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BACK TO : PSYOPS IN IRAQ 2003-6
PSYOPS broadcasts as monitored by 'radio hams' 
CLANDESTINE RADIO WATCH Iraq Special March 14, 2003 Clandestine Radio Watch (CRW) is a biweekly summary which centralizes the latest news and developments affecting the study of clandestine radio in an easy-to-read format. Editions are published on the CRW web site. Access to CRW is free. CRW is both not-for-profit and non-partisan. We welcome your interest, input and queries. Contributions, input and support, logs, QSL verification info, as well as background material canbe sent to us. CRW issues may also contain parts in Spanish, Italian, Dutch, German or Portuguese. CRW Team : Editor-in-Chief : Martin Schoech, Merseburg : schoech@clandestineradio.com Correspondents : Achraf Chaabane, Sfax : achraf@clandestineradio.com Nick Grace C., Washington : grace@clandestineradio.com Robertas Petraitis, Klaipeda : tornado493@hotmail.com Takuya Hirayama, Tokyo : hirayama@clandestineradio.com Next issue - CRW 129 : March 31, 2003 Old and new issues of CRW can be found at
or at
CRW is the newsletter for ClandestineRadio.com, the largest web-site on Clandestine Radio at
"Freedom of information is ... the touchstone of all the freedoms." (UN Freedom of Information Conference, 1948) ------------xxxxxxxxxx Breaking News xxxxxxxxxx---------------- IRAQ : New station : Vo Iraqi Liberation on 4025 SW, 1206 MW ............................................................... IRAQ : New station : Vo Iraqi Liberation on 4025 SW, 1206 MW Mail from Cairo, Egypt. V O Iraq Liberation on 4025 SW, 1206 MW, seemingly an US Propaganda station using same channel. The Kurdish stn on 4025 kHz used to have the Identification "Voice of the PPL of Kurdistan" transmitting from Sulaymanyah - Iraqi Kurdistan. [V.O.People of Kurdistan 4024.85 IRQ 1444-1502 UT] Now changed the ID to the "Voice of Liberation of Iraq" in Arabic 'Sout Tahrir al Iraq'. I'm tuning in to them 1930 UT on 4025 kHz with strange messages to the Iraqi soldiers. "Please don't attack the collation forces which mainly getting here to liberate you all from the dictator Iraqi regime. So don't listen to to the Iraqi regime and never fight these forces, another message, please. Surrender to the collation forces, drop your arms we will treat you very will and will let you keep your personal stuff with you, otherwise you'll be treated as a POW and will have a justice trial !!! Strange Identification and strange messages! Also there was some readings of reports. MAINLY from the Washington Post nx paper!! It's 2000 UT and they are still on with these slogans and reports. (T.Zeidan-EGY Mar 7, 2003 via BC-DX in DXplorer-ML) Hi xxxx, as promised here's my report about 4025 kHz V O Iraq Liberation: The station signed on around 1825 UT with classical patriotic music, around 1830 ID, we transmit twice daily on 9.30 A.M and P.M Baghdad Time (that's 0630 and 1830 UTC) on two frequencies 1206 kHz mediumwave MW and 4025 kHz shortwave. After the ID they started the program with a Call to the Iraqi soldiers, O sons of the armed forces of Iraq, the decisions of Sadaam led to civil terrorism and losing the wars you participated in as the leader of the armed forces though he never served in the Army. Furthermore he got all his relatives to the high ranks of the army, with his decision to to assassinate the leaders of the the anti war civilians and soldiers, or pushing them to jail, the only language that dictator knows is the language of terror and killing. Now it's time to crash that dictator and kicking him off IRAQ, don't shoot your brothers or those who came to help to liberate you, join the collation forces to get rid of the dictator, your main mission now is to to free Iraq and building a new democratic nation to get Iraq back to its natural position in the international arena. Followed by an Iraqi song, then another call to the national guards, same stuff. Then a report about Iraq after the war, talking about dividing Iraq to THREE areas South, Central, and North. North and south areas will be ruled by an American general and the central area will be ruled by Iraqi ruler. Another song, then a report from the Daily Express, the British news paper, and CIA spokesman stating that the war will be around the 17th of March!!! Another call to the armed forces soldiers, followed by a report about women and human rights in Iraq. ID, followed by by a report from the UN about the UK+USA+Spain new UN resolution against Iraq and stating again that the 17th of March will be the end of diplomacy and the arms will begin to talk.!!! Song, another message to the Iraqi soldiers: don't listen to the orders of the dictator, don't shoot those who came to liberate you, you went through so many wars according to his orders, used chemical weapons in Kurdistan and killed the rebels in north and south of Iraq after what happened in Kuwait. Look forward to a bright and happy future of Iraq, Iraq with no wars, mass distraction weapons, tears, homeless, POWs, gather all your forces to kick Saddam out, end dictatorship and replace it with democracy. A report from Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan about the moves of the US soldiers all over North Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Another call, my dear soldier brother, you have a great future in Iraq after Saddam don't let your hands be covered with Iraqi blood ... liberate from dictatorship. And by 2023, here we come to the end of our transmission and we will meet again at 0930 hours on our next transmission HUNA sout tahrir al Iraq. Signed off around 2025 UTC. Well, I was really hoping they would give out any contact details. Or web site ... but nothing at all. All the credit goes to Mr. Mika from as he's the one who told me about that station.
