Admission follows revelations over secret Scottish spy system linked to GCHQ SECRET SURVEILLANCE can take place in Scotland without the knowledge of the domestic police, an assistant chief constable has admitted during evidence to MSPs.
Police Scotland assistant chief constable Steve Johnson, questioned by Green MSP and ex-officer John Finnie, said it was conceivable that there are ongoing operations in Scotland that the police would be unaware of. Finnie has since expressed concern that the system of security service surveillance in Scotland lacks proper oversight, having previously raised concerns over whether it was following human rights law1. The relationship between Police Scotland and the UK security services was revealed when CommonSpace reported that little-known policing group the Scottish Recording Centre (SRC) gained access to millions of information logs of phone, internet and social media activity from UK spy agency GCHQ2.
The revelation of the MILKWHITE programme was the first leak from whistleblower Edward Snowden to directly implicate Scottish authorities in a global system of mass surveillance. There remain unanswered questions over how involved Scottish authorities are, and how much influence they have, in this process.
Tomorrow’s front page @ScotNational Snowden leak reveals secret Scottish spying unit pic.twitter.com/okOBxjrbLW34
The National (@ScotNational) June 10, 20165
When the case was raised in parliament, Justice Secretary Michael Matheson MSP directed questions over the legality of the arrangment towards Theresa May and the UK Government, who are in charge of the security services. The latest comments by Assistant Chief Constable Johnson add to concerns that illegal activity could take place in Scotland without either the police or Scottish Government being aware. GCHQ was found to have acted illegally6 in its mass surveillance programme.
Following the evidence session, Finnie said: It is a concern that when I questioned the role of UK-wide police and security services operating in Scotland, Police Scotland admitted that there could be operations in Scotland of which they were unaware.
David Anderson QC has pointed out that in relation to bulk equipment interference the operational case is not yet proven.
Sadly, the UK Government intends to go ahead and authorise this significant intrusion as it remains a reserved issue.
Whistleblower Annie Mahon7 previously told CommonSpace that UK security services had active Glasgow and Dundee branches during her time at MI5 in the 1990s.
Picture courtesy of Defence Images8
Check out what people are saying about how important CommonSpace is. Pledge your support today9.
References
- ^ previously raised concerns over whether it was following human rights law (www.commonspace.scot)
- ^ CommonSpace reported that little-known policing group the Scottish Recording Centre (SRC) gained access to millions of information logs of phone, internet and social media activity from UK spy agency GCHQ (www.commonspace.scot)
- ^ @ScotNational (twitter.com)
- ^ pic.twitter.com/okOBxjrbLW (t.co)
- ^ June 10, 2016 (twitter.com)
- ^ acted illegally (www.commonspace.scot)
- ^ Whistleblower Annie Mahon (www.facebook.com)
- ^ Defence Images (www.flickr.com)
- ^ Pledge your support today (www.allofusfirst.org)