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The Slovenian intelligence agency (SOVA) is monitoring telecommunications in the Balkans in cooperation with German BND (Bundesnachrichtendienst) and UK's MI5. Some believe that the recently disclosed secret location in the Slovenian capital could be a part of Echelon.
The Slovenian intelligence agency is currently a part of a political scandal which has revealed some secret locations and methods that SOVA was using for intelligence purposes. Moreover, international credibility in SOVA and its agents is compromised, as the Slovenian press managed to obtain classified information regarding SOVA's secret financing, its company of straw and its international cooperation with other intelligence agencies. Most likely, the information leaked from the parliamentary committee for monitoring the secret services activtiy.
The latest disclosure reveals SOVA's secret location for monitoring international telecommunications in Ljubljana near Telekom Slovenije (Slovenian Telco) and Siol (the major Slovenian ISP) headquarters, as well as near the Slovenian Internet Exchange (SIX) and Ljubljana Stock Exchange (LJSE) buildings.
The Slovenian media is reporting that the above mentioned location was also used by German BND (Bundesnachrichtendienst) and UK's MI5, especially to monitor telecommunications in the Balkans. Miso Alkalaj, an IT expert from Jozef Stefan Institute said he would not be surprised if the location was a part of Echelon.
An interesting fact is that residents of the block of flats where SOVA has its secret location, knew that conspiratorial activities were taking place there. Apart from that, elder residents are able to tell that the former communist intelligence agency used the same flat to wiretap telephone conversations.
The other disclosure reveals that Slovenian intelligence agency SOVA established a webhosting company WEBS, which is presumably a company of straw that SOVA needed for its intelligence activities.
Having in view the recent events regarding the Slovenian intelligence agency, it becomes interesting that SOVA's headquarters are located in Stegne, an industrial area of Ljubljana, where among others, Telekom Slovenije (Slovenian Telco) has its operational services. Intention or coincidence?
Telekom Slovenije indirectly admits SOVA's wiretapping (only in Slovenian,
1.06.2007)
http://dnevnik.si/novice/slovenija/249095/
Director of SOVA takes action after disclosure of wrath of foreign
intelligence agencies (only in Slovenian, 30.05.2007)
http://dnevnik.si/novice/slovenija/248654/
(Contribution by Aljaz Marn, EDRI-observer, Slovenia)