FBI: Chinese Huawei cell-phone towers in US contain radio-surveillance and jamming equipment.

[DetlefK]

https://edition.cnn.com/2022/07/23/politics/fbi-investigation-huawei-china-defense-department-communications-nuclear/index.html

Among the most alarming things the FBI uncovered pertains to Chinese-made Huawei equipment atop cell towers near US military bases in the rural Midwest. According to multiple sources familiar with the matter, the FBI determined the equipment was capable of capturing and disrupting highly restricted Defense Department communications, including those used by US Strategic Command, which oversees the country’s nuclear weapons.

While broad concerns about Huawei equipment near US military installations have been well known, the existence of this investigation and its findings have never been reported. Its origins stretch back to at least the Obama administration. It was described to CNN by more than a dozen sources, including current and former national security officials, all of whom spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.  

It’s unclear if the intelligence community determined whether any data was actually intercepted and sent back to Beijing from these towers. Sources familiar with the issue say that from a technical standpoint, it’s incredibly difficult to prove a given package of data was stolen and sent overseas.   

The Chinese government strongly denies any efforts to spy on the US. Huawei in a statement to CNN also denied that its equipment is capable of operating in any communications spectrum allocated to the Defense Department. 

But multiple sources familiar with the investigation tell CNN that there’s no question the Huawei equipment has the ability to intercept not only commercial cell traffic but also the highly restricted airwaves used by the military and disrupt critical US Strategic Command communications, giving the Chinese government a potential window into America’s nuclear arsenal.  

[Bernardo de La Paz]

1. Burn them down, where safe. Dismantle others. This is completely unacceptable. . . nt

[Hekate]

2. This

[2naSalit]

4. That could happen.

What I wonder is, who did not see this coming?

[Bernardo de La Paz]

5. Chinese aggressiveness was much less problem before 10 years of Xi the Pooh. . . . nt

[Irish_Dem]

11. Xi wants China to be a 21st century superpower.

He will achieve this by any means possible.
And he must find out US military secrets.

[Arthur_Frain]

13. We saw this coming.

I remember some of this discussion during the Obama administration.

But of course the bottom line was corporations were interested in the lowest bid to maximize profits.

[TexasTowelie]

3. Combine this with the purchase of property by Chinese interests near airfields in the country

and I would say that this is a legitimate security concern.

[dalton99a]

8. +1.

[JT45242]

6. Back to Tiannamen square

If Bush had the spine to revoke most favored nation status because of the aftermath of the Tiannamen square protests (instead of looking after big oil interests, which of course are the bush family interests) we would not be in this mess.

The rethugs have always endangered the country to preserve their own wealth and power...Nixon sabotaging vietnamese peace talks to get elected, Reagan sending Baker with cash to Iran to hold the hostages, rumsfeld and his plan to invade an oil producing country to help oil companies and other business interests. TFG and whatever he and Jared gave bone saw for the 2 billion dollars.

Spineless, self interested rethugs have made the US and world less safe.

[dalton99a]

10. +1. Republicans allowed and encouraged the offshoring of U.S. manufacturing and technology to China.

[cayugafalls]

7. No shit. Let the Chinese build towers in US, what do you expect? smdh...

[Iggo]

16. Only money.

[dalton99a]

9. Fuck China.

Washington CNN — On paper, it looked like a fantastic deal. In 2017, the Chinese government was offering to spend $100 million to build  an ornate Chinese garden at the National Arboretum in Washington DC. Complete with temples, pavilions and a 70-foot white pagoda, the project thrilled local officials, who hoped it would attract thousands of tourists every year.      

But when US counterintelligence officials began digging into the details, they found numerous red flags. The pagoda, they noted, would have been strategically placed on one of the highest points in Washington DC, just two miles from the US Capitol, a perfect spot for signals intelligence collection, multiple sources familiar with the episode told CNN.  

Also alarming was that Chinese officials wanted to build the pagoda with materials shipped to the US in diplomatic pouches, which US Customs officials are barred from examining, the sources said.    

Federal officials quietly killed the project before construction was underway.    The Wall Street Journal first reported about the security concerns in 2018.      

[Irish_Dem]

12. While the GOP tears the country apart, our enemies are gaining the upper hand.

[Baitball Blogger]

14. So, privatization was responsible for

This enormous security breach?

[FlyingPiggy]

15. How is this even possible? I would say dismantle it.

But on second thought, we should use that and feed them shit information.

[EndlessWire]

17. Just get rid of them.

I suppose our guys know the limits of the equipment. I wonder why a Chinese company has been allowed to have such a sensitive infrastructure contract. We have American companies for that, don't we?

And, kick out the "Chinese Police Stations" along with them. They are outrageous. China is not our friend. We are lucky to live in a free society. Let's do what we must to keep it this way.

Isn't it bad enough that everything for sale in the US is made in China or has a component made in China? I'm all for brother/sisterhood, but c'mon. Spying is spying.

[hunter]

18. I imagine much of the world is amused by U.S.A. hypocrisy.

This kind of electronic surveillance has always been our specialty.

We invented it, and haven't always used it in support of goodness and light.

[Wingus Dingus]

19. LOL, how dumb.

Good job, guys.