Israel Planted Spy Devices Near White House

Thursday, September 12, 2019

The U.S. government concluded within the last two years that Israel was most likely behind the placement of cell-phone surveillance devices that were found near the White House and other sensitive locations around Washington, D.C., according to three former senior U.S. officials with knowledge of the matter.

Posted by J_Tremain at 11:30 PM | 26 COMMENTS | permalink | Comment on This Entry |

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The miniature surveillance devices, colloquially known as "StingRays," mimic regular cell towers to fool cell phones into giving them their locations and identity information. Formally called international mobile subscriber identity-catchers or IMSI-catchers, they also can capture the contents of calls and data use.

The devices were likely intended to spy on President Donald Trump, one of the former officials said, as well as his top aides and closest associates -- though it's not clear whether the Israeli efforts were successful.

#1 | Posted by J_Tremain at 2019-09-12 09:49 AM | Reply

The Ruskies likely have the whitehouse bugged.
It's going to take months to remove all of the bugs and spying devices of enemies once Trump leaves for good.

#2 | Posted by aborted_monson at 2019-09-12 02:08 PM | Reply

I wouldn't think that Trumps phone would allow LTE or any cell band to talk through. Most likely WH vip's use custom WiFi with sip protocol through encryption. So the question is not about sophisticated means to deploy IMSI-catchers but who would be dumb enough to think they'd get away with it let alone setting off alarms when a Cell ID doesn't match the list of area towers.
But that's why they call them the worlds dumbest hackers.

#3 | Posted by LesWit at 2019-09-13 12:37 AM | Reply

Our "greatest ally" - except for all the espionage, selling secrets to China, holding illegal nukes, Samson option, USS Liberty, siphoning off high-paying tech jobs, dragging us into wars but never helping to fight them, etc etc etc.
Defund isntreal NOW.

#4 | Posted by berserkone at 2019-09-13 01:45 AM | Reply

So . . . Israel doesn't trust Trump either. Odd, sometimes even funny, but not all that enlightening.

It's well known that anybody, foreign or domestic, placing trust in Donald Trump is flirting with the kiss of death, more colloquially known as a knife in the back.

#5 | Posted by Twinpac at 2019-09-13 03:55 AM | Reply

LESWIT

"But that's why they call them the worlds dumbest hackers."

There's another way to look at it. Trump is the poster child of advanced paranoia.

Since Trump ignored the evidence it's just as likely Trump himself was the one paying Israel to collect the information on his own administration.

Give THAT some thought.

#6 | Posted by Twinpac at 2019-09-13 04:12 AM | Reply

This is perfectly normal and acceptable. Everybody spies on everybody.

--the right

#7 | Posted by Angrydad at 2019-09-13 05:15 AM | Reply

ANGRYDAD

There's no doubt some truth to that.

But it isn't normal or acceptable to spy on ones own administration. That's just pure textbook paranoia.

#8 | Posted by Twinpac at 2019-09-13 06:00 AM | Reply

"An Israeli Embassy spokesperson, Elad Strohmayer, denied that Israel placed the devices and said: "These allegations are absolute nonsense. Israel doesn't conduct espionage operations in the United States, period.""

Jonathan Pollard is just one of many examples. Elad Strohmayer is full of it.

#9 | Posted by qcp at 2019-09-13 09:11 AM | Reply

QCP

Yes, and even someone as obvious William Kristol (in collusion with Senator Tom Cotton) who worked for AIPAC on behalf of Israel to sabotage the Iran Nuclear Accords ~ a plot that was steeped in subversion of the U.S. Government.

#10 | Posted by Twinpac at 2019-09-13 10:39 AM | Reply

"Israel doesn't conduct espionage operations in the United States, period."

I'm only saying that AIPAC is no stranger to espionage.

#11 | Posted by Twinpac at 2019-09-13 10:47 AM | Reply

John Schindler @20committee (Former NSA)

My #shocked face, yet again

Israel accused of planting mysterious spy devices near the White House
The likely Israeli spying efforts were uncovered during the Trump presidency, several former top U.S. officials said.
www.politico.com

#12 | Posted by Gal_Tuesday at 2019-09-13 10:52 AM | Reply

Is it spying if POTUS doesn't mind that they are there?:

But unlike most other occasions when flagrant incidents of foreign spying have been discovered on American soil, the Trump administration did not rebuke the Israeli government, and there were no consequences for Israel's behavior, one of the former officials said.

#13 | Posted by Gal_Tuesday at 2019-09-13 10:57 AM | Reply

"Foreign Intelligence Agency Collecting Intelligence" this and other news at 6. Including "Trump Used the N* Word", "Dog Bites Man", and "Golf And Taxes, How I Cheat At Both" a biography of Guantanamo detainee, felon, and ex- US President, DJ Trump. Now to weather...

