'Top Secret' - Game or British Acclimatisation PsyOp?

ꕤ Article SOURCE http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2016-01-10-where-in-the-world-is-edward-snowden 'Top Secret' - Game or British Acclimatisation PsyOp?  http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2016-01-10-where-in-the-world-is-edward-snowden Simon Parkin Simon Parkin is an award-winning writer and journalist from England, a regular contributor to The New Yorker, The Guardian and a variety of other publications. Where in the world is Edward Snowden? The game that puts you in search of history's most notorious whistleblower. SUMMARY: James Long British graduate in theoretical physics product, game:  Top Secret casts player as NSA employee tasked with following intel to source deciding who knows what & whether to help whistleblower blurs reality & fantasy (Snowden group + fiction) 1,000 scattered fragments / disjointed, non-linear journey played out entirely in your actual email programme to begin: send an email to member of your 'NSA team' surveillance reports return, with 'metadata' James Long "Every email you send and receive while playing the game can be intercepted by the real government," he says. "So we have a game about surveillance in which your play itself is subject to surveillance." Top Secret supports Pretty Good Privacy (PGP) encryption method used by Edward Snowden James Long "I'm nakedly partisan and a huge fan of Snowden. I believe the government has gone too far with mass surveillance." James Long "One of the reasons you play as an NSA analyst is that it allows the game to present the viewpoints of those in the security services. You are free to make up their own mind and decide how far you'll go when invading the lives of others. For change to happen you have to start a debate. It doesn't matter if people disagree with you as long as they are talking about the issue." http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2016-01-10-where-in-the-world-is-edward-snowden Guardian Article http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/jan/10/video-game-makers-james-long-top-secret BY THE SAME WRITER / BRIEF VERSION ---------------------- ꕤ ---------------------- COMMENT So, is this really a game or is it a GCHQ acclimatisation to mass surveillance and a take-the-NSA-POV PsyOp? ꕤ

Various Intel & Surveillance

ꕤ Article SOURCE as marked Intelligence / Surveillance Kashmir Islamist Attack India Airbase Terrorists who attacked #India Air Force (IAF) base at #Pathankot were detected by aerial #surveillance platforms http://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/terrorists-at-pathankot-were-detected-immidiately-iaf-116010200408_1.html [read elsewhere that terrorists entered base & fired indiscriminately, so aerial detection means jack.] Spy Arrest - India last week: ex-IAF official Ranjith KK arrested re passing secrets to #Pakistan subsequent attack on base Ranjith, 30, honey-trapped Inter-Services Intelligence (IS) operative posed as a journalist on Facebook & befriended. #India Crime Branch arrested x5 incl. Border Security Force + Rashtriya Rifles re alleged espionage http://www.thestatesman.com/news/india/pathankot-attack-linked-to-arrest-of-iaf-spy/114122.html #India Pathankot air base terror attack by x7 -  Jaish-e-Mohammad 13 hours encounter x4 each, killed (not final figure) #India JeM stormed airbase & fired indiscriminately Garuda commandos, Army troops + police deployed. Airfields on high alert. http://www.ibnlive.com/news/india/pathankot-terror-strike-how-the-attack-unfolded-1184452.html Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) (ie  Army of Muhammad) Islamist militant, based Kashmir https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaish-e-Mohammed ---------------------- ꕤ ---------------------- L-3 USA intel contractor revenue of $2.80 billion - Oct quarter / quarterly revenue down -  4.2% L-3 VP Curtis Brunson sold 55,465 shares @ total:  $6,861,020.50 --> still has 75,201 shares in company. http://www.wkrb13.com/markets/990171/fy2015-eps-estimates-for-l-3-communications-holdings-inc-lll-raised-by-analyst/ ---------------------- ꕤ ---------------------- Vodafone lawful interception / #Surveillance #Ireland @ 7,973 in 2015 --> no push-back possible / mandated #Ireland Garda (police) Síochána Ombudsman Commission Feb. 2014 - was bugged / surveillance (suspected) --> security sweep done (& was leaked to press). UK govt published draft text of new Investigatory Powers bill Dec 2015 / if passed:  12 months phone & internet data storage #UK investigatory powers bill: lets intel & police to hack into PCs & phones / legal obligation on carriers to help them “The UK government is seeking the power to compel companies, many of them based in Ireland, to hack users on their behalf." #UKpolitics ... stand by for #Facebook & #Apple UK government malware. http://www.irishexaminer.com/viewpoints/analysis/future-of-mobile-the-intelligence-behind-tracking-digital-evidence-374065.html ---------------------- ꕤ ---------------------- GCHQ spy boss Sir Brian Tovey has died aged 89 Director -  1978 to 1983 army intel U. London, deg Mod. Chinese ** there's a ban on union membership for GCHQ staff. http://www.westerndailypress.co.uk/Spy-boss-eye-fine-Renaissance-art/story-28450497-detail/story.html ---------------------- ꕤ ---------------------- Count Alexandre de Marenches 1921-1995 French intel Director / Reagan adviser {Norman knights origin} quit army in protest Algerian policy Factions in French intel. circulating defamatory reports re de Gaulle /alleged affair Alain Delon + dead Delon bodyguard. Medhi Ben Barka French intel kidnapping of Ben Barka (Morocco left-wing) died interrogation #Paris / CIA involved / won't release documents. Ben Barka (Morocco) son says French withholding docs implicating  French secret services (SDECE) + potentially CIA & Mossad. Jan 1969 French actor Alain Delon held for questioning / murder bodyguard Yugoslav, Stefan Markovic x3 interrogations prior Mavkovic's body --> inside a sack on garbage dump --> shot in head & beaten skull to cover wound Alain Delon Navy in Indo-China Marseilles waterfront criminal connections Bodyguard Stefan