Britain Forced Guardian to Destroy Copy of Snowden Material

[Hissyspit]

Source: Reuters

Britain forced Guardian to destroy copy of Snowden material

WASHINGTON | Mon Aug 19, 2013 6:54pm EDT

By Mark Hosenball

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The editor of the Guardian, a major outlet for revelations based on leaks from former U.S. intelligence contractor Edward Snowden, says the British government threatened legal action against the newspaper unless it either destroyed the classified documents or handed them back to British authorities.

In an article posted on the British newspaper's website on Monday, Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger said that a month ago, after the newspaper had published several stories based on Snowden's material, a British official advised him: "You've had your fun. Now we want the stuff back."

After further talks with the government, Rusbridger said, two "security experts" from Government Communications Headquarters, the British equivalent of the ultra-secretive U.S. National Security Agency, visited the Guardian's London offices.

In the building's basement, Rusbridger wrote, government officials watched as computers which contained material provided by Snowden were physically pulverized. "We can call off the black helicopters," Rusbridger says one of the officials joked.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSBRE97I10E20130819

[DJ13]

1. There sure is an international panic over this material

How many foreign pols are implicated as working for the US in the docs?

[warrant46]

5. No Bill of Rights in the "Mother Country"

First 10 Amendments (Never heard of them)

Freedom of the Press (Foget aboud it)

[DeSwiss]

2. Release it all.

- ''Chaos is required for the veils to fall down.''

K&R

[msanthrope]

4. I think the Guardian lost their chance. nt

[avaistheone1]

7. I think so.

I think these politicians and our governments are trying their damnedest to hide documents which implicate themselves in crimes against the people.

[HooptieWagon]

9. Agreed. Their panic demonstrates....

...a fear that many pols and officials face investigation and prison, and the gravy train will cease for involved contractors.
A free and independent press is the light that shines on cockroaches.

[OnyxCollie]

12. Nuke the site from orbit.

It's the only way to be sure.

[msanthrope]

3. So no one wanted to go to jail over Snowald? Oh, well. nt

[cui bono]

8. It's not over. It's not like they destroyed all the copies of the docs.

Merely the physical copy at the Guardian offices.

[deurbano]

14. They don't need to go to jail to continue publishing Snowden's revelations:

<<Rusbridger, in his article on the Guardian's website, said that despite the destruction of the computers in London, he told British officials that due to the nature of "international collaborations" among journalists, it would remain possible for media organizations to "take advantage of the most permissive legal environments." Henceforth, he said, the Guardian "did not have to do our reporting from London."

A source familiar with the matter said that this meant British authorities were on notice that the Guardian was likely to continue to report on the Snowden revelations from outside British government jurisdiction.>>

[Hissyspit]

19. That's what you took from this?

Ugly.

[msanthrope]

24. Yes. That is what I took from this. Tsk, tsk. nt

[Hissyspit]

25. Yuck.

[caseymoz]

30. I don't believe jail came up in the conversation.

They didn't want "states' evidence" against Greenwald or Snowden. They wanted the information destroyed.

No, the only one who seems to think "Snowald's" likeability is any part of the story is you.

[NealK]

32. Yes, disgusting.

[JackRiddler]

42. Yay, state intimidation is beautiful!

All it takes is a couple of thugs with badges to make those liberal whiners scream for mercy! Fucking wimps! Might makes it all right! Go team!

How dare anyone label users on this site as authoritarians! It's an INSULT!!!

[Hydra]

6. lol, does anyone have a shovel the US and UK could borrow?

Because this isn't the age of paper- info that gets out is out there forever.

[Civilization2]

15. exactly- a tinny script will publish the files automatically if you DON'T tell it not to every day.

most any middle school kid could set that up,. are these spooks serious, or just overreacting for effect?

drag, drop, copy of file made,. repeat./

the info. is out there.

[Newsjock]

10. What is truly shocking is how unfathomably devastating this info must be

We used to think that MIHOP* would be about the worst thing that could ever be said about this country. (Not that I'm speaking for or against MIHOP; it's just an example of a theoretical unspeakable horror.)

But with the extraordinary, extralegal extremes that are unfolding every day before us, the only logical conclusion that can be drawn is that this information could literally bring down governments, and possibly corporations and people, worldwide. Every additional drip-drip revelation makes it even more imperative that this information be released as widely as possible.

* Make It Happen On Purpose, the 9/11 theory.

