Crooks and Israeli Army running London Underground CCTV
Tony Gosling | 23.03.2007 11:31
And Verint will have had access to the remotest parts of the tube at rhe time of the 7/7 attacks. Gordon Brown pushed through privatation against the wishes of the GLA -
Scandals rock London Underground CCTV firm
But who will act for public safety?
Two secretive companies entrusted, post-privatisation, with the safety of Londoners on the Underground system have since become embroiled in an insider trading, fraud and bribery trial in New York. A closer look shows some of the concerns raised, but put aside, during privatisation were justified, and suggests that for the safety of Londoners contracts with these businesses should immediately be terminated.
That is the topic of a report, today available to the public, prepared for the London branch of a campaign looking at terror attacks in the US and UK. It shows another side to the 2005 London bombs than that presented to press and public by the Sir Ian Blair and other government officials. It shows that security may have been compromised not only by terrorists, but by private firms that are supposed to protect Londoners from the terror threat.
Under the spotlight are two companies, Verint Systems and their parent business, Comverse Technologies who were last month delisted from the New York NASDAQ index. Comverse’ Chief Executive is at the centre of a multi-million dollar fraud, money laundering and bribery scandal, has absconded and is facing extradition from Africa.
Because of the nature of the businesses, which have close ties to the police and intelligence services, information about these scandals has been difficult to uncover. There is a culture of complete trust in security firms and no-one wants to contemplate the enormous implications of their being corrupt, or working in the interests of private or foreign powers and against those of both travelling public and underground staff. Verint’s PR people misrepresent the facts to talk up their own products, as evidenced by inaccurate statements on the London bombings by Verint’s Alan Roden.
But the facts speak for themselves, businesses shrouded in double walls of secrecy due to ‘commercial confidentiality’ and ‘national security’, entrusted with the safety of three million passengers a day on the London Underground have broken that covenant of trust. Metrolink Rail and the GLA, in the interests of safety, should terminate Verint Systems’ contract, and their security clearance access to the London Underground network immediately.
The full report is copied below.
‘If you see anything suspicious please tell a member of staff’
A report for the UK 911 Truth campaign presented by Tony Gosling in the Mahatma Gandhi Hall, Indian YMCA, Fitzroy Square London W1T 6AQ on Monday 19th March 2007.
Comverse Technology – www.cmvt.com
Wiretapping, phone billing and mobile phone voicemail software developers. An Israeli company now at the centre of $8bn fraud enquiry in New York. Comverse share six directors with a wider network of linked companies also under investigation. Comverse took over Hong Kong company Multivision Intelligence Surveillance Ltd. in January 2006 but Comverse directors didn’t file the financial information required by law. Delisted from NASDAQ and stock trading suspended on 1st February 2007 because of financial mismanagement and non-filing of essential accounting information along with Verint Systems who are now also NASDAQ delisted.
Verint Systems – www.verint.com
All activities of this business are directed by Comverse Technology who own 57% controlling stock. Two thirds of Verint’s business is security products used by law enforcement and intelligence services to intercept voice, video and email traffic, the other third is call centre monitoring and employee evaluation software. Approx 1000 employees worldwide. Awarded contract for all London Underground’s CCTV in September 2004 by privatised 'Metronet Rail' who, in turn, have a 30 year contract from the UK government to manage London Underground security. Privatisation was imposed against wishes of elected Greater London Authority (GLA) by Gordon Brown’s Treasury Department.
Verint CEO Daniel Bodner is a former senior Israeli army officer who gets $4m annual benefits (including salary). Verint currently being investigated by Office of Fair Trading (OFT) and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) over proposed merger with Witness Systems Inc. for possible phone monitoring technology monopoly. Verint rumoured to be targeted by IBM for takeover.
‘Nextiva Transit’ is Verint’s networked hi-tech CCTV system now being installed on ‘London Underground platforms and remote portions of track’. The system is programmed to automatically ‘watch for people loitering on transit platforms or people wearing heavy coats on hot summer days’.
Verint spokesman Alan Roden was referring to London’s July 7th 2005 bombing claims when he told Michael Fickes, ‘video proved an effective investigation tool and highlights the value of networked video in mass transit systems’. An article in Government Security website went on to say that using CCTV images ‘London police had discovered who was responsible and arrested many, if not all, of the perpetrators who remained alive.’ Quotes and articles such as this misrepresent the historical record. No CCTV image of any of the four alleged bombers on the London Underground on 7th July 2005 has been disclosed, neither were there any perpetrator arrests, as all four suspects allegedly blew themselves up.
