Coincidence. Right Place Wrong Time

by Terry Aspinall

  Chapter 8

  Great Finborough Suffolk.

  6:30 pm. Wednesday 15th September 2010.

  The drive home gave Dave time to think and plan his next move. His brain was already working overtime, hence a couple of times he took a wrong turning. Sadly, his Police training was lacking at that moment in time. The last thing he needed now was to be involved in an accident.

  Having taken on board a lot of information from Mr Jones. He was only now realising that he should have asked a lot more questions.

  On the advice of Mr Jones, his first plan was to make a few alterations to the 'Lodge' that would suite 'Jonesy' as he had already privately started calling him. Although it was something he had thought about doing earlier, but had put it off as a future project.

  However, Dave had also come up with a further idea that Mr Jones was not aware of. Realising that most of his work was going to be undercover and probably illegal. Therefore, he needed to cover his arse in case he found himself without friends, and out on a limb on his own. Un-like being in the Navy and the Police force where you have mates always covering your back.

  Dave was secretly planning to carry out a lot more changes and additions than Mr Jones would ever suspect of him.

  Although the property looked a little rundown, it suited his long-term plan to be hidden, and not to leave a digital foot print. If possible his aim was to set up a base so he might stay hidden from prying eyes. Something that was becoming almost impossible to achieve, as the world was speeding towards a digital future, or '1984' as he sometimes referred to it.

  During the ‘Lodge’ property hand over, Dave had used John Taylor as an alias name. A name he had seen on a gravestone in the local churchyard. He had also memorised his parent’s names just in case he was ever challenged with further ancestral questions. To back him up he had a few business cards made up displaying his name as John Taylor. However, these were only to be used in situations where he did not want people to know who he really was.

  He had purchased a second prepaid mobile phone under the same name. Although, he knew the draw backs of a mobile, and of a dozen different ways in which he could be traced and follow by the signals they give out. Therefore, setting himself strict personal rules of when and where to use it. It was not to be used on a regular basis, only in emergencies. After its battery was removed, it was hidden by the back door behind the old washing machine that had seen better days. Hoping that his conversations would not be over heard by others who might be interested in his location. Not that he talked to himself. They were the rules he had set himself, and he rarely backed down on any personal goals.

  During the next couple of days, he purchased a third pre-paid phone using a different alias. Once again, upon leaving the shop he removed the battery. This was hidden in the car along with its battery up under the dashboard of his car. A fourth phone was later stored in locker at the Stowmarket railway station, and was only to be used if all else failed, this would be a last resort. Although many of his local calls were made from the phone box at the bottom of the lane on which he lived.

  He had always believed that one of the easiest ways of being caught was by a normal Police car stop. He believed if you could present a legal driving licence, and there were no problems with your car. Once the Police officer had checked on his computer, there was a good chance that the officer would let you go.

  Although he had a current driving licence, he applied for another one under the name of John Taylor. As an identity, he showed them an electricity bill that was for the farm and under his alias name.

  As further insurance, he had purchased an old Ford car that was first registered over twenty-five year earlier. This insured that it was not run by a computer, and was not leaving a digital footprint. Although he did have to spend a little money on it, making sure it was road worthy and looked tidy with an up to date legal warranty. Especially, adding a complete set of new tyres. Tyres being the most common item that the Police pick up on followed by broken rear lights. The finished project left him quite pleased with the result. As a final touch, it was registered under his alias name.

  One of his biggest problems was CCTV cameras. They were everywhere and their grand tally was increasing daily. Even in the back woods of Suffolk, there was a chance that as you left towns and villages, you would drive past a camera somewhere. Then of course there were the locals, because of the high crime rates over the whole country, individuals were trying to protect their own property. Not just to film people entering their property, but driving past. He would often chuckle to himself while in the pub listening to locals bragging about who had driven past their house the day before.

  He knew from his military days that most CCTV cameras were using a facial recognition program to identify people. Even wearing a full-faced balaclava did not help to hide your identity, as the program worked on facial recognition, concentrating on the cheek bone structure. Dave came up with a very light weight latex rubber facial half mask, that he had purchased from a theatrical shop. When fitted it only came up to the lower parts of the eyes hiding the cheekbones. However, this was only to be used on special occasions.

