Bård Wormdal Writes Thoroughly on the Armed Forces’ Listening Stations
Stalking The Bear: Good Book on Secret Surveillance of Russia
By Kjell Dragnes, Aftenposten, main conservative mediahouse Norway.
“Are you a rabbit?” The kids on the street stared curiously at me, a young man. This was in the 1960s in Vadsø, my hometown. Growing up there in the ’50s and ‘60s, I understood why the kids asked. Young men often came to the town, and almost all of them worked at the institution with many antennas and the curious name, the Armed Forces Research Station. It wasn’t long before the locals began calling the employees “test rabbits,” and eventually just “rabbit.”
And, moreover, not the employees, but the station itself just outside the town had long ears. Very long electronic ears to pick up on military and other activities across the border, in what was then the Soviet Union. This operation continues today, now targeting Russia.
Listening to the Neighbor
The station is part of what is known in technical terms as SIGINT, or signal intelligence. It’s this operation, in Vadsø, Vardø, Kirkenes, and Fauske in Nordland, along with several other locations in Norway, that NRK journalist Bård Wormdal has written a book about. The book is titled The Spy Base, with the subtitle The Unknown Story of the CIA and NSA in Norway. Well, the story is not entirely unknown, either locally or nationally.
Thorough Investigation
Wormdal, however, has conducted thorough investigative journalism over several years to assemble a more extensive and detailed picture of how important Norway is in watching the Russians up north. And how the U.S. has used—and likely continues to use—the information picked up by these long ears. Directly.
There’s no doubt that, for a long time, the U.S. both funded much of the service and received the information directly without much interference from Norwegian authorities.
How is it today? Wormdal can’t say with 100% certainty, as he’s encountered many walls of secrecy within the Norwegian defense system during his work. It remains the case that, even if the military is short on funds, there is no shortage of secrecy within the department. Perhaps too much, according to Wormdal. He may be right. However, he also acknowledges that an intelligence service cannot be completely open about its activities.
Secret, Secret
Such services operate on a need-to-know basis, which has a double meaning: Some—both in one’s own country and among allies—should know as much as possible about an opponent’s activities and intentions. This has a calming and war-preventing effect because it reduces the chances of misinterpretation. A free society also needs to know, if not everything, at least what the service is doing and that it complies with the country’s laws and regulations.
Wormdal believes this need is not fully met, but through the book, he has contributed to shedding light on the operation. Based on the evidence, it hasn’t always been fully under Norwegian control.
Becoming More Important Again
The intelligence service in the north may be becoming more significant again, as Russia deliberately focuses on developing and modernizing its armed forces despite economic challenges. But why not inform both politicians and the public about this in clear terms? Perhaps this would increase the willingness to allocate more funding to the Norwegian military as well?
Wormdal deserves praise for his perseverance, journalistic method, and ability to ask critical questions, even if some answers remain elusive.