Some time ago I read an article by a lawyer (sorry, the name escapes me) who often represents activists and often travels abroad. Being singled out and hassled, having electronics confiscated (some permanently or returned damaged) was bad enough to make him stop carrying anything with him – all info was passed on in other ways.
Worse, his email and cellphone contacts began to get the same treatment when they traveled. If the government doesn’t trust you, they don’t trust your friends…or your friends’ friends, or …etc ad infinitum/nauseum. Logically, within a few degrees of association, the authorities won’t be able to trust themselves – Glenn Greenwald knows X who knows Y who knows Z who knows Obama and Clapper and…
The NSA et al actually don’t trust anyone, including themselves. Perhaps if we can all get on the ‘watch list’, the system will get so bogged down that while the computers can keep up, it won’t be possible for humans to keep up and the whole edifice will destroy itself.
This is obviously a rather profound escalation of their attacks on the news-gathering process and journalism. It’s bad enough to prosecute and imprison sources. It’s worse still to imprison journalists who report the truth. But to start detaining the family members and loved ones of journalists is simply despotic. Even the Mafia had ethical rules against targeting the family members of people they felt threatened by. But the UK puppets and their owners in the US national security state obviously are unconstrained by even those minimal scruples.
The Brazilian government expresses grave concern about the episode that happened today in London, where a Brazilian citizen was held without communication at Heathrow airport for 9 hours, in an action based in the British anti-terrorism legislation. This measure is without justification since it involves an individual against whom there are no charges that can legitimate the use of that legislation. The Brazilian Government expects that incidents such as the one that happened to the Brazilian citizen today do not repeat.
They’re sending messages to the participants and demonstrating their power to do anything they want for the rest of us.
Britain Detains Partner Of Journalist Who Exposed NSA Spying. Are They Crazy Or Stupid? By Gregory Ferenstein, TechCrunch http://techcrunch.com/2013/08/18/britain-detains-partner-of-journalist-who-exposed-nsa-spying-are-they-crazy-or-stupid/
“If authorities were brazen enough to detain someone so closely connected to the leaks, it means they’ve probably extended their legal powers to intimidate others with less fame. Now a bright and unwavering spotlight is on their questionable tactics.
“Even worse for authorities, most of the debate around NSA spying (and proposed legislation to limit their authority) has been whether agencies have too broad of a definition for who qualifies as a suspect. As the New York Times points out, Miranda’s detention is legal under British law, which means the definition of ‘terrorist threat’ is most definitely being abused.”
Forgetting all the innumerable police state issues, it is still interesting to speculate why the NYT came out with this in their account:
Mr. Miranda was in Berlin to deliver documents related to Mr. Greenwald’s investigation into government surveillance to Ms. Poitras, Mr. Greenwald said. Ms. Poitras, in turn, gave Mr. Miranda different documents to pass to Mr. Greenwald. Those documents, which were stored on encrypted thumb drives, were confiscated by airport security, Mr. Greenwald said. All of the documents came from the trove of materials provided to the two journalists by Mr. Snowden. The British authorities seized all of his electronic media — including video games, DVDs and data storage devices — and did not return them, Mr. Greenwald said.
IDK.
Either Greenwald did not want to implicate Miranda or NYT was told by Guess Who to make the accusation. I would not be surprised if he was shuffling info back and forth. So what? While that explains the govt’s interest in him but does not justify their actions. As Glenn noted specifically:
The stated purpose of this law, as the name suggests, is to question people about terrorism. The detention power, claims the UK government, is used “to determine whether that person is or has been involved in the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.”
But they obviously had zero suspicion that David was associated with a terrorist organization or involved in any terrorist plot. Instead, they spent their time interrogating him about the NSA reporting which Laura Poitras, the Guardian and I are doing, as well the content of the electronic products he was carrying. They completely abused their own terrorism law for reasons having nothing whatsoever to do with terrorism: a potent reminder of how often governments lie when they claim that they need powers to stop “the terrorists”, and how dangerous it is to vest unchecked power with political officials in its name.