Comverse’s directors
Jacob ‘Kobi’ Alexander, chief executive
Target of FBI, Wall Street Journal and Securities & Exchange Commission fraud enquiry in New York, declared fugitive in August 2006. Wanted on 35 criminal counts including stock option backdating, conspiracy, securities fraud, money laundering and bribery. Arrested after 7 week manhunt in Namibia in September 2006. Travelling via. Israel he transferred $17m to Namibia, bought a luxury house and formed a new construction, tourism and agriculture company. Now building 200 low income homes for workers at the new ‘Langer Heinrich’ uranium mine. Alexander’s extradition hearing begins in Windhoek on April 25th 2007, he’s facing up to 20 years jail in New York. Known to be a close associate of former Chinese president Jiang Zmein.
David Kreinberg, chief financial officer
Turned state’s evidence, pleaded guilty and told New York FBI that Comverse CEO Alexander offered him financial inducements to take the rap for everything. CEO Jacob Alexander allegedly offered him $2m and he refused, offered him $5m and he still refused, then, according to Kreinberg, Alexander said “name your price”. To be sentenced February 23rd 2007.
William Sorin, company lawyer
Pleaded guilty. Paid $3.1 million fine at the end of 2006 as compensation for fraudulent activities. Permanent ban on acting as a company lawyer.
Conclusions
Roughly three million people a day use the London Underground network. Since privatisation, contracts are also shrouded in double walls of secrecy to protect both ‘national security’ and ‘commercial confidentiality’. But with that secrecy comes a caveat of absolute 100% trust and clear loyalty to the people of London who use the tube network. Instead what we find is a company with 24 hour access to the entire tube network is run by a senior ex Israeli army officer, whose former employers are engaged in a largely covert war against Arabs for land. His present employers are wanted on 40 plus criminal counts, implicated in multi-million dollar fraud and conspiracy and facing several long jail sentences.
This report has been time-consuming and difficult because of the immense secrecy surrounding the security businesses involved. As a result tube staff & public are almost entirely unaware of this information.
The covenant of trust required by all those who use and work on the tube has been broken. For the safety of all Londoners contracts with Verint Systems must be immediately suspended by Metronet Rail, the GLA or the Government pending a transparent investigation into Verint and parent company Comverse. Also control of the London Underground CCTV network must be wrested from those with close ties to the Israeli armed forces until the Middle East conflict is over.
References
http://www.creativemac.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=112636
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/24/business/24comverse.html
http://govtsecurity.com/mag/preventing_mass_transit/
http://news.tmcnet.com/news/2007/03/12/2408239.htm
http://biz.yahoo.com/e/060327/vrnt8-k.html
http://www.verint.com/corporate/releases_view.cfm?article_level1_category_id=7&article_level1_id=724&pageno=1&year=2007
But who will act for public safety?
Two secretive companies entrusted, post-privatisation, with the safety of Londoners on the Underground system have since become embroiled in an insider trading, fraud and bribery trial in New York. A closer look shows some of the concerns raised, but put aside, during privatisation were justified, and suggests that for the safety of Londoners contracts with these businesses should immediately be terminated.
That is the topic of a report, today available to the public, prepared for the London branch of a campaign looking at terror attacks in the US and UK. It shows another side to the 2005 London bombs than that presented to press and public by the Sir Ian Blair and other government officials. It shows that security may have been compromised not only by terrorists, but by private firms that are supposed to protect Londoners from the terror threat.
Under the spotlight are two companies, Verint Systems and their parent business, Comverse Technologies who were last month delisted from the New York NASDAQ index. Comverse’ Chief Executive is at the centre of a multi-million dollar fraud, money laundering and bribery scandal, has absconded and is facing extradition from Africa.
Because of the nature of the businesses, which have close ties to the police and intelligence services, information about these scandals has been difficult to uncover. There is a culture of complete trust in security firms and no-one wants to contemplate the enormous implications of their being corrupt, or working in the interests of private or foreign powers and against those of both travelling public and underground staff. Verint’s PR people misrepresent the facts to talk up their own products, as evidenced by inaccurate statements on the London bombings by Verint’s Alan Roden.
But the facts speak for themselves, businesses shrouded in double walls of secrecy due to ‘commercial confidentiality’ and ‘national security’, entrusted with the safety of three million passengers a day on the London Underground have broken that covenant of trust. Metrolink Rail and the GLA, in the interests of safety, should terminate Verint Systems’ contract, and their security clearance access to the London Underground network immediately.
The full report is copied below.
‘If you see anything suspicious please tell a member of staff’
A report for the UK 911 Truth campaign presented by Tony Gosling in the Mahatma Gandhi Hall, Indian YMCA, Fitzroy Square London W1T 6AQ on Monday 19th March 2007.
Comverse Technology – www.cmvt.com
Wiretapping, phone billing and mobile phone voicemail software developers. An Israeli company now at the centre of $8bn fraud enquiry in New York. Comverse share six directors with a wider network of linked companies also under investigation. Comverse took over Hong Kong company Multivision Intelligence Surveillance Ltd. in January 2006 but Comverse directors didn’t file the financial information required by law. Delisted from NASDAQ and stock trading suspended on 1st February 2007 because of financial mismanagement and non-filing of essential accounting information along with Verint Systems who are now also NASDAQ delisted.
