ECHELON. National Security Agency - Wiki. The National Security Agency (NSA) is a U.S. intelligence agency responsible for providing the United States government with encrypted communications (information assurance) and the reading of encrypted communications (signals intelligence) of other nations.
The NSA also creates and maintains secure computer network operations for the U.S. Government and prepares for network warfare.[8] Originating as a unit to decipher code communications in World War II, it was officially formed as the NSA by President Truman in 1952. Since then, it has become one of the largest of U.S. intelligence organizations in terms of personnel and budget,[6][9] operating under the jurisdiction of the Department of Defense and reporting to the Director of National Intelligence. The NSA has been a matter of political controversy on several occasions in its short history.
Echelon: They're Listening To Your Calls. 27 May 1999 Source: Hardcopy Business Week, May 31, 1999, pp.110-111.
Echelon monitors phones, E-mail, and radio signals You think the Internet brings grave new threats to privacy? Then you probably don't know about Echelon. Run by the supersecret National Security Agency, it's the grand-daddy of all snooping operations.