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(S//SI) Doing SIGINT Against Public Broadcasts
FROM:
IWSC Capabilities Branch (S1521)
Run Date: 04/06/2004
FROM:
IWSC Capabilities Branch (S1521)
(U) When you say SIGINT, the first things to come to mind are not press, propaganda and other
public broadcasts - except for processing encrypted or "hidden meaning" passages in such
broadcasts. The Foreign Broadcast Information Service (FBIS) regularly reports the content of
these open broadcasts.
(S//SI) Times change. Some of NSA's combatant command customers have articulated SIGINT
Information Needs on the technical details of communications that carry open broadcasts.
During OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM, the identification and location of Iraqi Satellite Television
became a high priority.
(S//SI) The question of NSA's authority to conduct SIGINT against such targets has been
reviewed by the Office of General Counsel's Operations Practice Group with the following result:
"NSA can intercept and process foreign press, propaganda and other open broadcast signals for
the purpose of deriving technical data concerning such signals. Any of this technical data that is
of foreign intelligence value can be reported to appropriate customers. NSA cannot do COMINT
reporting on the content of such transmissions; this is the responsibility of other organizations."
(U//FOUO) See a Staff Processing Form on the subject.
(U//FOUO) It is prudent to note that Information Needs relating to press, propaganda and other
public broadcasts are subject to the same National SIGINT Requirements Process criteria for
validation and prioritization as any other requirements.
(C) POC for this message is
IWSC Capabilities Branch (S1521),
.
"(U//FOUO) SIDtoday articles may not be republished or reposted outside NSANet
without the consent of S0121 (DL sid_comms)."
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DERIVED FROM: NSA/CSSM 1-52, DATED 08 JAN 2007 DECLASSIFY ON: 20320108