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Economic Reporting Strives to Interdict the Flow of ‘Improvised Explosive Device’ Components

SUMMARY

NSA reporting led to restrictions on dual-use microprocessor sales by U.S. companies, “ultimately saving American and coalition lives.” Front companies in the United Arab Emirates facilitated the transfer of components used for improvised explosive devices to Iran and Syria.

DOCUMENT’S DATE

May 16, 2006

PUBLICLY AVAILABLE

Aug 15, 2018

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Page 1 from Economic Reporting Strives to Interdict the Flow of ‘Improvised Explosive Device’ Components
DYNAMIC PAGE -- HIGHEST POSSIBLE CLASSIFICATION IS TOP SECRET // SI / TK // REL TO USA AUS CAN GBR NZL (S//SI//REL) Economic Reporting Strives to Interdict the Flow of 'Improvised Explosive Device' Components FROM: Arms and Technology Transfer Branch (S2G21) Run Date: 05/16/2006 (S//SI//REL) SID's economic reporting may help cut off the flow of explosive devices that threaten US and Coalition troops. (S//SI//REL) Historically, economic intelligence was seen as a strategic target, providing only a programmatic view of an issue; however, in today's asymmetric battle space, in which our enemies use commercially available technologies, economic intelligence is a valuable tool in saving lives on the battlefield. (S//SI//REL) One good example of this is the contribution SIGINT has made towards stopping the cross-border transfer of parts that could be used in improvised explosive devices (IEDs). NSA economic reporting identified Iranian-controlled front companies operating in the United Arab Emirates that import American-made, dual-use, microprocessors from the global integrated circuit market and subsequently export these microprocessors to customers in Iran and Syria, in violation of U.S. export laws. These dual-use microprocessors have been used or are capable of being used in IEDs. (S//SI//REL) Based on this reporting, Undersecretary of Defense Cambone requested via a formal memo that Under Secretary of Commerce McCormick issue a general order to protect U.S. troops operating in Iraq and Afghanistan, and Mr. McCormick complied. The general order prohibits businesses from exporting specified commodities and technologies without an official export license. (S//SI//REL) The general order issued by the Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security uses NSA-supplied data that specifies persons, companies and pertinent addresses of entities connected to the purchase and subsequent transfer of IED-capable electronic components to Iran and Syria. Implementation and enforcement of this order will mitigate the flow of dual-use technologies to the enemy, ultimately saving American and coalition lives. (U) A US Marine Corps technician prepares to deploy a device that will detonate a buried IED near Camp Fallujah in western Iraq (Reuters) "(U//FOUO) SIDtoday articles may not be republished or reposted outside NSANet 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