You think you’re not a terrorist? Think again

I have written extensively about the growing confusion between Homeland Security and community safety, and outside and inside enemies, both in Englishand in Spanish. I feel that the current lack of interest in defining where the limits of government action are is dangerous and undermines some of the basic principles we say to be defending against outside threats.

‘Terrorism’ is becoming a token word used increasingly to deny fundamental rights and justify grey areas in our legal systems. But if the use of counter terrorism money to fund an extensive CCTV system in a Muslim neighborhood in Birmingham (UK) a few months ago left me speechless, confirming how treating innocent citizens as suspects is a spreading reality, the letter sent by the Counter Terrorism Command of New Scotland Yard to most universities in London confirms that lawful, peaceful protest is now seen as a threat to national security.

This was covered by The Guardian a couple of weeks ago, but here is the e-mail:

Hi all,

Happy New Year to you all.

As the student population is returning to “work”, we anticipate a renewed vigour in protests and demonstrations. The picture is currently building and we are monitoring the situation.

I know it’s early days and we are awaiting more information, but it may be worth considering contingency plans for possible occupation attempts on the 18th/19th January by the staff / student bodies at the University colleges across London.

It appears that the finance departments may be targeted in protests to the cuts in funding & closure of some University departments as well as the Student tuition fees.

There are further possible dates of protests planned for the 22nd , 26th, 29th January and of course this is a developing picture and we will advise you as and when we get more information.

I would be grateful if in your capacity at your various colleges that should you pick up any relevant information that would be helpful to all of us to anticipate possible demonstrations or occupations, please forward it onto me so that I can update everyone and equally feed this to our Public Order Branch should a policing requirement emerge.

Cheers
xxxxx

xxxx xxxxxxxx – Police Constable

SO15 – Counter Terrorism Command – Prevent

Now, if the CTC’s ‘overriding priority’ is ‘to keep the public safe and do all it can to ensure that London remains a hostile environment for terrorists‘, why are its members monitoring student protests against tuition fees? Who is *not* a terrorist these days? Does this expanding ‘state of exception’ ever end?

This entry was posted on February 4, 2011, 6:49 pm and is filed under EU. You can follow any responses to this entry through RSS 2.0. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

#1 by Tony Camilleri on February 4, 2011 - 9:09 pm

BIG BROTHER SPYING ON EVERYONE. And they used to denigrate the USSR and other countries under to Soviet umbrella for their secret police!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In Malta there is a saying that the prostitute give you from what she has, meaning disease. I am sure this applies not only to this case, but also to the espionage on the citizens ordered by the EU and the USA.

Quote

#2 by Renato on February 7, 2011 - 12:28 pm

Are there legal channels through which UK police can “monitor” student activists? Do these legal channels have the same powers CTC has? Is it not the case that CTC has the means and the legal blanket to obtain information about activists that “regular” police cannot?

#3 by Raff on February 8, 2011 - 9:48 am

I feel like you are slightly making a mountain out of a molehill. While I know that there are elements of concern with regards right to protest in some security responses to terrorism, I feel that this letter is not part of it. At the end of the day, there is no threat attached to it is there? The institutions can choose to simply ignore it, which is what I suspect they actually did. Or am I missing something?

#4 by Tony Camilleri on February 8, 2011 - 3:05 pm

Raff, I think that you have missed out that the EU wants to keep tabs on EU members citizens whenever they go out or come in through the EU countries frontiers.

This is apart from the espionage on the member countries citizens of their telephone conversations, faxes, e-mails, websites and any means of communications.

This shows that the EU is afraid of a popular uprising against it in the member countries similar to what’s happening in the North African countries and also Albania.

I think that whatever the EU does or orders the day is not that far away when revolts against its hegemony and dictatorial decisions will happen in all the member countries.

#5 by Pope Michael I on February 8, 2011 - 4:12 pm

Dear Tony Camilleri,

You are cordially invited to refrain from using bad language. Although I am acknowledged only by nine, I am responsible for 6 billion souls, you included.

