Echoes of Sally Murrer case as senior UK opposition politician arrested by counter-terrorism police
In “Don’t Get Fooled Again” I highlight the extent to which government demands for “sweeping new powers”, ostensibly to protect public security, often lead to those powers being used in ways far beyond those originally intended. One among many recent examples was the use of anti-terrorist legislation to freeze Icelandic assets in the UK.
Now counter-terrorism police have arrested the Conservative shadow Home Office minister Damian Green, after he published documents recently released by a government whistle-blower. Green was charged with “aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring misconduct in public office”.
Following his release on bail, Damian Green said:
“I was astonished to have spent more than nine hours under arrest for doing my job. I emphatically deny that I have done anything wrong. I have many times made public information that the government wanted to keep secret, information that the public has a right to know.
“In a democracy, opposition politicians have a duty to hold the government to account. I was elected to the House of Commons precisely to do that and I certainly intend to continue doing so.”
Interestingly, this charge closely resembles the spurious case brought against the local journalist Sally Murrer, in an apparent attempt to intimidate the police whistleblower Mark Kearney. According to the Press Gazette, Murrer was charged with aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring Kearney to commit the offence of “misconduct in a public office”.
Richard Wilson's blog 
In June 2008, I traveled via Eurostar to Belgium,visiting my Father in Hospital.It was the first time I used my new British Passport.On my way out,I did not have any problem with UK Border Agency.On my return,a UK Border Agency checked my passport against the Computer:she looked shocked by what she read on the screen.I was asking myself if I was on a Terrorist list.She then asked me if I was born in Burundi,I replied that I did not want to answer as this was irrelevant,I asked her to tell what I was being accused of,she replied that they needed to verify some details as someone with the same name,same Date of Birth was recorded on their system.Another Officer came and took away my Passport,I persisted asking why I was being delayed to take my train.After a while,the Officer came back with my Passport laughing and ordered me to run for my Train.Once back in London, I raised a Complaint, I got a reply from the Head of Brussels UK Border Agency, she was completely undermining the embarrassment I had suffered,I warned her that they will not get away with this,that I’ll publish this story,she took me for a joke.
Desire Katihabwa
November 29, 2008 at 6:20 pm
Sirs
I have 6 tapes that purport to be of a conversation between me and a government fraud officer. They are forgeries to conceal the fact that the authorities knowingly allowed 100,000 animals with BSE to get into the human food chain. I will shortly be consigned to one of Liz’s prisons for trying to reveal this fact. Again Thames Valley Police. 24,000 peoiple are carriers of vCJD 12,000 caught it after the regulations were brought in 600 of those will die through this. Grahame G Bell
grahame bell
December 1, 2008 at 1:54 pm
perhaps somebody out there can tell me how the tapes were altered. The penultimate tape begins 10 minutes after my interview ended. The final tape ends when I am at home 20 miles away and the first half hour of the interview is missing. A very professional job it seems. Grahame G Bell
grahame bell
December 1, 2008 at 1:58 pm