friend in a kidnapping, I would want to take revenge." KIDNAPPED IN HIS OWN HOME: Jose Cohen, television producer, 34 Cohen was relaxing at home with his wife and three young children when he got a call from work. A colleague needed a telephone number, so he took the lift (which he returned to for the photo you see here) down from his 10th-floor apartment in the capital's swanky Polanco district to fetch his laptop from his car. "When I pushed the elevator door open, a 9mm pistol was pointing in my face. I was told to close my eyes and look down at the floor, and I just remember seeing a bunch of feet walking into the elevator, at least four of five people. They took me back up to my apartment. It was a kidnap in my own home. "They took us all into the bedroom where the shower was still on, and they tied my wife and me up. They just said to us, 'Keep cool and nothing is going to happen.' The kids were with us and the little one was crying for his bottle, so that was a little difficult. "At first it was very frightening as they were very threatening. They said things like 'You son of a bitch' and 'If you open your eyes, I'll kill you.' But we were lucky because that particular day I had gone to change a cheque as I had to make some payments at the office the following day. I had around $3,000 (£2,000) in my pocket and I gave it to them immediately. "We are not a Rolex family, so they took my wallet, my wife's jewellery, some antique watches inherited from my grandfather and my DVD player and our mobile phones. They were constantly talking on mobile phones, and only later did we realise they had taken over the whole building and were talking to accomplices in other apartments. "After a couple of hours, they left, telling us not to do anything for 45 minutes. I put a chair against the elevator door, which was silly, and turned off the shower. At the end of the day they told me that if we took it easy and played along with their game, they wouldn't hurt us, and that was the most important thing for me, obviously, as I just wanted to protect my family. "Only later when I checked the call log of my wife's mobile phone did I discover that the kidnappers had used it to call one particular number 17 times. I started to do my own investigation, but then decided to drop it. If you live in a place where there is no rule of law, then it's pretty damn scary to go ahead and do something on your own." http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/crossing_continents/3626331.stm Mexico: A kidnapped society By Charlotte Davis BBC Radio 4's Crossing Continents Whilst the world watches in horror at the rash of kidnapping in Iraq, it should consider looking to Mexico for expertise in kidnap and negotiation. Every Mexican family knows they might have to negotiate the liberation of a loved one. It has become a way of life, though nobody knows how many kidnappings there are here every year. The official figures say there were only 214 kidnaps between 2001 and 2003, but security groups say it is closer to 1,200 in 2003 alone. Being native to Mexico City, Dr Pablo Carstens became a kidnap negotiator more through necessity than choice. He left university as a fully trained veterinary surgeon. But an unconventional career path led from guard dog training into Mexico's massive security business. After showing promise in the negotiation of freeing his own cousin he received formal training from security giant Control Risks and now runs his own security company. He helps liberate about 30 victims a year. Crisis management Pablo assists families through their crisis in a calm, quiet manner, chain-smoking all the way. He took me to his latest negotiation where 32-year-old Mauricio was negotiating the liberation of his father, Pasquale. The family was certainly not as rich as I was expecting. But wealthy Mexicans are increasingly nervy, difficult targets. So kidnappers are now hunting lower down the food chain. The "crisis centre" was Mauricio's sister's modest apartment. Cans of cola and packets of cigarettes were stacked in the corner to sustain them between telephone calls. Poignantly, cheerful family photos on display were a stark contrast to the family sitting tensely in the room. To help Mauricio, Pablo had written prompts on sheets of paper covering the wall, such as: 'We have not got that money', and 'that account has been closed for months'. Prompts usually work well but Pablo confided: "Mauricio is not very bright, he is a terrible negotiator. I must teach him how to speak, how to breathe, so he sounds scared, because the life of the father can depend on this son's performance." Police involvement? When the call came the air was suddenly electric. Pablo frantically wrote prompts on the wall as the tinny voice of the kidnapper rang out, shouting obscenities at the dumbstruck Mauricio. "This is your last chance," he said, "If you do not give us the money he is dead." Mauricio opened and closed his mouth a few times like a goldfish and stammered: "No, No!" It was not just that Mauricio was not a natural communicator that was causing trouble for Pablo. He had discovered that one of Pasquale's daughters, who was pushing for immediate payment of the ransom, was in love with a policeman. BBC Radio 4's Crossing Continents Mexico's kidnap crisis was