(T.Zeidan-EGY Mar 8, 2003 via BC-DX in DXplorer-ML) Credit to Mika Makelainen-FIN, who noted the station first (March 6?) in
Voice of Iraqi Liberation Voice of Iraqi Liberation, "Sawt al-Tahrir al-Iraq", seems to be the latest newcomer conquering the airwaves of Iraq. Apart from the fact that the station uses the transmitters (located in Sulaymaniyah in northern Iraq) of the Voice of the People of Kurdistan, the mouthpiece of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), I haven't been able to find out anything about the organization behind this station. The Voice of Iraqi Liberation has not announced any contact information or given any direct indication of its political affiliation. The Arabic-language programming is targeted at the military, especially the elite troops of the Iraqi Republican Guard. Programming consists of appeals to the military to abandon the regime of Saddam Hussein and to join the coalition forces in rebuilding a democratic Iraq. The station broadcasts twice daily, at 0630- and 1830-2030 UTC on 1206 and 4025 kHz. I first came across the evening transmission on March 6, signing off at 2031 UTC. Details of programming have been obtained thanks to subsequent monitoring by Tarek Zeidan in Egypt. A recording of the station identification is available in the DXing.info audio archive, and some more info in the News section. (M.Makelainen-FIN Mar 9, 2003 in DXplorer-ML) ------------xxxxxxxxxx Schedules xxxxxxxxxx-------------------- Schedules - IRAQ Information Radio Glenn. Here's the latest update for American Psyops transmissions out of Kuwait. Only the times have changed (with MORE hours of transmission time): 690 (1500-2000 UT) 756 (1500-0900 UT) 9715 (24 hours, multiple platforms) [what does that mean?] 11292 (1500-0900 UT) 100.4 (1500-2000 UT) (T.Lemmon-BHR Mar 9, 2003 in DXLD 3-039) ------------xxxxxxxxxx Logs xxxxxxxxxx------------------------- Logs - IRAQ Information Radio 11291.9991 4.3 1935, unID with carrier (AM- ftransmission). On the spectrum analyzer I couldn`t see anything but I could hear weak Arabic music and singing, completely pressed down by the carrier. I haven`t heard anything earlier on this frequency but ``Information Radio`` shall be broadcasting here. Most of all of the USA-supported radio broadcasts aimed towards Iraq, contrary to what people believe, are transmitted from landbased stations on a suitable skip distance from Iraq. The airborne radio traffic is mainly in the TV- and FM-bands (Commando Solo) from modified C-130 Hercules air crafts. SA (S.Adolfsson-S SW Bulletin Mar 9, 2003 translated by T.Nilsson-S for DXLD 3-040) Voice of the Democratic Assyrian Movement, Ashur Radio Thurs only transmission heard on Feb 27, 9155 Ashur Radio, Assyrian Democratic Movement most likely Baku Gyanca site, but very, very poor audio - like Falklands. Only heard with AOR 7030 Passband Tuning on lower side band mode. Even from 1600 UT onwards with annts, but regular progr I guess starts 1630-1700 UT. (W.Büschel-D Feb 27, 2003 in BCDX 615) Voice of Iraqi Liberation VO Iraq Liberation. On 4025 kHz (Also on 1206 kHz AM, but no chance to receive it here in Tunisia). 10/03/2003. At 20:23 UTC.SINPO: 35533. Lot of fading+poor signal. The station is transmitting from Sulaymanyah - Iraqi Kurdistan. The arabic ID:"Sout Tahrir al Iraq". (A.Chaabane-TUN Mar 10, 2003 for CRW) I noticed that propagation from northern Iraq was good this evening, so I decided to stay late at the office and record the sign-on at 1830 UTC. Interesting observations: The Voice of the People of Kurdistan was rock steady on 4024.16 kHz prior to s/off at 1800 UTC. When the Voice of Iraqi Liberation came on at 1830 UTC, it started on 4024.60 kHz for a minute or so, and then suddenly re-tuned to 4025.00, right on the nose. It sounded like someone was zero-beating it with a known frequency. The audio is on the Media Network Web site at
[Later :] Just one other thing: I was trying to place the sign-on music, which sounded familiar. Now it's come to me: it's the same tune that was used on the Deutsche Soldatensender, that East German clandestine that used to pop up several times a day on 935 kHz in the 60's and 70's. I don't know if it's significant, but I can't believe they just chose the tune at random :-) (A.Sennitt-HOL Mar 11, 2003 in HCDX) Voice of Iraqi People VO Iraqi People/VO Iraqi Republic. 10/03/2003. On 9570 kHz. 00:15 UTC. Reception was very poor and suffer from noise and QRM. Program speaking about how many military commanders are escaping from the Iraqi army. (A.Chaabane-TUN Mar 10, 2003 for CRW) ------------xxxxxxxxxx Miscellaneous xxxxxxxxxx---------------- Misc - IRAQ --- cyber war Cyber Rattling: Secret War Already Under Way to Hack Iraq By Niles Lathem, New York Post March 2, 2003
WASHINGTON - Tomorrow evening was earmarked weeks ago as the optimum time for the United States to strike Iraq because of a moonless sky and cool weather. An attack almost certainly won't happen because of ongoing diplomacy. But some strategic shots could still be fired at Saddam Hussein's regime - on a level far more subtle than a stealth bomber. A different kind of warfare is being waged using computer codes, phantom radio programs, exotic technology and electronic pulses. And it has been going on for months, sources say. In back rooms and high-tech computer centers from Washington to Qatar, killer viruses and worms are being developed to deceive, disable and shut down Iraq military computer networks. Iraqi military leaders also have been getting e-mails, warning them they'll be hunted down as war criminals if they use chemical or biological weapons. Iraqi security tried to block the unsolicited e-mails by shutting down Iraq's Internet service provider, but sources said computer experts from the Pentagon and National Security Agency broke through the Iraqi firewall recently and have resumed the "spam." Other messages are also being beamed into Iraq through the mysterious Radio Tikrit - a station named after Saddam's hometown, but never heard before by anyone who lives there. In recent months, the station has slowly shifted its policy from being anti-American to railing against Saddam. Broadcasts include the voice of an "honorable officer of the Republican Guard," urging his former comrades to "leave this gang and flee." Many experts believe the station is being operated by the CIA as part of a "black program" designed to imitate Iraqi government broadcasts - and then sow confusion by suddenly shifting policies, creating the impression that the regime is crumbling. (via N.Grace-USA Mar 2, 2003 for CRW) --- Information Radio Hello Glenn. Welcome from the land of U.S. Naval paradise - Bahrain! I am deployed with the Navy, here in Bahrain on orders for a year, but hopefully, they won't need me and others from my unit for that long! I'd much rather be back home with my family in Atlanta. I saw an interesting item yesterday. It's one of those leaflets we've been hearing about in the news from our psyops people. It lists the frequencies Iraqi people should tune to for information by coalition forces. Here they are: (1800-2300 local - daily): 756 kHz 690 kHz 9715 kHz 11292 kHz 100.4 MHz FM I am not sure if the broadcasts are in AM or SSB, but would strongly guess they're in AM. I don't think too many Iraqis have SSB receivers! I'm sending you this information to possibly share with your listeners and/or readers for an interesting DX catch that we don't hear on a daily basis! I just met two local hams, here in Bahrain, and shared the same information with them. We're located about 500 miles South of Baghdad, so our best opportunities to hear these are probably on either 9715 or 11292. Since they will certainly be in Arabic, I won't understand any of it anyway, but my two new friends would. I've asked them to tell me about what they hear. It is a shame to note the local (and only) ham club station on the island is in bad shape. I have offered to help fix it up again, but don't know when our first work party will be. By the way, I have my trusty Sony 7600 with me, and quickly realized that short wave broadcast radio is pretty dull in the Middle East to a non-Arabic speaking person. It seems many SWL broadcasters really don't broadcast towards this part of the world. There ARE some strong stations to be heard on the bands, but they are almost always in Arabic. I'm used to hearing a great deal more when in Europe or America. It is fun to hear all the Russians, Japanese, Australians and Indians using 40 meters CW at night. That's something you hardly ever hear back home in the states! Finally, you don't remember me, but we did meet before. When Bob Grove was having the annual weekend shows in Knoxville, Tennessee, we and others chatted one evening for a couple of hours. I have enjoyed your radio work for years. If I find other information, I'll be glad to pass it along - if interested? 73; (T.Lemmon in Bahrein Feb 28, 2003 in DXLD 3-036) Propaganda leaflets dropped on Iraq and their translations may be viewed via website for European Command (F.Waterer-ONT-CAN Mar 7, 2003 in DXLD 3-038)
--- inside IRAQ IRAQI AUTHORITIES REPORTEDLY TO USE AMBULANCES AS MOBILE RADIO STATIONS | Text of report by independent Iraqi Kurdish newspaper Jamawar on 24 February According to a statement by a well-informed citizen from the city of Kirkuk, the [Iraqi] regime has supplied some ambulances that belong to Kirkuk Health Department to Kirkuk military base. They have installed mobile radio transmission facilities in the ambulances for broadcasting when the strike [US] starts and Baghdad radio stops functioning. The employees of these radio transmission facilities wear health department uniforms. According to the same source the regime plans to take a large number of Kurds and Turkomans in Kirkuk as hostage and use them as human shields when the US attack becomes imminent. Source: Jamawar, Arbil, in Sorani Kurdish 24 Feb 03 (via BBCM via DXLD 3-032) --- Iraqi media As it happens, I was already working on our own Iraq media dossier when the news about Radio Tikrit's apparent change of allegiance came out. You can read more about it in the section on psychological warfare. We also look at the official Iraqi media, broadcasts by opposition groups, international broadcasting to Iraq, the special situation in Iraqi Kurdistan, and more. Due to all the interruptions this week, the section on Internet is not ready yet, but will be added shortly. We will, of course, be adding to and updating the dossier on a timely basis. Your comments and suggestions are welcome to media@rnw.nl .