Experience shows that power is always abused eventually and the greater the power, the sooner and more blatant the abuse.
In Greenwald’s latest Guardian article he confirms the articles confiscated; phone, USB sticks, game console, and computer, etc.
Britain is in an uproar (as is Brazil) over the mis-application of Article 7 towards Miranda.
The downward spiral is quickening and increasingly violent towards general citizens.
It ain’t going to get any better folks; get used to it…
woo hoo, Obama hangs Cameron out to dry;-)
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/19/white-house-david-miranda-heads-up
Some time ago I read an article by a lawyer (sorry, the name escapes me) who often represents activists and often travels abroad. Being singled out and hassled, having electronics confiscated (some permanently or returned damaged) was bad enough to make him stop carrying anything with him – all info was passed on in other ways.
Worse, his email and cellphone contacts began to get the same treatment when they traveled. If the government doesn’t trust you, they don’t trust your friends…or your friends’ friends, or …etc ad infinitum/nauseum. Logically, within a few degrees of association, the authorities won’t be able to trust themselves – Glenn Greenwald knows X who knows Y who knows Z who knows Obama and Clapper and…
The NSA et al actually don’t trust anyone, including themselves. Perhaps if we can all get on the ‘watch list’, the system will get so bogged down that while the computers can keep up, it won’t be possible for humans to keep up and the whole edifice will destroy itself.
.
Emptywheel: America’s Closest Ally Declares Glenn Greenwald’s Partner a Terrorist
Greenwald: Detaining my partner: a failed attempt at intimidation
Brazil: Brazilian citizen held in London
They’re sending messages to the participants and demonstrating their power to do anything they want for the rest of us.
Britain Detains Partner Of Journalist Who Exposed NSA Spying. Are They Crazy Or Stupid? By Gregory Ferenstein, TechCrunch
http://techcrunch.com/2013/08/18/britain-detains-partner-of-journalist-who-exposed-nsa-spying-are-they-crazy-or-stupid/
“If authorities were brazen enough to detain someone so closely connected to the leaks, it means they’ve probably extended their legal powers to intimidate others with less fame. Now a bright and unwavering spotlight is on their questionable tactics.
“Even worse for authorities, most of the debate around NSA spying (and proposed legislation to limit their authority) has been whether agencies have too broad of a definition for who qualifies as a suspect. As the New York Times points out, Miranda’s detention is legal under British law, which means the definition of ‘terrorist threat’ is most definitely being abused.”
Forgetting all the innumerable police state issues, it is still interesting to speculate why the NYT came out with this in their account:
Mr. Miranda was in Berlin to deliver documents related to Mr. Greenwald’s investigation into government surveillance to Ms. Poitras, Mr. Greenwald said. Ms. Poitras, in turn, gave Mr. Miranda different documents to pass to Mr. Greenwald. Those documents, which were stored on encrypted thumb drives, were confiscated by airport security, Mr. Greenwald said. All of the documents came from the trove of materials provided to the two journalists by Mr. Snowden. The British authorities seized all of his electronic media — including video games, DVDs and data storage devices — and did not return them, Mr. Greenwald said.
as I don’t see it in Greenwald’s article in the Guardian
IDK.
Either Greenwald did not want to implicate Miranda or NYT was told by Guess Who to make the accusation. I would not be surprised if he was shuffling info back and forth. So what? While that explains the govt’s interest in him but does not justify their actions. As Glenn noted specifically:
Experience shows that power is always abused eventually and the greater the power, the sooner and more blatant the abuse.
I understand. Not trying to justify anything- just trying to have the Times
account sourced.
In Greenwald’s latest Guardian article he confirms the articles confiscated; phone, USB sticks, game console, and computer, etc.
Britain is in an uproar (as is Brazil) over the mis-application of Article 7 towards Miranda.
The downward spiral is quickening and increasingly violent towards general citizens.
It ain’t going to get any better folks; get used to it…