broadcast on Thursday, 15 April, 2004 at 1100 BST 'It is a possibility that this guy is involved [in the kidnap], he is not a good guy,' he said. Legal representatives of victims claim at least 70% of kidnaps involve police or ex-police participation. I met with a senior anti-kidnapping agent who admitted the problem. "You know about the calls, the tactics, even how to tap phones, to check up on families, the kind of thing the police can do,' he said. I am still cautious with those I have worked with a long time Dr Pablo Carstens 'The problem is that some people just want easy money and know how to do it." When I asked if the rate of kidnap is going down, he said: "It is going up, it is getting worse, the government no longer gives out kidnapping figures to the media because they do not want people paranoid on the street. They do not want to start a national crisis about kidnapping." The relationship between the police and private negotiators is tense. Over time, Pablo has developed a trusting working relationship with a few policemen, but he told me: 'You have to be very careful, no names, addresses, money amounts are written down or given in police files, and I am still cautious with those I have worked with a long time,' he said. 'Rotten society' After four more days of complex haggling and threats, Pasquale was released. It was Mauricio who opened the door to his father at 0300. He had been beaten and had two broken ribs. Pasquale came in to see Pablo for a debrief and we heard the story. He had been abducted by eight men and taken to a house out of the city, where he had been guarded and fed by two of the kidnappers, one of which was a woman. Everyone thinks it is just because the police are corrupt, but that is because the police are part of a rotten society Dr Pablo Carstens At least one other victim was being held in another room. Pablo made efforts to get Pasquale to report the kidnap to the police but Pasquale refused. When the issue was pushed further Pasquale replied: "It is important that the police do not give me trouble. The boss of this group, he was a policeman and he is not any old policeman... If there is some way that they will overlook me, my family, that is for the best is it not?" I asked Pablo what his personal thoughts were on the kidnap problem, and he told me: "Maybe the authorities are saying that in a couple of years there will be not one single case. In reality, it is getting higher. "Everyone thinks it is just because the police are corrupt, but that is because the police are part of a rotten society. "I do not think it is just a police matter. Kidnap here is a social problem." BBC Radio 4's Crossing Continents was broadcast on Thursday, 15 April, 2004 at 1100 BST, and was repeated on Monday, 19 April, 2004 at 2030 BST. http://www.csmonitor.com/2002/0917/p06s02-woam.html Kidnapping thrives in Mexico Congress is slated to debate a law that would crack down on 'express kidnappings.' By Gretchen Peters | Special to The Christian Science Monitor MEXICO CITY AND CUERNAVACA - When Héctor Pineda Velázquez was kidnapped from his ranch in Guerrero state and held by masked captors for more than a month, his family didn't notify the press or ask authorities to help secure his release. They paid an undisclosed ransom. That may seem strange, considering Mr. Pineda is a federal congressman. "Everything was arranged by my family, in particular, my son," a disheveled and distraught Pineda told reporters outside his home in Coyuca de Catalán on Sept. 6, the day he was released. After the string of highly publicized child-abduction cases this summer, Americans might find it hard to imagine that a kidnapped high-level Mexican official barely makes the news here – and receives no official help. But in Mexico, a kidnapping occurs every six hours on average. Mexico is now second only to war-torn Colombia in the number of annual kidnappings. While few victims are killed, few perpetrators in this thriving multimillion-dollar industry are ever caught. "In the US, the great majority of the kidnapping cases are solved," says Walter Farrer, the Mexico operations chief at the security firm Pinkerton and Burns International. "Here, it's a business, and as awful as it sounds, it is treated as a transaction." And business is up. The Mexican business association, Coparmex, which tracks kidnapping, lists 331 reported cases so far this year, compared to 221 in all of 2001. The actual figure, however, is estimated to be three or four times higher. According to various studies, fewer than a third of families here ever report a kidnapping, apparently out of fear that Mexico's corrupt and inefficient police are either involved in the crime or will botch any rescue effort. Moreover, the common "express kidnap" – in which a victim is briefly abducted, forced to withdraw money from ATMs, and then released – is considered violent robbery under Mexican law. Government statistics indicate there are more than 10 express kidnaps a day here – or about 4,000 a year. Mexico's abduction problem has spawned a billion-dollar-a-year private security industry, which provides rich families and big businesses with bodyguards, armored cars, prevention training, and kidnap negotiators. Wealthy families have been known to pay as much as $30 million in