(A.Sennit-HOL Feb 28, 2003 in Media Network-NL) This is a list of the current or recently active stations about which we have reliable documented information. Details on this page are based on material supplied by Clandestineradio.com. Check there for latest updates and monitoring reports. Some stations use more than one station ID or slogan, which are indicated by multiple headings. al Mustaqbal (The Future) This station is operated by the Iraqi National Accord in Amman, & funded since 1995 by the CIA. According to the Washington Post on June 23, 1996, President Clinton agreed in January 1996 to provide US$6 million for the group. Sources within the Iraqi opposition told ClandestineRadio.com in 2000 that this group were continuing to receive covert American support. Broadcasts are believed to come from a: 50 kW mediumwave transmitter in Kuwait administered by the CIA. Shares airtime with Twin Rivers Radio and Radio Tikrit. This station was also broadcast from the U.S. military EC-130 Commando Solo PSYOP planes on various occasions, including during February 1998. The contact address is P.O. Box 3124, London SW19 1RL, United Kingdom. The E-mail address of the Iraqi National Accord is: wifaq_ina@hotmail.com. Currently the station is broadcasting at 2100-2400 on 1575.3 kHz. Radio of Jihad This station is operated by the Islamic Movement in Iraq, which is headed by Jawad Al-Khalisi and is part of the Shii Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution of Iraq (SCIRI). It probably broadcasts from Iran or Iraqi Kurdistan. Not frequently reported, the last known frequency was mediumwave 1539 kHz. Twin Rivers Radio The group behind the broadcasts have close relations with the Iraqi National Accord. Broadcasts, which began on February 18, 2002, are believed to come from a 50 kW mediumwave transmitter in Kuwait administered by the CIA. The station broadcasts at 1600-1900 UTC on 1566 kHz. The programming format changed somewhat in late 2002, and it now broadcasts a mix of English-language and Arab pop music. Previously it had only broadcast popular Arabic songs. Unlike the US government's Radio Sawa, the English-language music has its own time slot and is not broadcast with Arabic music. Music currently occupies 90% of the station's schedule with 10% for information and news. It announces a mailing address in the UK: P.O. Box 3124, London SW19 1RL. E-mail reports can be sent via the Iraqi National Accord to wifaq_ina@hotmail.com. Voice of the Brave Armed Forces Iraqi Army Radio Voice of the Military and Internal Security Forces This station may no longer be active. It is believed to have been operated by the Iraqi National Accord, which is supported by military defectors. In a letter to Canadian listener Dr. Jean Burnell dated July 9, 1998, the group stated "Our movement... has nothing to do with it, and unfortunately, we have no idea who is responsible for such a voice." Sources close to the Iraqi opposition, however, told ClandestineRadio.com that the station is tied to the Accord and broadcast via US facilities. This report is further substantiated by the frequency choice - mirroring the Accord's known station Al Mustaqbal. Speculation also suggests ties with Jordanian intelligence. It presumably broadcast from the 50 kW transmitter in Kuwait administered by the CIA. Voice of the Democratic Assyrian Movement Ashur Radio The Assyrian Democratic Movement seeks independence for the Assyrian minority in northern Iraq. Broadcasts, which began in April 2000, are in Assyrian and Arabic. The station uses a shortwave transmitter on 9155 kHz, and was monitored by Wolfgang Büschel in Germany at 1600-1800 UTC in January 2003. The station can be contacted by E-mail at info@zowaa.com. Voice of Iraqi People Voice of Free Iraq Republic of Iraq Radio Sources within the Iraqi opposition have told ClandestineRadio.com that this station, which has been on the air since Jan 1991, is sponsored by Saudi intelligence. Further, Egyptian monitor Mahmud Saladin K. Fathi reported in 1998 that the station is "A heretic's desperate propaganda operation believed to be booming from Saudi Arabia... I am familiar with the female announcer's voice, whom as far as I remember previously hosted a kids' programme there." The station itself says it uses facilities in Egypt, Syria, and Gulf Co-operation Council member states. Programmes are in Arabic, Kurdish and Turkmen. The station has been monitored on a number of frequencies, including 1053, 5896, 9563, 9750, and 11710 kHz (all the shortwave frequencies are subject to variation). Voice of Iraqi People No connection with the above station, this one has been on the air for over two decades, and is the voice of the Iraqi Communist Party. It has been confirmed to have used facilities in Iraqi Kurdistan during the early 1980's, and its transmitters may still be located there. Broadcasts are in both Arabic and Kurdish. The station uses a mailing address in London: BM Al-Tarik, London, WC1N 3XX. It can also be contacted by E-mail at iraq@iraqcp.org. Anker Petersen in Denmark monitored the station in January 2002 at 1725-1855 on 3900 kHz. Voice of the Islamic Revolution in Iraq Active since 1983, this is the station of the Shii Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution of Iraq (SCIRI). SCIRI is headed by Muhammad Baqir al-Hakim in support of the Shiite uprising in southern Iraq. Also affiliated with the Islamic Da'wah Party and the Islamic Revolutionary Army for the Liberation of Iraq, the group is believed to receive support from Iran. Although approached by US officials, the group refuses to receive American aid. Broadcasts are believed to come from facilities in Mashad and Sirjan, Iran. The contact address of the SCIRI is 27a Old Gloucester St. London WC1N 3XX, UK. The E-mail address is info@nidaa-arrafidain.com. In January 2003 the station was heard around 0400 UTC on 9535 kHz. Voice of Rebellious Iraq This is another station operated by the Shii Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution of Iraq (see Voice of Islamic Revolution in Iraq). Active since March 12, 1991, it has not been monitored recently, but has in the past used 1386 and 1539 kHz on mediumwave as well as a shortwave frequency of 6020v kHz.
