More spys in the skies

Little piece of news that sent a shiver down my spine. Of course normally I applaud any business doing well, but in this instance.... well maybe not,

Frost and Sullivan have just put this out,

Steady demand from government civilian agencies is pushing the air surveillance market in Europe, especially for unmanned aerial vehicles(UAVs), civil helicopters, multi mission aircraft and airborne radars.

And it gets better for those who live in London, Dorset and elsewhere,

"The civil security air surveillance market in Europe will benefit from growing co-operation between EU member states and the industry," says Frost & Sullivan Program Manager Balaji Srimoolanathan.
"Large-scale events like the 2012 Summer Olympics in London will be a testing ground for civil UAVs."

Civil security air surveillance is used in urban networks for law enforcement, maritime surveillance, emergency medical services, earth observation, and in the energy sector. There is significant potential in these sectors for air surveillance and greater cooperation among industry participants is making the market business critical.

All a bit Blade Runner and I don't like it one little bit

All our Futures?

Take me to the bridge

We are all policemen

The Register flags up the creeping extension ofthe controlling police state. A letter handed out to employees of Arriva/Cross Country staff this morning,

Whilst our Services are very unlikely to be directly affected by the event, (G20)it is possible that they will be used by passengers intending to to make their way to demonstrate in London.
Therefore British Transport Police are asking staff to report any sightings that meet the following general description of activities.
Groups of travellers wearing noticeable themed clothing, for example same large logo or coloured shirts etc
Any noticeable groups who are believed to be traveling [sic] to London
Any groups carrying banners or posters
Any group bookings to London that day/s

What business is it of train ticket collectors to report upon citizens/subjects going about their lawful lives?

Scared yet

Ian Parker-Joseph has a story which if true is frankly terrifying. I have spoken to him and he swears blind that he has not made this up.

In a stunning conversation with a friend, who is a serving member of the Armed Forces, over the weekend, it was revealed that transfers to regiments and other units in the UK on home duties are being undertaken by the MOD based upon whether an individual was prepared to 'open fire' on UK citizens during civil disturbances.

Add that to noises off from Richard North over at EU Referendum,

Recently, from a confidential source, I received information that the MoD was buying up unusually large quantities of tear gas and other riot equipment. Clearly, it has no intention of being caught out, as it was at the beginning of the Troubles, having to ration tear gas and riot shields. Maybe they might even find a use for all those Snatch Land Rovers, when they are returned from Iraq.

And factor in this little item from a couple of years ago

CROWD CONTROL TECHNOLOGIES
(An appraisal of technologies for political control)

A study commissioned by the EU and I start to feel a little green around the gills.

One option included in this project's task brief is that CCTV cameras could be used throughout European cities to provide a chill effect to dissuade potential rioters from creating civil disturbances.
Algorithmic face recognition systems linked into these networks could then be used to track down and target malefactors. The problem with this option is that it does not enable any real time intervention to further contain trouble as it is breaking out. Experience in those countries which already have mass city centre surveillance, such as the UK, is that they adopt both CCTV and public order tactics and technologies, not either or. Troublemakers have learnt to mask their face and operate outside of the cameras reach. The other danger here is of course in creating a network of mass supervision which may be used for very different purposes to those for which it was originally intended. To effectively deploy these systems would mean putting the whole of society under continuous surveillance which would be assuming a continuing benign level of political stability which rarely exist in the long term, not even in Europe.

Gulp

The Czechs strike again

This time it is civil liberties,

The Czech EU presidency has set a deadline of the end of June to either go ahead or scrap a multi-million-euro security database upgrade to the bloc's border-free area due to technical difficulties and delays.
The Schengen Information System II (SIS II) was supposed to be up and running by 2007 and interconnect comprehensive passport and police databases from all 25 members of the Schengen border-free area.

For anybody interested in civil liberties this has to be a good thing. However the Czechs just don't seem to understand the 'Community method' do they. They turn up, look at a dossier, see that it is running years behind schedule and millions over budget and say.
"This doesn't work. Lets scrap it".

Whereas seasoned Community types take a very different view. Here is convicted felon and EU Justice commissar Jaques Barrot's take,

"It's true that there is a bit of a delay, but we'll fix a schedule and we'll stick to it," EU Justice Commissioner Jacques Barrot said.

And it will be up and running when Galileo is operational.

Of courtse the day before the Council meting, MEPs showed that they are fully attuned to the realities by voting 594-51 in favour of,

the introduction of biometric passports throughout the EU later this year

Reported to the authorities

Astonishing answer to a Paliamentary Question from Syed Kamall,

Subject: Channel tunnel customs

A constituent has contacted me to express his concern about an experience he had
whilst returning to the UK at the Channel Tunnel customs.