ransom, though Mr. Farrer and others say the average asking price is around $280,000 and the final payment usually negotiated to about $19,000. Another new trend is the "virtual kidnap": gangs go for young professionals driving expensive cars, and usually negotiate their ransoms and releases within about 36 hours. "They go for volume and speed to reduce the risk," says Farrer. "Often, they don't even steal the car, which would be easier to trace." The growing number of kidnappings has yielded new products catering to kidnap fears. Volkswagen has introduced an armored version of its Passat sedan to the Mexican market. Advertisements show a mock abduction attempt foiled by the bullet- and flame-proof car. Victims of a wave of kidnappings in the 1990s in Cuernavaca, in central Morelos state, say the trauma shredded the fabric of their affluent community. "I would say about 80 or 90 percent of the 'kidnappable' people here were kidnapped," says student Gerardo Cortina, who was held for 15 days after armed men nabbed him as he was leaving his university one evening. "We all asked ourselves, 'Who's next?' " Many victims simply packed up with their families and left Mexico. "Anna," who didn't want her real name used, moved with her family from Cuernavaca to Dallas after armed men broke into their home in 1995 and kidnapped her for 30 hours. She recently returned to Mexico after giving birth to a son. "Now that I am a parent, I can't imagine what my parents went through," she says. Seven years later, "we still call each other every 30 minutes to check everyone is OK." Though kidnap victims in the US are more likely to be killed, Mexico's highly organized kidnap gangs usually threaten to injure their victims if families don't raise ransoms quickly. Some are known for sending body parts, often a finger or an ear, to show they're serious. "I'm still filled with fear," says Pedro Fletes, whose captors threatened to cut off his finger when he was kidnapped last year in Mexico City. Mr. Fletes recently started an organization offering counseling for victims and their families, and meeting with the government to help track kidnap gangs. "I'm adamant that someone has to do something," he says. Fletes isn't the only private citizen who has taken it upon himself to address Mexico's kidnap problem. Other more secretive groups track kidnap cases, meet privately with trusted government officials, and provide various forms of assistance to families when a loved one is taken. Alberto, a businessman and member of one such group who wouldn't be identified by his full name, says kidnapping is no longer just a problem for the rich. "We're seeing more cases in small villages where a shop owner is kidnapped for somewhere around 5,000 to 10,000 pesos [about $500 to $1,000]," he says. Mexico's government insists it is taking action. On Saturday, the justice department announced the sentencing of a jeweler-turned-kidnapper known as "the colonel" to 18 years in prison, along with five of his associates. Congress will soon consider legislation to stiffen penalties on express kidnaps. And the newly formed Federal Investigation Agency, a force similar to the FBI, has rescued 133 kidnap victims in less than two years, and nabbed more than 80 members of kidnap gangs. Last week, federal police arrested 13 members of a kidnap gang known as "the Ranchers" in an operation in central Puebla state, rescuing a 63-year-old victim. But critics say dozens of more dangerous groups are still operating, and it's usually low-level worker bees, not kidnap masterminds, who get caught. http://www.isn-inc.com/html/article_10.html Mexico: Kidnapping the new cottage industry By Guy Gravino, Sr., President, Whiskey Seven With the proliferation of crime in Mexico, due to corruption, drugs and economic disparities, a low risk high yield cottage industry has re-emerged within the borders of our neighbors to the south. Although kidnapping has been around for sometime, the resurfacing of this crime, offers as much potential for the common criminal as it does the terrorist and the drug trafficker. In recent years, Mexico has advanced its position with regards to kidnapping, becoming second only to Colombia. To the lay person, the obvious motivation for the crime of kidnapping is monetary gain as in the case of Daniel Arizmendi known as Mexico's infamous "ear cutter". This name was give to Arizmendi because of his standard operating procedure of removing an ear, or other body part to send to the hostage's family with his demands, earning him a reputation of a no nonsense criminal. Arizmendi, who was captured in August 1998, has been accused of 200 kidnappings in which he and his organization amassed $40 million in ransom. The former police officer Arizmendi allegedly achieved this wealth with the protection of the police and judges who were on the kidnapper payroll. To the more informed, kidnapping is much more complex. In Mexico, revolutionary groups, such as the Popular Revolutionary Army (EPR) are conducting guerrilla warfare against, in the EPR's words, a corrupt and repressive Mexican government. The EPR and other opposition forces employment of kidnapping has been targeted against both political and innocent civilians, demanding the release of brothers in arms, political prisoners and