Constitutional Law, Criminal law, International, Media, Politics

English Officials Accuse Greenwald’s Partner Of “Terrorism” In Transporting Snowden Documents

250px-V_for_vendettaxWe have previously discussed how, after Sept. 11th, officials have simply begun to classify acts to be terrorism to use ramped up surveillance and sentencing laws. It was inevitable that with Western countries giving official unprecedented anti-terror powers, they would start to move as many crimes as possible under the expanding category. That is evident after it was disclosed this week that British authorities framed the case against David Miranda, the partner of journalist Glenn Greenwald, as a case of terrorism “terrorism” for carrying documents from Edward Snowden.

We have previously discussed the alleged decision of Greenwald to have his partner serve as a courier of the documents. Putting aside the wisdom of using family or personal friends as couriers or colleagues in such cases, it was clearly not terrorism unless you view all whistleblowers and journalists as engaged in terrorism when exposing abusive surveillance.

Miranda filed a lawsuit over his treatment at Heathrow. At a hearing, a document called a “Ports Circulation Sheet” was read into the record from Scotland Yard. The document was written in consultation with the MI5 counterintelligence agency and states that “Intelligence indicates that Miranda is likely to be involved in espionage activity which has the potential to act against the interests of UK national security.” That is of course an absurd conclusion since they knew of his connection to Greenwald. However, the document then includes the following line: “Additionally the disclosure, or threat of disclosure, is designed to influence a government and is made for the purpose of promoting a political or ideological cause. This therefore falls within the definition of terrorism…”

That is the chilling line. It seems something right out of “V for Vendetta” and all that is missing is Peter Creedy and his agents of Finger.

Police officials say that items seized from Miranda included electronic media containing 58,000 documents from the U.S. National Security Agency and its British counterpart, Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ). Greenwald immediately said that his partner was carrying the Snowden documents.

Recently, Prime Minister Cameron called on measures to be taken against the media for reporting on the documents and their content.

The casual and easy transition from a journalist/whistleblower case to a terrorism case demonstrates the slippery slope that the West is now on. These officials did not appear to have the slightest hesitation in converting the case into a terrorism case. Indeed, they created a type of legal shape shifting charge where they could claim either espionage or terrorism — effectively admitting that such classifications are now entirely arbitrary.

It is distressing to see both England and the United States slipping into such authoritarian constructs. What is most distressing is that the desire for such powers seems to reside like a dormant virus in some law enforcement circles. The ease with which the Miranda case was treated as espionage or terrorism shows an utter lack of concern over the implications of such ill-defined offenses. Under this definition, the Pentagon Papers could be treated as the same act as the 9-11 bombings.

83 thoughts on “English Officials Accuse Greenwald’s Partner Of “Terrorism” In Transporting Snowden Documents”

  2. For all we know, the Queen herself is a hacker or MI-6 is just as lowly as any U.S based gutter wader. I think when people use electronic terrorism against innocent others, it is nothing more than Kubrick’s 2001 A Spacy Odyssey where the monkeys discover a large bone, used as a weapon can be useful in taking whatever another monkey has. The tools get more sophisticated but the monkeys stay the same–violent, aggressive and overly zealous about taking from others, what the tool wielder cannot create for him or her self. When I see technologists today, I just see a bunch of flea picking monkeys with no abilities to control the power of electricity that is greater than the self-moderation of humility or self control which “choice” made the man separate from the monkey. We are returning to Neanderthallisms by this lack of maturity and self-control that sets man apart from the Apes.

  4. http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/11/04/21245543-why-a-15-minute-phone-call-threatens-saudi-arabias-decades-old-alliance-with-us?lite

    The price for getting in bed with evil, has always been the U.S mantra–the micro and macro management of sin by lawyers is nothing but a money making venture to anoint those who use their education against the rights of the individual to life, liberty and his own pursuits of happiness, unabated by those using their positions to sell sin for profit. It is what built the U.S and declared its independence from Great Britain. People who use their Atheism to justify their lack of morality is the great conflict–money simply exacerbates the weak man from the strong one–it is the Jeffersonian reference to a single Zealot be the persecutor of better men. When it’s this ideology that sits in the top of the CIA, NSA, FBI or Congress where power is wielded from the top down, then we as a country are in big trouble. There is little to no moral integrity left from the White House to Congress and to all branches of government including states and local governments on the drug cartel and mob payrolls–all in the name of money hoarding by whores and their pimps like the Kochs et al.

