Archive for the 'Police State' Category
Britons to be Scanned for FBI Database
January 9th, 2007And then it was too late… Via: Guardian: Millions of Britons who visit the United States are to have their fingerprints stored on the FBI database alongside those of criminals, in a move that has outraged civil rights groups. The Observer has established that under new plans to combat terrorism, the US government will demand […]
U.S. Government Can Open Your Mail Without a Warrant
January 4th, 2007Via: Seattle Times: President Bush quietly has claimed sweeping new powers to open Americans’ mail without a judge’s warrant. Bush asserted the new authority Dec. 20 after signing legislation that overhauls some postal regulations. He then issued a “signing statement” that declared his right to open mail under emergency conditions, contrary to existing law and […]
The Private Arm of the Law
January 4th, 2007Yes, corporate pigs. Via: Washington Post: With the sleeve patch on his black shirt, the 9mm gun on his hip and the blue light on his patrol car, he looked like an ordinary police officer as he stopped the car on a Friday night last month. Watt works, though, for a business called Capitol Special […]
U.S. ‘Licence to Snoop’ on British Air Travellers
January 1st, 2007Via: Telegraph: Britons flying to America could have their credit card and email accounts inspected by the United States authorities following a deal struck by Brussels and Washington. By using a credit card to book a flight, passengers face having other transactions on the card inspected by the American authorities. Providing an email address to […]
Police Threaten to Arrest Man for Refusing to Discuss His Personal Travel Plans at DUI Checkpoint
December 30th, 2006Via: TheNewspaper.com: A teenager harassed by police in St. Louis, Missouri caught the incident on tape. Brett Darrow, 19, had his video camera rolling last month as he drove his 1997 Maxima, minding his own business. He approached a drunk driving roadblock where he was stopped, detained and threatened with arrest when he declined to […]
‘Fortress America’ Visa System Scaring Businesses Away
December 29th, 2006Business travelers… How about Americans who escaped the U.S. and hope never to return!? Via: International Herald Tribune: For growing numbers of international business travelers, visa and customs regulations are making trips to the United States a thing of the past. Companies say U.S. rules have become so onerous in the wake of the terrorist […]
Automated Targeting System
December 23rd, 2006Via: Bruce Schneier: If you’ve traveled abroad recently, you’ve been investigated. You’ve been assigned a score indicating what kind of terrorist threat you pose. That score is used by the government to determine the treatment you receive when you return to the U.S. and for other purposes as well. Curious about your score? You can’t […]
John McCain’s War On Blogs
December 15th, 2006It’s for the children! Via: Think Progress: John McCain has made clear that he doesn’t like the blogosphere. Now he has introduced legislation that would treat blogs like Internet service providers and hold them responsible for all activity in the comments sections and user profiles.
Unreasonable Searches and Seizures
December 14th, 2006Via: Reason: The rising use of SWAT teams is bad, but it’s about to get worse. Research Credit: TheAgitator
Murder Cop: Take Babies’ DNA
December 12th, 2006Via: The Sun: BRITAIN’S most senior murder investigator has called for DNA to be taken from babies. Commander Dave Johnston said it would build up a database to SOLVE crimes and PREVENT others. He said samples could also be taken from Britons renewing passports and from migrants arriving here. The head of the Met Police’s […]