Markovic alleged drug ring involvement alleged politician drug parties (spread by French intel?) Theory of photos of politicians in compromising positions & attempted blackmail by bodyguard. Bodyguard Stefan Markovic: Letter - "If I get killed, it's 100% the fault of Alain Delon" + "godfather François Marcantoni" François Marcantoni charged as accessory to murder. Released after 11 months. Guilt could not be established. François Marcantoni Corsican gangster. French resistance. Bank robber + writer. Died Paris 2010 Link | Wikipedia Mehdi Ben Barka major figure in Third World movement supported revolutionary anti-colonial action --> angered USA & France. OSPAAAL Asia, Africa + #LatAm solidarity fm. Havana Tricontinental Conference pro socialism 3rd World anti:  globalisation, imperialism, neoliberalism & pro defending human rights Medhi Ben Barka involved re:  OSPAAAL Link | Wikipedia ---------------------- ꕤ ---------------------- COMMENT Some of what I looked at. The attack on the Indian air base sounded exciting. But it got even better when I got onto the French intelligence stuff ... they sound like total rogues. ꕤ

Transcript - Julian Assange Interview - Hamish & Andy, Oct 2015

ꕤ Assange Transcript Source Hamish & Andy Audio - Oct 2015 http://hwcdn.libsyn.com/p/e/c/f/ecf7164bb3b333a5/Julian_Assange_Interview.mp3?c_id=9990803&expiration=1444478324&hwt=a6576deb465d02a68cbd40bd7149d0c3 JULIAN ASSANGE ꕤ  Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education and research. ---------------------- ꕤ ---------------------- TRANSCRIPT [for quotation purposes, confirm audio] Updated Assange Interview Hamish & Andy Show Podcast http://hwcdn.libsyn.com/p/e/c/f/ecf7164bb3b333a5/Julian_Assange_Interview.mp3?c_id=9990803&expiration=1444478324&hwt=a6576deb465d02a68cbd40bd7149d0c3 [skip intro] Hamish Blake Hamish & Andy Hello. Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks G'day, this is Julian Assange here. Hamish Blake Hamish & Andy Hey, Julian, this is Hamish from the Hamish & Andy Show. Mate, thank you so much for taking the time. I'm just about to put you through to Andy. You'll just be talking to Ando. This is actually part of a segment where each of us tried to find a person that the other person would love to interview. Julian Assange WikiLeaks Uh-ha. Hamish Blake Hamish & Andy I'm brining you to Andy as the gift. Julian Assange WikiLeaks I see. I see. I've gotcha. Hamish Blake Hamish & Andy He got me Jeff Probst from Survivor. Ummm, absolutely no offence to you. I think your story's fascinating. But I've already used my interview up. Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks The other one has to do the leg work. Hamish Blake Hamish & Andy Yeah. That's right. He got me Jeff. I've had a great time. Available for download [ skip ] ... But I won't chew up any more of your time. I'm going to pop you through to Andy. And best of luck. Andy Lee Hamish & Andy Julian. Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks G'day Andy. Andy Lee Hamish & Andy Hey, thanks for taking the time. Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks You're welcome. Andy Lee Hamish & Andy Ummm, I'd imagine you've had a lot of in-depth political conversations with extremely informed interviewers. Ummm, I'm just letting you know that this is probably not that interview. Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks Rarely. Rarely. [Laughter] Andy Lee Hamish & Andy OK. Good. Good. [Laugher] But I am certainly fascinated about your story, and also obviously the new book, The WikiLeaks Files, which is out now -- which we'll cover off. Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks Yes. Andy Lee Hamish & Andy But I want to start, if I may, with the asylum thing and the fact that you are there in the Ecuadorian embassy. What is the set up? What is the set up, where do you live and what's the set up there? Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks So, right now, I'm in the Ecuadorian Embassy of London, in a police siege -- the longest running police siege ever -- surrounded by a hundred (100) full-time equivalent police from the British government. I've been detained (without charge in any country) in the United Kingdom, for five (5) years. And there's a series of court cases proceeding. Criminal court cases, civil court cases, in different countries: in the UK, in the United states, in Sweden, in Saudi Arabia, in Germany, in Australia, Denmark [and] Iceland. Andy Lee Hamish & Andy Mmmm-mmmm. And they're the one-- --and so, I suppose that's the reason why you sought asylum. You obviously don't want to face those charges at the moment. Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks I have not been charged. It's an important thing to remember. Andy Lee Hamish & Andy Yes, I'm sorry. They want you for questioning. Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks Well, there's quite a large number of cases. The serious one is the US case, where there's a pending prosecution for espionage; in relation -- you were talking the Swedish case -- in relation to the Swedish case, I have already been cleared in that quote 'preliminary investigation' unquote. The state of play now is it's still a 'preliminary investigation'. They have refused to take my statement in five (5) years. Nothing has happened in the case in five (5) years. Andy Lee Hamish & Andy So, how long do you plan to wait, if those investigations around the world and those case -- like you mentioned, the one for espionage? Did you you have a plan when you sought asylum? Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks My plan was to-- It was a very dangerous and difficult environment outside the embassy. Andy Lee Hamish & Andy Yep. Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks And, so, yeah. There was a strategic plan, which is to-- Andy Lee Hamish & Andy [interjects] Avoid them [laughter]. Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks --seek and receive asylum, both in a legal sense and in a practical sense -- and get into a country that was safer. The first part of that has been successful. Andy Lee Hamish & Andy Yep. Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks So, I've won the asylum case. Ummm, and that then changes a little bit the legal and political character of everything else that happens, because it has been a formal founding that I have been politically persecuted by the United States. But we still now have to achieve the practical component. The UK's in violation of international law. But so was the Iraq war, right? Andy Lee Hamish & Andy Yes Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks So, it's a bit hard to force a big state to obey the law. That's a matter of politics. Andy Lee Hamish & Andy So, on that point, how does one go about trying to seek asylum? Was Ecuador your first choice? Do you ring around a number of embassies? Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks We looked at about twenty (20) different countries and we were negotiating with a variety of them. Ecuador just got its boots on the ground first, as a kind of practical measure. Andy Lee Hamish & Andy Yep. And as you mentioned, I mean, British police have been out the front of that building for so many years. Ummm, they're waiting for you to come out in-- Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks [interjects] Well, they've been around the building and in surrounding buildings, which are owned by Harrods, which they have struck a deal with. Andy Lee Hamish & Andy Yep. Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks They've been inside the building. They hide behind the toilet on the exit stairwells. On the rooftops they have surveillance teams all over the place. It's a big operation. Andy Lee Hamish & Andy So where do you think-- Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks -- They admit that they've spent more than twelve (12) million pounds on it so far. Andy Lee Hamish & Andy Wow. Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks More than fifteen (15) million Australian dollars. Andy Lee Hamish & Andy And, so, where is safe for you within that building, and what's your sleeping arrangements like? Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks Within the building? Andy Lee Hamish & Andy Yeah. Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks Well, nowhere is safe. They have managed to gain control from time to time of the floors above and below. Andy Lee Hamish & Andy Yeah, wow. And, and-- Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks And they've been caught doing that. Andy Lee Hamish & Andy Yeah, OK. Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks Ummm, they've even planted bugs in the ambassador's office. Andy Lee Hamish & Andy Could they release [???] to us now? 6:57 Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks Almost certainly. I mean, the United Kingdom -- it's come out in the Snowden revelations -- intercepts everything passing in and out of the UK automatically, regardless of whether it was me or not. But, specifically, the GCHQ, the UK's electronic spy service was revealed to be spying on us. Yes. Andy Lee Hamish & Andy Wow. I mean, you're probably used to that now, but that seems quite exciting -- err, for me [laughter]. Ummm, lets-- 7:30 Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks I mean, it is exciting, generally speaking. But it's, you know, it's a bit difficult on my family and a bit -- well, frankly, it's bloody unjust being detained without charge for five (5) years-- Andy Lee Hamish & Andy And intrusive, I'd imagine. Well, talking of your family-- Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks -- it's just not right. Andy Lee Hamish & Andy --how do you get a chance to meet with family and friends? Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks With extreme difficulty. Because of the surveillance operation, people who come to the embassy run the risk of being exposed. Very likely to be exposed. Andy Lee Hamish & Andy Yep. Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks So, people who I don't want the UK government being able to -- and its allies to have some pressure on -- obviously can't come to the embassy. 8:12 Andy Lee Hamish & Andy Of course. For their own safety. Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks Yeah. Andy Lee Hamish & Andy Yeah. So how do you pass your days? Do you have the internet in there? I imagine it would be tapped as well. Is there a gym? Is there sunlight? Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks Well, it's-- it's very interesting that people have that question. It actually reveals something about the way people think about what people do and that doing is somehow coupled to progressing through the physical environment. There's that assumption, but-- Andy Lee Hamish & Andy Yep. 8:40 Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks --you know, I'm a -- which I like to do. But I do intellectual work, so I write books and I manage an organisation that's spread out all over the world, and its involves really serious stuff, and is fighting all these court cases and banking blockades and so on. So, actually, there's more work to do when you're stuck in an embassy than when you're not stuck at an embassy. Andy Lee Hamish & Andy [laughter] I understand that. But, I mean, a lot of people to do their work -- and need to be stimulated, you know, by some things -- the idea of exercise can stimulate the brain. These things, I mean, do they come readily to you every day, or are there ways that you can tune out? 9:20 Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks Well, I mean, it's like being on a submarine, right? Andy Lee Hamish & Andy Yep. Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks Maybe Australian navy people [???] submarines-- It's very-- Well, they don't go down for three years. Andy Lee Hamish & Andy No, three (3) years would be a long dive [laughter]. Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks Three (3) years, no sun. They don't do that. But on the other hand, they don't have such interesting visitors, either. Andy Lee Hamish & Andy Yeah. I mean, WikiLeaks the website, a global phenomenon. It's divided people, as you are well aware and I think all our listeners would be well aware. Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks Not really. [Laughter] Not really. It's divided some bullshit commentators. Andy Lee Hamish & Andy [Laughter] 9:55 Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks It's certainly divided the Pentagon and it's divided some politicians that have been exposed, but we have global polling across twenty-four (24) countries, so it's not really divided. We have overwhelming support across twenty-four (24) countries. Andy Lee Hamish & Andy No doubt. And amazing that you've obviously been able to win these awards, even though there's allegations against you of espionage, or at least an interest in that area from the US government. Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks Yeah. Andy Lee Hamish & Andy But, you know, it is a divisive topic. Explain to our audience-- 10:22 Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks Well, even in the US -- we have forty percent (40%) support in the US. Andy Lee Hamish & Andy Well, explain to our audience then why you think it must exist. Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks Why WikiLeaks must exist? Andy Lee Hamish & Andy Yeah. Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks Well, it's existed nine (9) years now. We actually have the most effective argument -- not the best argument, the most effective argument -- which is: it's now part of the status quo. Andy Lee Hamish & Andy Yes, it is. 10:44 Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks That the world has a place for WikiLeaks, simply by the fact that we've been around for nine (9) years. But in terms of something more interesting than that: well, look the results. We've published ten million (10,000,000) documents now, about every country in the world. And it's about basic education. That if you don't know what's happening in the world -- you can't escape reality, you can't stick your head in the sand -- sooner or later, reality will catch up with you, just like it did, say for example, in the Iraq war. And while often it is because it happens to someone else, eventually, it will happen to you. I mean, we're seeing that, for example, with this terrible mess that has been produced in Syria, which is starting to affect Australia now. So it's not just something that can happen over there. Andy Lee Hamish & Andy No, I understand that and I think people would understand that freedom of information means that people will hide less and be better informed to make decisions. Ummm, are there issues, do you think-- Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks Well, it's the risk. It's also the risk. Ummm, that if people in governments and major corporations can't be certain that they can keep their plans secret, that has a really powerful deterrent effect. Andy Lee Hamish & Andy Yes. Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks Even if they think the chance of their stuff -- you know, of us getting hold of their stuff is maybe only one in ten thousand, say -- that one in ten thousand chance really does have a deterrent effect. Andy Lee Hamish & Andy Yeah, it will probably hold people to kind of a higher moral code. But do you think there are issues that need hiding? If I threw an example to you, and I'm sure you've had this question before, but if you came across a document that's outlining a way to stop a terrorist plot and by posting it that might alert terrorists, is that where something where WikiLeaks would show discretion there? 12:41 Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks We have got a lot of experience. We've done thousands of cases and ten million (10,000,000) documents, and we have a record of never having got it wrong in relation to a single document, in terms of its accuracy, and no-one being physically harmed as a result; that even the US government has been able to find, and it was forced to say that -- the Pentagon was forced to say under oath in court. So there are decisions to be made in relation to -- Andy Lee Hamish & Andy Well, this one wouldn't be people [skip] ... Like, this would be potentially alerting people so we don't catch them, I suppose. 13:22 Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks Yeah, it's something that's on people's minds. But there's a reason it's on people's minds, which is because every time the press exposes the Pentagon or, you know, an equivalent agency, killing people, they try to distract on the issue; and they try to change the topic and start talking about what journalists have done. But there's, you know, a long history in the press of -- I'm not aware of a single case where the press has published national security related information and this has led to retribution that has resulted in physical harm of anyone ever. Now, of course, one can theorise that maybe there are some cases. But, in practice, it doesn't happen. Andy Lee Hamish & Andy Yep. Well, many people agree with you. You've won so many awards for your work while being in the Ecuadorian embassy. Who accepts those awards for you on your behalf -- at the actual events? I mean, do you do a little 'piece de video' [??], or send in someone along with a note? 14:29 Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks Sometimes we send someone along, sometimes they bring things back here. Sometimes it's, you know-- it's really the whole team that deserves the award. It's why I am most prominently getting the lightning, there's quite a big team of people who do the actual work. Andy Lee Hamish & Andy Do you feel there are days where the cause that you're fighting-- You know, it's obviously taken over your life in every extreme because you are confined to the embassy. I mean, there would be days you yearn for normality. What are the key things you miss, do you think? Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks Well, I often get that question. I'm not going to give the bastards the pleasure of saying what I miss. They want very much to turn me into some kind of deterrent. Andy Lee Hamish & Andy Yep. Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks I'm someone who has not even been charged, so I'm not going to get into the business of deterring people from following in my footsteps. I want to encourage people to follow in my footsteps. But, ummm-- Andy Lee Hamish & Andy I appreciate that. 15:35 Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks -- so [inaudible]. Andy Lee Hamish & Andy Yep. Let me play on then. Like you mentioned, there are so many cables and documents on WikiLeaks, it makes sense to me to put them in a book. I'll tell you why. It's because I don't know where to start sometimes. If I went to WikiLeaks the website, there's just so much information. So if it's a little bit easier to consume, potentially more people are going to do that. Is that where you see the benefit of The WikiLeaks Files? Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks Well, we ended up with so much information. Now we've done what Google has done. We have a sophisticated search engine which is on the front page. So you can put in some guy that your sister is about to go out with, or something, in the name. We see quite a lot of that. Yeah, so there's that way of doing things and that's fast. But in terms of something more nuanced, yeah, that's why we wrote this book. Because we wanted to see something much more in depth, in terms of looking at the structural relationships between countries. Not just a little nugget here and there, but, you know, what's happening in Syria, for example, as far as our material is concerned -- does it give an insight into what is happening? And it does. I mean, it shows very clearly that we have, if you like, part of the plan the US started erecting from at least 2006 to overthrow the Syrian government. Well before the problems in the Arab Spring. Andy Lee Hamish & Andy Is the book available in the US? 17:15 Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks It's available in the US, it's available in the UK, yeah. The US is an interesting country. In some ways it's better than the United Kingdom. OK, it's a militarised country, which is problematic; a very large and powerful country. On the other hand, if you look at concentrations of power, there is New York, Washington, California, broadly speaking, and the South. Texas. Andy Lee Hamish & Andy Yes. 17:49 Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks Now, to make that more concrete, seventeen percent (17%) of corporate registrations are in New York, whereas if you look -- and that's the max -- the city with the most. Whereas, if you look at the United Kingdom, more than eighty percent (80%) of corporate registrations are in London, [inaudible ???] are in London. Just imagine how bad the US would be, if for the past four hundred (400) years, Washington was in the same place as New York, as LA, as Houston. UK's a very tightly integrated society, with a conformist, controlling social structure. So we see, in the US, a lot more support for me and WikiLeaks than we do here in the UK, because there's more freedom to be your own thing in the US -- somewhere in the US. Andy Lee Hamish & Andy OK. And in their Constitution. And they feel that and fight for those rights vehemently. 18:54 Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks Well, they're rapidly eroding. But, yeah, part of the social make-up has the idea that there should be such a thing as free speech. Obviously, it's being very quickly eroded, but yeah we have-- In practice that is translated to on the ground support -- significant support for us -- within the United States. Andy Lee Hamish & Andy You used to be (or, I read) -- and whether you like the term, I'm not sure -- a hacker. And I read that you were hacking for good, not evil; and that's why authorities were lenient back in the day. What type of -- again, the term 'hacking' -- Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks No good deed goes unpunished, right? Andy Lee Hamish & Andy [Laughter] Yes. What type of hacking did you get up to and what made it good? I couldn't really quite understand that bit. Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks Well, there's-- I don't like this term. I mean, it's used as a propaganda term. Steve Jobs was also a hacker. Bill Gates was also a hacker. At the same age -- which is, you know, when I was a teenager. Andy Lee Hamish & Andy Is there another term you'd like to replace it with? Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks No, I don't. I think it's a perfectly nice term. It's been bastardised because now you've got these, you know, Eastern European mafia hacking your grandmother-- Andy Lee Hamish & Andy [Laughing] Yeah. 20:12 Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks So people don't like it. But in terms of exploring the early internet, before, you know, normal people were allowed on the internet, while it was still a military and research object, yeah, I was there, you know, reading Pentagon generals' e-mails each night when I was seventeen. And it starts to give you a-- You know, Australia's a pretty isolated place, so it starts to -- it allows you to, sort of, see a little bit about how the world is actually structured from the inside. Andy Lee Hamish & Andy Can you remember that feeling, when you first got in and you realised that you could go in and read the Pentagon's e-mails? Can you remember that feeling? 20:56 Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks Yeah, it's a sort of buzz that you get that is like, you know, like any kind of -- like parachuting or something like that. The same adrenalin producing activity-- Andy Lee Hamish & Andy --exhilarating. Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks --but -- but, also has an intellectual and political side. So it's also a buzz associated with learning, not just the risk of the experience but, you know, that you're learning about the world in some important way. Andy Lee Hamish & Andy For someone so-- Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks It is a-- it is quite an amazing thing to be involved in, especially then. Now everyone can go onto the internet. You know, you can get half that. Half that. But, you know, reaching out into the world and understanding information. You know, we can all log onto the internet and do a lot of that now, but back then the internet in Australia was only available to computer hackers and a couple of research institutes. Andy Lee Hamish & Andy [Laughter] Which is incredible. For someone so well informed about the cyber world, do you think our society is too exposed online and, you know, the lay person here and people that aren't super into it -- and our audience may or may not be -- but, from my perspective, I never really know how exposed we are. What do you see the threats there for just everyday people? 