Intergalactic Summit

Just to chime in, I'd like to remind anyone reading this who isn't a capsuleer that your Police service is always ready to lend a hand if you're unsure about something. If you think you've had an encounter with a suspicious person, you should go down to your local constabulary office and ask to speak to someone in counter-espionage (your employer is required to grant you paid time off to do this!) and make a statement.

Most corporations run a bonus voucher scheme for any statement that is part of the evidence package for a conviction!

Why does your obviously biased news always feel the need to point out some alleged "oppression of Minmatar" within the Federation? You're not going to garner any sympathy from Republican Matari or those of us who live (or lived, in my case) in Gallente space in this manner. We know the truth and you're not relating all of it. I can assure you and all who read this post that while bigotry certainly exists in the Federation there is no systemic program of "oppression" targeting Matari being carried out by the FIO.

I understand your grudge against the Federation. I understand your propaganda posing as objective fact. What I don't understand is your need to drag my people into your struggle by painting us as hapless victims of some insidious government-backed conspiracy.

To be fair, Anabella, very few citizens of the State have much first hand experience of conditions for the Matari within the Federation. We have only our own, admittedly out of date, experiences as a client to fall back on. Now, here's the thing, there are plenty of Matari who are quick to claim the Federation is oppressing them. It's maybe a story that we'd like to believe, but it's not as if there hasn't been plenty of second-hand sources backing it up.

I read the opening 'article'... Oh wow... Just... Wow... Alright, I'm going to chime in here before Mister Expert gets somebody killed... This is your two minute primer on civilian counter-espionage.

Pieter offered the best advice there is for dealing with a suspected spy, kids. Go get the local authorities. Period. Don't be fooled by stereotypes, since propaganda is poor protection when push comes to shove... Ishukone SWAT, Valklears, Black Eagles... They've all got a lot in common, most of which adds up to them being extremely well trained, highly competent, and outright DANGEROUS to anyone not playing on their level of the game, which is to say, ninety-nine percent of the population. We've got our own high level killer elite, let THEM do their jobs. Don't kid yourself into thinking you're some holovid star super spy, you'll end up in a ditch somewhere.

Now, that said, there IS plenty you can do, mostly passively. Counter-espionage loves observant folk, I know I did... Remember and note everything you can, keeping it fresh for as long as possible. Even if something seems trivial, and you notice it, go with that instinct. Recount everything. EVERYTHING, that you can remember, write down, or repeat a hundred times as you're walking, since every single scrap of information can be useful, if not outright critical. Again, don't try and take on a suspected infiltrator on your own. If you're right, you've just become a target. If you're wrong, you've just assaulted someone and will be putting yourself under suspicion.

As for spotting 'spies'... Get real Iigen. NO operator worth their weight in salt is going to carry obvious surveillance equipment, optics or anything of the like. The fact of the matter is, it's incredibly easy to conceal a micro-optical system or recording device... Or combinations, in penlights, glasses... You name it, it can hold something. If they're even bothering with that, since a lot of serious experts have implants that can do what half a dozen external devices would otherwise provide them with, ranging from rangefinding to still and video capture. If you see a Gallentean with a camera... Congratulations, you've found a tourist, in all likelihood. And your buddy snapping pictures with a NEOPAD? Is probably just snapping pictures with his NEOPAD.

Conversation CAN be a clue in, but rarely. Training for espionage personnel includes some pretty outrageous knowledge of patterns in speech, movement, mannerisms... These people don't give themselves away by accident, so consider any 'slip' a purposeful act. The typical method used by an infiltrator is to first identify approachable 'sources', then speak with said sources about innocuous things... After setting up other sources to double check who spreads what around in a number of ways you're not likely to notice. Rarely does anyone with any degree of expertise make the mistake of using the same source twice until they've verified it as 'clean'. If they do, and make a pattern that gets them caught, shame on them. Training to spot such patterns is available, but lengthy. Take advantage of it if it ever comes your way.

As for gear... Again, misconceptions galore. Most stockpile gear from numerous, removed sources, over a comparatively long period of time, say weeks or months, rather than hours or days. However, it IS a lot harder to move such things in the State, so keeping an eye out for oddities can, and sometimes does, pay off. The general rule of thumb for these people is that if they think they can't move it without notice, they dump it and move on. You can always get more gear. And while we're on the subject... A weapon isn't necessarily something that you'd think would be a weapon. What rule of reality says you can't stab someone in the neck with a stylus? Or strangle them with a boot lace? Don't bother looking for weapons. If somebody's toting a KK-25 down the street, it's a fair bet they're not a spy... But probably nuts.

So... How can you spot a spy? Odds are, you'll never meet one unless you're in a sensitive position, or linked to one... But be aware that they exist. As trite as it sounds, follow your instincts when meeting someone. Nature gave us a great built in radar. If you're uncomfortable speaking with someone, try to consider what rubs you the wrong way after the fact. If you see someone who just keeps popping up somewhere for no particular reason, keep an eye out, since it caught your eye to start with. If it persists, get the police on them. Be aware of local patterns. You know your neighborhood better than anyone, so sudden or persistent changes in activity should catch your eye. Report oddities, just to be safe. Even if they're (likely) not foreign agents, the same patterns apply to a lot of criminals. Either way, you've just contributed to keeping the State secure.

And last, the most unlikely... Becoming a potential 'source'. If you're ever APPROACHED... Act receptive, but wary. Hear what they have to say. Let them walk away, then get the hell to the nearest precinct as fast as you can without looking to be in a hurry, both for your own protection, and the States, since you've become a very valuable source just now. It's also worth noting that our own counter-espionage sorts do this from time to time to test loyalty... You won't be able to tell the difference, so just treat it seriously.

That's about all I can think of from past experience and years of training... Speaking of which, pretty much all of the Deksam offer basic counter espionage courses for qualified applicants. Talk to your managers if you're in a position identified as vulnerable to infiltration, take the classes, what could it hurt? You'll learn some pretty interesting things, and gain some potentially useful knowledge that will expand greatly on what's been said here. You get something, the State gets something. Win, win.

Growing up as a Brutor immigrant in the Federation, I can testify that there is definitely wide-spread discrimination. I've lost count at all the times I've heard "Well, makes sense you'd be good at sports" or "So you're the first in your family to graduate?" after high school, or "So you're the first in your family to go to university?" at the U of C. I learned at a young age that if I shaved my head, gallenteans would stop touching my hair. Most gallenteans are well meaning, but many also don't think about how and when they're racifying others.

As an adult, I've also learned to resent just as much the media narratives that focus entirely on the discrimination against matari immigrants. These are our lives, we've paid a lot to live them. They're not some hand puppets that for Progressor or Sociocrat propaganda to wave around to try and show that everything is fine and dandy, or for Caldari or Amarr propaganda to show that the Federation is a vile and immoral society. We've built communities and worked for change, and we've accomplished much even if there's much left to be done, too.

What Dayorder News is doing is no different from what Roden is doing - dismissing our experiences as unimportant when weighed against the story that serves their purposes for the moment. It might work to cater to the audience that's already decided to believe this outlet, but the minmatar working men and women in the Federation will never buy into this.

It is up to all citizens to defend the State, if you have strong suspicions about an individual then it is up to you to act.