Surveillance Detection Unit
Encyclopedia
Surveillance Detection Units (SDU) are organizations belonging to the US Government that have conducted secret surveillance that potentially broke national laws in various European countries. The Norwegian broadcaster TV 2
first publicly reported the existence of the network of SDUs, on 3 November 2010.
(US) embassies and consulates around the world operated the US Department of State
's "worldwide surveillance detection program", which "[emphasised] quasi-covert operations and information gathering." The SDU operates under the authority of the RSO (Regional Security Officer
) and stores the collected data in a system called Security Incident Management Analysis System (SIMAS).
have been recruited to conduct secret surveillance of Norwegians in order to prevent terrorist attacks
on the U.S. Embassy and the residence of the U.S. Ambassador. The unit consists of 15-20 people that were based on the sixth floor of the building Handelsbygningen at Solli Plass, several hundred metres from the embassy at Henrik Ibsens Gate, until the November 2010 controversy. Its leader, Olaf Johansen, was a former anti-terrorism chief before being recruited for the American unit. Knut Storberget
, Norway's Minister of Justice, initially claimed the government was unaware of the program and that there would be an investigation, but later presented updated information to the Norwegian parliament after the U.S. Embassy stated that notification had been made.
Norway television channel TV 2
claimed that the SDU's surveillance of Norwegian citizens was illegal. The head of the Norwegian surveillance agency, Datatilsynet, Bjørn Erik Thon, said that the operation was unprecedented, stating "I think it's very serious that something like this can be conducted on Norwegian territory and that it's Norwegian citizens carrying out the work." Thon stated that the SDU violated the Norwegian privacy law Personopplysningsloven. He said that he was disturbed "that the Norwegians employed by the embassy to, for example, take photos of persons engaging in political demonstrations, apparently have felt they can avoid the law because they were working for a foreign employer."
Parliamentary reactions ranged from "To the degree [it's] true, it's frightening information" from Conservative Party parliamentarian André Oktay Dahl to a "scandal" for Socialist Left Party
parliamentarians. Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre
took up the surveillance issue with State Secretary Hillary Clinton in a meeting on 7 December.
, Finland
. The following week, SUPO stated that it was aware of US Embassy surveillance work, that the surveillance was legal and that it had consulted with the embassy. The US Embassy stated that it does have an SDU unit in operation and that the unit does not carry out espionage.
, Secretary of State in the Ministry of the Interior
, said that such measures were understandable in view of the security threat.
, Iceland
has been "broadening security surveillance beyond the embassy building and into the immediate surrounding area." The Icelandic Foreign Office stated that it had found no records of the SDU operations having been discussed with Icelandic authorities. The Vice-Chairperson of the Left-Green Movement
parliamentary group Álfheiður Ingadóttir, asked for the SDU to be investigated.
Beatrice Ask
said that the authorities had yet to be adequately informed. She described the situation as "very serious". The Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat
referred to 2000 Swedes under surveillance by the US Embassy's SDU in Stockholm.
TV 2 (Norway)
TV 2 is the largest commercial television station in Norway. Over 30% of the time Norwegians spend watching TV is spent watching TV 2. The station has 65% of the market for TV commercials in Norway....
first publicly reported the existence of the network of SDUs, on 3 November 2010.
Description
In the year 2000, at least 22 United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(US) embassies and consulates around the world operated the US Department of State
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
's "worldwide surveillance detection program", which "[emphasised] quasi-covert operations and information gathering." The SDU operates under the authority of the RSO (Regional Security Officer
Regional Security Officer
Regional Security Officer is the title given to special agents of the U.S. Diplomatic Security Service serving overseas. The RSO is the principal security attaché and advisor to the U.S. Ambassador at American Embassies and consulates. Working for the U.S...
) and stores the collected data in a system called Security Incident Management Analysis System (SIMAS).
Norway
Since 2000, former leaders of the police force of Oslo, the Norwegian Police Security Service, and the KriposKripos
Den nasjonale enhet for bekjempelse av organisert og annen alvorlig kriminalitet is a Norwegian special police division under the Norwegian Ministry of Justice and the Police....
have been recruited to conduct secret surveillance of Norwegians in order to prevent terrorist attacks
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
on the U.S. Embassy and the residence of the U.S. Ambassador. The unit consists of 15-20 people that were based on the sixth floor of the building Handelsbygningen at Solli Plass, several hundred metres from the embassy at Henrik Ibsens Gate, until the November 2010 controversy. Its leader, Olaf Johansen, was a former anti-terrorism chief before being recruited for the American unit. Knut Storberget
Knut Storberget
Knut Storberget is a Norwegian barrister and politician for the Norwegian Labour Party. He became the Minister of Justice and the Police serving in the second cabinet Stoltenberg from 2005. Storberget stepped down on November 11, 2011.He was elected to the Norwegian Parliament from Hedmark in...
