First Look Media, eBay Founder Pierre Omidyar’s foray into investigative journalism that’s being run by journalist and blogger Glenn Greenwald, has gone live in the past hour, and it’s with somewhat of a “bang,” to say the least…
The NSA’s Secret Role in the U.S. Assassination Program
By Jeremy Scahill and Glenn Greenwald 10 Feb 2014, 12:03 AM EST
The National Security Agency is using complex analysis of electronic surveillance, rather than human intelligence, as the primary method to locate targets for lethal drone strikes – an unreliable tactic that results in the deaths of innocent or unidentified people.
According to a former drone operator for the military’s Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) who also worked with the NSA, the agency often identifies targets based on controversial metadata analysis and cell-phone tracking technologies. Rather than confirming a target’s identity with operatives or informants on the ground, the CIA or the U.S. military then orders a strike based on the activity and location of the mobile phone a person is believed to be using.
The drone operator, who agreed to discuss the top-secret programs on the condition of anonymity, was a member of JSOC’s High Value Targeting task force, which is charged with identifying, capturing or killing terrorist suspects in Yemen, Somalia, Afghanistan and elsewhere.
His account is bolstered by top-secret NSA documents previously provided by whistleblower Edward Snowden. It is also supported by a former drone sensor operator with the U.S. Air Force, Brandon Bryant, who has become an outspoken critic of the lethal operations in which he was directly involved in Iraq, Afghanistan and Yemen.
In one tactic, the NSA “geolocates” the SIM card or handset of a suspected terrorist’s mobile phone, enabling the CIA and U.S. military to conduct night raids and drone strikes to kill or capture the individual in possession of the device…
As we learn upon doing a deeper dive on this story, there’s one “minor” problem with this strategy, and it’s that the targets are becoming “….increasingly aware of the NSA’s reliance on geolocating, and have moved to thwart the tactic. Some have as many as 16 different SIM cards associated with their identity within the High Value Target system. Others, unaware that their mobile phone is being targeted, lend their phone, with the SIM card in it, to friends, children, spouses and family members.”
Additonally, top Taliban officers are becoming aware of this U.S. methodology, and they’ve “purposely and randomly distributed SIM cards among their units in order to elude their trackers.”
So, the bottom line is that claims regarding the “precision” that our government has maintained it employs regarding targeted assassination of “terrorists” by drones isn’t really all that precise.
Paraphrasing a key quote from the article, our armed forces are: “…going after cellphone SIM cards, not people.”
Gee, maybe that explains why hundreds of innocent civilians are being murdered as a result of these drone strikes?
(It is THIS next-to-last sentence, by the way, along with the reported lack of human intel in some/many of these cases, per tonight's report, that IS the actual "breaking news." The fact that the NSA has been involved in the drone assassination program was previously reported. The details that have been reported regarding that "involvement," however, have been quite murky, to date.)
It is this aspect of the story that also tells us Greenwald and/or Scahill will (inevitably) now be even more targeted by our government, than they already were, for more information about their story sources. Continuing along this self-evident train of thought, that means we may be witnessing the beginning of a whole new chapter regarding U.S. government oppression of journalists that is now unfolding before us.
Time will tell.
# # #
Here's the announcement press release from First Look regarding their Intercept website going live over the past hour…
First Look’s The Intercept Launches with New NSA Revelations
Led by award-winning journalists Glenn Greenwald, Laura Poitras, and Jeremy Scahill, the initial focus will be on stories based on documents from Edward Snowden
February 10, 2014 01:00 AM Eastern Standard Time
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--First Look Media, the news organization created by Pierre Omidyar, today announced the launch of its first digital magazine, The Intercept. It is the first of what will eventually become a family of digital magazines published by First Look, covering topics from sports and entertainment to politics and business. The site is live at theintercept.org, and for the latest updates and news follow @the_intercept.
“Our day one story is significant and we have more coming. Laura, Jeremy, and I recognize the responsibility in front of us, and are thrilled to be embarking on this exciting and important journey.”
The Intercept will initially focus on new reporting involving the disclosures made to Greenwald and Poitras by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden. Their previous work for a host of publications worldwide has sparked a global conversation on the extent of government surveillance and the value of a free press.
The decision to launch The Intercept now was driven by the team’s sense of urgency and responsibility to continue and expand their reporting on the NSA story. The site’s first news article, by Greenwald and Scahill, raises troubling new questions about the NSA’s methods of identifying targets for lethal drone strikes.
“Glenn, Laura, and Jeremy are relentless in their pursuit of a story and rigorous in finding the truth,” said Omidyar. “We share a belief in the fundamental importance of a free and independent press on keeping a democracy vital and strong. In all of our reporting, at The Intercept and beyond, we will be anchored by that vision and hold ourselves to the highest journalistic standards. First Look journalists have editorial independence and support and are encouraged to pursue the transformative and engaging stories of our time, no matter the subject.”
While the initial focus of The Intercept will be based on documents provided by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, over time the reporting will expand to a wide range of issues involving government and corporate accountability.
“Today’s launch is just the beginning,” said Greenwald. “Our day one story is significant and we have more coming. Laura, Jeremy, and I recognize the responsibility in front of us, and are thrilled to be embarking on this exciting and important journey.”
In addition to the return of Greenwald’s regular column, The Intercept will offer ongoing commentary and analysis, publication of relevant primary source documents, robust digital storytelling, and guest authors who are experts in their fields.
First Look Media will launch a flagship site and additional digital magazines later this year.
About First Look Media
First Look Media seeks to reimagine journalism for the digital age, combining the promise of technological innovation with the power of fearless reporting. Founded by Pierre Omidyar, the organization will pursue original, independent journalism that is deeply reported and researched, thoroughly fact checked, and beautifully told. We are driven above all by a belief that democracy depends on a citizenry that is not just highly informed, but deeply engaged. In all our work, we are committed to strict standards of accuracy and honesty, and a willingness to report our own errors and inconsistencies, and a deep respect for the transformative power of true stories. To learn more, visit www.firstlook.org.
# # #
Be sure to checkout Kossack Jesselyn Radack's take on this story, linked here: "Two Disastrous Programs Collide: Drone Assassination & NSA Mass Surveillance."
And, definitely take a stand against the state's abuse of power. Per Radack...
...We owe it to the courageous whistleblowers who informed the American public of the pervasive abuse of power to take a stand against secret abuse of power. Tomorrow is the Day We Fight Back against mass surveillance. Go here to participate.
# # #