Onyx is a Swiss intelligence gathering system maintained by the Federal Intelligence Service - Nachrichtendienst des Bundes (NDB). The costs of the system are not public, but the amount of 100 million Swiss francs has been mentioned several times,[1] in particular in 2000 by Werner Marti, SP deputy to the National Council (Switzerland). In March 2005, journalist Urs Paul Engeler estimated that the costs (hidden in various military construction budgets) reached 400 million CHF.[2] The Onyx system was launched in 2000, originally under the name SATOS-3 (the SATOS 1 and 2 systems were started in 1992, in particular to intercept faxes), and was completed in late 2005.
Onyx interception station in LeukDetail of Leuk interception station
The goal of the system is to monitor both civil and military communications, such as telephone, fax or Internet traffic, carried by satellite. Onyx uses lists of keywords to filter the intercepted content for information of interest, and the choice of keywords by the intelligence community must be approved by an independent commission. The system is not supposed to monitor internal communications; however, the monitoring of a communication between a person in Switzerland and someone in another country is allowed.[3] The Swiss Federal Council has indicated that Onyx is not linked to other foreign systems such as ECHELON; according to the Council, the confusion and rumours about this issue are due to the sale by Swisscom to Verestar (now SES Americom) of the ground satellite communication station of Leuk (next to the Onyx site) in 2000.[4] The use of the system is controlled by an independent control authority composed of members of the federal administration.[5]
On 8 January 2006, the Swiss newspaper Sonntagsblick (Sunday edition of the Blick newspaper) published a secret report produced by the Swiss government using data intercepted by Onyx.[8][9] The report described a fax sent by the Egyptian department of Foreign Affairs to the Egyptian Embassy in London, and described the existence of secret detention facilities ("black sites") run by the CIA in Eastern Europe.[10] The Swiss government did not officially confirm the existence of the report, but started a military judiciary procedure for leakage of secret documents against the newspaper on 9 January 2006. While the authenticity of the fax was implicitly confirmed during the trial, the reporter and newspaper were cleared of all charges on 17 April 2007.[9][11]
Notes and referencesedit
^Valérie de Graffenried, Onyx et ses «grandes oreilles». Le Temps, 9 January 2006 (in French)
^Urs Paul Engeler, Was sagen Sie jetzt? 2007-09-29 at the Wayback Machine. Weltwoche 10/05, March 2005 (in German)
^ abSystème d'interception des communications par satellite du Départment fédéral de la défense, de la protection de la population et des sports (projet "Onyx"). Report from the National Council (Parliament) on Onyx, 10 November 2003 (in French)
^Espionnage économique sur le territoire suisse au profit des Etats-Unis Answer by the Swiss Federal Council to a question of Alexander Baumann, member of the National Council. 20 August 2003 (in French)
^Swiss Federal Department of Defense. Projet ONYX réalisé : la Délégation des Commissions de gestion et l’Autorité de contrôle indépendante contrôlent sa conformité au droit. 6 September 2007 (in French).
^Swiss Federal Department of Defense, Deux nouvelles antennes pour l'installation militaire de Heimenschwand. 17 March 2005 Press release (in French)
^SonntagsBlick, CIA-Skandal US-Folter-Camps: Der Beweis! (in German) Accessed on 9 January 2006.
^ abDecision of the military tribunal 2011-05-24 at the Wayback Machine of 17 April 2007 (in German). Includes the original article from the Sonntagsblick with the copy of the fax.
^Swissinfo, Reporters cleared of revealing military secret. 17 April 2007
External linksedit
Swiss Federal Council. Système d’interception des communications par satellite du Département fédéral de la défense, de la protection de la population et des sports (projet «Onyx») — Rapport de la Délégation des Commissions de gestion des Chambres fédérales du 10 novembre 2003 — Avis du Conseil fédéral 24 March 2004 (in French).
