Abstract: Authorized intercepts of communications in a satellite communications system (10) are performed, according to which a law enforcement agency (LEA) can request the intercept of communications to and/or from subscriber units (SUs). In one embodiment, an LEA intercept request causes an intercept order for a particular target SU (420, FIG. 6) to be transmitted to one or more satellites (411-413, FIG. 6), where the intercept order is stored in an intercept table (410). Any communications traffic involving the target SU results in an intercept by a satellite, which routes a copy of the intercepted communications to the requesting LEA, either directly or via an associated intercept facility (426, FIG. 8).

Abstract: Authorized intercepts of communications in a communications system such as a satellite communications system (10) are controlled. Each law enforcement agency (LEA) can only intercept communications to subscriber units (SUs) within its jurisdiction. In addition, the identity of each authorized intercept target is known only to the requesting LEA. In one embodiment, a trusted entity, such as a network operations facility (NOF 22, FIG. 3), creates a list of ID's corresponding to all SUs within each LEA's jurisdiction. Each SU ID is provided both unencrypted and encrypted for one or more network nodes (NN 1-R, FIG. 3). A network intercept facility (IF 201, FIG. 3) selects a target SU ID, generates an intercept order encrypted for one or more NNs, and sends it to one or more NNs for execution.