22:12 Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks Look, it's really serious in the long-term. For everyday people, there's a practical reality. The big American internet companies -- Google, Facebook etc -- are constantly recording and intercepting what you're doing. Because if you think you're just using Google when you go to Google search pages, it's not true. It has trackers embedded in most websites, because it has deals with most websites to supply the ads of those websites, or tracking software that the websites use to collect statistics and so on, and it powers most smartphones. So the activity on your smartphone goes to Google. It collects all that. And then the National Security Agency ('NSA') and the FBI in the United States then stick their fangs into Google's data repositories and Facebook's as well, and they also have their own massive surveillance operation, and the Australian government through the ASD -- the Australian Signals Directorate -- also intercepts a lot of information as it goes in and out of the country -- in bulk -- and then exchanges this through what is known as the Five Eyes alliance, which is the alliance of intelligence agencies led by the United States, the NSA, in the Anglo-Christian countries. It's probably, you know, unfamiliar with your listeners, but one of the great structuring principles of the world is what the relationships are between the deep states of various countries. So between the intelligence agencies of the countries. 24:03 And there's a really intimate integration between Australia, the United States, the UK, New Zealand, and Canada, that has been around for -- well, essentially, since post World War II -- that has developed an ever stronger bond as time has gone by. So, in some sense, we should look at those five countries on a geopolitical level as the one country. Andy Lee Hamish & Andy Yeah, I understand that. So everyday use of our smart phones is essentially writing files on us and giving it straight to them. Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks Well, yeah, either because the traffic from your phone is going through these mass interception points that these various countries have set up, where data ingresses or egresses a country, goes across some fibre optic cable under the ocean, or because -- and the second factor, is starting to become more of a problem than the first one -- or because, Google is running your smartphone or you're using Facebook services. And those large data repositories are accessible, not only by those companies and their affiliates, but by those jurisdictions. Andy Lee Hamish & Andy Ah, Julian, I know I've gone over time but I just want to warp it up. A couple of things. Has your Spanish improved being there at the embassy? Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks A bit. But, you know, I'm someone who, unfortunately, is constantly working in English. So it does distract your language ability when you're focused in one so heavily. Andy Lee Hamish & Andy And, I know that you were at North Queensland, when you were in Australia -- when you grew up -- ummm, are you aware that the North Queensland Cowboys won the NRL final? Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks I am not. I am not, but I'm pleased. Andy Lee Hamish & Andy They did on the Weekend. On Sunday. So I thought -- I was hoping I'd be the first person to tell you. I know you're not number one ticket holder, but congratulations to you and your people up there. [Laughter] Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks Thanks. Andy Lee Hamish & Andy Julian, thank you, mate. The WikiLeaks Files, out now everybody. Published by Verso and available at Booktopia and also in good bookshops. Have a great day, and you're a very fascinating man. I can very much appreciate how you've stuck to your guns. It's inspiring. Well done. Julian Assange Publisher WikiLeaks OK. Thanks, Andy. Bye, Bye. Take care. --- end: 26:25 --- ---------------------- ꕤ ---------------------- Other UKUSA Agreement multi-lateral secret treaty between intelligence agencies https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UKUSA_Agreement LATEST BOOK Assange, Co-Author The WikiLeaks Files (2015) | here POLITICAL PERSECUTION  JULIAN ASSANGE Australian Journalist FAQ & Support https://justice4assange.com/  JULIAN ASSANGE Transnational Security Elite Carving Up the World Using Your Tax Money (2010) | here ꕤ

Transcript - Assange - Title: Counter-terrorism strategies targeting Muslims will affect the wider population | VIDEO Feb 2014 | Cage

TRANSCRIPT [For quotation purposes, confirm audio] Julian Assange: Counter-terrorism strategies targeting Muslims will affect the wider population VIDEO [14:33] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emfncWOhXw8&feature=youtu.be Published on 10 Feb 2014 Good afternoon. My name is Julian Assange. I am the founder and publisher of WikiLeaks. Today, I am proud to help Cage launch their Prevent report. It has been often said to me by my Muslim friends (and some of you,  I'm sure, have heard it), that there exists one law for Muslims and one law for everyone else, here in the UK, in the United States, in Australian, New Zealand, and in some of continental Europe.  