Philips weakened the Aroflex, a coding device intended for secret communication between NATO allies. The Turkish government also wanted to use it for communication with its embassies and for internal communication from the army. The Americans wanted to provide a weakened version so that the Turks could be tapped. Germany reportedly refused to cooperate.
Argos: “” The NSA then turned to Philips, who participated, “says the German evaluation report from Operation Rubicon.” Philips used the term ‘Beroflex’ internally for the watered-down version of Aroflex, says Jansen. “I was confronted with the request to make an Aroflex that looked like an Aroflex but was actually a Beroflex.”
Operation Rubicon
This week it was revealed that American and German intelligence services over decades intercepted more than a hundred countries, including allies. Via a Swiss company they deliberately supplied poorly secured equipment with which encrypted messages were sent. For example, information was intercepted about human rights violations by the Argentine dictator Videla.
This ‘Operation Rubicon’ started in 1970 and is described in documents as “the intelligence coup of the century”. When Germany stopped in 1994, the Dutch BVD and Philips came to the aid of the Americans.
Philips leaves in a comment Argos know that they are not aware of the issue. “Because it has been so long ago, we have checked with the company archive. However, our archivists were unable to find any information on this issue.”
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