operational financing. The drug lords in Mexico have become the biggest drug traffickers in the world overtaking the Colombian Cartels. They provide the United States (the largest drug consumer) with 75% of its cocaine and 50% of its marijuana. When President Ernesto Zedillo, a Yale economist, took office in December 1994, he vowed to fight the powerful drug trade, however, the drug traffickers wasted no time in sending a message to the new untested President. On March 15, 1995, local police officers in Mexico City attempted to carjack President Zedillo's eldest son in broad daylight. Bodyguards in a separate car moved in before shots were fired leaving the world no doubt how powerful and far reaching the Mexican drug cartels have grown. As a former Special Forces Operator and an Anti-terrorist Instructor, my purpose for such articles is not to persuade people not to visit Mexico, or any other destination. On the contrary, it is to make people more cognizant of the situation, to help people exercise caution by learning to employ individual protective measures (IPM) for themselves and loved ones. There's a bonus to the employment of IPM's, they work just as well in a domestic situation as in a foreign situation. In my next article I will discuss Mexico's, number 2 kidnap rating and how the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) helped accelerate Mexico's climb to this dubious rating. Mr. Gaetano A. Gravino, Sr., Telephone: (302) 652-4402 E-mail: WHISKEYSEVEN@P... http://www.mexidata.info/id217.html Column 061404 Thompson Monday, June 14, 2004 Kidnappings are out of control in Mexico By Barnard R. Thompson Mexico’s crime wave continues, with violent kidnappings for ransom, extortion or worse rising to tsunami levels in greater Mexico City. And while many, in desperate hope for the safe return of kidnapped family members and loved ones meet ransom demands, time and again the victims are found dead, often with clear evidence of torture and abuse before their brutal murders. No longer a cottage industry targeting the privileged few, today nearly everyone, rich to middle class to those of lesser means, faces the threat of kidnapping by organized gangs or the unorganized. Kidnapping for ransom demands are tailored to the victims, and if family or friends lag in paying even small amounts they may be sent crudely amputated body parts as a sign of worse to come. There are “express kidnappings,” with victims carjacked or otherwise driven (often in taxis they foolishly hail on the street as some cabdrivers work in concert with other criminals) from one bank or ATM machine to another until a victim’s credit and cash withdrawal card funds are exhausted. In recent weeks five more heinous murders of kidnap victims in Mexico City have pushed citizens to unprecedented levels of outrage. As such, people are protesting the “severe national security problem,” while at the same time demanding not just protection but also for real action to be taken at all levels of government against the steady flood of crime. A social mobilization is growing, started to a degree via the Internet and electronic mail. Anticrime groups and organizations are being formed; federal, state and municipal officials are being called to task; stricter laws are supposedly being drafted; and a major march and demonstration against kidnappings and violence is planned for June 27 in Mexico City. On June 2, the Mexico City newspaper Reforma published an interview with Diego Ricardo Canto, identified as a consultant with Kroll Inc., that touts itself as “the world’s foremost independent risk consulting company.” One division of Kroll’s victim services is The Kidnap for Ransom Practice, that reportedly deploys “case officers” worldwide to assist clients. According to Canto, who referred to a Kroll study, in 2003 Mexico ranked number two in Latin America with 3,000 kidnappings, second only to Colombia where 4,000 such crimes were committed. He added that 50 percent of all kidnappings worldwide are in Latin America. A representative of the Citizens Council for Public Security and Criminal Justice, José Antonio Ortega Sánchez, said in the same Reforma piece that murders resulting from kidnappings have become commonplace in many areas of Mexico. On a national basis, Ortega has also said that reported deaths from kidnappings since 1996 total 162, with the annual figures getting progressively larger. It should be noted that many kidnappings go unreported in Mexico. According to studies by the National Autonomous University of Mexico, over 90 percent of kidnappings are not reported to authorities due to faithlessness in police and government officials. The Kroll interview, coupled with other media reports and the growing demands of civil groups, business and professional organizations, government employees, labor unions and the e-mail campaign, seem to have finally gotten the governments’ attention. President Vicente Fox Quesada has acknowledged the gravity of the crime situation in many areas, saying “we will not wash our hands of this problem.” Also noting that kidnappings come under the jurisdiction of the states, he has vowed that federal authorities will work with state and local governments to coordinate anti-kidnapping efforts. As well, the President is calling for