That used to be true. Unfortunately, for everyone else, it is no longer true:  and the experiences that I and my staff (and other journalists) have gone through, in relation to the Edward Snowden affair; our big publications in relation to the US military intelligence sector; the activities taken against Associated Press, in United States, [and] Fox News; show that, in fact, it is no longer true. That what happens to the Muslim community, sure enough, sooner or later, happens to everyone else as well. In fact, we can go back and look at the origins of the famous mass spying efforts in the United States that affect the domestic population. EDIT - INSERT While mass spying of fibre optic cables, as they go from one country to another, has been something that the United States, the United Kingdom, [and] GCHQ, have been involved in for many years, the ramp-up in the amount of funding available to them, and to the invasiveness of that spying (and to it taking place at a domestic level), is something that occurred shortly after 9/11; although the programs were attempted to be put in place shortly before. That was meant to monitor only a few people connected to suspicious terroristic activities and, yet, within a few years, secret interpretations of that legislation had led to it being enacted for every single person in the United States. There is not a single person in the United States who has made a telephone call in that country, who has not had that call swept up into that mass surveillance system and stored. In fact, the entire community structure of the United States — from the most powerful politician or industrialist to someone in a payphone in the gutters of San Antonio calling their uncle for help — has [now] been incorporated into that system. And what does that mean? Well, if you understand who calls who, how frequently, and when, you can map the degree of social relationship between any two people; and when you do it for all people, you have the social relationship structure of the entire nation; and when you engage in worldwide spying and monitoring, you have it for most of the world. And what does it mean if you have the entire community structure of a nation? Well, it means that you end up in a similar situation to the Muslim community here in London, right now, which is:  understanding the relationships between people, allows you to affect the relationships between people; it allows you to push society in one way or another, and predict people's behaviour across a wide range of areas; in fact, in almost any way that people's behaviour is predictable. And the Prevent Strategy enacted by the United Kingdom is most often associated, or linked, to the policies of McCarthy. In fact, this room behind me is from 1943. It is J Edgar Hoover's room.  It is the FBI records office. If you were to construct a similar room using similar technology (where we didn't have computers, but we have people going from file to file), that room, for the United Kingdom, would be nearly the size of London. In fact, nearly all of us would be physically inside that room, because of the amount of information that's being collected. Now, what has happened with that Prevent Strategy: it's not just the electronic monitoring. To a degree, this room reflects an earlier stage, which is somewhat like what Prevent is doing. It is penetrating the social structure of people: their relationships with their GP; with their lecturers; with other people in their community (even schools). So there is no escape. Prevent means that the social structure of people is susceptible to whatever concern the major power factions of the day have in the united Kingdom. The precedents are all set there — enacted for the Muslim community - just like the precedents were set in the United States for mass domestic spying, by using the Muslim community as an excuse. So we're all in this together. Injustices which affect the Muslim community, soon enough, expand out to the rest of the community at large. They do that by creating policies, laws, institutions and industrial lobbies that seek always to expand their ambit to as many people as possible, to expand their domestic and international power, and lobby hard to prevent their powers being contained. We can see that, for example, with Section 7 of the Terrorism Act, which, surely most people thought, here in the UK, would only apply to those people genuinely suspected of terrorism and, if not, perhaps just Muslims. The reality is, Section 7 of the Terrorism Act, as we have seen in the David Miranda case, affects journalism. It is used to try and stop revelations of the abuses being conducted by the National Security Agency (NSA) and GCHQ, here in the UK. It is the reason why our journalist, a British subject, Sarah Harrison, is in self-exile (on the advice of her lawyers), in Germany, and not here in the United Kingdom: because for her to return, she would subject herself to an interrogation under Section 7, without any ability to say that, no, she doesn't want to answer the question in relation to her journalistic work. Prevent is a human intelligence gathering system, and I think we need to see it in terms of:  it is a modern form of making people into informants, a modern regulated system of 'ratting' each other out. It is a system which turns doctor against patient, teacher against student, and neighbour against neighbour. Those people you should be able to trust the inner core of your life to ([eg] your doctor, to seek advice from), are now swept up in a system of inducements and coercion that means that they can't be trusted, debilitating the basic social fabric of society, which is that we all trust one another. What happens when Prevent expands out, as it must do, from is abuses on the Muslim community to those people involved in holding power to account? Cage itself is an institution — a very important institution — here in the UK — which is holding power to account for the abuses it conducts on the Muslim community, and yet Cage — Cage's Board and bank accounts — have been subject to interference by UK authorities. The Prevent system is almost done entirely outside of any court process and any meaningful ability to have an insight into how those people who are affected by this system may seek redress. That is the construction of a human intelligence system. What I have spoken about before and what has been reported with the Snowden revelations is the construction of an Orwellian, mass, global, surveillance system — an electronic system. So, we have here a pincer attack on basic human liberty. On the one hand, an electronic system that prevents us communicating privately with those people who are close to us; from engaging in private economic transactions; from preventing us enjoying, securely, the fruits of globalisation — the fruits of globalised interaction, the fruits of non-localised interaction, even within a country.  