----- Original Message ----- From: "Roger Eichhorn" > This might be of interest: http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl? > sid=07/08/02/1455217 > > Also: http://www.pictureny.org/ > > All in the name of homeland security! the second link I take it links to the first.. hmm. I don't like what is happening, the world over it seems. The latest here is this little gem: <http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/new-secret-search-powers/2007/07/31/1185647903263.html?s_cid=rss_news> (watch the url wrap) the guts of it is: POLICE and security agencies will be given unprecedented "sneak and peek" powers to search the homes and computers of suspects without their knowledge under legislation to go before Federal Parliament next week. The extensive powers - which also give federal police the right to monitor communications equipment without an interceptions warrant .. Under the laws, officers from the federal police and other agencies would be able to execute "delayed notification warrants", allowing them to undertake searches, seize equipment and plant listening devices in businesses and homes. **Police and security officers will be able to assume false identities to gain entry and conduct the surreptitious searches.** But the person affected by the raid does not have to be informed for at least six months, and can remain in the dark for 18 months if the warrant is rolled over. The warrant is to be issued by the head of a police service or security agency without the approval of a judicial officer. It can also be extended for more than 18 months with the sanction of the minister. The lack of judicial oversight was justified by the Minister for Justice and Customs, David Johnston, on the grounds that a court or judicial officer might leak news of the warrant. ..Moreover, the warrant can be issued for any offence that carries a prison term of 10 years or more, despite a strong recommendation from a bipartisan Senate committee earlier this year that it only be used for investigations into terrorism, organised crime and "offences involving death or serious injury with a maximum penalty of life imprisonment". ..Federal police say they need the powers because current rules mean suspects are tipped off that they are under investigation. The bill also deals with "controlled operations" - undercover operations where federal agents are permitted to undertake criminal activity in order to further their investigations.Federal authorities will have far greater scope to undertake such operations and will no longer need approval from the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. The bill provides for immunity not only to the undercover police or security officer involved but also civilian informants. For the first time it also allows foreign police and intelligence agencies to take part in undercover operations and to use false identities. We have an 'inform on your neighbor' policy here now, we have laws such that it can be deemed a criminal offence to *have* a camera, we're now going to let the police lie, cheat and steal all under the cover of anonymity and without scrutiny or oversight, our population has been largely disarmed* the Nazi's would be laughing at the world we've created :( problem is no one ever seems to repeal these laws once they're introduced It seems the governments of the 'free' world have turned on their populations what can one do? I'm very saddened by this all k
