by havanagilla » Mon Jul 03, 2006 10:08 pm
<!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.ndtv.com/topstories/showtopstory.asp?category=National&slug=Spy+case+rocks+security+establishment&id=19746#" target="top">Another spy case rocks security establishment</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--> <br>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br> <br><br>Sudhi Ranjan Sen <br><br>Monday, July 3, 2006 (New Delhi):<br><br><br>Coming close on the heels of the Rabinder Singh episode where a RAW officer defected to US after being caught out, a new controversy has rattled the Indian security establishment.<br><br>In a startling new revelation, an American diplomat/official was involved in a major security breach in the National Security Council Secretariat. <br><br>Indian security forces now claim they have identified the US spy to whom secret information was handed over. According to them, the Third Secretary in the US Embassy, Rosanne Minchew was running the ring.<br><br>It's said to have included retired and serving officers in the security establishment. Minchew is understood to be on leave and had left India a few weeks ago.<br><br>The US embassy, on its part, has refused to comment on the sensitive matter.<br><br>Modus operandi<br><br>So how did this whole spy network operate? Minchew was reportedly associated with the Indo-US Cyber Security Forum, a key initiative between the two countries to fight global terror.<br><br>She used this as a cover. Her contact was SS Paul, the first person to be arrested for passing secrets from the National Security Council Secretariat. He was a computer systems administrator.<br><br>NDTV inquires reveal that he had access to all computers within the NSCS. Even its chief, the Deputy National Security Advisor's computer is suspected to have been compromised.<br><br>Paul took out information on pen drives as well as printouts and even sent SMSes. The NSCS collects reports and assessments of security and intelligence agencies like RAW and the IB.<br><br>It has access to India's nuclear plans. It then advises the National Security Council headed by the Prime Minister. Paul worked with the NSCS for nearly four years and was confirmed in mid-2004.<br><br>According to sources, the government is also contemplating action against a RAW director, U Dasgupta, who was working in the cyber wing of the external intelligence agency.<br><br>Sources have told NDTV that they will take it up with the appropriate US authorities but with several crucial Indo-US deals pending, the Indian government appears to be trying to play the controversy down.<br><br> (reported now in an israeli tech blog)<br> <p></p><i></i>
