Brit nuke subs exposed on Google Earth
PrintGCHQ. MI6 and SAS also laid bare
Posted in Government, 2nd March 2009 09:35 GMT
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Regarding MI6, the new imagery is an improvement on previous outings for the building, but it has been fully exposed on Google Earth for yonks. Its prominent central London riverside location - coupled to a high-profile outing in Bond romp The World Is Not Enough - probably mean it's a bit late to pretend it's not at 51°29'14.28"N, 0°7'28.58"W (.kmz here).
Finally, here's the SAS barracks at Credenhill, showing "the exact location of SAS sleeping quarters, office blocks, bunkers and parade grounds", as the Sun puts it:
The Sun notes that Google agreed to obscure Brit military facilities following the Shatt al Arab hotel incident back in 2007, where "print-outs from photographs taken from Google" of the British base in Basra were found in the hands of insurgents.
However, an MoD spokesman admitted to the paper: “We do everything to protect bases but it’s impossible to control all websites providing satellite imagery. If people are really determined to target these sites they can find these images and there is nothing we can do to stop them.”
A Google spokewoman said: “We do listen to requests from governments but we don’t comment on the details of any of those discussions.” ®
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