By Robert Merkel on July 5, 2011
Bernard Keane at Crikey – and, disappointingly, few others – have noted the Greens’ irresponsible and outrageous questioning of why ASIO should get a massively expanded remit without any serious attempt at justification. How unserious of them to suggest that when spies get additional powers, a reason should be provided! It’s the next generation of fairies at the bottom of the garden!
Apparently, ASIO’s role in economic espionage and counter-espionage is to be stretched so broadly that the catch-all of “national security” can no longer always be applied:
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LONDON (Reuters) – Britain should not be “squeamish” about using espionage to protect its financial security, especially at times of economic crisis, a former spy chief said on Tuesday.
Richard Dearlove, chief of the Secret Intelligence Service from 1999 to 2004, said in a rare public speech that the Euro zone debt crisis and the possible harm it might do to Britain’s economy could be a subject for espionage, along with other emerging threats such as migration and organised crime.
In a speech exploring changing British intelligence priorities a decade after the September 11 attacks on U.S. targets, he said that while efficient UK central bankers should be able to handle economic turbulence “they might need help from time to time” on matters such as the Euro crisis.
“We should not be squeamish about using all the means at our disposal to protect ourselves in times of crisis,” he said. He added, in answer to questions: “I was thinking of currency issues.”
He noted that part of the mandate of SIS, also known as MI6, was to act in the interests of Britain’s economic wellbeing.
In a speech in October 2010, current SIS chief John Sawers made only a brief reference to economic spying when he said his staff had the task of gathering “long range strategic intelligence to track military and economic power…”
Dearlove said there was probably a role for British intelligence in tackling the illegal trafficking of toxic waste as well as in cyber security, migration and organised crime.
Counter-terrorism remained very important but it was possible al Qaeda was now “past its zenith.”
Russia and China would remain areas of interest for SIS because their decision-making processes “should be more transparent” and insight was needed on how they developed policies.
In China, there was more to understand about the relationship between civilian and military authorities.
While much of this work could be achieved by effective diplomacy, there had been a loss over the years of some of the previously “phenomenal” linguistic and general knowledge in the Foreign Office (Foreign Ministry).
This was “a great shame.” It was not realistic to expect Britain’s intelligence capacity to make up for this loss.
Britain’s coalition government has said it is determined that there would be no strategic shrinkage of Britain’s diplomatic influence overseas.
In May it said it planned to open new diplomatic missions in developing nations in a drive to boost influence in fast-growing emerging economies, while cutting costs in Europe.
(Reporting by William Maclean)
From Business Today:
A ruling in favor of Marcone Supply has been upheld by the Appellate Division of State Supreme Court. The ruling bars competitor 1st Source Servall from soliciting business from 640 of Marcone’s customers. The Cheektowaga company claims two of its former employees used inside information to lure clients away to Servall when tasked with establishing three new Northeast distribution sites. Marcone claims the two Buffalo-are executives, Mark J. Creighton and Karl P. Rosenhahn, stole a confidential list of 3,300 Marcone customers then tried to cover up the theft by destroying evidence.
MI5 wrongly collected subscriber data on 134 telephone numbers as a result of a software error, according to interception of communications commissioner Sir Paul Kennedy’s annual report.
A spreadsheet formatting error caused the service to apply for data on the identity of telephone numbers ending in 000, rather than the actual last three digits. “The subscriber data acquired had no connection or relevance to any investigation or operation being undertaken by the Security Service,” writes Kennedy.
He adds that the resulting material was destroyed, the formatting fault fixed and numbers are now checked manually before MI5 requests subscriber data from communications providers.
MI5 also acquired data on the histories of 927 internet protocol addresses without authorisation from a sufficiently senior officer, of GD3 rank or above. This was due to an “incorrect setting on the system used by the Security Service,” according to Kennedy, although the requests themselves were necessary and proportionate. MI5 has corrected the setting on its systems.
Overall, Kennedy reported that public authorities submitted 552,550 requests for communications data during 2010, and the number is increasing by about 5 per cent a year. He could not give a precise reason for the growth, but said “it is indicative of the growth in communications technology”, with “certain police forces” increasing their use.
Nearly two-thirds of requests for communications data – about communications rather than contents – were for subscriber data. This was usually part of an attempt to find the owner of a mobile phone. About a quarter of requests were for traffic data.
Sir Peter Gibson, the intelligence services commissioner, also published his annual report. Having been granted powers under the Identity Cards Act to monitor use of the National Identity Register by intelligence services, he reported that he is “not aware of any acquisition, storage and use made” by such organisations before the register was destroyed earlier this year.
He collected statistics on the number of warrants and authorisations issued to the security and intelligence agencies or armed forces, but these have only been included in a confidential annex. He defended the secrecy by saying publication would “assist those unfriendly to the UK were they able to know the extent of the work” of those agencies.
This article was originally published at Guardian Government Computing.
Guardian Government Computing is a business division of Guardian Professional, and covers the latest news and analysis of public sector technology. For updates on public sector IT, join the Government Computing Network here.
New Delhi, Jun 21 (PTI) BJP today said the reported case of bugging of the office of Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee was a “serious” issue, especially as it has occurred at a time when several high-profile cases of financial scams have come to light.
“It is a serious matter. If what has come to light is true then it needs to be investigated. This has come at a time when there are so many cases of financial irregularities and scams,” BJP vice-president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said.
He wondered as to who could be behind such an act and alluded to somebody in government having an interest in bugging the Finance Minister”s office.
“Pranab Mukherjee is no. 2 in the Cabinet. Who is bugging its own ministers. It needs to be investigated. This raises a lot of disturbing questions,” Naqvi said.
In reply to another question on differences between the government panel- headed by Mukherjee- and civil society members of the Joint Drafting Committee on Lokpal Bill, Naqvi said, “This has become a war of words between those who want a Lokpal Bill and the others who are for a Jokepal.”
He maintained that BJP will take a call on the proposed all-party meeting on Lokpal when it receives an invitation from the government.
“We are against corruption and want that strong steps are taken to end it,” Naqvi said.