Other photos of the Heimenschwand and Zimmerwald sites
Legal basis for the systemedit
Federal law on the army and the military administration / Bundesgesetz über die Armee und die Militärverwaltung (Militärgesetz, MG) / Loi fédérale sur l’armée et l’administration militaire (LAAM) of 1995-03-03, SR/RS 510.10 (E·D·F·I), art. 99 (E·D·F·I)
Ordinance on electronic warfare / Verordnung über die elektronische Kriegführung (VEKF) / Ordonnance sur la guerre électronique (OGE) of 2003-10-15, SR/RS 510.292 (E·D·F·I)
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Onyx is a Swiss intelligence gathering system maintained by the Federal Intelligence Service Nachrichtendienst des Bundes NDB The costs of the system are not public but the amount of 100 million Swiss francs has been mentioned several times 1 in particular in 2000 by Werner Marti SP deputy to the National Council Switzerland In March 2005 journalist Urs Paul Engeler estimated that the costs hidden in various military construction budgets reached 400 million CHF 2 The Onyx system was launched in 2000 originally under the name SATOS 3 the SATOS 1 and 2 systems were started in 1992 in particular to intercept faxes and was completed in late 2005 Onyx interception station in LeukDetail of Leuk interception station Contents 1 Purpose 2 Active sites 3 Intercepted black sites fax 4 Notes and references 5 External links 5 1 Legal basis for the systemPurpose editThe goal of the system is to monitor both civil and military communications such as telephone fax or Internet traffic carried by satellite Onyx uses lists of keywords to filter the intercepted content for information of interest and the choice of keywords by the intelligence community must be approved by an independent commission The system is not supposed to monitor internal communications however the monitoring of a communication between a person in Switzerland and someone in another country is allowed 3 The Swiss Federal Council has indicated that Onyx is not linked to other foreign systems such as ECHELON according to the Council the confusion and rumours about this issue are due to the sale by Swisscom to Verestar now SES Americom of the ground satellite communication station of Leuk next to the Onyx site in 2000 4 The use of the system is controlled by an independent control authority composed of members of the federal administration 5 Active sites edit nbsp nbsp Zimmerwald nbsp Heimenschwand nbsp Leukclass notpageimage Location of Onyx interception stations Active sites include the following 3 Zimmerwald Canton of Bern 46 53 12 46 N 7 28 41 41 E 46 8867944 N 7 4781694 E 46 8867944 7 4781694 Heimenschwand part of the municipality of Buchholterberg Canton of Bern 46 49 52 81 N 7 42 57 99 E 46 8313361 N 7 7161083 E 46 8313361 7 7161083 3 antennas 6 Leuk Canton of Valais 46 19 05 N 7 38 43 E 46 31806 N 7 64528 E 46 31806 7 64528 4 antennas 7 Intercepted black sites fax editMain article Black site The Onyx intercepted fax On 8 January 2006 the Swiss newspaper Sonntagsblick Sunday edition of the Blick newspaper published a secret report produced by the Swiss government using data intercepted by Onyx 8 9 The report described a fax sent by the Egyptian department of Foreign Affairs to the Egyptian Embassy in London and described the existence of secret detention facilities black sites run by the CIA in Eastern Europe 10 The Swiss government did not officially confirm the existence of the report but started a military judiciary procedure for leakage of secret documents against the newspaper on 9 January 2006 While the authenticity of the fax was implicitly confirmed during the trial the reporter and newspaper were cleared of all charges on 17 April 2007 9 11 Notes and references edit Valerie de Graffenried Onyx et ses grandes oreilles Le Temps 9 January 2006 in French Urs Paul Engeler Was sagen Sie jetzt Archived 2007 09 29 at the Wayback Machine Weltwoche 10 05 March 2005 in German a b Systeme d interception des communications par satellite du Department federal de la defense de la protection de la population et des sports projet Onyx Report from the National Council Parliament on Onyx 10 November 2003 in French Espionnage economique sur le territoire suisse au profit des Etats Unis Answer by the Swiss Federal Council to a question of Alexander Baumann member of the National Council 20 August 2003 in French Swiss Federal Department of Defense Projet ONYX realise la Delegation des Commissions de gestion et l Autorite de controle independante controlent sa conformite au droit 6 September 2007 in French Swiss Federal Department of Defense Deux nouvelles antennes pour l installation militaire de Heimenschwand 17 March 2005 Press release in French Swiss Federal Department of Defense Deux nouvelles antennes sur le site du DDPS de Loeche 24 October 2005 Press release in French SonntagsBlick CIA Skandal US Folter Camps Der Beweis in German Accessed on 9 January 2006 a b Decision of the military tribunal Archived 2011 05 24 at the Wayback Machine of 17 April 2007 in German Includes the original article from the Sonntagsblick with the copy of the fax Swissinfo Swiss may have known about secret CIA prisons Accessed on 9 January 2006 Swissinfo Reporters cleared of revealing military secret 17 April 2007External links editSwiss Federal Council Systeme d interception des communications par satellite du Departement federal de la defense de la protection de la population et des sports projet Onyx Rapport de la Delegation des Commissions de gestion des Chambres federales du 10 novembre 2003 Avis du Conseil federal 24 March 2004 in French Other photos of the Heimenschwand and Zimmerwald sitesLegal basis for the system edit Federal law on the army and the military administration Bundesgesetz uber die Armee und die Militarverwaltung Militargesetz MG Loi federale sur l armee et l administration militaire LAAM of 1995 03 03 SR RS 510 10 E D F I art 99 E D F I Ordinance on electronic warfare Verordnung uber die elektronische Kriegfuhrung VEKF Ordonnance sur la guerre electronique OGE of 2003 10 15 SR RS 510 292 E D F I Portal nbsp Switzerland Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Onyx interception system amp oldid 1217666272, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
