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Sat 27 Sep, 2003 09:33 am
Quote:US spies monitor whisky plant
A distillery manager has told of his amazement after learning that US spies hunting weapons of mass destruction had been monitoring his whisky plant.
Bruichladdich Distillery on the island of Islay was contacted by the Defence Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA), after an agent clicked on to the distillery's website.
The woman revealed the organisation's interest in the whisky plant after alerting the distillery to the fact one of its webcams was faulty.
Cameras had been installed by the company to show off its traditional distilling techniques.
'Moving machinery'
The distillery's managing director Mark Reynier said all was revealed when he replied to the contact thanking her for pointing out the problem.
"We replied by e-mail thanking her very much for bringing to our attention," said Mr Reynier, 41.
"When I got a reply saying: 'We really do enjoy looking at your distillery,' it was then I noticed the sign-off at the bottom with the initials DTRA.
"I replied back saying I couldn't help noticing your address, and finally the reply came back giving a fantastic explanation about the agency's work was all to do with the anti-terrorist threat to American security.
"They said they had been monitoring our webcams because the process of making something very innocuous and pleasant is close to making weapons of mass destruction, apparently.
"We just think it is the funniest thing we have ever heard."
Mr Reynier added: "In their defence, there is a lot of activity in the distillery, with lots of metal machinery and people moving around, which might have roused a few suspicions."
The US Government agency based at Fort Belvoir in Virginia, USA, is responsible for American national security.
The agency's website says: "In the post-Cold War environment, a unified, consistent approach to deterring, reducing and countering weapons of mass destruction is essential to maintaining our national security."
An agency spokesman was reported as saying the distillery's webcams were of "no official interest".
above article
from BBC
The Scottish newspaper The Scotsman starts its report with:
Quote:
IN the wavering image of a webcam, the figures moved with the sinister intent of those whose mission is mayhem. Thank heavens "Ursula" was watching ...
complete article:
Whisky of Mass Destruction - how the US spied on a tiny island distillery
link to
the Bruichladdich Distillery
from the above mentioned website:
Quote:Whisky of Mass Distraction
It is with amusement and some surprise that we discover that we have been attracting the attention of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency - a US Government agency based at Fort Belvoir in Virginia, USA that is responsible for American national security. From their website, their function is:
"In the post-Cold War environment, a unified, consistent approach to deterring, reducing and countering weapons of mass destruction is essential to maintaining our national security. Under DTRA, Department of Defense resources, expertise and capabilities are combined to ensure the United States remains ready and able to address the present and future WMD threat. We perform four essential functions to accomplish our mission: combat support, technology development, threat control and threat reduction. These functions form the basis for how we are organized and our daily activities. Together, they enable us to reduce the physical and psychological terror of weapons of mass destruction, thereby enhancing the security of the world's citizens. At the dawn of the 21st century, no other task is as challenging or demanding".
Apparently, distilling resembles a similar process to WMD production, hence the interest we have had from the US spooks, which was brought to our attention when they kindly informed us that one of our cameras was not working....
Hoot, lad...dinna wurry yersel' aboota wee droppa!
I've always thought that several regime changes are in order in Yer-rope. Them boys is simply not trustworthy. An' them scotchmen is arunnin' around in skirts half the time. It would also provide an excellent springboard for regime change in England, where the weak-kneed Blair is apeein' in his pants an' about to blow the whole sheebang fer us all.
Ah fully agree wi' yer responses!
Additionally: since scots wear really naethin' under those mentioned skirts, they ur indeid waur than kimmers wearin' scarfs!
Aye, but i'keeps the sheep from gaein' lanely!
They destroyed mass in Scotland in the 16th century. I think John Knox had something to do with it.
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