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British Spies Are Free To Target Lawyers and Journalists

Posted by samzenpus on from the lets-see-what-you're-doing dept.

Advocatus Diaboli writes British spies have been granted the authority to secretly eavesdrop on legally privileged attorney-client communications, according to newly released documents. On Thursday, a series of previously classified policies confirmed for the first time that the U.K.'s top surveillance agency Government Communications Headquarters has advised its employees: "You may in principle target the communications of lawyers." The country's other major security and intelligence agencies—MI5 and MI6—have adopted similar policies, the documents show. The guidelines also appear to permit surveillance of journalists and others deemed to work in "sensitive professions."

2 of 184 comments (clear)

  1. Re:It's what you do with it that counts by The+Ickle+Jones · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Spies should listen in to whatever they need to listen in to.

    Spies should respect laws and constitutions, at the very least those of their own country. If they don't, everyone - including those who ordered the illegal spying - should be punished severely. We already know this is not happening.

    Freedom is far more important than a spy's ability to do whatever they "need" to do.

    That's what they're there for. Nations spy on other nations. It's not pretty, but it's reality.

    Murderers murder people. It's not pretty, but it's reality.

    What an amazing defense.

  2. Re:If you are going to spy... by bankman · · Score: 3, Interesting

    ...you might as well spy on everybody. Seriously, who ever thought there were rules to warfare?

    Absolutely! Especially when you're waging a war against your own people, ie. the sovereign.

    --
    I feel so sig.