Topic: - on October 23, 2002 at 1:05:34 PM CEST
NSA
About the secretive U.S. eavesdropper
The National Security Agency intelligence agency monitors phone calls, radio and TV broadcasts and other ''signals'' around the world. Those communications make up the bulk of all the raw information U.S. intelligence experts sift through every day. Headquarters: Fort Meade, Md. Employees: 16,000 Annual budget: $4 billion; $3.5 billion more allotted for eavesdropping satellites. Surveillance equipment: Ground based listening posts: 15-20 Listening satellites in orbit: 7 Intercept posts on embassy rooftops: 40-50 Communications monitored every hour at average listening post: 2 million Amount actually processed by decrypters, translators and analysts: 1% Little known fact: In February 2000, the NSA's computer system crashed, a sign of overload. It was down for four days.
Sources: U.S. intelligence officials; James Bamford, author of Body of Secrets, a book about the NSA; and Jeffrey Richelson, author of The U.S. Intelligence Community
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