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Team Re-establishes Crucial Collection in Iraq

SUMMARY

After they noticed a significant drop in intercepted mobile phone calls prior to a major military operation in Fallujah, the Special Collection Service realized that the cellular network had changed, and they had consequently lost a significant intelligence source. SCS took emergency measures to try to regain access to the signals.

DOCUMENT’S DATE

Jan 24, 2005

PUBLICLY AVAILABLE

Feb 05, 2018

TAGS

Iraq

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Page 1 from Team Re-establishes Crucial Collection in Iraq
DYNAMIC PAGE -- HIGHEST POSSIBLE CLASSIFICATION IS TOP SECRET // SI / TK // REL TO USA AUS CAN GBR NZL (S//SI) Team Re-establishes Crucial Collection in Iraq FROM: Unknown Run Date: 01/24/2005 and Chris Green (F6) Collection of GSM links regained just prior to start of military operations in Fallujah (TS//SI) (TS//SI) The volume of collection normally seen on GSM links from Fallujah and Northern Baghdad took a dramatic drop in late October due to changes in the cellular network. With the impending Operation Phantom Fury (the US military's efforts against Fallujah) the lack of collection from these links was a severe gap in intelligence for the forces on the ground. Action had to be quick and decisive. (TS//SI) In response to this loss, a multi-organizational team was formed consisting of personnel from SCS, CIA, and Office of Target Reconnaissance and Survey (OTRS)/MUSKETEER with the requirement to locate, identify, and exploit the lost GSM infrastructure links. A QRC microwave survey and collection system was deployed to Camp Victory (Baghdad) to reacquire the lost links, and determine a suitable position to relay the links of interest to the SCS Annex (Koala House) for processing and dissemination. Within a two-week period, the team successfully surveyed, relayed, and restored collection of the lost GSM links. (S//SI) The team staged, tested, and successfully deployed with equipment for collection within seven days of notification. (S//SI) From 28 Oct - 19 Nov, the team surveyed a number of positions . The primary area of focus was along the northern perimeter wall, the closest proximity to links for Fallujah. The team quickly identified all signals and determined potential access for collection. (TS//SI) Because Operation Phantom Fury was looming on the horizon, a temporary collection strategy to collect and process the link was employed (annotated "PANDA" on the graphic). A relay path to Koala House, , was quickly identified and established. This enabled collected Fallujah GSM communications to be relayed for transcription and reporting. (TS//SI) With the temporary solution in place and Phantom Fury in full swing, the team set about constructing the collection and relay point for the entire MSC link. However, the team found that unforeseen atmospherics caused significant signal degradation making it impossible to collect the desired MSC links from one location. Thus a new location (annotated "GRIZZLY" on the graphic) was found for part of the collection. The collection from GRIZZLY coupled with the collection from PANDA covered the majority of the MSC links. The exceptional crossorganizational teaming allowed SIGINT to be a major contributor to Operation Phantom Fury. "(U//FOUO) SIDtoday articles may not be republished or reposted outside NSANet
Page 2 from Team Re-establishes Crucial Collection in Iraq
without the consent of S0121 (DL sid_comms)." DYNAMIC PAGE -- HIGHEST POSSIBLE CLASSIFICATION IS TOP SECRET // SI / TK // REL TO USA AUS CAN GBR NZL DERIVED FROM: NSA/CSSM 1-52, DATED 08 JAN 2007 DECLASSIFY ON: 20320108