Michael pp.

#6 by Pope Michael I on February 8, 2011 - 5:17 pm

The Vatican is in exile Tony. Contact me respectfully and join the Church in exile.

http://www.vaticaninexile.com

You can contact me via my personal secretary, Mr Phil Friedl or via my cathecist Lucio Mascarenhas from Bombay, India.

Remember, I am the true poep and you should filialy submit to me and kiss the ring. Helga’s flag will be the gift you must long have aspired to.

Michael pp

PS I am not a lunatic. I am carrying a heavy burden being a poep without the necessary exposure. Don’t let Teresa Benns influence you.

#7 by Joe on February 8, 2011 - 7:43 pm

So you’re angry that the Email doesn’t use the word “terrorism”? Or that you’re shocked that police use intelligence? The practice certainly predated 9-11.

Seriously, are we supposed to care that this hit you like it was an epiphany? You aren’t a ‘civil libertarian’. You’re smug, and have a hard time putting things in context. It’s not the same thing.

#8 by Tony Camilleri on February 10, 2011 - 2:34 pm

Michael pp. can you tell me where I used bad language? Reflect on these quotes Pope Michael

“Self praise is no recommendation”

“Censure is often useful, praise is often deceitful” Winston Churchill

“There is not one wise man in twenty that will praise himself.” William Shakespeare

“Anything in any way beautiful derives its beauty from itself and asks nothing beyond itself. Praise is no part of it, for nothing is made worse or better by praise.” Marcus Aelius Aurelius

“Where there is no difficulty there is no praise” Dr Samuel Johnson

“Great tranquility of heart is his who cares for neither praise not blame.” Thomas Kempis

“Self-praise is for losers. Be a winner. Stand for something. Always have class, and be humble.” – John Madden

“praise in one’s own mouth is offensive”

#9 by Simon on February 10, 2011 - 6:09 pm

Glad you picked up on this Gemma, but you are somewhat missing the elephant in the Repression Room, namely the EU.

There are any number of wholesale assaults on personal privacy originating there:

Financial privacy, making tax avoidance, the rational structuring of financial affairs to minimise tax, illegal. In this case the UK tax authorities dance to the EU tune, and are demanding all manner of intrusive powers to spy on and seize assets held in places where they have no jurisdiction.

Then there is Galileo. This is a hugely expensive EU replacement for GPS. That’s the satellite technology that gives you sat-navs and other mapping technology. It’s presently based on US-gov owned stuff. There is no technical nor commercial reason to have an EU counterpart, UNLESS you want to use it for surveillance of the population (or go to war with the USA).

Then there is Europol, quietly given the right to lethal force, and summary powers of arrest across the EU (including the UK), and accountable to, er, the EU itself.

Then there is Corpus Juris, which supplants Common Law and Habeas Corpus with the Napoleonic code (you SHOULD know all about this, shouldn’t you?).

PR voting entrenches backroom deal-making and corruption, finally topped-off by an unelected EU Commission (who all, incidentally, have diplomatic immunity INSIDE the EU).

Any fule can see the building programme is well advanced on this totalitarian super-state.

It’s deeply ironic that the EU chose Brueghel’s tower of Babel as an image — if you read the Bible story, a totalitarian state is exactly what Babel was intended to be.

#10 by Pope Michael I on February 11, 2011 - 10:10 am

Dear Tony,

We reflected on your quotes. As they say, fistulal oslest.

As Roman Pontiff, We urge you to submit immediately to Our authority. We consider that your intelligence is praiseworthy and that if you are not married We seriously can consider you for a cardinatial hat in the nest concistory being held in Delia, Kansas in October.

Please advise accordingly.

#11 by Tony Camilleri on February 14, 2011 - 9:13 pm

Dear self-appointed Pope, I submit to NO one.

#12 by kristine Kate on May 7, 2011 - 4:13 am

People around this world wear them all the time, and I can assure they don’t do so because they support terrorists.. But there are those who think it clearly means they’re making bombs in the basement..