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Slideshow: Whistle-Blower Outs NSA Spy Room

According to a former AT&T employee supporting a lawsuit, an NSA visit to a key switching center led to the creation of a secret wiretap room, where all long distance and internet traffic was siphoned off to the government. By Ryan Singel.
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A critical junction for telecommunications traffic, the San Francisco switching center is well guarded -- but an NSA badge presumably will get you past security.Photo: Chris Becker

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AT&T's central office on Folsom Street in San Francisco houses a secret room that allows the National Security Agency to monitor phone and internet traffic, according to former AT&T technician-cum-whistle-blower Mark Klein.

Photo: Chris Becker
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AT&T occupied three floors of the SBC-owned building on San Francisco's Folsom Street.

Photo: Chris Becker
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In addition to this San Francisco office, the NSA operates identical wiretapping facilities at other AT&T switching centers around the country, Klein says.

Photo: Chris Becker