A Firsthand View of Pakistan and Its SIGINTers
SUMMARY
An intelligence analysis intern goes to Pakistan, where the partner agency is “at least 10 years -- if not many more -- behind ours,” and deep cultural differences characterize the relationship.
DOCUMENT’S DATE
May. 31 2006
PUBLICLY AVAILABLE
Aug. 15 2018
(S//REL) A Firsthand View of Pakistan and Its SIGINTers FROM: Intelligence Analysis Intern Run Date: 05/31/2006
(S//SI) NSA's relationship with Pakistani intelligence is of high importance. An IA intern had the opportunity to see the relationship close-up...
(S//REL) I recently had the opportunity to travel to Pakistan with a group of coworkers from various Product Lines and organizations throughout NSA for the Annual Planning Conference (APC) with our Pakistani Partner, the Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate, Technical (DGT). I cannot think of a better way to end my 3-year internship in the Intelligence Analysis Development Program (IADP), and the experiences that I've had in the Foreign Affairs Directorate (FAD), topped off by my trip to Pakistan, will stay with me throughout my career.
(U) Author poses with rifle (S//SI) I landed in FAD (NSA's Foreign Affairs Directorate) for my sixth and final IA Intern tour as the Assistant Country Desk Officer for Pakistan, hoping to learn a little bit about how NSA works with its Third Party Partners on the Counterterrorism mission. Experiencing Pakistan firsthand at the APC was a fascinating experience for me because I was able to witness negotiations with our Partner up-close and personal. Having spent most of my time in SID working with our technologically savvy Second Party Partners, this was quite an eye-opening experience for me.
(S//SI) Actually being in-country allowed me to get a sense of the cultural and economic factors that influence Pakistan to make the decisions it makes as a state. In large part, Pakistan lacks the competitive and entrepreneurial edge that drives innovation in capitalist states, and this is apparent in its SIGINT apparatus. As one observer on the trip noted, Pakistan is in a natural state of rest.
(S//SI) DGT's technology is at least 10 years -- if not many more -- behind ours. And not surprisingly, even their technical academic knowledge is on a different level -- not because they are any less intelligent, but more as a result of the level and quality of training available in Pakistan. Of course this lag is caused by many factors, not the least of which is economic. Pakistan is, after all, a developing nation. That being said, NSA has a vested interest in making Pakistan into a first-class SIGINT organization because of its geopolitical standing in the world -it is home to a large number of Al-Qa'ida Senior Leadership (most likely to include UBL and Zawahiri), not to mention other terrorist organizations, and provides a pipeline for narcotics trafficking. (U//FOUO) On a lighter note, the Partner escorted us on some very interesting cultural excursions, including a shopping trip to Rawalpindi... ...a visit to the King Faisel Mosque (built by the King of Saudi Arabia as a gift to the newly independent Pakistan), and a trip up a dangerously narrow and steep road to the beautiful Margalla Hills Park, which overlooks Islamabad: ...We were escorted at all times by a cadre of four security guards armed with AK-47s, so we felt pretty safe for the most part. I enjoyed the food immensely and have to agree with the Pakistanis that they have the best rice in the world!
(S//REL) The negotiations at the APC were difficult at times and trust has always been an issue on both sides of the partnership. Pakistan struggles with the anti-American sentiment that runs ripe throughout the country, but the government claims to be committed to standing by the US as its friend and partner. My sojourn to Pakistan opened my eyes to the relationships that NSA has beyond our English-speaking allies and I gained an understanding of Pakistan's contribution to many NSA missions. (U) So, what did I learn? Here are a few nuggets: (S) What NSA wants isn't necessarily what the partner wants. (S) What the partner wants isn't always something NSA is willing to give. (U) We both may be speaking English, but that doesn't mean we understand each other. (U) If you're a woman, don't be overly offended if a Pakistani man refuses to shake your hand.
"(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
https://theintercept.com/snowden-sidtoday/4755718-a-firsthand-view-of-pakistan-and-its-siginters/
The Only Game in Town (part 1)
SUMMARY
An intelligence analysis intern describes her tour as NSA counterterrorism representative at the CIA station in Islamabad, where she witnessed the arrests of several dozen terrorists.