  He also realised that CCTV also record how you walk. Almost like a fingerprint we all walk in different ways. Dave had purchased a very small soft latex heal insert for his left shoe. It was only about ten millimetres thick, but it gave him a slight limp on his left leg. It was no good just trying to rely on altering his walk when he saw a camera, as many are hidden. It was common knowledge that we are all being filmed twenty-four hours a day no matter where we are. However, the wearing of some of these disguises would only be used trying to protect his identity from others, while working for MI5.

  As he could not observe the front gates comings and goings from the 'Lodge', he set up a hidden CCTV camera amongst the thick bushes. He liked the idea that the house could not be seen from the road. It meant that opportunists would not be teased in to breaking into the property. However, he wanted to be warned when anybody was about to enter. To assist him further, he added a small wireless system outside the property to the right-hand side of the front gate. It was connected to another speaker system inside the house, along with a remote switch to open and close the gate. A further gate remote switch was always carried in the driver’s door panel of his car.

  An early warning infrared red sensor that switched on a monitor in the 'Lodge' to the sound of a buzzer was also hidden in the vegetation, covering the front gate.

  As for recording, what the cameras were picking up, Dave had come up with what he believed was a fresh look at an old idea, of hiding the information they were recording, from prying eyes or people breaking into the house.

  During the early days of CCTV recording, a system known as VHS tapes were used, sadly the recoding units and tapes were big, ugly and cumbersome.

  While in the Royal Navy Dave had been told by a friend that his Father had once hid his VHS recoding unit in the walls of his house. He had placed the unit in the wall and then plastered over the hole. The remote he used could penetrate the wall, if he was pointing it towards the wall roughly where it was hidden. Which meant that he could control its use. The only drawback was that he could not physically touch the unit or change a tape. Although he could play back on the TV, and save the information to other tapes that he could then hide in other places.

  Sadly, one day his house was broken in to, and the burglars seeing the cameras outside the house had decided that they needed to find the recorder, and to destroy the damming evidence that they had been in the house.

  At first the burglars could not find the recorder, until one of them noticed that a wire was coming out of the plaster, and was plugged directly into the TV. Thinking it was from the recorder they started pulling on the wire, and tearing it along the plasterwork. After destroying a whole wall, they eventually found the recorder. Apparently, all they stole that day was VHS tape from the recorder.

  Dave's idea was to once again hide his recorder
in the wall, only this time the technology had moved on, and with the help of Wi-Fi he needed no wires that would give the recorders position away.

  Dave’s computer was fully encrypted, so E-mails, locations and destinations could not be traced. Knowing that E-mails have what is called an encapsulated header. When the E-mail is written, the IP address information from that computer is then embedded and hidden into the top of the E-mail, this is then added at every port of call. In some cases, it could be as many as ten different locations, before it eventually ends up at its final intended destination. Having left an electronic trail (foot print) from the sender to the receiver.

  The same can be said of an E-mail via an I-phone. The phones address and IP address are encoded into the mail, if it is then sent via a Wi-Fi at say a cafe to hot-mail, then both IP’s are also included, if it then goes to another address and is forwarded. Once again, an electronic footprint will be recorded in other locations, thus building up a rather large dossier and digital footprint on the sender. You can spoof the address but you cannot spoof the electronic trail, unless you use some other person’s computer, and he will end up being the fall guy. Although what the future held, nobody knew, as governments improved there strangle hold of obtaining as much information on its citizens as was possible.

  Hoping that most of his gadgets were hidden covered up and in some cases camouflaged from prying eyes. Along with a few other little changes and rules he had set himself. While hoping for a sprinkling of good luck. Dave hoped to be able to drop off the radar, as he liked to call it.

  A couple of weeks later Dave picked Mr Smith up at the Stowmarket railway station, and set him up with a bed at the 'Lodge', for a four-week field training period that Mr Jones had recommended earlier.

  Mr Smith was going to explain and hope to train Dave on what was expected of him, to become a Field Operative. Explaining what he could trust and rely on, when the need arose, and of where to get help when it might be needed.