(via A.L.Slaen-ARG Mar 7, 2003 in ListaConDig-ML) OVERVIEW OF THE MEDIA | Text of editorial analysis by Peter Feuilherade of BBC Monitoring Media Services on 28 February 2003 Introduction The Iraqi government exercises absolute control over the domestic media, except in the Kurdish enclaves in the north. President Saddam Husayn's son Uday runs two of Iraq's broadcast outlets. In the view of French media watchdog Reporters Sans Frontieres in February 2003, "his influence over Baghdad's media is even more decisive today than that of the Minister of Information". Iraqi radio's domestic service broadcasts in Arabic, Kurdish and other languages, which in the past have included Assyrian, Persian and Turkmen. The authorities are reportedly preparing to maintain broadcasts from mobile installations in the event of attacks. Radio Iraq International, the foreign service, has in the past broadcast in Arabic, English, German and French. However, since 1991 broadcasts from Iraq have been highly erratic and almost inaudible outside its borders. Considerable damage was done to Iraq's once impressive broadcast installations. Radio Iraq International has never recovered from the battering it took during the 1991 Gulf war. In the UN-mandated Kurdish enclaves in northern Iraq, which are not controlled by the government, rival Kurdish factions such as Mas'ud Barzani's Kurdistan Democratic Party and Jalal Talabani's Patriotic Union of Kurdistan operate their own radio and TV stations and newspapers beyond the reach of official Iraqi control. The Communist Party of Iraqi Kurdistan and other small groupings also have their own media outlets in northern Iraq and abroad. Iraq's airwaves are saturated with transmissions beamed to the country from abroad, whether those of established international broadcasters in the USA and Europe, or clandestine media operated by opposition groups or foreign intelligence agencies. Baghdad officially forbids the reception of satellite broadcasts, although a commercial service to allow controlled viewing of selected foreign Arabic entertainment and sports channels has been introduced. Some foreign radio broadcasts are jammed. Private internet access and email services are still in their infancy. In autumn 2002 a public company received permission to open private internet cafes in Baghdad. The same company plans to open internet centres at schools, universities and other educational institutes. The official Iraqi News Agency has an extensive English-language site. Foreign correspondents who are permitted to enter Iraq are required to travel with government minders from the Ministry of Information. Travel outside Baghdad requires written approval, and travelling to a location not specified in the request is forbidden. Domestic radio and TV Audience research data from Iraq is virtually non-existent, which makes it difficult to assess the impact of any individual programme, broadcaster or nation. State-run radio and TV are assumed to be accessible in the parts of Iraq controlled by Saddam Husayn. The main domestic TV service and Uday Husayn's Youth TV are available terrestrially. The Iraqi Information Ministry had plans to launch two new TV channels, including one in English for foreigners living in Iraq, the Baghdad newspaper Al-Rafidayn reported in November 2002. Baghdad radio's main service in Arabic has been heard on six mediumwave frequencies. The station has also announced six different regional FM frequencies. Baghdad radio has reportedly also used mobile transmitters, probably on FM frequencies. Other domestic services heard recently have been Voice of Youth (run by Saddam's son Uday) and Holy Koran Radio. Services that have not been heard recently are Voice of the Masses, the domestic and Persian and Kurdish services from Baghdad and Mother of Battles Radio (set up during the 1990-91 Gulf conflict). Given the erratic operation of some Iraqi broadcasts, there is little evidence of an infrastructure that could jam incoming radio or TV services to any great effect. External broadcasts The state-run Iraq Satellite Channel broadcasts via a number of satellites to viewers across the Middle East and Europe. For several years, Iraqi radio has had only one, and occasionally two, operational shortwave transmitters. These have been heard only intermittently and with a highly variable schedule, often with extremely poor audio modulation. Therefore, broadcasts by Radio Iraq International are highly erratic. In recent months audio modulation has become so poor that it has often not even been possible to determine what languages are being broadcast. Broadcasts to Iraq from abroad Shortwave and mediumwave radio listeners inside Iraq have access to a wide range of general Arabic-language services from the Middle East and from international broadcasters. The main international stations heard in Iraq are the BBC, the USA's Radio Sawa (which has a strand of programmes beamed to Iraqi audiences) and US-funded Radio Free Iraq (operated by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty from studios in Prague). In June 2002 the Iraqi press reported that a subscription-based service providing a selection of foreign satellite broadcasts (probably through some form of local cable or MMDS network) would be available to Iraqis, who would have to apply through the Information Ministry. The annual subscription for a service offering over a dozen channels including films, sports, cartoons and documentaries was set at about 60 dollars (the equivalent of a civil servant's salary for 10 months). After its launch in Baghdad, the service would be extended to Basra and Ninawa before being rolled out to other regions of Iraq. In December 2002 President Saddam Husayn said curbs on viewing foreign satellite TV channels would remain in force. He told an Iraqi cabinet meeting "the majority of Iraqi people were not interested in satellite channels but were seeking to earn a living and improve their conditions". Kurdistan, opposition and clandestine services There are several Kurdish, opposition or clandestine stations representing various factions and ethnic groups within Iraq broadcasting from different locations on a mixture of frequencies in a combination of Arabic and Kurdish. The major ones include: Radio Voice of Iraqi Kurdistan - broadcasts from Salah al-Din in Kurdish and Arabic in support of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, led by Mas'ud Barzani. Voice of the People of Kurdistan - broadcasts from Sulaymaniyah in Kurdish and Arabic in support of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, led by Jalal Talabani. Voice of Kurdistan Socialist Democratic Party - mouthpiece of the Kurdistan Socialist Democratic Party, a member of the Democratic Alliance of Kurdistan, an alliance of five parties under the leadership of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, formed in December 1996. Voice of the Iraqi People in Arabic - mouthpiece of the Iraqi Communist Party. Radio Freedom - mouthpiece of the Communist Party of Iraqi Kurdistan. Voice of Kurdistan Toilers - mouthpiece of the Iraqi Kurdistan Toilers party. Voice of the Islamic Revolution in Iraq - opposition radio sponsored by the pro-Iranian Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution in Iraq. Radio Tikrit, launched in February 2003, is the latest clandestine radio targeting listeners in Iraq. When monitored in early February, its initial programming was critical of the USA. But over the next two weeks the content of Radio Tikrit's two-hour broadcasts from 1900-2100 gmt every night shifted sharply to a vehemently anti-Saddam Husayn line. The US Central Intelligence Agency's favoured opposition grouping, the Iraqi National Accord (INA), operates two radio stations: Radio of the Land of the Two Rivers and Al-Mustaqbal (The Future). These use a 50-kw Voice of America transmitter in Kuwait. Other radio stations that have broadcast to Iraq include Voice of the Brave Armed Forces. It targets listeners in the Iraqi military, inciting officers to launch coup attempts. According to US-based analyst Michael Knights of Global Information System, "the latter station is part-run by Jordanian intelligence. Saudi intelligence, meanwhile, has run the Jeddah-based Voice of the Iraqi People since 1991." Television Kurdistan TV - based in Salah-al-Din, mouthpiece of the Kurdistan Democratic Party. Kurdsat - based in Sulaymaniyah, mouthpiece of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan. In September 2001 the London-based Iraqi National Congress (INC), a US-funded umbrella organization of groups opposed to President Saddam Husayn, launched Hurriyah or Liberty TV - aimed at Iraq. It broadcast on a westerly trans-Atlantic satellite in a digital format unlikely to be available to many Iraqi viewers. Liberty TV broadcasts were suspended in May 2002 owing to concerns expressed by its US backers over the INC's financial management practices. Updated information on external broadcasts to Iraq can be found on the web sites of Clandestine Radio Watch - - and Dxing.info
