BND Operations
Nearlly the entire world is of interest to the BND, which has operatives in more than 100 countries concerned with obtaining information. More often than not, they are disguised as embassy staffers and have their own address under the cover of "second political officer." Approximately 1,000 "cruising monitors" comb the airwaves around the clock and transcribe telephone and radio conversations and telex and fax traffic. Important priorities, beyond current crisis reporting, include weapons and the drugs trade, plutonium smuggling, armament or terrorist organizations and threats to international traffic routes.
The BND regularly exchanges information with other security agencies, including the Federal Criminal Police Office, Customs and Federal Border Protection. In addition to daily current reporting to Bonn (subsequently Berlin following the reunification of the two Germanies), in crisis situations the BND provides additional overview and situation assessment derived from its own sources or from the services of other countries.
The BND has been involved in a coordinated European effort to stop arms deals and smuggling. The BND has deployed agents among Islamic activists in various German cities, and has intensified its surveillance of activities in Central Europe.
In August 1994, three small-time crooks smuggled some 363 grams of plutonium from Moscow to Munich on a Lufthansa aircraft. After they were apprehended at the Munich Airport by officers of the Bavarian Land Office of Criminal Investigations, it was revealed that two BND agents, Karsten Uwe Schnell (cover name: "Roberto") and Rafael Ferreras Fernandez ("Rafa"), encouraged the plutonium deal, code named Operation Hades, in a meeting with the perpetrators in Madrid. There has been an enormous amount of controversy, and a fair amount of disinformation, surrounding the Munich incident.
The BND has an agreement with the Russian FSK covering cooperation in area of contending with nuclear contraband.
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