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Edward Snowden Research Paper

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The German Intelligence Apparatus The German intelligence agencies roots go back to the days of the Abwehr when Germany had the most sophisticated intelligence and counter-intelligence agency in the world prior to the start of WWI. Today German intelligence agencies are split into four different agencies with some overlapping responsibilities and missions. The largest of these is the Federal Intelligence Service (Bundesnachrichtendienst). The BDN acts as an early warning to alert German officials of potential threats from abroad. Since it is Germany’s only overseas intelligence agency it collects on military and civilian interest. It often shares information and works closely with the KSA, Strategic Reconnaissance Command, on those missions. Its primary missions are to collect and analyze data on terrorists, WMD’s, drug and weapon trafficking, illegal migration and information warfare. The BDN has a $615 million Euro budget and has 6500 employees. The agency is one of the best and most effective intelligence agencies in the world. …show more content…

Given the history of prior German spy agencies like the Nazi SS and the Stasi of the Cold War era, it is easy to understand the trust issues Germans have with spies. Recently the BDN found themselves in hot water over their collection of phone call data. After Edward Snowden’s unauthorized disclosure of NSA collection in Germany, attention was drawn to the BDN’s own telecommunication collection activities in Bavaria. The revelation that the NSA was using the BDN to listen in on not only German’s phone conversations but also French and Middle Eastern calls sent the German people into a panic calling for major reforms in the

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