The Government Communications Security Bureau operates a satellite spy base in the Waihopai Valley, near Renwick. The base is part of the ECHELON spy network, run by the UKUSA alliance of intelligence agencies. Shielded by two giant, white domes, its satellite dishes intercept a huge volume of international phone calls, telexes, faxes, e-mail and computer data communications. It gathers this data and forwards it the UKUSA alliance.
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