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Peter

I believe you are the "Father" of INTECSEC.

The most recent meeting was held in Wellington NZ in February and was by many accounts another success.

Brian N who attended the first gathering, was aptly the host. He too may retire soon.

 

You should be very proud of your creation. I was delighted to play a small role in its history.

The most exciting was hosting the 2001 sessions here in Ottawa by the CDTSS on September 11.

The Twin-Towers in NY were hit by the first aircraft as I introduced our guests.

Our conference plans were changed dramatically to accommodate our US colleagues but we carried on

 

Can you recall the first meeting and describe why and how you put it all together?. It sure has been a boon to the community. 

Stan Fockner

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From:  Peter Mason
Sent: Saturday, March 15, 2008 16:21
To: Stan Fockner
Subject:  INTECSEC

 

Yes you are right, I own up to being the "father" of the meetings.  But credit must be given to Geoff Harber who mooted the idea in my office at Hanslope Park.  It must have been somewhere about 1983.  Geoff was the Director of our Australian colleagues and I was the fairly new Head of CTSD.  So I wrote to the various heads of Commonwealth and US fellow organizations, FCO Security Department and the UK Intelligence Departments, proposing the idea of regular joint meetings and, I think, the name INTECSEC.  To my delight everyone welcomed the idea.

 

I recall that the first meeting was held in the Foreign Office in London but after this lapse of time I can't recall which particular conference room.  Maybe someone has kept some old files.  I think that before I retired I saw meetings in Canberra, Ottawa and Hanslope Park.  I am so glad that the meetings are still going after all these years, they were very good value in my time and from what you say they continue to be so. I once had the idea of setting up a similar European conference but there were too many problems.  I did, however, establish liaison with a good number of "friendlies" but kept the two sets apart.  Such were the rules in those days.  Being a bit old fashioned I am astonished at the apparent openness of things nowadays!!! 

 

Hope that all this babble meets your request.  My very best regards to you and all in the "community" of fellow bughunters.  Geoff Harber and I still swap Christmas cards and I clearly remember that first discussion we had.

 

Peter

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Note: April 22, 2008

INTECSEC 2001 was hosted by the Canadian Diplomatic Technical Security Service. The meeting was planned to be held in the L. B. Pearson Building at 125 Sussex Drive at Ottawa, Canada. The meeting was relocated to the National Research Council library building directly across the street because of a information picket line which had been established by members of the PSAC (Public Service Alliance of Canada) around the L.B. Pearson Building. As usual, the sessions were scheduled for Tuesday through Thursday. 

The NRC Library and the L. B. Pearson buildings are depicted in this unique photo. The short building at the left is the NRC.

The Director of Physical Security and Personal Safety for the Department of Foreign Affairs crossed the street to interrupted the opening session when he learned the North Tower of the World Trade Centre tower in New York had been struck by an aircraft. The meeting was suspended and the delegates reconvened in the adjacent media centre of the Canadian Space Agency where large screen projection TV monitors enable the delegates to witness commercial TV coverage of the attacks.

Shortly afterwards the PSAC Shop Steward allowed the delegates to enter the L. B. Pearson Building where they would have access to secure communications systems connecting to their own headquarters in Wellington, Canberra, London and Washington.

As air traffic over North America was suspended, the senior members of the US Delegation made arrangements to return by rental car to their Washington headquarters where they would be better able to respond to and direct operations during the aftermath. The rental agency offered to waive the "drop-off" charge.

Arriving at Dulles Airport, they were initially refused access to their personal vehicles. However after calls by airport security officials confirmed they were in some instances very senior executives of their respective security agencies they were allowed to fetch their cars and continue to their offices. Some of them worked 6 days straight with their staff.

The 9/11 tragedies certainly shocked the remaining delegates but since they were unable to make air travel plans themselves they unanimously agreed to continue with the INTECSEC sessions. In fact, INTECSEC continued with increased resolve.

Some of the remaining delegates were unable to return home for a week after the conference as air traffic slowly resumed.

Stan Fockner

 

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