, Norway's Minister of Justice, initially claimed the government was unaware of the program and that there would be an investigation, but later presented updated information to the Norwegian parliament after the U.S. Embassy stated that notification had been made.
Norway television channel TV 2
TV 2 (Norway)
TV 2 is the largest commercial television station in Norway. Over 30% of the time Norwegians spend watching TV is spent watching TV 2. The station has 65% of the market for TV commercials in Norway....
claimed that the SDU's surveillance of Norwegian citizens was illegal. The head of the Norwegian surveillance agency, Datatilsynet, Bjørn Erik Thon, said that the operation was unprecedented, stating "I think it's very serious that something like this can be conducted on Norwegian territory and that it's Norwegian citizens carrying out the work." Thon stated that the SDU violated the Norwegian privacy law Personopplysningsloven. He said that he was disturbed "that the Norwegians employed by the embassy to, for example, take photos of persons engaging in political demonstrations, apparently have felt they can avoid the law because they were working for a foreign employer."
Parliamentary reactions ranged from "To the degree [it's] true, it's frightening information" from Conservative Party parliamentarian André Oktay Dahl to a "scandal" for Socialist Left Party
Socialist Left Party (Norway)
The Socialist Left Party or SV, is a Norwegian left-wing political party. At one point one of the smallest parties in Parliament, it became the fourth-largest political party in Norway for the first time in the 2001 parliamentary election, and has been so ever since...
parliamentarians. Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre
Jonas Gahr Støre
Jonas Gahr Støre is the Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs, having been appointed to Jens Stoltenberg's second cabinet on 17 October 2005. He represents the Norwegian Labour Party.-Personal life:...
took up the surveillance issue with State Secretary Hillary Clinton in a meeting on 7 December.
Finland
In late 2010, the Finnish Security Police (Supo) initially stated that it was unaware of an SDU at the US Embassy in HelsinkiHelsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. The following week, SUPO stated that it was aware of US Embassy surveillance work, that the surveillance was legal and that it had consulted with the embassy. The US Embassy stated that it does have an SDU unit in operation and that the unit does not carry out espionage.
Germany
The German government initially said that it was unaware of the SDU program, but in December confirmed that the groups were providing security for U.S. installations and that some German security experts were part of them. A statement signed by Ole SchröderOle Schröder
Ole Schröder is a German politician and member of the CDU. Since 2009 he has been Secretary of State in the German Federal Ministry of the Interior.He has been a member of the Bundestag since 2002....
, Secretary of State in the Ministry of the Interior
Federal Ministry of the Interior (Germany)
The Federal Ministry of the Interior is a ministry of the German federal government. Its main office is in Berlin, with a secondary seat in Bonn. The current minister of the interior is Dr...
, said that such measures were understandable in view of the security threat.
Iceland
A US Embassy SDU in ReykjavíkReykjavík
Reykjavík is the capital and largest city in Iceland.Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...
, Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
has been "broadening security surveillance beyond the embassy building and into the immediate surrounding area." The Icelandic Foreign Office stated that it had found no records of the SDU operations having been discussed with Icelandic authorities. The Vice-Chairperson of the Left-Green Movement
Left-Green Movement
The Left-Green Movement is a left-wing political party in Iceland.It was founded in 1999 by a few members of Alþingi who did not approve of the planned merger of the left parties in Iceland that resulted in the founding of the Social Democratic Alliance...
parliamentary group Álfheiður Ingadóttir, asked for the SDU to be investigated.
Sweden
Shortly after the initial report in Norway, the Swedish government confirmed that similar secret surveillance of residents of Stockholm had been sponsored by the U.S. Embassy there, and Justice MinisterMinister for Justice (Sweden)
The Minister for Justice is the justice minister of Sweden and head of the Ministry of Justice. The current Minister for Justice is Beatrice Ask of the Moderate Party....
Beatrice Ask
Beatrice Ask
Eva Carin Beatrice Ask is a Swedish Moderate Party politician currently serving as Minister for Justice in the Swedish government.- Biography :...
said that the authorities had yet to be adequately informed. She described the situation as "very serious". The Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat
Helsingin Sanomat
Helsingin Sanomat is the largest subscription newspaper in Finland and the Nordic countries, owned by Sanoma. Except after certain holidays, it is published daily. In 2008, its daily circulation was 412,421 on weekdays and 468,505 on Sundays...
referred to 2000 Swedes under surveillance by the US Embassy's SDU in Stockholm.