Spy Technology: Too Little, Too Late?

The attack on the United States Tuesday took intelligence services by surprise, despite technology that allows monitoring of almost all communications worldwide.

A global electronic surveillance network, known by the code name Echelon, failed to alert the intelligence services of the terrorist attacks. U.S. officials have never officially confirmed the existence of Echelon, but an investigative committee of the European Parliament recently concluded that the spy network is real.

Technology is not a solution, says Elly Plooij-van Gorsel, who served as vice chairman of the European Parliament committee and is a member from the Netherlands.

"Intelligence hasn't been able to intercept the communication of these terrorists, intelligence has failed," Plooij-Van Gorsel says.

"Echelon can intercept any communications worldwide. If there have been phone calls or faxes, this system should have intercepted it. If there have been communications, it was done under a cover of encryption or by old-fashioned courier," she says.

Cooperation Urged

Now, a day after the attacks, intelligence shouldn't focus on technology, but on working together, Plooij-Van Gorsel suggests.

"Technology is not a solution, but a race. Terrorists also have technology. Intelligence services worldwide have to cooperate with technology as a tool. Information is currently shared on a bilateral basis, but there is no real cooperation," she says.

Echelon is said to be operated by the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) and the intelligence services of Canada, the U.K., Australia, and New Zealand. It is now likely being used in the hunt for the perpetrators of the attacks in the United States.

The London police force New Scotland Yard, when asked about the technology that might be used to find the culprits, would only say this is "a matter for the FBI to comment on." A spokesperson for MI5, the United Kingdom's intelligence service, declines comment.

Do Tech Tools Work?

Another observer notes that technology might not have been a good investment for intelligence services.

"Echelon hasn't worked. In the coming days there will be a lot of discussion about whether the intelligence services have invested in the right technologies. Perhaps they should have opted for spies, for human intelligence," says Maurice Wessling, a Dutch privacy and digital rights activist.

Wessling, who has protested against industrial espionage using Echelon, stresses that "nobody has ever said that it shouldn't be used to track down terrorists."

Another European politician says secret services could have led to the attacks.

"Secret services have supported antidemocratic regimes. To now keep and intensify secret service would be to send the fox to keep the geese. Secret service is a danger to democratic society. If you want to get freedom, you have to get rid of the secret service," says Ilka Schröder, a German member of the European Parliament from the minority Green group.

"Nonsense, we need intelligence for the safety of our countries," answers Plooij-Van Gorsel.

-- Gillian Law in London contributed to this report.