  Being known as 'Slate', he was to become an MI5 'Cleaner', cum 'Courier' and 'Computer hacker', what was known in the trade as a 'Loner'. His main role was to clean up anywhere he was directed to, so no evidence could be found or gathered that might be used later in a court case. It was stressed that he was working for the government, although there is good chance that they might disown him. If he was caught it might not be legal what he was doing. In other words, it had to be done in secret. Adding that if he were caught there was a good chance that he would be on his own. In other words, he would have to dig himself out of whatever mess or hole he might find himself. He also had to plan where and how he would dump any evidence he gathered. Just in case they needed it at some later date.

  Mr Smith had also brought a present for him, in the form of a My-Dish. Along with a remote control to point the dish, as well as altering the program on a monitor. The dish was fixed to the back of the 'Lodge' where he hoped it would not be seen. It was then pointed towards a British Military Satellite. Using information that Mr Smith had given him, along with a promise that it was legal. Mr Smith punched in a password telling Dave that if another password was used, they would know that he had been compromised, or maybe somebody else was trying to use it. He was also informed that its use would be monitored by the military. Once it was all set up, Dave was hoping that it would pick up most of the government controlled CCTV units across East Anglia. While later he was hoping that he might be able to tap into many of the other major cities throughout the country.

  A secret bank account had been set up to assist him, and was up to him how he used it, be it digital or over the counter.

  Along with information of how Dave could lock his computer into a secret server that was set up for all operatives. A whole new Internet that runs alongside the public one. Often referred to as the next web. Although it was never left on line, just in case his house was broken into. The thieves of today always go for the computer first.

  As further protection Dave always used and worked from a portable hard drive that was never left with the computer, but hidden elsewhere.

  He might also be sent on errands to visit people or deliver items, known as a 'Hand Luggage', or just to make notes on what was happening. In other words, he could be asked to do anything, while helping protect the country from terrorism be it arriving, or to already established cells in the country.

  In order that certain packages could be delivered to him, at any time by an MI5 operative, Dave was asked for one of his electronic gate openers, along with a key so the package could be hidden in a secret place in the house. It would also mean that he did not have to be at the house all the time.

  Depending on how successful he was as an operator, depended upon how he would be treated by the MI5 organisation.

  East Anglia would be his main operational area, although he might be asked to assist other operatives in other areas, if needed?

  Dave was pleased with the job, as it did not include a lot of office paper work. After it was explained to him that office work leaves a paper trail. Head office did not want evidence to be found anywhere. Whatever he got himself into, he would have to get himself out of.

  However, not wanting to be telling MI5 how to operate, Dave had waited until Mr Smith had finished with his indoctrination upon joining MI5. Dave had spent a lot of time studying mobile phones, and how they could be best used, denying others the chance of following, listening, or reading the messages.

  Dave had found a system that was used a couple of years earlier by one of the world’s biggest and wealthiest drug dealer, Joaquin Guzman Loera nick named 'El Chapo'. Not only was he one of the richest people in the world, but also using a self-devised mobile phone system he was able to pass messages around without the authorities knowing. The money he bribed top governments officials with was staggering. Many could not help themselves and grabbed at the bribes he was offering.

  Using the Blackberry system was a bonus as during its earlier days it turned out to be one of the hardest systems to get into. However, 'El Chapo’ took it one giant step further. Realising that Wi-Fi in many cases is not track-able as it's encrypted, and that’s what helps to keep it safe.

  To get in touch with ‘El Chapo' a contact would send a direct message to a Blackberry held by a trusted Lieutenant, using only public wireless networks. The Lieutenant would then transcribe the message onto a tablet, and forwards it to a middleman who was also using a tablet, and public Wi-Fi. The middleman then transcribes the message onto another Blackberry and sends it to 'El Chapo'. All was devised to keep him safe, which it did for a long time.

  Dave wanted Mr Jones to see if MI5 would be interested in setting up a similar system. Having the manpower and technology it would be easy to operate. Plus, he had a few other ideas he could add to make it even more secure, and workable friendly.

  Mr Smith was quick to answer with a smirk on his face.

  "Can’t see Mr Jones allowing the MI5 headquarters building being used as a Wi-Fi hub.”

  “No, I'm not suggesting anything like that.”

  “However, it would be a good move if you used the coffee shop free Wi-Fi just down the road, where we first met up.” Insisted Dave.

  “I'm sure there are other hubs close by that could also be used from your building.”

  Dave left him thinking over what he had just explained to him.

  Upon dropping him off at the Stowmarket railway station Dave crossed his fingers that his idea would at least be given a little thought.