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Edward Snowden's Lawyer Claims Harassment From Heathrow Border Agent
concertina226 writes "Jesselyn Radack, a human rights lawyer representing Edward Snowden, has claimed that she was detained and questioned in a 'very hostile' manner on Saturday by London Heathrow Airport's Customs staff. Radack freely disclosed to the border agent that she was going to see members of the Sam Adams Associates group, and when he realized that the meeting would be happening at the Ecuadorian Embassy, he went on to ask her if Julian Assange would be in attendance and to ask her about why she had traveled to Russia twice in three months."
Are you serious? Every single thing he does from here on could be another charge added by capricious prosecutors trying to prove a point. It's not like you or I where a small, harmless crime or misstatement is going to be overlooked. Someone somewhere in the bureaucracy of the FBI is building a gigantic case-file with everything Snowden does(and yeah, there's probably been a warrant issued too, so let's not pretend this isn't stuff they can bring to trial).
I think you're mistaken. Thugs frequently tend to have quite a bit of authority. It makes them very good at being thugs.
expect the teeth and claws. Snowden and Assange have tweaked the powerful, dragging their criminal deeds into the light. NO ONE will be free to act as their agents, servants or mouthpieces without being harmed in every possible way. Look at the collusion between Visa and the U.S. Government attempting to choke off Wikileaks. If that is not evidence of common conspiracy, Visa acting to reduce its income in order to satisfy an agenda of government, what is? Next time you think "Government vs. Business", remember this IS Business-government (fascism).
Everyone needs many lawyers at all stages.
More seriously, a child -- even a stupid child -- could tell that Snowden faces legal threats, among other threats. It's not foolish of him to consult with lawyers. Besides, you think there are no lawyers out to get him?
-- This and all my posts are in the public domain. I am a lawyer. I am not your lawyer, and this is not legal advice.
I also suspect the Venn circles of former High School bullies and Small Town Cops damn near overlap.
No. The US embarassed the US. Snowden brought that embarrasment to everyone's attention. It isn't going to stop either. I remember a specific quote that the administration is aware of the harm Snowden's disclosure has caused. They are simply too arrogant or stupid to figure out that it was the actions of the US that are a complete embarresment, not those of Assange. If they didn't commit the crime, there would be nothing for Snowden to bring to light.
* The US Government is committing a crime. There is no way around this. No law trumps the constitution. Period. And, no, it is not a "living document" to be "interpreted".
Guns don't kill people; Physics kills people! - John Lithgow as Dick Solomon on Third Rock From The Sun
All right. How about we go back to the perfectly reasonable pre 9/11 security procedures, minus the lax "it could never happen here" mentality, and otherwise just trust folks not to be complete assholes? And accept that every now and then someone will do something terrible and people will die. It's life, shit happens. Most of it doesn't happen on airplanes. How many planes would have to blow up just to compete with the number of deaths due to drunk driving*? And yet we don't jump all over ourselves to throw away human dignity and vital liberties to stamp that out.
*Estimated 10,000+ U.S. drunk driving deaths in 2010. Most commercial airliners seat 200-500, let's call it 350 average. So, we need to average about three fully-loaded planes being destroyed every month just to be competitive with drunk driving, which itself doesn't actually rank all that high as a cause of death. Provided they keep the cabin door locked there's not much worse that a terrorist can do, and if we're getting three successful suicide bombings a month that's probably a symptom of far worse problems than lax airport security.
--- Most topics have many sides worth arguing, allow me to take one opposite you.
That is very unfair.
You should have said "when you are as crazy as American politicians and large organisations".
"Americans" are no longer in control of their country. Yes one could argue its their own fault, but there is little they can do about it now.
You will find that the "average American" is quite personable and decent as you will in almost any country.
You will also find a bunch of rabid, sociopathic assholes just chafing at the bit to take over everything and fuck everyone in the ass for their own benefit. And woe be to you if you let them gain the reins of power.
Unfortunately...