He claims that, while at customs, his coach party was detained by customs for an extensive search which lasted around two hours and 30 minutes. He says that everyone on the coach was questioned about their purchases in France and that the questions were intrusive. For example, he says that he was asked how many cigarettes he smoked, how many cigarettes he rolled from each pouch of tobacco, how much he drank and how many pouches he used a week.

He claims that the coach driver said that HM Revenue and Customs are targeting a group of coach companies which regularly take coaches to Belgium for shopping trips in an attempt to put them out of business, in order to save the Treasury money from inflated tobacco prices in the UK. He believes that this anti-competitive action should be seen as illegal and against the single market ethos, under EC law.

Does the Commission consider such alleged over-zealous controls on the border to be a breach of the internal market? If so, what action does the Commission plan to
take against the UK Government to ensure proper operation of the single market?

This in itself is worrying.

But the answer is even more so,

...the UK authorities have instituted and encouraged a cooperative approach. In order to render the border controls less burdensome for passengers and to avoid situations described by the Honourable Member, owners of coach businesses are encouraged to meet with Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) managers and subsequently to provide, before each trip departs from the UK, a list of passengers which may assist with identifying recidivists or other individuals to whom the Border Force would like to speak. The resultant improved targeting allows delays to be reduced through reducing the number of passengers whose journey will be interrupted. Many UK companies have availed of the opportunity to cooperate in this way.

So run that one past me again. Customs and Revenue are getting private companies to report on their clients for possible breach of import duty rules. This is very much the sort of activity encouraged by the former Soviet block. The political elite and their fellow travellers it seems will not stop until we all inform on each other.

What's the betting that the HMRC has put pressure (encouragement) on the companies to disclose what must be private information?

Are you an extremist?

The Met Police have set up a website to encourage people to report extremists. Better still they have taken out a Google advert to encourage people to report, specifically "Right Wing Extremists". Better still if you type Left Wing Extremist into Google the same advert comes up singling out Right Wingers.

When you visit the Met's site you get a list of suspicious activities,

Van – Terrorists need transport. If you work in commercial vehicle hire or sales, has a sale or rental made you suspicious?

This year I have twice hired vans...

Passport – Terrorists use multiple identities. Do you know someone with documents in different names for no obvious reason?

I posess Id documentation in different names, due to bureacratic cock-up, and haven't dealt with it due to amusement.

Mobile phone – Terrorists need communication. Anonymous, pay-as-you-go and stolen mobiles are typical. Have you seen someone with large quantities of mobile phones? Has it made you suspicious?

I must have about seven or eight mobile phones hanging around the house due to various reasons, I even have a range of numbers - some anonymous, some pay as you go, from different countries.

Camera – Terrorists need information. Observation and surveillance help terrorists plan attacks. Have you seen anyone taking pictures of security arrangements?

I illustrate this blog with some photos I have taken in the last year of a security installation.

Chemicals – Do you know someone buying large or unusual quantities of chemicals for no obvious reason?

I recently bought a chemistry set as a present.

Mask and goggles – Terrorists use protective equipment. Handling chemicals is dangerous. Maybe you’ve seen goggles or masks dumped somewhere.

It had goggles in it.

Credit card – Terrorists need funding. Cheque and credit card fraud are ways terrorists generate cash. Have you seen any suspicious transactions?

I do hope nobody has access to my credit card slips, I wopuldn't remember what half of them were for.

Computer – Terrorists use computers. Do you know someone who visits terrorist-related websites?

How would anybody know what websites I had been visiting on my lap-top, but oddly enough yes, if you look in my cache there would no doubt be a few that might cause raised eyebrows.

Suitcase – Terrorists need to travel. Meetings training and planning can take place anywhere. Do you know someone who travels but is vague about where they are going?

Yup, oddly enough I have a number of suitcases, none tagged with my name. Only last weekend I was so vague about my travel arrangements I ended up in the wrong country.

Padlock – Terrorists need storage. Lock-ups, garages and sheds can all be used by terrorists to store equipment. Are you suspicious of anyone renting a commercial property?

Dammit, I have bought a number of padlocks over the last twelve month, and am in possesion of a large lock up garage.

So ladies and gentlemen, can I suggest that you all report me for the obvious terrorist I am, or conversly go and report yourselves.

Hat Tip Facebook Group - Lets Report Ourselves as Right Wing Extremists

No, no, no

Just what is it about our governing class that makes them think that their actions are in any way acceptable to normal people?

The latest example of quite how awful they are is in today's Times. They are demanding that one shows one's passport before buying a mobile.

