Dear Editor,

An edited version of a letter I wrote in January 2003, follows. I am sure its reproduction here can serve a useful purpose.

“Over the Xmas holidays a brochure was handed to me. It is from a Company Spylife.com, the online spy shop and is for a ‘Cellular Telephone Interceptor Multi Digital Versions.’

“The aforesaid brochure – a photocopy, which I have enclosed – advertises two systems.

The first for US$420,000.00 states: ‘This is an advanced monitoring system designed to intercept GSM cellular traffic.’ The model for $280,000.00 is also designed to intercept TDMA cellular calls, and to store telephone conversations on the hard drive.

“It also lists monitoring the activity of phone numbers from the ‘list of interest’; listening and recording all phone conversations of the accessible base station or only from the ‘list of interest’; displaying and recording all events in the control channels; and displaying the status of all phones from the ‘list of interest.’

“Mr Editor, the brochure ends with these words: ‘We may sell the unit to you only if you [are] representing a government or law enforcement agency or [if] you are selling it to the Government or a Law Enforcement agency in your country.’

“‘We will 100% verify it and also require a letter certifying that… Available to Law Enforcement agencies ONLY.’” [Emphasis in original]

Yours faithfully,
R J Eleazar