US radio propaganda broadcasts On 12 December 2002 the USA started radio broadcasts targeted at the Iraqi military as well as civilians. The broadcasts are transmitted by US planes flying over southern Iraq. Leaflets printed in Arabic and English dropped over Iraq say the American "Information Radio" broadcasts are on the air from 1500-2000 gmt on five separate frequencies in the FM, mediumwave and shortwave bands. The frequencies listed are: 693 and 756 kHz mediumwave, 9715 and 11292 kHz shortwave, and 100.4 MHz FM. These are all frequencies that have been used at some stage by Republic of Iraq Radio. The broadcasts come from Commando Solo aircraft operated by a specialist US psy-ops unit. The EC-130E Commando Solo is a modified four-engine Hercules transport aircraft that can broadcast simultaneous high-power mediumwave, shortwave, FM and TV signals. The planes can also jam or override local transmissions, in an effort to persuade listeners to tune to propaganda frequencies. Publications While the 1968 Constitution provides for freedom of the press, the government tightly controls all news media. Iraqi newspapers are all pro-regime. The Journalists' Union is headed by Uday Saddam Husayn. The two Iraqi papers that are most daring in criticizing domestic government policies are Babil and Al-Zawra, both of which are headed by Uday. Babil is the only newspaper that reports what international news agencies say. To a certain extent, it uses complete and unedited reports from the BBC, Reuters and newspapers in the Arab world. However, in November 2002, the publication of Babil was suspended for a month by the Information Ministry, reportedly for publishing articles critical of certain Arab countries such as Egypt and Jordan and their relations with Israel. According to Taha al-Basri, former chief editor of Al-Thawrah, the paper used to print 250,000 copies daily but this number was reduced by 92-94 per cent after the trade embargo imposed by the United Nations. More than 130 periodicals ceased publication after the embargo. All Iraqi papers continue to carry a front-page picture of Saddam Husayn, either separately or in the context of a previous day's activity. There are five major daily newspapers (Al-Iraq, Al-Thawrah, Al-Jumhuriyah, Al-Qadisiyah, and Babil) and one English-language newspaper (Iraq Daily) and one sports daily called Al-Ba'th al-Riyadi. There are also nine Iraqi weeklies. These are: Al-Zawra, Nabd al-Shabab, Sawt al-Talabah, Al-Rafidayn, Al-Iqtisadi, Al-Ra'y, Al-I'lam, Al-Ittihad, and Alif Ba. Uday Saddam Husayn is the board chairman of the first four weeklies, in addition to the daily newspaper Babil and Al-Ba'th al-Riyadi. All these Iraqi dailies and weeklies have an Internet version that is updated regularly. Many of them post a version in PDF format, in addition to the usual selections posted from each paper. Other hard-copy publications are issued in the Iraqi governorates, but they do not have Internet versions. Internet Baghdad has over 30 public internet centres, and other major cities have several each. Surfing the Net costs the equivalent of 50 US cents an hour. Subscription to e-mail costs about 80 US dollars per year; these services are reportedly heavily scrutinised by Iraqi security agencies. The web site of the Iraqi National Olympic Committee - - is host to web sites for several Iraqi publications and organizations affiliated with Uday Saddam Husayn. They include the dailies Babil and Al-Ba'th al-Riyadi; all the Iraqi weeklies and monthly newspapers and magazines, except Alif Ba; and the web sites of the National Olympic Committee, the Iraqi Journalists Union, the National Union of Iraqi Students, and the General Union of Iraqi Youth.
US "psychological operations" In addition to the Information Radio broadcasts carried since December 2002 by US Lockheed Martin EC-130E Commando Solo aircraft flying over southern Iraq, other psy-ops campaigns under way in March 2003 reportedly include the sending of e-mails to prominent Iraqi officials offering them clemency after the fall of the regime, in return for assistance in finding weapons of mass destruction; and swamping mobile phones of senior officials close to Saddam Husayn with calls urging them to disobey orders. Intelligence analysts say future steps could include the jamming of Iraqi broadcasts and the start of TV broadcasts produced by US military psy-ops specialists. Source: BBC Monitoring research 28 Feb 03 (via DXLD 3-034) --- Military Communication Israeli monitor intercepts order: War starting on March 18 SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM Wednesday, March 12, 2003 TEL AVIV - The U.S. military has been ordered to launch a war against Iraq on March 18, an Israeli official said in a televised report. Israeli government monitor, Michael Gurdus, reported on late Tuesday that the order was relayed by U.S. Central Command to all American forces in the Persian Gulf. Gurdus told Israel's Channel 2 television that he heard the order being relayed to U.S. fighter-jet pilots and others over U.S. military radio communications he intercepted. Health insurance for the self-employed: Special offer Gurdus is regarded as the leading communications monitor in the Middle East and works for Israel radio and television. He has broken numerous stories because of his ability to intercept and understand foreign-language civilian and radio broadcasts and communications. He said the U.S. military, in its radio communications, refers to Iraq as "bad cows" and "kabab", Middle East Newsline reported. On Monday, Israel's media reported that the United States had demanded that senior Israeli officials stop issuing predictions of when the war would erupt. Israeli defense officials have concluded that the United States plans to strike Iraq after March 17, the deadline set for Iraq to answer questions regarding its missile and weapons of mass destruction programs. Israeli defense officials have concluded that the United States plans to strike Iraq after March 17, the deadline set for Iraq to answer questions regarding its missile and weapons of mass destruction programs. Pentagon sources dismissed the Israeli report. But they said the U.S. military in Kuwait has already been placed on high alert, and that the preparations for war will intensify over the weekend. U.S. officials have reported an increase in air missions in Iraq and said President George Bush does not plan to wait weeks until any confrontation with Baghdad. They said the United States has more than 225,000 soldiers in the Iraqi theater of operations and has focused operations on southern Iraq. "In order to keep the pressure on the Iraqi regime to disarm we have stepped up Southern Watch operations," Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said on Tuesday. "We are now flying several hundred sorties a day, with 200 or 300 over the southern no-fly zone." The U.S. bombing missions included targets in western Iraq near the Jordanian border. Meyers said F-15E fighter-jets dropped munitions against an air defense radar in an airfield in the H-3 region, used in 1991 to launch medium-range missiles against Israel. The U.S. military has also ordered accelerated testing and production of new weapons for the war in Iraq. On Tuesday, the Pentagon said it tested a 21,000-bomb that contains 18,000 pounds of high explosives and meant to destroy Iraqi bunkers. The Pentagon has also signed new contracts for the accelerated production and delivery of the Patriot PAC-3 missile defense system. A PAC-3 battery has been deployed in Kuwait and U.S. Central Command hopes to station additional facilities in areas of the Persian Gulf and Middle East.