  6. Speaking of Peter Creedy:

    Field manual (FM) 3-39.40 is aligned with FM 3-39, the military police keystone FM. FM 3-39.40 provides guidance for commanders and staffs on internment and resettlement (I/R) operations. This manual addresses I/R operations across the spectrum of conflict, specifically the doctrinal paradigm shift from traditional enemy prisoner of war (EPW) operations to the broader and more inclusive requirements of detainee operations.

    Additionally, FM 3-39.40 discusses the critical issue of detainee rehabilitation. It describes the doctrinal foundation, principles, and processes that military police and other elements will employ when dealing with I/R populations. As part of internment, these populations include U.S. military prisoners, and multiple categories of detainees (civilian internees [CIs], retained personnel [RP], and enemy combatants), while resettlement operations are focused on multiple categories of dislocated civilians (DCs).

    Military police conduct I/R operations during offensive, defensive, stability, or civil support operations. I/R operations include military police support to U.S. military prisoner and detainee operations within operational environments (OEs), ranging from major combat operations to humanitarian-assistance missions in support of a
    host nation (HN) or civil agency.

    (Internment & Resettlement Camps Manual, PDF). This may be the manual for what a military official described to a business journal in Arizona:

    A new report by the U.S. Army War College talks about the possibility of Pentagon resources and troops being used should the economic crisis lead to civil unrest, such as protests against businesses and government or runs on beleaguered banks.

    “Widespread civil violence inside the United States would force the defense establishment to reorient priorities in extremis to defend basic domestic order and human security,” said the War College report.

    The study says economic collapse, terrorism and loss of legal order are among possible domestic shocks that might require military action within the U.S.

    (Phoenix Biz Journal). It takes a long time to prepare a manual like that, so were the prescient or fulfilling their own prophecy?

  7. I smell a rat and the smell is coming from the English officials involved in this conspiracy to label someone a terrorist in order to attempt to frighten them.

  9. 24 “Four things on earth are small,
    yet they are extremely wise:
    25 Ants are creatures of little strength,
    yet they store up their food in the summer;
    26 hyraxes are creatures of little power,
    yet they make their home in the crags;
    27 locusts have no king,
    yet they advance together in ranks;
    28 a lizard can be caught with the hand,
    yet it is found in kings’ palaces.”

    (Proverbs 30).

  10. Reblogged this on veritasusa and commented:
    The war on terror, like the war on drugs before it, was an artificially created and unnecessary construct that was created to allow the Federal Government – specifically the executive branch – to seize more liberty and curtail the civil rights of American citizens. Emergency war powers allows the executive unprecedented powers and enables them to largely ignore the Bill of Rights

  11. If the public does not remove their heads from theirs asses and start protesting these tyranical takeovers we are lost.

  12. Steve, Steve, Steve, The government is our friend, get w/ the program and toe that line!

  13. Column articulates what all Americans need to understand – government has yo be controlled, or it will control us.

  14. V: [Quoting Viola from Twelfth Night Act I Scene 2] Conceal me what I am, and be my aid For such disguise as haply shall become The form of my intent.

  15. It has now been made a criminal offense in the US to encrypt something that may be used in a prosecution at some time in the unforeseeable future. Without going into the full painful details, refer to the case of US v Kernell. That case had to do with the deletion of computer files before any investigation of Kernell’s email hack was begun. In fact, he deleted the files within minutes of hacking into Sarah Palin’s emails.

    The video is rather long at 44 minutes, but for both lawyers and computer users, it should be “must viewing.” This is a presentation given at SchmooCon 2012. This talk is so good, it ought to carry CLE credits for watching it.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqBVAcxpwio

    If anyone has an opportunity to attend either SchmooCon or DEF CON annual meetings, it may be worth it. The next SchmooCon will be held in DC on Jan. 17-19, 2014. http://www.shmoocon.org/

    DEF CON 22 will take place August 7-10, 2014 at the Rio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

  16. There is some Brit named Ries something or other on CNN each night railing about our Second Amendment Right to bear arms. This recent prosecution of a whistleblower shows us where he is coming from.

  18. So, this means that the Pentagon Papers were distributed to the Washington Post by terrorists. Therefore, the Washington Post, the New York Times, and other newspapers are Terrorist Operations. That would be the same with the London newspapers.

    England is no better than in 1776. Cameron is a Redcoat in sheeps clothing or a weenie with no bikini.

  20. Terrorism’s definition is now so broad that is has lost its meaning except as a method of control over cowering citizens.

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