For nearly a decade, Israel has been surveilling senior International Criminal Court officials and Palestinian human rights workers as part of a secret operation to thwart the ICC’s probe into alleged war crimes, a joint investigation by +972 Magazine, Local Call, and the Guardian can reveal.
Source: Surveillance and interference: Israel’s covert war on the ICC exposed
In one of his last moves as a senator, Rex Patrick has advanced his battle against the National Archives to release important documents relating to John Howard and Alexander Downer’s undermining of Timor-Leste in the early 2000s. Callum Foote reports on the latest efforts to end the persecution and secret trials of whistleblower Bernard Collaery.
Timor Spy Saga: Rex Patrick pushes Labor to unveil Australia’s dirty secret, end persecution of Bernard Collaery – Michael West
Just as boys and girls with leanings toward the Right tend to join the armed forces, so do Right-leaning youngsters get recruited as spies. A spy is a person employed by a government to obtain secret information or intelligence about another country and individuals within it. Spies come in many shapes and forms. They can be full or part-time, they can be sleepers, activated as needed. Or even members of professional or sporting associations and academics who report regularly or as required, or when they judge something is of interest to their minder. They might be journalists, but they shouldn’t be. Sometimes diplomats are spies; sometimes spies use the cover of diplomacy to undertake their activities.
Getting back to the roots of spycraft
How easy is it for governments to organize independant referrals to the AFP to investigate matters Peter Dutton? Simply take the case of Nicola Gobbo now she was hardly independant. (ODT)
Dutton defended the AFP raids, noting the police had sought information from the ABC “for a long period of time” and executed a warrant due to a “stalemate” in negotiation.
He said the ABC had a right to defend its interests but the AFP had a “statutory obligation to investigate matters referred to it”, independently of government.
POWERS that allow spy agencies to harvest bulk data were today given the go-ahead by the UK’s terror-law watchdog. In David Anderson QC’s report, published this morning, he said there was a “proven operational case” for most of the controversial methods of data collection. Prime Minister Theresa May welcomed the findings claiming it showed how the powers, which she is currently trying to cement in legislation, are of “crucial importance” to MI5, MI6 and GCHQ.
The chief of our foreign spy agency, Nick Warner, is embroiled in scandal over bugging of oil treaty talks
Source: ASIS chief Nick Warner slammed over East Timor spy scandal
East Timor’s most senior leaders accuse Australia of committing a crime and acting immorally after a spying scandal that rocked the relationship between the two countries.
More police at airports to slow things up Our airports will look and feel like Heathrow it will insure anger levels do rise. If anybody complains they won’t just be warned they will be taken aside and prevented from flying simply because your quick tongue offended security. Industries like jewellery will find onboard luggage will be banned and therefore lose what ever insurance cover they have. As to be insured their merchandise must travel with them at all times. If that’s not bad enough what about our education industry. Students from Indonesia, India,Malaysia & China will be checked coming and going more so than even Australian citizens. They already pay more than anywhere else for a fifth rate degree. The increased training drills alone of the AFP increase the chances of plastic explosive being left behind or gone missing. The prevention of people going on and coming on holiday will increase just because some over excited security . Abbott will blame the economic consequences of this change on his imaginary increased terror. Who is going to want to go to the MCG or any major event.
However there is a plus for Christopher Pyne an increased presence of police and security for politicians visiting university campuses. Student leaders can be apprehended before any visit why to diminish the possibility of lone Wolf terror. Student meetings will now be even more closely monitored. Topics up for discussion & lecture topics carefully watched. Waleed Aly and his wife dismissed on National Security grounds. and Andrew Bolt will smile.
The social media and campaigns like March against the government can be conveniently silenced as a possible vehicles for the internal radicalization of Australia. Lone Wolf radicals can be found anywhere, previously regarded as criminals not part of any terror group but now they can be redefined as terrorists. This government can use this argument for any nefarious means and will get ASIO support why? Increase any government department’s budget for any reason it’s in the nature of the beast to substantiate the reason for the increase. There’s little or no reason you will find any department to justify it’s budget reduction . The next government would have some difficulty in doing so as well . Besides Bill Shorten playing politics seems advised to support Abbott in this. They are brothers in arms on security. Obviously the polls are telling him scare mongering is good.
If all of this extra surveillance does not happen none needs to ask why?Why was this announced so publicly in the first place? Why is the normal goings on in daily life been called on to be treated as suspicious what was once thought of as single acts of crime being raised to an acts of terror. School burnings, phone threats, union action can all now be redefined. Join ASIO’s newly formed dad’s secret police, put your sunnies on and go dob in a neighbour.
olddogthoughts 
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