(WorldTribune.com Mar 12, 2003 via N.Grace-USA for CRW) Nick Grace adds 'My feeling is that this Israeli monitor listened into some psyop messages meant to sound like milcom traffic (or legitimate milcom traffic but meant to convince Iraqi intel about the date of the intervention).' (M.Schöch-D for CRW) --- Radio al-Mustaqbal Iraqi opposition group sets up main base in Jordan [mentions R Mustaqbal (Future) -CRW] By Suleiman al-Khalidi AMMAN, March 9 (Reuters) - Jordan has allowed an Iraqi opposition group to set up its main base in the country in an overt signal of support to opponents of Saddam Hussein ahead of a possible U.S.-led war against Iraq, the group said on Sunday. Officials at the Iraqi National Accord (al Wifaq al-Watan al-Iraqi) told Reuters the secular group, which has since 1996 had only a low-key presence in the kingdom, had moved its leaders to Jordan this month. "We have moved our London headquarters to Amman and our key leadership has now begun to operate from Amman, dictated naturally by current events," one said. Jordanian officials confirmed the move. Political analysts say the decision by Jordanian authorities to give a major Iraqi opposition group a free hand to spread anti-Saddam propaganda is a public signal the kingdom is severing ties with its former ally and no longer courting President Saddam Hussein. Officially, Jordan says it has good ties with the government in Baghdad. Wifaq is the only Iraqi dissident group officially licensed to operate in the pro-Western country. Jordan, a key ally of the United States in the region, has given Washington authorisation to use its territory as a base for U.S. special forces to attack Iraqi anti-missile batteries and troops stationed in the western desert. Wifaq is headed by Iyad Allawi, who defected from the ruling Baath party in the 1970s and allegedly escaped an assassination attempt by the Iraqi government in London in 1978. When the group first began operating in Amman in 1996, it marked an escalation of the late King Hussein's campaign against Saddam, which began in earnest in August, 1995, when he gave sanctuary to top-level Iraqi defectors. JORDAN KEY BASE Jordan insists it will not allow the Iraqi opposition groups to take military action against Iraq, a sensitive issue in a country where pro-Iraqi sentiments remain strong. But it has been promised U.S. support for backing Washington's war goals. Wifaq's presence in Jordan would help its covert operations in Iraq, members of the group said, adding that it was also moving other activities to neighbouring countries. Wifaq, which maintains its own radio station called Mustaqbal (Future) in a secret location, denied it was using Jordan to broadcast anti-Saddam material. The group has a presence in the Kurdish autonomous region of northern Iraq and offices in Syria, Germany and Holland. From Amman, Wifaq seeks to recruit supporters from more than 300,000 Iraqis who have fled through Jordan to escape economic and political hardships since Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, which triggered the 1991 Gulf War. Even though Amman does not trust the fragmented Iraqi opposition to play an effective role in stabilising a post-war Iraq, it wants to ensure future influence under any new regime. (Reuters via A.Sennit-HOL Mar 10, 2003 for CRW) --- R Tikrit Iraq: Summary of Radio Tikrit broadcast between 1900 and 2100 gmt 5 March 1. Announcement: Huna Radio Tikrit: This is Radio Tikrit - which is repeated several times. 2. Programme preview 3. Readings from the Koran 4. Music. 5. Religious lecture on the benefits of leading a pious life. 6. Music. 7. News bulletin starting with news headlines: a. Doha summit marked by serious argument between Iraq's delegate and Kuwaiti information minister. b. Statements of secretary of Organization of Islamic Conference, Palestinian and Turkish delegates at the Doha summit quoted on Iraqi issue. c. Rumsfeld said that there was great danger that Saddam would use banned weapons if he saw imminent end to his regime. d. USA to put forward draft resolution to UN next week. e. Russia, Germany and France said they rejected UN draft resolution allowing use of force against Iraq. French foreign minister quoted. f. Russian diplomat said about 150 Russians to leave Iraq today fearing imminent attack on Iraq. g. Egyptian foreign minister said his country's stance towards UAE initiative was very clear. Sudanese foreign minister said his country appreciated UAE initiative. 8. Music. 9. Political analysis: [Anti-Saddam] item recalling the initiatives put forward by the UAE and Iran. The radio says that Saddam does not agree to any proposal which threatens his position as sole ruler of Iraq. Many believe that the change from dictatorship to democracy in Iraq would encourage peoples of the region to call for democracy, a matter which most governments of the region consider as a red line towards which there should not be encouragement from abroad. These initiatives confirm that the evil caused by Saddam Husayn's regime is not felt just by the Iraqis but by the region. Iraqis who follow these initiatives and massing of forces for war want to get rid of Saddam who deprived them of a peaceful life. 10. Songs. 11. Item praising an army officer staff-Col Abd-al-Karim Mustafa Nasrat, who was a member of the free officers organization with Abd-al-Karim Qasim and participated in the coup against the latter. He was arrested and tortured as he was a left-winger and he was then killed in his cell. The authorities then lied about the reason for his killing and said it was because of his immoral behaviour, in an attempt to tarnish his image. 12. Music 13. News summary: a. UN Security Council preparing to hold meeting at the level of foreign ministers next Friday in order to listen to report by UN inspectors. b. USA studying possibilities regarding US-British-Spanish draft resolution allowing use of force against Iraq. c. Russian foreign minister said he did not consider it unlikely that his country would use veto against resolution allowing use of force against Iraq. British foreign secretary warns Germany, France and EU against pushing USA to adopt unilateral stance on Iraq. d. Rumsfeld said Iraq able to produce WMD even if UN inspectors are present in Iraq. e. British chancellor said his country ready to incur war expenses in order to solve WMD issue. 14. Item under the title "Before it is too late": Saddam reorganized his republican guards and other security bodies in accordance to what was called: allegiance to him and the ruling family. He gave the responsibility of commanding these special forces and security bodies to his son Qusay. Putting Tikrit and neighbouring towns under one unit was one of the biggest mistakes made by Saddam against Tikrit people. Radio's call to Iraqis: Fighting for Saddam and his remaining in power is a useless matter. The sound attitude is not to be canon fodder in a war which was ignited by Saddam. We must be cautious about every step we make before it is too late. 15. Iraqi song. 16. News summary: [See programme summary above. Recording interrupted during this programme summary]. 