legislators to pass reforms to the Criminal Justice Law that are bogged down in an unproductive Congress, including amendments that will make kidnapping a federal crime. Still, there have also been negative ­ and maybe oversensitive ­ reactions to the recent news reports on kidnappings and kidnapping statistics. José Luis Santiago Vasconcelos, Mexico’s Deputy Attorney General for Organized Crime, denounced the Kroll statistics as “deceiving and far from reality.” Santiago said that 2,165 kidnappings were committed between 2000 and 2003. On June 11, Attorney General Rafael Macedo de la Concha announced that a criminal investigation of private security consulting firms, that unlawfully advise families of kidnap victims not to notify police, is underway. As to Andrés Manuel López Obrador, the Rasputinesque conspiracy theorist mayor of Mexico City, he has confirmed recent charges by one of his henchmen. They ludicrously claim that the mobilizations against kidnappings in Mexico City are part of yet another plot against the politically ambitious López Obrador, this time orchestrated by Fox’s National Action Party. http://www.showmenews.com/2004/Jun/20040627News010.asp Kidnapping tactics in Latin America increasingly brutal Published Sunday, June 27, 2004 MEXICO CITY (AP) - Joshua Sierra’s family wasn’t rich. They lived in an apartment on Mexico City’s gritty east side and hardly fit the mold of the affluent foreigners who so often have fallen prey to kidnappers. But on a summer day last year, 2-year-old Joshua disappeared. The abduction falls into a troubling trend taking hold across Latin America: Kidnappers are becoming more reckless, more brutal and more random about whom they choose to snatch off the streets. "Once they get you, they tend to be more violent because they don’t really have any coherent idea of how much money you have or where you keep it," said Frank Holder, former head of Latin American operations for risk management company Kroll Inc. "They may decide to torture you to get that information." Revulsion over such abductions sparked a week of protests this month by housewives in Mexico, and a fatal kidnapping in Argentina led tens of thousands to demonstrate in the streets of Buenos Aires in April. A similar mass rally is being held today in Mexico City. Joshua’s story is a chilling illustration of the new tactics. When the kidnappers seized the boy from his apartment, they left behind the strangled corpse of the toddler’s 15-year-old cousin. The family scraped together a $10,000 ransom for Joshua, but the boy has not been returned. "We just want them to return Joshua," said the boy’s aunt, Yolanda Torres. "We have hopes that he is still alive." Mexican officials say kidnappings have been declining overall, even as the abductors’ methods become more brutal. Federal and state crime statistics indicate that kidnappings peaked in 1997 - with 1,047 known abductions - but even government officials concede that the majority of kidnappings are never reported to police. Kroll estimates that Mexico has the second-highest number of kidnappings behind Colombia, where many abductions are political. The company estimates that in 2003, there were 4,000 kidnappings in Colombia, 3,000 in Mexico and 2,000 in Argentina. Abductions of the kind depicted in the recent Denzel Washington movie "Man on Fire" are sophisticated operations in which the perpetrators might study wealthy targets for months. The gangs usually have experience, a negotiating plan and an exit strategy. As police crack down on such professionals, small-time criminals have been going after people who cannot afford to travel with bodyguards and bulletproof cars. Fearing that victims might identify them once set free, kidnappers have taken to killing their prey even after ransoms are paid. "The demonic thing about opportunistic kidnapping is that anyone could be a victim," Holder said. Con artists also have been taking advantage of the kidnapping fears. In so-called virtual kidnappings, gangs gather information on a victim, then wait until the person is temporarily out of reach and call his or her family to claim that their loved one has been kidnapped. In one recent case, a man was dropped off at the Mexico City airport by his wife. As he waited for her to park the car, three men approached, described the wife perfectly and said they were holding her and would harm her unless he gave them money. He did, only to find that the woman had never been abducted. There have even been self-kidnappings, or young people who persuade acquaintances to tell their parents they have been abducted to try to wring money out of them. In the past, express kidnappings involved a victim abducted in a car or taxi, driven around for a few hours, beaten and threatened so the attackers could get a PIN number and make cash withdrawals from an automated teller machine. Many police departments still classify those cases as armed robbery, not kidnapping. But those kidnappings have evolved and now can last for days, weeks or months. "Kidnappers have become more ruthless," said Genaro Gongora Pimentel, a Mexican Supreme Court justice. http://www.securitydriver.com/aic/stories/article-36.html http://www.comebackalive.com/df/kidnapp/kdnapins.htm Kidnap, Rescue and Extortion Insurance Who do you call when