DOCUMENT’S DATE
Dec. 15 2004
PUBLICLY AVAILABLE
Apr. 24 2017
(U) The Only Game in Town (part 1) FROM: Intelligence Analysis (IA) Intern Run Date: 12/15/2004 IA intern describes her experience at the first SIGINT Fusion Cell in Islamabad, March-August 2004...
(S//SI) (S//SI) As I was sitting in the Heathrow terminal on an eight-hour layover, awaiting my flight to Islamabad, I thought about all the advice I had been given the week before my departure. Several experienced travelers had suggested I buy baggy clothes and a headscarf to cover myself, while others claimed that Islamabad was a fairly progressive city compared to the rest of Pakistan. I was anxious to find out for myself and excited about the opportunity to be part of the first NSA SIGINT Fusion Cell at Station* Islamabad. Over the next four and a half months, I would learn the importance of this team and why Station once described SIGINT as "the only game in town" during a critical time in the Pakistani Spring Offensive when there were no other intelligence sources available. (S) Just a few weeks before, I had been making preparations to deploy to Baghdad as part of a NIST team , which was a logical follow-on to the Iraq reporting I had been doing in the Counterterrorism (CT) Sunni Extremism Branch. When the NIST office asked if I would be interested in a brand-new position in Pakistan instead, I eagerly jumped at the chance to experience a country I had studied in graduate school, as well as spent a year targeting in the Pakistan Branch. I quickly went through the deployment processing checklist, put my belongings into storage, and boarded the plane less than three weeks later.
(U//FOUO) When I touched down in Pakistan, it was obvious that I would need to get accustomed to the constant stream of stares and curious looks I would receive, since women with blonde hair are a rarity. As I sat alone in the terminal waiting for my driver, with literally hundreds of Pakistanis in traditional dress watching me inquisitively, it truly hit me that I was embarking on one of the most exciting times in my personal and professional career. I was taken where I would be living out of my two suitcases for the next four and a half months. I instantly thought of how different my living arrangements would have been in Baghdad, as I was now in a mini-bar stocked room and able to enjoy all the amenities that a Western hotel has to offer. (U) A colorful jinga bus filled with passengers in Taxila.
(TS//SI) The Embassy compound itself is one of the largest in the world and sports a new gym, pool, restaurant/club, track, and softball field. My desk would be in a very small room on the third floor, which could have as many as 10 people working shoulder-toshoulder at any given time. Even though I had originally deployed SERIES:
as part of a NIST, it was quickly determined that interests would be best served if I worked in another capacity. I became the NSA CT representative to the Settled Areas Office (SAO) Liaison Branch, which focuses exclusively on non-tribal areas such as Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, and Quetta. My role would be to provide NSA CT analytic support and keep SAO informed of any relevant NSA reporting or SIGINT leads. SAO, in conjunction with the Pakistani partner, has been responsible for over 600 arrests since September 11. I would be able to witness first-hand the arrest of several dozen terrorists during my tenure at Station.
(TS//SI) My typical workday began around 0830 when I started preparations for my daily SIGINT briefing to the Tribal Areas Office and also COS (Chief of Station) Islamabad, which involved prioritizing various SIGINT reporting, gists, or tips that we had received. Following the briefings, I dedicated the rest of the day to supporting the SAO targeters and acting as the middleman between Station and NSAW to facilitate a variety of issues. I coordinated with the appropriate offices at NSA to ensure that Station had the most up-to-date intelligence possible, as well as keep NSA apprised of activity in the field. In addition to the steady stream of support I received from HQs, I was able to utilize the various NSA databases and analytic tools to provide services ranging from a quick number look-up to comprehensive targeting packages.
(TS//SI) As mentioned above, SAO works closely with its liaison counterpart to track and arrest high-value targets throughout Pakistan, which means that Station must supply daily releasable tearlines with the relevant intelligence. I was able to author several of these tearlines, as well as coordinate approvals with the necessary offices at NSAW. There were several occasions when I was literally on the phone with NSOC while a SAO targeter waited in the doorway for approval to pass the time-sensitive message to liaison.
