Comments on: Unnecessary secrets http://www.indexoncensorship.org/2008/11/unnecessary-secrets/ for free expression Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:09:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Simon Bucks http://www.indexoncensorship.org/2008/11/unnecessary-secrets/comment-page-1/#comment-883 Simon Bucks Sun, 16 Nov 2008 18:54:05 +0000 http://www.indexoncensorship.org/?p=769#comment-883 David, as vice-chair of the DA notice commitee and de facto chair of the media side, I am grateful for your support. We will of course wait for the ISC to report formally before reacting publicly, but you should know that when this came up in the committee report a year ago I wrote in strong terms to the then chair, Margaret Beckett, and invited the committee to, at least, take evidence from us so they could form their judgements based on proper information. They have not taken us up on that, so if the Independent story turns out to be accurate the committee will once again have launched an unwarranted attach on the DA-notice system without taking the trouble to check the facts. Also, I am doubtful that the Birmingham "beheading plot" itself would be covered by the DA notice system, since it was more a police matter than one of national security. But I accept that it arguable. David, as vice-chair of the DA notice commitee and de facto chair of the media side, I am grateful for your support. We will of course wait for the ISC to report formally before reacting publicly, but you should know that when this came up in the committee report a year ago I wrote in strong terms to the then chair, Margaret Beckett, and invited the committee to, at least, take evidence from us so they could form their judgements based on proper information. They have not taken us up on that, so if the Independent story turns out to be accurate the committee will once again have launched an unwarranted attach on the DA-notice system without taking the trouble to check the facts.
Also, I am doubtful that the Birmingham “beheading plot” itself would be covered by the DA notice system, since it was more a police matter than one of national security. But I accept that it arguable.

]]> By: David Davis rejects national security gag law for press | The Wire | Press Gazette http://www.indexoncensorship.org/2008/11/unnecessary-secrets/comment-page-1/#comment-875 David Davis rejects national security gag law for press | The Wire | Press Gazette Wed, 12 Nov 2008 10:28:10 +0000 http://www.indexoncensorship.org/?p=769#comment-875 [...] Writing for Index on Censorship, Davis says: The reasoning behind this proposal gives even more cause for astonishment. There is only one example in the public domain in which a case was compromised by information being released to the press. This is the case of an Islamist plot to kidnap and murder a British serviceman in 2007, when cameras and reporters were present virtually at the arrest of the suspects in Birmingham. The only possible sources of this leaked information are those civil servants, ministers and advisors within the extremely secure Whitehall boundaries, or the police themselves. [...] [...] Writing for Index on Censorship, Davis says: The reasoning behind this proposal gives even more cause for astonishment. There is only one example in the public domain in which a case was compromised by information being released to the press. This is the case of an Islamist plot to kidnap and murder a British serviceman in 2007, when cameras and reporters were present virtually at the arrest of the suspects in Birmingham. The only possible sources of this leaked information are those civil servants, ministers and advisors within the extremely secure Whitehall boundaries, or the police themselves. [...]

]]> By: John Pickworth http://www.indexoncensorship.org/2008/11/unnecessary-secrets/comment-page-1/#comment-871 John Pickworth Tue, 11 Nov 2008 13:40:15 +0000 http://www.indexoncensorship.org/?p=769#comment-871 I absolutely agree with Mr Davis. Leave the system alone, it works just fine... what guarantee would we have that a new one would work any better? The press should have the freedom to 'publish and be damned'. Without that freedom, there simply is no free press. I absolutely agree with Mr Davis.

Leave the system alone, it works just fine… what guarantee would we have that a new one would work any better? The press should have the freedom to ‘publish and be damned’. Without that freedom, there simply is no free press.

]]> By: Benedict White http://www.indexoncensorship.org/2008/11/unnecessary-secrets/comment-page-1/#comment-870 Benedict White Mon, 10 Nov 2008 22:30:20 +0000 http://www.indexoncensorship.org/?p=769#comment-870 Actually David, whilst I broadly agree with you there is one area where I disagree and that is on the number of bits of information in the media which damage national security. There have been loads, but all as the result of either news conferences, briefings or leaks from either Whitehall, the security services or the police. In all cases the answer is to stop the dangerous leaks not the freedom of the press. Actually David, whilst I broadly agree with you there is one area where I disagree and that is on the number of bits of information in the media which damage national security. There have been loads, but all as the result of either news conferences, briefings or leaks from either Whitehall, the security services or the police. In all cases the answer is to stop the dangerous leaks not the freedom of the press.

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