someone is kidnapped? Don't call Chuck Norris, Steven Seagal or Jackie Chan. You'll probably end up dead. Don't even call the police, they will jack up the ransom demand and be in cahoots with the kidnappers. You should call your insurance company followed by the embassy, and a professional hostage negotiator. DP advises that anyone in a hostage situation contact a professional in their home country before they contact the local police. Better yet, educate yourself about kidnapping before you find out the hard way. A typical KRE policy with $1 million limit covers a family of 11 people. In Latin America, business is intertwined with extended family from grandparents down to grandchildren. An annual policy would cost between $7000 in Brazil up to a maximum of $26,000 in Colombia. When you cover a business family, you will always schedule each person. Corporations usually buy blanket policies that cover all employees. In most countries except Mexico and Colombia unless you work for a large oil company, a $10 million policy for a Fortune 100 company will cost about $350,000 a year. Insurers like Seitlin also can write one shot, one month $1 million KRE policies for travelers and businesspeople for between $2500-$3000. Is it necessary? Well Seitlin believes you'd be crazy to do business south of Miami without $5-$10 million in KRE coverage. In Colombia a ransom less than a million is considered a joke. Who you gonna call Dying to know which security groups are called by insurance companies when you get kidnapped? Here is DP's insider list. If you can correctly guess which ex-affiliations these groups hold (Army, Air Force, CIA, Mossad, SAS etc.) we'll send you a free Mr. DP shirt. Chubb uses the Ackerman Group AIG uses Kroll Associates Cassidy Davis Hiscox Consortium (Lloyds) uses Control Risks Group Genesis (Lloyds) uses The Ackerman Group). Cigna uses Pinkerton's Some tips when you are invited to stay overnight. Try to avoid countries notorious for kidnapping: Colombia, Mexico, Chechnya, Yemen are just some. Americans doing business for Fortune 100 oil and mining companies in Colombia are at highest risk; low key backpackers and travelers are usually at low risk. Strange as it sounds, the odds of extracting you are better in areas where kidnapping is done in conjunction with the police. Brazil and Mexico are just two countries where kidnapping is a business conducted in conjunction with the local police. Areas where kidnapping is intertwined with Maoist or Marxist ideology are much harder. If someone you know is kidnapped, do not contact the police and do not talk to the press. Contact your embassy, the insurance company and/or a security consultancy to take the next steps. If you have a KRE policy, someone will be dispatched to act as a counselor within hours. Tape record or write down any messages and do not commit to anything until the counselor or security help arrives. Most security counselors will be ex-CIA, Mossad or other intelligence service pensioners. The British firms pull from their own pool of ex-SAS, Scotland Yard and MI-5 folks. Your security counselor will not make any decisions but he will facilitate the process and act as a coach, a mediator and a go between. They will usually setup a committee that analyze input and demands and then make decisions. Usually the decisions are: Pay the money, stall, or negotiate the ransom downwards. Not the best of jobs for amateurs. The fatality rate on security-consultant handled kidnappings is a reassuring 2 percent compared to 9 percent for homemade efforts. Part of the skew is because some kidnap deaths can occur at the attack-the victims may die of illness, heart attack, or they can be killed during rescue attempts. Seitlin & Company 2001 N.W. 107 Avenue, Suite 200 Miami, Florida 33172 (305) 591-0090, FAX: (305) 593-6993 e-mail: kandrguy@a... Seitlin is the largest insurance broker in Florida that also does a ripping business in kidnap/ransom insurance. Luckily he only has to pay out about once or twice a year. Their clients include mostly wealthy Latin American families, corporations that do business south of the border and employees of multinational corporations. He can provide policies from all the major insurance brokers Chubb Insurance of Canada http://masc-web.com/chubb/english/epd/kidnap.htm Chubb offers Kidnap/Ransom/Extortion (KRE) coverage for busy executives with a healthy level of fear. Extortion can also cover computer hackers, contamination or even a computer virus. Lloyds of London 1 Portsoken Street London England, E1 8DF (071) 480-4000, FAX: (071) 480-4170 http://www.cyberapp.com/kidnap.html Black Fox International, Inc. P. O. Box 1187 205 Garvin Boulevard Sharon Hill, Pennsylvania 19079 (800) 877-2445, (610) 461-6690, FAX: (610) 586-5467 e-mail: jc@b... e-mail http://black-fox.com/kidnap.htm Security Resources Security is big business these days. Americans spend about 90 billion on security every year. We only spend $40 billion on public police. In California there are four times as many private police as there are government police. In countries like Russia and South Africa people don't even bother calling for the police. Areas affected by kidnapping also have a number of local firms that provide security and protection. Inquire at your local embassy or