Police control of classified information

Richard Clayton ukcrypto at chiark.greenend.org.uk
Thu, 9 Apr 2009 22:56:20 +0100


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In article <49DE0AD3.20652.172815D@davidh.spidacom.co.uk>, David Hansen
<davidh@spidacom.co.uk> writes

>No matter how he made the trip the piece of paper, and quite possibly 
>other pieces of paper, should have been locked in a suitable container. 
>To do otherwise is undoubtedly a criminal offence under the various 
>Official Secrets Acts.

Seems that people have not been discouraged from taking photographs of
police officers after all (despite all the recent fuss, and despite this
snap clearly being of use to terrorists) !

Debated in Parliament just last week....

Hansard 267WH (1 April 2009)

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mr.
Shahid Malik):

  It has been suggested that the new offence could criminalise people
  taking or publishing photographs of police officers. [...] The
  important thing is that the photographs would have to be of a kind
  likely to provide practical assistance to terrorists, and the person
  taking or providing the photograph would have to have no reasonable
  excuse, such as responsible journalism, for taking it.

:)

<URL:http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmhansrd/cm090401
/halltext/90401h0004.htm#09040159000002>
- -- 
richard                                                   Richard Clayton

Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary 
Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. Benjamin Franklin 11 Nov 1755

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