공포 법률은 미국 대리인에 의하여 감시의 모험에 브리튼을 둔다

Jamie Doward, 내무 편집자
일요일 2007년 8월 19일
관찰자

하계 휴가의 앞에 미국 정부에 의해 의회를 통해서 공중 소탕된 새로운 법률은 준다 미국 경찰 기관에게 영장 없이 영국 시민에 감시하는 전례가 없는 힘을 이다. 해외 정보 감시 행위는 Congress에 의해 공포정치에 대하여 전투에 있는 국가 안보 기관을 돕기 위하여 이달 초에의회 찬성되었다. But it has now emerged that the bill gives the security services powers to intercept all telephone calls, internet traffic and emails made by British citizens across US-based networks.

As much of the world’s telecoms networks and internet infrastructure runs through the US, the new act will give the security services huge scope for monitoring and intercepting Britons’ private communications, as well as those of other foreign citizens. The new act has led to fears it will see a huge increase in the number of British citizens being extradited to the US.

‘Just because it happens to pass through the US they claim they can do whatever they want,’ said Tony Bunyan, director of Statewatch, the civil rights group that campaigns against state surveillance. ‘Where is the EU saying, “What’s going on here, we’ve got to protect the rights of our citizens?”‘

The Dutch Liberal Democrat MEP Sophie in ‘t Veld has tabled a series of questions demanding answers from the EU parliament. In a statement to European politicians, In ‘t Veld warns the US law will ‘directly apply to EU citizens and constitutes a major violation of privacy and civil liberties’.

The law has prompted a furore in the US, where it was opposed by Democrats Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. But other countries seem ignorant of its consequences. ‘There’s been a lot of upheaval in Congress about this new act over fears Bush will use it to eavesdrop on US citizens,’ In ‘t Veld said. ‘But it can and will be used for the communications of Europeans.’

She pointed out many companies and organisations are based in the US and that the new law will give the US powers to monitor their communications. ‘For example, I would like to know what sort of communications go via the UN,’ In ‘t Veld said.

Concern over US powers to monitor foreign citizens is growing. European privacy watchdogs have expressed fears that the US authorities are to be handed powers to check the personal details of travellers entering America and store them on databases alongside details such as their sexuality and religious beliefs for up to 15 years. The watchdogs, including the Information Commissioner of England and Wales, Richard Thomas, have been scathing in their criticism of the European Commission for granting the US its demand for the new powers.

In a coded statement the Information Commissioner’s office yesterday acknowledged concerns that the privacy of some four million Britons who travel to the US each year is at risk because of the new powers.

‘We will continue to work alongside our European data protection colleagues to try to ensure that airline passengers’ details are protected by the appropriate data protection safeguards,’ a spokeswoman told The Observer.

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