20-APR-89 THU 12:12 P.02
1. INTRODUCTION
Following the receipt of instructions from
Hallmark Atkinson & Winter, 3 copy audio tapes
were received and subjected to audio examination.
Instructing solicitors are acting on behalf
of Panos Koupparis. Following an attempted
extortion of money from the Cypriot Government, a
number of tapes described as having been prepared
by security personnel in Cyprus have been entered
into the evidence. Copies of 3 of these tapes,
AD/9, AD/14 and AD/16 have been examined by
Mr. Bland, BSc, C Chem, FRSC, Consulting Forensic
Scientist.
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20-APR-89 THU 12:13 P.03
2. EXAMINATION
Copy of Tape AD/9
This tape runs for approximately 14 minutes
53 seconds and commences with a short dial tone
followed by a period of silence during which there
are a number of clicks and background speech very
faintly discernible in the background. there is a
constant beat sound which may be related to the
original or copying recorders. The conversation
ceases after 4 minutes 17 seconds during which
time there are a number of clicks and sounds which
could be due to a microphone or recorder being
moved. These sounds, however, could mask the
possibility the tape has been edited. After 7
minutes 34 seconds the conversation is resumed and
continues without an apparent break until 14
minutes 53 seconds after the start.
Throughout the whole of the recording there
are a number of clicks and background sounds which
may be due to some items knocking the microphone
or what ever instrument is used to detect the
sound. There are no obvious breaks in
transmission throughout the whole length of this
tape and the background sound and various machine
hums appear to be constant throughout the length
of the tape.
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20-APR-89 THU 12:14 P.04
Copy Tape AD/14
The copy tape runs for a period of 7 minutes
25 seconds, but there is no conversation on the
tape for the first 2 minutes 14 seconds prior to
this point. There are a number of clicks which
sound as if the tape recorder was switched on and
off, there is also a hum and slight background
throb. The background sounds are different
to those heard on AD/9 and would suggest different
recording equipment was used to prepare the
original or the copy.
After 2 minutes 14 seconds, conversation is
recorded, but it is quite clear from listening to
the tape that this conversation has been
continuing for some time previously and the
recording starts mid-way though that conversation.
This would appear to suggest some part of the talk
between the two persons on the tape has been
excluded from the copy recording. The conversation
continues until 5 minutes 11 seconds after the
start when the 2 persons are discussing telexing
facilities in Cyprus. The conversation is stopped
short and for a period of 1 minute 28 seconds
there is no sound at all on the tape.
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20-APR-89 THU 12:15 P.05
There appears to be a total wipe clean of this
portion of the tape, there is no background sound
or machine hum which would suggest any recording
has occurred on this portion of the tape.
6 minutes 39 seconds after the start of the
tape the conversation is resumed, this too appears
to be mid-way through a conversation between 2
persons, but does not specifically relate to the
earlier part of the recording. This latter part
continues until 7 minutes 25 seconds after the
start of the tape. The tape recorder was obviously
switched off at the end of the conversation.
Copy Tape AD/16
This tape runs for 13 minutes 2 seconds and
consisted of conversation between a Colonel Digsby,
also heard on the previous tapes, and another
person. Initially the quality of the reproduction
from Colonel Digsby was poor and difficult to hear,
but after 1 minute 32 seconds from the start a
volume change was effected on the tape which
caused that part of the conversation to be more
clearly discernible. There were a number of
clicks which could not be identified as to their
cause running through the whole of this particular
tape. The background varied appreciably between
the 2 speakers.
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20-APR-89 THU 12:17 P.06
The background sound was cut out of the recording
when the louder of the 2 voices was speaking.
This could be an indication that the whole of the
conversation was fabricated using electronic
equipment and recordings of 2 persons' voices.
However, it is possible that certain recording
equipment could produce a similar effect. The
conversation ceases after 3 minutes 41 seconds and
there is a recording of Greek voices in
conversation which are clearly not using
telephones. During this period and following the
conversation in Greek, a great deal of background
noise consisting of clicks, scratching, background
voices, music and various background sounds can be
heard. Some of the sounds would suggest the
microphone was being worn by some person but no
sound of breathing or voice could be heard for the
majority of this part of the tape. There are
switching sounds some 8 minutes 44 seconds after
the start of the tape. The voice after 9 minutes
and 6 seconds says "Hello" and at 9 minutes 29
seconds after the start of the tape the
conversation with Colonel Digsby and another
person is resumed. It is not clear whether this
is a start of a fresh conversation or a
continuation of the conversation which stopped
some 6 minutes earlier.
[]
Speech continues for another 3.5 minutes, the same
background change in sound between the voices can
be noted after the conversation ceases (12 minutes
27 seconds from the start) are a further series of
cracks and various background sounds, the machine
being switched off after 13 minutes 7 seconds.
There are a number of features associated
with the recording of AD/14 and AD/16 which lead
to the conclusion that neither of these 2
recordings are coherent or are records of single
telephone conversations with Colonel Digsby. It
has not been possible in the time to assess
whether any of the background noises are caused by
switching of the recorder or not and it is
possible that some of the sounds that may be heard
could disguise otherwise obvious indication of
editing.
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20-APR-89 THU 12:19 P.08
3. CONCLUSION
The tape AD/9 would appear to be intact and
an integral conversation over a period during
which the conversation lapsed whilst one of the
participants left the telephone for other
purposes. Nevertheless it is possible that some
part of this conversation could have been erased
prior to it being copied.
There are, however, clear indications that
parts of the conversations on AD/14 and AD/16 have
been edited out, it is not clear if any material
has been edited in from the present examination.
All the conversations between Colonel Digsby
and other persons on these 2 tapes AD/14 and AD/16
are fragmented and could not be considered to
display the whole of any of the conversations.
To take matters further will require
considerable time and expense, there are a number
of areas on the tapes which require further
detailed examination. It is unlikely that a full
examination could be completed in less than 30
hours working time and this period may not be
available in a single block.
HHB/da
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