17. Song. 18. Weather forecast. 19. News bulletin: See news bulletin above 20 Music. Source: BBC Monitoring research in Arabic 5 Mar 03 --- Radio Tikrit in the European media When Björn Fransson in Sweden tuned his radio to 1584 kHz and heard someone talking in Arabic, little did he know that his discovery would turn out to be a big story in the international press. But Radio Tikrit, which has managed to be both pro- and anti-Saddam in less than a month, seems to have fuelled the imagination of the mainstream journalists. I, along with Björn, Mika Mäkeläinen of dxing.info and Nick Grace of Clandestine Radio Watch (and probably others of whom I am not aware) spent the first part of this week answering questions from, among others, The Guardian and the Wall Street Journal. There have been radio features too. Yesterday I found myself live on Newstalk 106 in Dublin. It was excellent publicity for the way groups of international listeners share information and help each other to solve mysteries - though I'm not sure what the security services think about that! (A.Sennit-HOL Feb 28, 2003 in Media Network-NL) Today afternoon a team from TV2, Denmark was here [island of Gotland], making a "live interview" with me in my small radio room, about Radio Tikrit and Clandestine Radio. It will be sent on Sunday, March the 9th at 19.00 hours UTC in the programme "Dags Dato" and also via Internet. So, this is information for those of you who are able to and interested in this matter. (B.Fransson-S Mar 78, 2003 for CRW) Björn, Congratulations on all the press attention you are getting.... Since you tell us about this in English, does that mean the TV interview will be available in English? Glenn (via DXLD 3-039) Hi Glenn, Yes, what a big thing about a small thing, but I think that I can make a lot of good P R for our devoted hobby by being hospitable, so I haven't said "No" although things have taken too big proportions. So TV now - what's next? They interviewed me in Danish and I answered in Swedish (Gotland belonged to Denmark once, so we understand quite good each other), so probably there is nothing in English. But they are going to talk to other persons as well (BBC Monitoring maybe and an old CIA man), so if you can watch it on the Internet (they said it was possible), maybe it's worth it. Have a nice weekend and 73 from (B.Fransson-S Mar 9, 2003 in DXLD 3-039) This week`s RVI Radio World is about clandestine stations here, including some audio clips:
(via G.Hauser-USA Mar 10, 2003 in DXLD 3-040) --- USA WARGAMES OPEN WITH CLANDESTINE BROADCASTS Propaganda: Psychological assault led by 'RadioTikrit' Brian Whitaker, Tuesday February 25, 2003, The Guardian A voice in Arabic crackles over the airwaves: "This is Radio Tikrit." It sounds like an Iraqi station broadcasting from Saddam Hussein's home town, but it isn't. Though the shooting war with Iraq has not yet begun, Radio Tikrit is just one sign that US psychological operations against the Baghdad regime are well under way. Inside Iraq, senior figures have also been bombarded with subversive emails and phone calls, and telephone lines have been hacked to give bogus instructions to the military. When Radio Tikrit was launched early this month, it appeared to be just another regime-run station. It mocked the US and its efforts to win Arab support for a war. There was even a programme called Open Dialogue which praised "Saddam Hussein's Iraq". The only clue that Radio Tikrit's mix of news, music and features might not have been what it seemed came when the station omitted to play the Iraqi national anthem either at the beginning or end of its broadcasts, as all government-run stations do. By February 15, however, Radio Tikrit began to change its tune. This time the Open Dialogue programme talked about Iraqi citizens who were so poor they had to sell doors and windows from their homes in order to get money for food. Then the station urged members of the Republican Guard to desert their posts "before it is too late". On February 19, according to the BBC monitoring service, it told officers in public security to refuse the "orders of the tyrant" and "be brave before it is too late". "This seems to be what is technically known as a black clandestine operation," said Andy Sennitt of Radio Netherlands. "A station starts by pretending to be one thing when it's actually something else. It's a well-established procedure for psychological warfare." Unlike the "black" variety, "normal" clandestine broadcasts start as they intend to carry on. Traditionally, black clandestine broadcasts are launched at the beginning of military action. Radio Tikrit may have surfaced prematurely because of unexpected delays in the UN security council. But there may be another explanation. Listeners have been intrigued by the station's horoscopes, which some believe may be passing coded instructions to undercover operatives inside Iraq. The station broadcasts for two hours a night on 1584 kHz and, according to a radio enthusiasts' website, xing.info, its signal is so strong that it dominates the frequency, even in parts of Europe. Its transmissions were first logged outside Iraq by Bjorn Fransson, an enthusiast in Sweden, on February 3. There is little doubt among experts that Radio Tikrit is an American station, with programmes produced by the 4th Psychological Operations Group at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and broadcast from a CIA-controlled transmitter in Kuwait. According to an Egyptian listener, Tikrit's main male announcer also appears on Information Radio, an overt anti-Saddam propaganda station whose launch was announced by the Pentagon last December. At least some of Information Radio's broadcasts come from airborne transmitters on American EC-130E Commando Solo aircraft that were previously used for the same purpose in Afghanistan. They are also capable of broadcasting television programmes. Radio Tikrit comes from Kuwait, where two Iraqi oppo sition stations, al-Mustaqbal and Twin Rivers Radio, broadcast from the CIA's transmitter. Radio Tikrit's broadcasts start at 7pm GMT when Twin Rivers shuts down. They end at 9pm, when al-Mustaqbal starts up. The signal from all three stations is the same strength and they are obviously coming from the same transmitter, experts say. The US is also using cyber-warfare, with an email assault directed at Iraq's political, military and economic leadership, according to the New York Times. The messages urge them to break with President Saddam's government. Selected officials in Iraq have also received calls on their private mobile phones, officials at the Pentagon and in the regional central command told the paper. According to an independent source in Baghdad, phone numbers of all top officials were changed by the Iraqi authorities at the beginning of February in response to hacking of telephone lines a few days earlier. When Iraqi air defence units picked up their phones, instead of a dialling tone, they heard a male voice speaking in Arabic. It told them not to use chemical or biological weapons, not to offer resistance, and not to obey commands to attack civilian areas, the source said.