(TS//SI) Perhaps the best aspect about the position was that it afforded me the opportunity to witness the start of one of the most collaborative ventures NSA has undertaken. With the stand-up of the Fusion Cell, NSA became truly integrated with Station personnel for the first time and was able to contribute in ways that were once impossible. As the SAO representative, I was able to coordinate with NSAW, Bagram, GRSOC, and the Tribal Areas Office at Station to ensure that actionable SIGINT was in the operators' hands as close to real-time as possible.
(TS//SI) One success story was when a high-value target was captured due to timely intelligence and a good working relationship between NSA and CIA. Analysts at NSAW worked extra hours to ensure that Station had the latest DNI and telephony intelligence, which were often the first tippers or reporting that we received in the field. A combination of NSAW tippers, CIA cable traffic, and front-end analysis in the SAO all contributed to a successful capture operation.
(S//SI) The original NSA SIGINT Fusion Cell at Station Islamabad. The author is third from the right. *Notes: (S) The term "Station" refers to a CIA operations center located within a US Embassy abroad. (U) Watch for the conclusion of this article, coming soon... "(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
https://theintercept.com/snowden-sidtoday/3676159-the-only-game-in-town-part-1/
The Only Game in Town (part 2)
SUMMARY
An intelligence analysis intern describes the lighter side of deployment to Islamabad, including shopping, dining, and camel rides.
DOCUMENT’S DATE
Dec. 16 2004
PUBLICLY AVAILABLE
Apr. 24 2017
(U) The Only Game in Town (part 2) FROM: Intelligence Analysis (IA) Intern Run Date: 12/16/2004 Here's part 2 (and final) of Islamabad. (S) story of her tdy to
(U//FOUO) Despite the long hours we all put in at the Embassy, there was time for some shopping, dining out, and a little bit of sightseeing. While Pakistan remains a high-threat environment, as evidenced by the recent explosion at the Marriott Hotel, I still maintained a semi-normal lifestyle that wasn't confined to the Embassy grounds. I frequented many shops in Islamabad where you could buy everything from Persian carpets, glass bracelets, spice boxes, and hand-carved woodwork to the very latest American DVDs, which were all at considerably lower prices. The shop owners, and the MANY street vendors, were always anxious to sell to Americans, so there was no shortage of goods being offered at every corner.
(U) Women selling glass bracelets at an outdoor market in Islamabad. (U) Carpet shopping in Islamabad with fellow TDYer (U//FOUO)
If work at the Embassy was finished early enough, there were many dinner options in the city. The Marriott Hotel alone had five restaurants that included Chinese, Japanese, and Thai cuisine. There was even a Pizza Hut and ice cream parlor that served food comparable to that found in the US. It's definitely one of the few places I've been to where you can get a steak dinner with two side dishes for about $4.00, although its inevitable that you will eventually get sick no matter where you choose to eat.
(U//FOUO) Additionally, I wanted to share a few of the more memorable experiences I had during my TDY: Visiting the neighboring town of Taxila and getting a flat tire that we had to change in a crowded parking lot. Touring Murree and riding on a probably-not-so-safe chairlift down the side of a mountain. Riding on a camel in a very decrepit, run-down zoo, which charged an admission price of around $.10.
Going running almost every day at 13:00, in 100-120 degree heat, with everyone I pass yelling that I'm absolutely crazy to be doing anything outside. Eating dinner at the "Chicken Shack," which requires considerable faith in both the drive up the winding road and the cooking.
Haggling over the price of something already cheap, someone who can't speak English, just because it's expected and fun. Driving on the left hand side of the road, with the steering wheel on the right hand side of the car, in a place where there are practically "no rules," and trying to avoid the countless number of people and even donkeys loitering in the street.
(S//SI) Station Islamabad is one of the most exciting, challenging, and fast-paced locations to work in the world, with everyone putting in lots of overtime and weekend hours to accommodate for the dynamic environment. It is one of the few places where you can truly experience your surroundings while seeing the fruits of your counterterrorism efforts on a daily basis. I would recommend that anyone looking for an exhilarating tour where they can see SIGINT, HUMINT, and IMINT in action give serious consideration to an assignment here.
(U) The Faisal Mosque in Islamabad is the second-largest mosque in the world. "(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
https://theintercept.com/snowden-sidtoday/3676160-the-only-game-in-town-part-2/