with other multinational companies. Pinkerton Risk Assessment Services 1600 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 901 Arlington, Virginia 22209 (703) 525-6111, FAX: (703) 525-2454 www.pinkertons.com fjohns@p... Once on the trail of bank robbers in the Wild West, Pinkerton has gone global and high-tech. Today, you can get risk assessments of over 200 countries on-line or in person. Pinkerton offers access to a database of more than 55,000 terrorist actions and daily updated reports on security threats. For the nonactive, you can order printed publications that range from daily risk assessment briefings to a monthly newsletter. Their services are not cheap, but how much is your life worth? Annual subscriptions to the on-line service start at about US$7000, and you can order various risk and advisory reports that run from US$200-$700 each. Pinkerton gets down and dirty with its counterterrorism programs, hostage negotiators, crisis management and travel security seminars. The service is designed for companies who send their employees overseas or need to know what is going on in the terrorist world. Some reports are mildly macabre, with their annual businesslike graphs charting maimings, killings, assaults and assassinations. Others are truly enlightening. In any case, Pinkerton does an excellent job of bringing together the world's most unpleasant information and providing it to you in concise, intelligent packages. Unlimited on-line access to their database on 230 countries will run you US$6000 a year. You will find the information spotty, with a preponderance of information on South and Central America. Many of the write-ups on everything from Kurds to the Islamic Jihad are written by young college students with little in-country experience. On the other hand, there are many holes that are filled by CIA country profiles (available at any library for free). If you want to save a few bucks, for US$4000 a year (US$5000 overseas), you can get a full subscription of daily, weekly, quarterly and annual risk assessments, as well as analysts' commentaries, a world status map and a fax service that keeps you abreast of fast breaking events. Cheapskates can opt for the US$2250 standard package, which eliminates the daily reports sent via fax, but provides you most of the other elements. If you want to order | la carte, expect services that range from a US$30 personalized trip package, to US$250 printouts of existing risk and travel advisories, to accessing the company's Country Data bank for US$1000 per country. Control Risks Group, London 8200 Greensboro Drive, Suite 1010 McLean, Virginia 22102 (703) 893-0083, FAX: (703) 893-8611 83 Victoria Street London, England SW1H-OHW [44] (171) 222-1552 This international management consulting company specializes in political, business and security risk analysis and assessments, due diligence and fraud investigations, preventative security and asset protection, crisis management planning and training, crisis response and unique problem solving. With extensive experience in kidnapping, extortion and illegal detention resolution, they have handled more than 700 cases in 79 countries. Control Risks has 14 offices around the world including Washington, D.C., London, New York, Bogota, Mexico City, Bonn, Amsterdam, Manila, Melbourne, Moscow, Paris, Singapore, Sydney and Tokyo. Their international, political and security risk analysis research department is the largest of its kind in the private sector and has provided hundreds of companies with customized analyses of the political and security risks they may face doing business around the globe. An on-line Travel Security Guide addresses security issues in more than 100 countries. Emergency Numbers for CRG: LONDON: (071) 222 1552 or (071) 481 1851 (Nightline) UNITED STATES: (703) 893 0083 AUSTRALIA: (613) 416 1533 Kroll Associates 900 Third Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, New York 10022 800) 824-7502 (212) 833-3206, FAX: (212) 750-8112 www.krollassociates.com A security/investigative firm founded in 1972 by Jules Kroll and owned by Equifax (the credit info folks). In addition to gumshoeing on an international and corporate level, Kroll also offers a very useful service for business travelers. You can use your credit card to order a Travel Watch report for $9.95 each. They also provide customer security services for business. Kroll has information over 300 cities worldwide that covers transportation to and from the city, emergency telephone numbers as well as health and safety concerns. They also have special reports on countries an regions. There are also new security tips on the Internet and computers, the airlines and in depth country reports available. Ackerman Group 166 Kennedy Causeway, Suite 700 Miami Beach, Florida 33141 (305) 865-0072 Mike Ackerman specializes in crisis resolution or hostage return through providing the financial and security resources required to resolve hostage situations safely. TroubleShooters USA: (352) 343-2406, FAX: (352) 343-3864, Canada: (403) 885-5273 Ex-US military folks who freelance for hostage situations and can provide aviation services for overseas extractions. They can provide assistance for executive protection, hostage retrieval and missing person searches. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We Expertly Hunt Real Spies, Real Eavesdroppers, and Real Wiretappers. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- James M. Atkinson Phone: (978) 381-9111 Granite Island Group Fax: 127 Eastern Avenue #291 Web: http://www.tscm.com/ Gloucester, MA 01931-8008 Email: mailto:jmatk@tscm.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- World Class, Professional, Ethical, and Competent Bug Sweeps, and Wiretap Detection using Sophisticated Laboratory Grade Test Equipment. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9646 From: moellerthy <1ach@g...> Date: Sat Sep 11, 2004 10:35pm Subject: Re: Fiction book recommendation --- In TSCM-L@yahoogroups.com, Hello Nanotech Beacons Nanotech Beacons are injected into the body beneath the skin and are used in todays time. It basically is GPS / Radio tracking in a nut shell. Andre Holmes Neptune Enterprise Security 1ach@G... "Richard T. Gray" wrote: > > Can anyone recommend any fictional books that the author utilizes technical > threats or TSCM throughout the story? > > Thanks in advance, > > > Ricky > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] 9647 From: Mitch D Date: Sun Sep 12, 2004 0:28am Subject: Re: "The Thing" http://www.spybusters.com/Great_Seal_Bug.html good information on a resonant cavity device ===== Mitch Davis TSCM/Special Operations Group Inc. Nashville,TN.USA MitchD@t... site:www.tscmusa.com. Tel (615)837-9933 FAX (615) 523-0300 Cell(615) 364-6776 __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Take Yahoo! Mail with you! Get it on your mobile phone. http://mobile.yahoo.com/maildemo 9648 From: A Grudko Date: Sun Sep 12, 2004 3:09am Subject: RE: [corporatesecurity] Are TSCM people in danger in Mexico? -----Original Message----- > I received a forwarded message tonight regarding a possible targeting of TSCM people by organizations in Mexico and want you to do due diligence before you go, just to be on the safe side. I've not heard anything about specific risk to TSCMers, but in some parts of South America, with Mexico being one, and in parts of Africa there is a Kidnap For Ransom risk to professionals, which may be targeted in groups try all the doctors, and then the lawyers, etc. Professional groups are chosen because they are likely to have a family that could easily raise, say, USD20 000. The psychology applied is to choose an amount which is also low enough that the family would rather pay up than call in the authorities. The good news is that in almost all cases the kidnappers release the hostages because it'is 'good business' to do so. Just one possible source ? Andy Grudko (British), DPM, Grad IS (South Africa) MIS/Grudko Associates, Est. 1981. PSIRA reg. No. 8642 www.grudko.com , agrudko@i... Pretoria HO (+27 12) 244 0255 - 244 0256 (Fax) Branches: Sandton (+27 11) 465 9673 - 465 1487 (Fax) Johannesburg (+27 11) 781 7206 - 781 7207(Fax) Mid Rand (+27 11) 318 1451 - 318 6846(Fax) Cellular (+27) 82 778 6355 - ICQ 146498943 SACI(Pres) SASA, IPA, WAD, CALI, UKPIN, IWWA. "When you need it done right - first time" --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.749 / Virus Database: 501 - Release Date: 2004/09/01 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] 9649 From: Fernando Martins Date: Sun Sep 12, 2004 4:53am Subject: Re: Laser or similar perimeter intrusion system.... You can find there microware and active IR http://www.guardall.co.uk/prod_perimeter.shtml easy to install http://www.guardall.co.uk/GetFile/F18B03D0E0437ECA80256CC4005A037B/320124_02_fenceguard350_microwave_fence_installation_manual.pdf http://www.guardall.co.uk/GetFile/99B6BEF0F5B46EF580256CC4005A0312/sbq_installation_instructions.pdf A small panel to use with it http://www.guardall.co.uk/pi8_residential_control_panelpdf.rsf easy to install http://www.guardall.co.uk/GetFile/EC5103F3E1D2EAA280256CC40056F749/320696_0a_pi8_rpanel_installation_manual.pdf http://www.guardall.co.uk/GetFile/BCFB526836C7313680256CC40057276B/320699_0b_pi8_comms_installation_manual.pdf It's a good UK company, nice people too. Portuguese listeners can contact me. FM ----- Original Message ----- From: "Tech Sec Lab" To: Sent: Thursday, September 09, 2004 12:22 AM Subject: [TSCM-L] Laser or similar perimeter intrusion system.... > Hi guys > > Can anyone recommend a handy laser based system to install as a perimeter > cross dectection unit. > > I am not looking for PIR's, all I need is a small outdoor rated product that > can be quickly installed and connected up to any basic pulse alert alarm > system for alarm trigger that acts as a cross beam for a distance of 10-20m. > > Cheers > > -Ois > > > > > > > > ======================================================== > TSCM-L Technical Security Mailing List > "In a multitude of counselors there is strength" > > To subscribe to the TSCM-L mailing list visit: > http://www.yahoogroups.com/community/TSCM-L > > It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion. > It is by the juice of Star Bucks that thoughts acquire speed, > the hands acquire shaking, the shaking is a warning. > It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion. > =================================================== TSKS > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.760 / Virus Database: 509 - Release Date: 10-09-2004