(via A.Sennitt-HOL in DXLD 3-032) same:
(via A.Bigley in DXLD 3-032) US AIMS TO WIN WITHOUT FIRING A SHOT February 26 2003 Melbourne Age
Before the US brings out its supersecret weapons, it is trying "psy-war". Garry Barker reports. Before the first bombs fall on Baghdad or US marines storm across the Iraqi frontier, technology will have penetrated, perhaps even destroyed, Saddam Hussein's defences. If, or when, this war starts, it will look more like a scene from Star Wars than a replay of Operation Desert Storm. Every electronic asset in the massive US high-tech arsenal will be used. Military planners intend to mount "invisible" attacks designed to cripple computer networks, power grids and telephone exchanges. Their electronic armoury includes powerful airborne "ray guns", highly accurate guided missiles, sophisticated electronic surveillance systems and psychological weapons aimed at undermining support for President Saddam at the heart of his regime, say American officials. The campaign includes emails to Baath Party leaders and a wave of calls to the mobile phones of senior officials close to the Iraqi leader and, in a throwback to World War II, floods of leaflets are to be dropped on towns and military camps. "The goal of information warfare is to win without ever firing a shot," said James Wilkinson, spokesman for General Tommy Franks, commander of forces in the Gulf. "If action does begin, information warfare is used to make the conflict as short as possible." Pentagon strategists believe that "psyops" could hold the key to resolving one of the most difficult problems of planning the war with Iraq - how to prevent Mr Saddam from using weapons of mass destruction or a Götterdämmerung scenario in which he causes environmental destruction. An outbreak of war will bring the deployment of super-secret weapons such as an airborne "lightning bolt" generator developed for the US Air Force. It is capable of focusing millions of watts of microwave energy in a tightly controlled beam that would fry the computers that Iraq needs to control its army and launch its missiles. With that and similar advanced electronic weapons mounted on fleets of C-130 and C-135 aircraft, the US could turn off the lights in Baghdad without firing a shot. The "lightning bolt" weapon was developed by scientists working for the US Air Force in New Mexico, and has been successfully tested. US reports say that in action it would be carried by large unmanned aircraft such as the 737-sized Global Hawk that was test-flown from the US to South Australia two years ago. The weapon flashes intense beams of energy earthward with an accuracy of two or three metres. Yet, despite its immense power, the scientists say the pulse of energy is of such short duration that humans nearby would be unaffected. The US Air Force's official website notes: "The low-collateral-damage aspect of the technology makes high-power microwave weapons useful in a wide variety of missions where avoiding civilian casualties is a major concern." Less futuristic, but perhaps more promising, the psychological attack on Iraq is already under way. Barrages of email hit the computers of Baath Party leaders and torrents of calls are made daily to the mobile phones of selected Iraqi officials. The message is simple: "Desert Saddam Hussein. Do not let him tarnish the reputation of Iraqi soldiers by using them to persecute your people." In short, mount a coup and avoid a damaging war. Similar messages are being broadcast to towns and villages beyond Baghdad. Airborne radio stations carried by big, slow C-130 freighters broadcast in Arabic programs that mimic the style of Iraqi stations such as The Voice of Youth, run by Mr Saddam's son, Uday. The programs include Euro-pop and 1980s American rock music intended to appeal to young Iraqi troops, whom intelligence specialists believe are more likely to lay down their arms before an allied assault. But, so that other listeners will not be alienated, the stations also broadcast traditional Iraqi folk music, along with news broadcasts prepared by US Army psychological warfare experts at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. Leaflets dropped on Iraqi anti-aircraft emplacements and military camps are blunter in their message, warning gunners that guided missiles will wipe them out if they fire on allied aircraft. "We are trying very hard to be empathetic with the Iraqi military," said a US psy-war official, quoted yesterday by The New York Times. "We understand their situation. Same for the Iraqi population. We wish them no harm." But the same official conceded that allied pilots ordered into enemy airspace would rather see the guns hit by rockets than by leaflets. Bomb damage can be assessed by satellite and unmanned aircraft cameras. Psychological success is harder to photograph. - with Toby Harnden, Telegraph Melbourne Age (also in today's NZ Herald) (via W.Bueschel-D in DXLD 3-032) WHAT'S THE FREQUENCY, SADDAM? THAT MUCH WE KNOW: 1584 kHz Swedish Radio Buff Uncovers Mystery Station That Seems to Play Games With Iraqi Politics By ANDREW HIGGINS, Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL Most evenings after dinner, Bjorn Fransson retires to a walk-in closet to fiddle with his powerful Japanese-made radio, hunting through a cacophony of distant voices speaking languages he can't understand. "It is like collecting stamps or birds," says the 59-year-old Swedish schoolteacher, who lives on the blustery island of Gotland in the Baltic Sea. "We all dream of finding something no one else has." Earlier this month, while tuning into an AM frequency usually clogged by country music from Prague, he picked up an unfamiliar broadcast in Arabic. He couldn't fathom what was being said but "understood this must be something new." He made a recording and announced his find on the Internet. Three weeks later, Mr. Fransson is wondering whether his 300 yards of wires and antennas lassoed more than just a new radio station: Did it actually ensnare a covert -- and somewhat clumsy -- American operation aimed at Iraq? That is certainly the view of many fellow radio buffs, who, having tuned into the enigmatic Arabic station themselves, are now abuzz with speculation that Mr. Fransson stumbled onto an American plot to rattle Saddam Hussein and foment dissent among his most loyal supporters. Some say they've even detected secret messages to U.S. operatives embedded in the station's astrological forecasts. "I'd be prepared to wager quite a few Iraqi dinars ... on this station having been invented in a room somewhere in Washington," says Andy Sennitt, a British radio enthusiast who, back in 1974, was the first to find an elusive outfit called Voice of Iraqi Kurdistan. He has a day job with Radio Netherlands. Nick Grace, the Washington editor of a Web site that tracks illicit radio stations from Iraq to Indonesia, says he's so convinced of a secret American link to Mr. Fransson's find that "I'd bet my whole house on it. ... This has all the hallmarks of a classic CIA operation." The Central Intelligence Agency declined to comment.
As for Mr. Fransson, who has been hunting exotic radio signals for more than four decades, he's relishing all the excitement. Over the years, he has monitored and received acknowledgement cards from more than 2,000 stations in 216 countries, but this, he says, is the first time he has bagged a possible spy venture. He has written up his exploit for the magazine of the Swedish radio federation, given interviews on Sweden's state radio and regaled the few people on Gotland island who share his nocturnal passion for unintelligible babble. He has even become a minor celebrity outside Sweden, at least among radio fans, who are known as DX-ers, a name that derives from the Morse code abbreviation for long distance. The last time Mr. Fransson stirred any cloak-and-dagger buzz, he says, was 20 years ago when Swedish-security-service agents checked to make sure he wasn't using all the wires entwined around his trees to transmit illegal broadcasts. When he first picked up the new signal on Feb. 3, the Swede was puzzled by its unusual strength and the constant repetition of words that, to his ears, sounded like "radio secret." It was, he says, "very mysterious." Shortly afterward, though, a Finnish enthusiast tuned in to the same frequency and reported on the Web that the station's name sounded more like "Radio Tigris." Mr. Fransson turned for help to some Arabic-speaking students in his math class. He |