Do GCHQ/MI5 etc need more powers to fight terrorism?
Discussion
The security agencies are currently making their case for additional powers to be handed over to them in order to prevent terrorist attacks. David Cameron agrees and says that the 'snoopers' charter' will reappear should his party win the election. This was blocked from going through the current parliament by the Lib Dems.
The Lib Dems and the likes of David Davis say that current powers are more than sufficient and if we look at cases like the London Bombings, Lee Rigby's killing and even what happened in Paris last week - these attacks succeeded not because the various state agencies lacked powers but because, for whatever reason, terror suspects who were already known to the security agencies somehow disappeared off the map.
So what is the solution? We will never have absolute security however the spooks are adamant that increased surveillance powers = increased security. A price worth paying?
The Lib Dems and the likes of David Davis say that current powers are more than sufficient and if we look at cases like the London Bombings, Lee Rigby's killing and even what happened in Paris last week - these attacks succeeded not because the various state agencies lacked powers but because, for whatever reason, terror suspects who were already known to the security agencies somehow disappeared off the map.
So what is the solution? We will never have absolute security however the spooks are adamant that increased surveillance powers = increased security. A price worth paying?
Interesting piece by David Davis......
" If MI5 sticks to outdated tactics, Emwazi won’t be the last British security failure
The strategy of allowing known terrorists to remain free on the streets lets them carry out evil deeds, recruit conspirators – and slip through the net "
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/feb/...
Boris also has his say:
"Boris Johnson has attacked Theresa May, the Home Secretary, for a decision to water down anti-terror powers which potentially allowed terrorists like Mohammed Emwazi to evade the security services.
The Mayor of London said that the Government has made a “mistake” by modifying control orders in 2011.
He said it gave terror suspects like Emwazi, known as Jihadi John, the “benefit of the doubt”.
Mr Johnson did not name Mrs May but said that the politicians responsible “need to think very carefully about why they did it”.
His comments will infuriate Mrs May and could create a rift at the top of the Conservative Party ahead of the general election."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/islamic-...
" If MI5 sticks to outdated tactics, Emwazi won’t be the last British security failure
The strategy of allowing known terrorists to remain free on the streets lets them carry out evil deeds, recruit conspirators – and slip through the net "
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/feb/...
Boris also has his say:
"Boris Johnson has attacked Theresa May, the Home Secretary, for a decision to water down anti-terror powers which potentially allowed terrorists like Mohammed Emwazi to evade the security services.
The Mayor of London said that the Government has made a “mistake” by modifying control orders in 2011.
He said it gave terror suspects like Emwazi, known as Jihadi John, the “benefit of the doubt”.
Mr Johnson did not name Mrs May but said that the politicians responsible “need to think very carefully about why they did it”.
His comments will infuriate Mrs May and could create a rift at the top of the Conservative Party ahead of the general election."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/islamic-...
article said:
The Government is still looking to push major new spying powers into law, despite a report it commissioned advising that they weren’t needed.
Theresa May has already said that the Government will push the legislation through in autumn so that it can be enacted before the end of the year, just hours after the critical report was published.
One of the headline parts of the Snoopers’ Charter is that it will require phone networks and internet service to providers to hold communications between their customers, and then give access to that data to intelligence agencies. But the Anderson Report warned such powers weren’t necessary.
The report echoes previous criticisms that the proposed legislation is far too wide-ranging and puts too much power in the hands of the home secretary — instead recommending that the decision to look through people’s private messages should be made by a judge. The report says that “there should be no question of progressing proposals for the compulsory retention of third party data before a compelling operational case for it has been made out (as it has not been to date)” — directly contradicting the May’s argument for the legislation.
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/snoopers-charter-theresa-may-to-push-huge-new-spying-powers-through-parliament-despite-major-report-concluding-it-is-not-needed-10313042.htmlTheresa May has already said that the Government will push the legislation through in autumn so that it can be enacted before the end of the year, just hours after the critical report was published.
One of the headline parts of the Snoopers’ Charter is that it will require phone networks and internet service to providers to hold communications between their customers, and then give access to that data to intelligence agencies. But the Anderson Report warned such powers weren’t necessary.
The report echoes previous criticisms that the proposed legislation is far too wide-ranging and puts too much power in the hands of the home secretary — instead recommending that the decision to look through people’s private messages should be made by a judge. The report says that “there should be no question of progressing proposals for the compulsory retention of third party data before a compelling operational case for it has been made out (as it has not been to date)” — directly contradicting the May’s argument for the legislation.
Theresa May has called on internet companies to do more to tackle the spread of extremist material in the wake of the London Bridge terror attack as a former cabinet minister said online giants must “face up to their responsibilities”. The Prime Minister said the UK “cannot and must not pretend that things can continue as they are” as she set out tough measures to tackle terrorism in response to the attack. She said that there must now be greater regulation of the internet and that existing online “safe spaces” that allow terrorism to “breed” must be eradicated.
Theresa May said:
We need to work with allied democratic governments to reach international agreements that regulate cyberspace to prevent the spread of extremist and terrorism planning.
And we need to do everything we can at home to reduce the risks of extremism online.
And we need to do everything we can at home to reduce the risks of extremism online.
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