"It's raining -------- in DC again today..."

#14 | Posted by gavaster at 2019-09-13 11:05 AM | Reply

Those aren't spying devices, it just a joint effort between Nuttyahoo and Putin to insure Trump sticks to the approved script.

#15 | Posted by danni at 2019-09-13 11:09 AM | Reply

Those aren't spying devices, it just a joint effort between Nuttyahoo and Putin to insure Trump sticks to the approved script.

Let me help you walk through this one:

What would the approved foreign policy script look like for the leaders of Israel and Russia, when Russia is close allies with Iran?

#16 | Posted by Ben_Berkkake at 2019-09-13 11:16 AM | Reply

"What would the approved foreign policy script look like for the leaders of Israel and Russia, when Russia is close allies with Iran?"

Script would be to nod his head and approve of anything either country does.

#17 | Posted by danni at 2019-09-13 11:25 AM | Reply

"Netanyahu in Sochi: Talking to Putin, digging at Liberman"

www.timesofisrael.com

#18 | Posted by danni at 2019-09-13 11:28 AM | Reply

"What would the approved foreign policy script look like for the leaders of Israel and Russia, when Russia is close allies with Iran?"

Israeli, Saudi, and Emirati Officials Privately Pushed for Trump to Strike a "Grand Bargain" with Putin

www.newyorker.com

#19 | Posted by Gal_Tuesday at 2019-09-13 11:35 AM | Reply

Nicholas Grossman @NGrossman81

Craziest part is not Israel planting surveillance devices near White House. Countries, including allies, spy on each other. Not first time Israel caught spying on US.
It's that they used StingRay phone trackers--which US is vulnerable to only because POTUS uses an unsecured phone

John Sipher @john_sipher (Former CIA Clandestine Service)

John Sipher Retweeted Nicholas Grossman
Frankly, they and others would be negligent if they didn't do it. The President's use of insecure devices suggests every service is collecting stuff. It's just too easy.

Steven L. Hall @StevenLHall1 (Retired CIA Chief of Russian Operations)

Steven L. Hall Retweeted John Sipher
No surprise. The Israelis watched as Trump discussed their intelligence in the Oval with the Russians. If I were the Israelis, I'd want to know more about who Trump was talking to. This is how Trump compromises US national security. Our allies must be worried.

#20 | Posted by Gal_Tuesday at 2019-09-13 11:59 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

#20 | Posted by Gal_Tuesday

That was my thought reading the headline before clicking. I would be shocked if that phone hasn't actually been hacked by every nation who is anybody in the world.

#21 | Posted by GalaxiePete at 2019-09-13 01:09 PM | Reply

>Is it spying if POTUS doesn't mind that they are there?:
WEW that's a hot take. Why would Zion Don ever protest when the "greatestestest evar!!!?!!?!1!" ally whispers sweet nothings into his ear as it stabs him in the back? bibi's deputies sez they dindu nuffin, so let's takes them at their word. Okay! This coming from the same people who couldn't stop banging the "MUH RUSSIA" drum.

>joint effort between Nuttyahoo and Putin to insure Trump sticks to the approved script
let's all take a moment to snicker and laugh at the boomer who still thinks that it's putin calling the shots

>Everyone spies on everyone, you guyz! Blompf is so unhinged that this is a contingency!
Zion Don is totally in the isntrealis' pocket. As if chucking over ~3.8 billion per annum weren't enough, our "greatest allies" still display this absolute chutzpah!
DEFUND ISNTREAL NOW!

#22 | Posted by berserkone at 2019-09-14 05:06 AM | Reply

Isntreal's absolute betrayal of their "greatest ally" is like some of the ---- I've heard of women gossiping about, and then backstabbing, other women. It requires a feminine mindset to even enter into such an agreement in which one party consistently backstabs the other, let alone to excuse it.

#23 | Posted by berserkone at 2019-09-14 05:14 AM | Reply

That last post in #23 was ill-considered on my part, and will likely sidetrack the important discussion in this thread. I retract it.

#24 | Posted by berserkone at 2019-09-14 05:23 AM | Reply

Couldn't remember if I had commented on this topic before but stopped by to say DEFUND ISNTREAL NOW

#25 | Posted by berserkone at 2019-09-14 05:55 AM | Reply

"So . . . Israel doesn't trust Trump either. Odd, sometimes even funny, but not all that enlightening. "

No one trusts Trump. No one.

No even Melania.

Especially Melania.

She Knows How to Be Best!

At revenge.

#26 | Posted by donnerboy at 2019-09-14 12:33 PM | Reply