The FBI appears to have begun using a novel form of electronic surveillance in criminal investigations:
Remotely activating a mobile phone’s microphone and using it to eavesdrop on nearby conversations.
The technique is called a “roving bug,” and was approved by top United States Department of Justice officials for use against members of a New York organized crime family who were wary of conventional surveillance techniques such as tailing a suspect or wiretapping him.
Nextel cell phones owned by two alleged mobsters, John Ardito and his attorney Peter Peluso, were used by the FBI to listen in on nearby conversations.
The FBI views Ardito as one of the most powerful men in the Genovese family, a major part of the national Mafia.
Read The Full Story: CNET News
More useful reading on this subject can be found on Lauren Weinstein’s Blog and on this Slashdot post.
- Great Attorney Quote of the Day | August 2, 2006
- Will Terrorists Use Google Earth? | June 4, 2007
- 75-Year-Old Woman Has World’s Fastest Net Access | July 14, 2007
- The Surveillance Doomsday Clock | September 18, 2007
- Movie Theaters Jamming Cell Phones | March 15, 2006
I guess this is the last time that will happen. Now that everyone knows…
I don’t think this will the last time this happens. Cells are becoming indispensable to a lot of people and, while they can certainly take precautions about this, they can’t be away from their cellphones all the time. No matter how careful people are, if the bug operators are patient enough they’ll catch someone slipping up…