[Demeter]

17. You say that like it would be a bad thing

IMO, it's exactly what the doctors ordered. Lance the boil on the People! Fuck the 1% Self-proclaimed Elitists.

[FreakinDJ]

31. I'm willing to wager they have been "Sharing / Selling" the information to Corporations

Even the CIA specialized in protecting "Trade Secrets" for High-Tech and Defense Corps during the 80s and 90s

[Recursion]

35. No, it's almost certainly 99% banal and embarrassing

with an operational 1% that could conceivably make an attacker's job easier.

[deurbano]

11. One main purpose of Miranda's detention: "to send a message to recipients of Snowden's materials..."

<<One U.S. security official told Reuters that one of the main purposes of the British government's detention and questioning of Miranda was to send a message to recipients of Snowden's materials, including the Guardian, that the British government was serious about trying to shut down the leaks.>>

[markpkessinger]

23. Exactly -- it was all about intimidation n/t

[Little Star]

43. Yes and also about making an example so that no one else tries to blow another whistle...

on other Govt. secrets.

[deurbano]

13. Government official to editor: "You've had your debate. There's no need to write any more,"

<<Rusbridger said that in meetings with British officials before the computers were destroyed, he told them the Guardian could not do its journalistic duty if it gave in to the government's requests.

In response, he wrote, a government official told him that the newspaper had already achieved the aim of sparking a debate on government surveillance. "You've had your debate. There's no need to write any more," the unnamed official was quoted as saying.

[Th1onein]

18. You've had your debate. There's no need to write anymore.

OMG. This is bad. It's real bad. And I think Greenwald is holding out some really bad shit.

[bemildred]

21. That tells you what they really fear. nt

[suffragette]

34. That's a stunning statement,

Completely authoritarian.

[didact]

38. Fvckin' A right you are.

eom

[bemildred]

39. And a complete fool.

Why do those traits always seem be in company with each other?

[suffragette]

46. Agreed, and also the fear you noted in your post above

Sometimes I think it all goes back to or stems from fear. The ironic part is the more fearful people are, the stronger they impose authority and the more they hide behind authoritarian dictates.

[bemildred]

47. Yes. The fear of not being feared runs deep in government.

Hence we live immersed in it.

[Link Speed]

16. Well, that's that

Gone forever, dontcha know?

Damn, does GCH equate computer files with stone tablets?

[99th_Monkey]

20. Seriously? Do the NSA clowns REALLY believe they can put this Genie back in the bottle? nt

[bemildred]

22. Apparently. Too many movies is my guess.

One is reminded of Pelosi's comment about Bush: "He is not King." Well, the NSA is not King either.

[struggle4progress]

26. I believe UK law is much less press-friendly than US law

[Harmony Blue]

27. Yes but this will cause

a major backlash.

[Hissyspit]

28. Good thing, too.

Or the state police essentially going into a leftist newsroom and destroying their presses might be seen as a revolting image.

[underthematrix]

29. I asked my peeps of color friends if

they were shocked the NSA collects metadata on our electronic communications. They said NO BECAUSE THEY ASSUMED IT HAS BEEN GOING ON for the past 20 years. By the way, all technology starts with military application, which means such devices have built in surveillance capability. If this really bothers folks, then give up the smartphone, ipad, laptop and cable/satellite service. Your activities can be tracked using any of these devices. Hmmm . . you probably don't realize that most communities are under video surveillance too. Then there's America's love affair with the reality series - real people being recorded and watched and manipulated. Kinda like what you think the NSA is doing to you. I guess we're all reluctant reality stars on the NSA reality show network. Personally, I don't give a shit. It's a lot more benign than shopping or driving or walking while black.

[NealK]

33. K&R

[blkmusclmachine]

36. What constitutes a burgeoning POLICE STATE???

[midnight]

37. Silencing those you disagree with.....

[bemildred]

40. Pretty much. Everybody has a right to speak. nt

[midnight]

41. Here in Wisconsin and I'm sure pretty much elsewhere new laws to curb dissent are up and running...

If you see something say something... I guess unless it is something they don't agree with....

[bemildred]

45. Never get sucked into internal "whistle blower" arrangements.

They are used to find and expel malcontents, which would be you, if you do.

Wisconsin has kicked these wannabe feudal lords is the ass before, they will do it again.

[The Stranger]

44. Was James Bond 007 there?

Why not actually make the government thugs do the dirty work themselves?