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Detaining my partner: a failed attempt at intimidation

theguardian.com

81–90 of 463 posts

Re: Detaining my partner: a failed attempt at intimidation

#81

The UK should be kicked out of the EU. Until they learn how to behave.

This is probably the worst idea I've read on HN this week.

It's not just legally and politically impossible, it wouldn't solve the problem, it would have dire economic consequences, it would be grossly disproportionate and unfair and these kind of petty attempts at disciplining sovereign nations would only serve to politically destabilise Europe.

Re: Detaining my partner: a failed attempt at intimidation

#82

The salient quote from Greenwald's article on this: They completely abused their own terrorism law for reasons having nothing whatsoever to do with terrorism: a potent reminder of how often governments lie when they claim that they need powers to stop "the terrorists", and how dangerous it is to vest unchecked power with political officials in its name. [1] This is a great example of why we should treat terrorism lik…

I wonder from how high up this order came. After all, it's not like Greenwald is going to take this lying down and that's something that they could predict quite accurately ahead of time. To abuse these powers on the partner of the journalist that is reporting the abuses is the worst tactical mistake made by any government to date, short of the diversion of a diplomats plane. Taking into account that the UK law enfor…

the worst tactical mistake made by any government to date

Why would this be a tactical mistake? The general public DOES NOT GIVE A FUCK. The government(s) know(s) this quite well.

If you think for a second that detention of associates of political enemies matters to an electorate far more interested in the minutiae of Kanye West's baby, you're living in a fairy land of your own making.

Re: Detaining my partner: a failed attempt at intimidation

#83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wonder from how high up this order came. After all, it's not like Greenwald is going to take this lying down and that's something that they could predict quite accurately ahead of time. To abuse these powers on the partner of the journalist that is reporting the abuses is the worst tactical mistake made by any government to date, short of the diversion of a diplomats plane. Taking into account that the UK law enfor…

the worst tactical mistake made by any government to date Why would this be a tactical mistake? The general public DOES NOT GIVE A FUCK. The government(s) know(s) this quite well. If you think for a second that detention of associates of political enemies matters to an electorate far more interested in the minutiae of Kanye West's baby, you're living in a fairy land of your own making.

It is a tactical mistake because stuff like this will tip the scales into the direction of the general public caring about it without giving much of anything in return. It's mostly downside unless Greenwald & co did something dumb, and so far they don't strike me as dumb.

Re: Detaining my partner: a failed attempt at intimidation

#84
post #43

About two or three years ago I was taken aside when boarding a plane at a London airport back to Belfast by a policeman and held under their terrorism legislation. Being heavily hungover from a night spent funding London's publicans, and a little nervous about flying, I just wanted to board the plane and go home. Nevertheless, I was questioned by the queue as others boarded the plane, casting nasty looks my way. The…

> why me? Was it something I said on Twitter or Facebook? Did I just look at him the wrong way without realising? Yeah, don't think too far - it's probably your skin color that makes you a terrrist.

Well... It'd be hard to get much whiter than me! I guess that's my point though, that maybe this guy wasn't targeted but merely a victim of what happens every day. Being associated with the Guardian he'd have known his rights and might've had the confidence to demand them. Not sure which is worse, though.

Re: Detaining my partner: a failed attempt at intimidation

#85

The salient quote from Greenwald's article on this: They completely abused their own terrorism law for reasons having nothing whatsoever to do with terrorism: a potent reminder of how often governments lie when they claim that they need powers to stop "the terrorists", and how dangerous it is to vest unchecked power with political officials in its name. [1] This is a great example of why we should treat terrorism lik…

I wonder from how high up this order came. After all, it's not like Greenwald is going to take this lying down and that's something that they could predict quite accurately ahead of time. To abuse these powers on the partner of the journalist that is reporting the abuses is the worst tactical mistake made by any government to date, short of the diversion of a diplomats plane. Taking into account that the UK law enfor…

The intent was quite likely to intimidate other journalists, whistle blowers, or just people in a position to help them. It could also have been to make more public that Greenwald has a younger gay Brazilian partner, something we gloss over in this crowd, but for which he'll be judged harashly for in other social circles.

I don't think it was a coincidence that Greenwald was contacted when Miranda was detained. Whoever made the decision is playing a PR game, and wanted this to be in the news.

Re: Detaining my partner: a failed attempt at intimidation

#86
post #6

I'm shocked that police actually have the power to hold you for nine hours, refuse you a lawyer and that you are not allowed to refuse to answer questioning. Edit: shocked is probably the wrong word it's hard to get surprised by this stuff anymore.

It seems odd that they removed property of a journalist. I was under the impression that journalists (and their materials) had special protections under English law. Once you get in the country you have different rights ( http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/england/law_e/law_legal_system... ) ( https://www.gov.uk/police-powers-of-arrest-your-rights )

Did they say that the partner was carrying information to Greenwald?

Re: Detaining my partner: a failed attempt at intimidation

#87
I find awesome when this kind of thing happen, It makes pretty clear how the law is manipulated to protect those in power, the fear politics is obviously a strategy to intimidate and control the masses but fortunately, with this kind of abuses, it is becoming more and more apparently.

Re: Detaining my partner: a failed attempt at intimidation

#88
post #45
post #2

This and the fact that Obama is constantly being caught in lies says to me that the U.S. government has no clue what information Edward Snowden has passed off to Greenwald.

This is a really interesting bit of speculation. Obama's consistently "just off" statements (i.e. saying an executive order that hadn't been implemented yet would have protected Snowden) make me think that Obama & his advisers doesn't have a good handle on what the NSA is doing and how the law applies to the "secret state." One could say that "Obama is lying," which may be perfectly true, but it could also be that th…

There's no way Obama didn't know. Remember that Obama just appointed James Clapper, who was caught lying to Congress about there being dragnet surveillance on the American people, to a committee to investigate the NSA and make sure these programs are in check. If he didn't know, it seems like he would be rather pissed at Clapper and reluctant to let him investigate his own agency.

Re: Detaining my partner: a failed attempt at intimidation

#89
post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And which one will that be? The "democrat" or the "republican"? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTJ0qYR6YFo

Not clear yet, if its a national issue each side can make their position known and back it up with planned reforms. The one thing that is clear is that we shouldn't expect change under an Obama administration.

As I've said before, you won't see any review of this until after troops are fully withdrawn from Afghanistan, at which point a review of the AUMF and Patriot act become far more likely.

Re: Detaining my partner: a failed attempt at intimidation

#90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This could be unrelated to the US as details of UK spying were also released.

As I understand it, UK and USA spying are part of a well-connected system also including Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. I'm not sure there are relevant distinctions to be made here in terms of spying.

Exactly, see the "Five Eyes": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UKUSA_Agreement
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