picturephoning.com: Covert operators use camera phones

April 21, 2004

Covert operators use camera phones

In Textually, I have often posted articles related to cellphones having been used successfully by terror groups, triggering bomb explosions through cellular signals. Today, a well written article by The Edmonton Journal describes in detail "how cell phones have emerged as a pre-eminent terror and counter-terrorism tool" (by jamming cellphone frequency bands, preventing them from ringing and detonating an explosive) and how experts are now saying "one application that's hugely popular with consumers -- the camera-phone -- will be one of the most important cellphone features in the arsenal of covert operators for years to come. Again, the ability to look innocent while concealing covert activity is key".

"It's not uncommon to have CSIS agents standing around with camera phones," snapping shots of suspects while they're still on the plane then feeding those to customs agents on the ground", said Atkinson.

Or, if you're the bad guy, "you can have someone waiting at the airport take a picture of a target who's just stepped off a plane, and send it to his buddy who's at a hotel," said Juneau-Katsuya - a former Canadian Security Intelligence Service agent ,"So he's now got the exact picture of the way the mark is dressed and just has to wait for the guy to arrive to make the hit."

Related articles:

-- IRA involved in cell phone bombs

-- Terror's Latest Trigger: Cellphones

-- Cell phone detonated bombs in Madrid

-- Marriott bomb 'set off by mobile phone'

-- Cell phones trigger bombs

-- Bomb oustide Jakarta Hotel was detonated by a mobile phone

-- Cell Phones Triggered Bombs in Saudi Arabia

-- IRA involved in cell phone bombs

-- Attack is inevitable, say the (London) police. So how can we stop it?

emily | 6:39 PM | How people and businesses are using cameraphones |