Verint Systems – www.verint.com
All activities of this business are directed by Comverse Technology who own 57% controlling stock. Two thirds of Verint’s business is security products used by law enforcement and intelligence services to intercept voice, video and email traffic, the other third is call centre monitoring and employee evaluation software. Approx 1000 employees worldwide. Awarded contract for all London Underground’s CCTV in September 2004 by privatised 'Metronet Rail' who, in turn, have a 30 year contract from the UK government to manage London Underground security. Privatisation was imposed against wishes of elected Greater London Authority (GLA) by Gordon Brown’s Treasury Department.
Verint CEO Daniel Bodner is a former senior Israeli army officer who gets $4m annual benefits (including salary). Verint currently being investigated by Office of Fair Trading (OFT) and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) over proposed merger with Witness Systems Inc. for possible phone monitoring technology monopoly. Verint rumoured to be targeted by IBM for takeover.
‘Nextiva Transit’ is Verint’s networked hi-tech CCTV system now being installed on ‘London Underground platforms and remote portions of track’. The system is programmed to automatically ‘watch for people loitering on transit platforms or people wearing heavy coats on hot summer days’.
Verint spokesman Alan Roden was referring to London’s July 7th 2005 bombing claims when he told Michael Fickes, ‘video proved an effective investigation tool and highlights the value of networked video in mass transit systems’. An article in Government Security website went on to say that using CCTV images ‘London police had discovered who was responsible and arrested many, if not all, of the perpetrators who remained alive.’ Quotes and articles such as this misrepresent the historical record. No CCTV image of any of the four alleged bombers on the London Underground on 7th July 2005 has been disclosed, neither were there any perpetrator arrests, as all four suspects allegedly blew themselves up.
Comverse’s directors
Jacob ‘Kobi’ Alexander, chief executive
Target of FBI, Wall Street Journal and Securities & Exchange Commission fraud enquiry in New York, declared fugitive in August 2006. Wanted on 35 criminal counts including stock option backdating, conspiracy, securities fraud, money laundering and bribery. Arrested after 7 week manhunt in Namibia in September 2006. Travelling via. Israel he transferred $17m to Namibia, bought a luxury house and formed a new construction, tourism and agriculture company. Now building 200 low income homes for workers at the new ‘Langer Heinrich’ uranium mine. Alexander’s extradition hearing begins in Windhoek on April 25th 2007, he’s facing up to 20 years jail in New York. Known to be a close associate of former Chinese president Jiang Zmein.
David Kreinberg, chief financial officer
Turned state’s evidence, pleaded guilty and told New York FBI that Comverse CEO Alexander offered him financial inducements to take the rap for everything. CEO Jacob Alexander allegedly offered him $2m and he refused, offered him $5m and he still refused, then, according to Kreinberg, Alexander said “name your price”. To be sentenced February 23rd 2007.
William Sorin, company lawyer
Pleaded guilty. Paid $3.1 million fine at the end of 2006 as compensation for fraudulent activities. Permanent ban on acting as a company lawyer.
Conclusions
Roughly three million people a day use the London Underground network. Since privatisation, contracts are also shrouded in double walls of secrecy to protect both ‘national security’ and ‘commercial confidentiality’. But with that secrecy comes a caveat of absolute 100% trust and clear loyalty to the people of London who use the tube network. Instead what we find is a company with 24 hour access to the entire tube network is run by a senior ex Israeli army officer, whose former employers are engaged in a largely covert war against Arabs for land. His present employers are wanted on 40 plus criminal counts, implicated in multi-million dollar fraud and conspiracy and facing several long jail sentences.
This report has been time-consuming and difficult because of the immense secrecy surrounding the security businesses involved. As a result tube staff & public are almost entirely unaware of this information.
The covenant of trust required by all those who use and work on the tube has been broken. For the safety of all Londoners contracts with Verint Systems must be immediately suspended by Metronet Rail, the GLA or the Government pending a transparent investigation into Verint and parent company Comverse. Also control of the London Underground CCTV network must be wrested from those with close ties to the Israeli armed forces until the Middle East conflict is over.
References
http://www.creativemac.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=112636 http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/24/business/24comverse.html http://govtsecurity.com/mag/preventing_mass_transit/ http://news.tmcnet.com/news/2007/03/12/2408239.htm http://biz.yahoo.com/e/060327/vrnt8-k.html http://www.verint.com/corporate/releases_view.cfm?article_level1_category_id=7&article_level1_id=724&pageno=1&year=2007
Tony Gosling
Homepage:
http://www.public-interest.co.uk