No doubt part of the 'war on terror', yet again we see a further infringment of our liberty. Criminals and terrorists will nick them.

If I hear the arguement 'if you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear' again I will personally ram the nearest mobile handset down the gaping maw of the offender.

The only bright aspect about this is that the government will probably be out of office before this proposal hits the statute books. Sadly though, I cannot believe that the Tories will be much different.

In the end the only tool available to us will be revolt.

A statment of the bleeding obvious

But welcome nonetheless,
Police chief admits speed cameras, rudeness and station closures have alienated public
Ian Johnston, President of the Police Superintendents' Association seems to have noticed that we don't trust coppers any more. The question is do he and his colleauges have the balls to stand up to the Government and people like Blair and reject the target driven, politically corect, 'it's all to much bother', bureacratic policing that we have sadly come to expect?

He has talked - some - of the talk. Now will he walk the walk?

Nark Nation

I am not sure what part of this story worries me more, though I know which bit doesn't worry me much.

It appears that William Hague's 79 year old father has ben cautiond by the police for "a racist jibe".

"Mr Hague gave his opinion when he was speaking to a builder he had employed to
do work at his home.
"The builder said that he came from the Black Country area of the West Midlands and Mr Hague is said to have responded about black people going back to their own country."

OK so what he said was lacking nuance, but for goodness sake he is 79. What on earth was the builder doing getting so upset about the opinions of one so old? Was he inciting volence? Not in any way. Was he trying to offend? I very much doubt it, just making a poorly judged joke. So whatever neighbour it was that ran squealing to the Police must be castigated for disgraceful behaviour. Just grow up.

And what the hell are the police doing following this up. Do they not have the wit to tell a busyboding, curtain twitching informant that they have more important things to do. After all Rotherham has apaling crime figures, only robbery is below the national average (2006/7),

Figures per 1000
Violence against the person 20.8 National Average 16.7
Robbery offences 0.6 National Average 1.2
Theft of a motor vehicle offences 5.0 National Average 2.9
Sexual offences 0.9 National Average 0.9
Burglary dwelling offences 5.8 National Average 4.3
Theft from a vehicle offences 10.7 National Average 7.6

Given that the local MP, the excrable Denis MacShane wrote in the Guardian,

The number one issue for my constituents in Rotherham is the loutish, often violent, sometimes feral behaviour of different groups in working class communities. Freedom from fear is a freedom I wish my constituents to enjoy.

this sort of harrasment, almost occaisioned to cause the old man's son embarrasment, is an affront to decency. I do not believe that the builder, or for that point his Asian girlfriend in any way felt fearful of Hague senior.

Comment thread

Everything they have we must too

Further to the signing of the Eurogendfor Treaty last week I bring you this thought. It is apparent that the UK cannot be a full member of this new European Paramilitary police and at best/worst we can have partner status due to the simple fact that we do not have a pre-existing paramilitary police force.

Is it is in the light of this that we must look at the Conservative plans drawn up by Dame Pauline Neville Jones, a noted Europhile, who served as the Chef de Cabinet for the British EU Commissioner Christopher Tugendhat in the late 70's and early 80's. As the chairman of the Conservative party's National and International Security Policy Group she was responsible for the report 'An Unquiet World' that was produced at the end of July this year.

The headline story at the time was about the creation of what the reports describes as a

"dedicated force with a permanent command headquarters to provide assistance as and when requested to the civil authorities in the event of a major terrorist incident or other national emergency".

Her comments at the time were revealing, "We feel there needs to be a small force which is readily available, properly trained and has a command centre dedicated to looking after our territory at home."

This of course would be the creation of a UK paramilitary force.

It would be wrong to suggest that this policy suggestion on behalf of Baroness Neville Jones and the Conservative party was in any way linked into the European Gendarmerie, but it is astonishing how many times that seemingly unrelated policy positions and activities by the mainstream British political parties happen to fit hand in glove with plans by our European masters.

Indeed one can ask, we in Britain have the Army for high-level threats to national security and we have the Police for crime detection and prevention. What is the need for a military or paramilitary "homeland security force"? Unless it is to get us into line so we too may say we have a militarised and centrally controlled police force, so that we too may be integrated into the EGF.

Why not just push them under the skin and be done with it?

A combination of laziness and being off line for a few days caused me to miss this story. Now I have read it I think I need to sit down in a darkened room and start plotting revolution.

Microchip gives staff the lowdown on pupils

Children are being tracked by micro-chips embedded in their uniforms in a trial at a secondary school.

The devices are used to monitor pupils’ movements and register their arrival in class on the teacher’s computer. Supply teachers can also be alerted if a student is likely to misbehave.

The chip connects with teachers’ computers to show a photograph of the pupil, data about academic performance and whether he or she is in the correct classroom. It can also restrict access to areas of the school. The radio frequency identification
system is being tested at Hungerhill School in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Ten pupils began wearing a chip sewn into their uniforms eight months ago.

Couple of practical issue here. Firstly unless the chips are placed in their underwear then surely just bribing/bullying another child to wear the clothes would short circuit the system. This will lead to an increased reliance on technology rather than teachers actually knowing their own pupils. Thus they look at their computer screen (in the classroom, they should be teaching you know, interacting with the pupils, not surfing the security net).

Quick check on the screen, "Oh yes Jonny 'knives' Smith is in".

Then Jonny, or the poor blighter wearing Jonny's clothes goes to who knows, the gym, to find the doors mysteriously locking, clunk, and a disembodied voice saying.
"Smith, you were banned from the gym last Thursday for inappropriate behaviour during not contact basketball class. Report immediately to remedial English"...."And Smith, we know where you are at all times, don't try anything funny".

Interestingly the head says the data is what is already in the schools system, but wait a minute, under the Children's Index there will be a hell of a lot on that system, not just proof that young Master Smith's French comprehension needs a little tightening up.

Each child’s entry on the Information Sharing Index will show:

Ø The child’s name, gender, date of birth and address
Ø An identification number for the child
Ø Parents’ names and addresses (or of person with parental responsibility)
Ø Details of child’s doctor, health visitor, midwife and/or school nurse
Ø Details of child’s school/college (or of education they are receiving if not at
school)
Ø Details of all services* a child uses + dates when service started and ended

*It will also show if a child is receiving a ‘sensitive service’ but the details won’t be displayed. A ‘sensitive service’ is: mental health, sexual health or substance abuse treatment. Individual practitioners in these services will normally need the consent of their client/patient before putting details on the IS Index. Once they have been put on the Index, the local authority will decide who can have access to this information.

TOTAL... itarian

Below is a letter that has appeared on the internal Eurocrat letters forum. (My translation). In a follow up it is suggested that Shell is running a similar scheme.

On the way for Antwerp this Sunday morning, we stopped to fill the tank at the Total station in Kontich. Our vehicle is registered in the United Kingdom and inspires confidence. To our great amazement, we are forced to pay upfront, before taking the petrol, When we questioned this procedure and its inbuilt suspicion of us as customers the employee, (who was the only one there) told us that our "number plate" is not recognized by the "system". He explained to us that all cars stopping to fill up are filmed and that their number plates are immediately sent the central control and information processing unit of Total which has the files of all registration numbers in Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Germany and Holland. If the car is not registered in one of these 5 countries or is not included in one of the 5 files, one must pay upfront. Therefore, a multinational (TOTAL) has information to which in theory, (obviously in theory), the national police force has access to!
Do we now have to regard the multinational TOTAL as an auxiliary service of these 5 National police forces? He could not answer a question about stolen vehicles or those driven for other reasons. One would suppose that if you turned up in a stolen vehicle from one of these 5 countries, you will be able to fill up your tank and to leave without paying. And without being worried, since this is the only possible argument in favour of this anti-theft system: indeed, in Belgium, the courts no longer chase customers who do not pay!
Overall, this situation is unacceptable and it would be interesting to see where else this is happening and to discover the true reasons of these "Big Brother" controls.

If this is true it is extremely concerning. As the correspondent points out, if the system is set up to stop theft from petrol pumps it will only stop theft from cars outwith the five countries. If a stolen car uses the pump and drives off there is nothing that the system can do to block it. Unless...unless the system run by Total, and maybe other oil companies has access to the central police computers.
And if they have access to the central police computers that has to be in breach of all sorts of data protection provisions. And if not why would a big oil company spend all that money setting up such as system that had such a fundamental flaw?

I think we should be told.

Aside
One word in the letter I found I could in no way directly translate.
"Anti-grivèlerie". This word I discover seems to mean, "a system set up to stop people from taking a service and leaving without paying", such as a restaurant or in this case a petrol station, so with a broader remit than the English 'shoplifting'. I suppose the practise must be common in France, which is why they have a word for it. As in the case of 'schadenfreude' the enjoyment of another's discomfort in Germany.
Thus I propose, seeing as the French have a word for a concept that we lack, and as English is a magpie language, that we co-opt this word. Maybe we should anglicise it first, thus;

Grivel: Verb, "To appropriate goods or services without the intention of paying for them" (French root: grivèler : réaliser des profits illicites ou consommer sans être en mesure de payer)
Example, "Of course we have the money for lunch darling, I grivelled the hotel this morning"