And, on the other hand, with Prevent, we have the construction of the remaining area of — a surveillance system for the remaining area of life that is free from mass electronic surveillance: our basic human interaction with our doctor, teacher and so on. And these two things are coming together. So, what does that mean? Does that mean all hope is lost when we have a titanic, global surveillance system and a local human intelligence system that turns one person against another? No. The existence of Cage, as an organisation that has been subject to unjust scrutiny; the existence of WikiLeaks, as an organisation which has fought a long battle against this sort of thing; demonstrates that it somehow possible — despite this excess — to succeed and grow. How was it that WikiLeaks was able to stand up to the Pentagon and the State Department, despite a very public, aggressive, engagement: the largest investigation against a publisher ever? How was it that we were able to spirit Edward Snowden out of Hong Kong to a place of safety, in the greatest manhunt the world has ever seen? How could we do that? It is not because of some extraordinary sophistication and power of WikiLeaks as an organisation. It is the result of extraordinary dedication; not extraordinary wealth. How is it that dedication is able to win against a much superior force? Well, let's remember what this game is about: mass surveillance — systems like Prevent — are all about diverting money from the tax base. It is about securitisation. What do I mean by securitisation? I mean: when the Muslim community, or WikiLeaks — or activists — are used to create fear amongst people in the establishment who have the ability to determine what money goes where. So we are used as an excuse to divert money to Booz Allen Hamilton (a contractor for the National Security Agency); G4S (which was responsible for maintaining an electronic bracelet around ankle when I was under house arrest); Serco (a similar multinational contractor, who maintained the electronic bracelet around my ankle in another house arrest location). These organisations are lobby groups, who lobby to get the maximum amount of wealth transfer from the bulk of the population, into their pockets. It's a way of transferring income, predominantly from the middle class, to these wealthy security organisations. And Prevent is no different. The people running these organisations, they're not actually concerned about preventing anything. They're not actually really concerned about stopping WikiLeaks, and that's why they're unable, so far, to stop us. What they're concerned about is engaging in a process of wealth transfer from the tax base, and gaining political support for their activities, and they can do that with smoke and mirrors. In the security industry, we call this 'security theatre': looking like you're doing something, without doing it too much. And that's why, through the assistance of organisations like Cage, actually the Muslim community in the United Kingdom — and the rest of us — stand a chance. So, I encourage you very strongly to not be frightened of what is going on. It is a concern.  But, remember: these people are deeply incompetent;  they don't have a passion for their work;  the people at Cage have a passion for their work — they are from the community; and you should support them and organisations like them. Thank you. ------- end audio | 14:32 ------- EDIT - red text insert (above).  Must have inadvertently deleted paragraph when formatting. (Lucky discovery nitpicking over a word here or there.  lol) USEFUL LINKS Prevent Strategy Presented to UK Parliament | June 2011 PDF https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/97976/prevent-strategy-review.pdf  CAGE, formerly Cageprisoners Ltd, is a London-based advocacy organization with an Islamic focus  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CAGE_%28organisation%29 McCarthyism Joseph R. McCarthy http://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/joseph-mccarthy David Miranda UK Court: David Miranda Detention Legal Under Terrorism Law Miranda’s attorneys argued that the stop was unlawful and a violation of Miranda’s right to freedom of expression. And they said his detention marked the first time the terrorism act had been implemented to seize journalistic materials. https://firstlook.org/theintercept/2014/02/19/uk-court-david-miranda-detention-legal-terrorism-law/ On the UK's Equating of Journalism With Terrorism he UK Government expressly argued that the release of the Snowden documents (which the free world calls “award–winning journalism“) is actually tantamount to “terrorism”, the same theory now being used by the Egyptian military regime to prosecute Al Jazeera journalists as terrorists. Congratulations to the UK government on the illustrious company it is once again keeping. British officials have also repeatedly threatened criminal prosecution of everyone involved in this reporting, including Guardian journalists and editors. https://firstlook.org/theintercept/2014/02/19/uks-equating-journalism-terrorism-designed-conceal-gchq/ Sarah Harrison Britain is treating journalists as terrorists – believe me, I know http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/mar/14/britain-journalists-terrorists-edward-snowden-nsa Booz Allen Hamilton HQ Tysons Corner, Fairfax County, Virginia core busines: provision of management, technology & security services to civilian government agencies / a security & defence contractor to defense & intelligence agencies civil & commercial entities https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Booz_Allen_Hamilton G4S plc (formerly Group 4 Securicor) British multinational security services company HQ Crawley, West Sussex world's largest security company https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G4S Serco Group plc British outsourcing company HQ Hook, Hampshire operates public and private transport and traffic control, aviation, military weapons, detention centres, prisons and schools on behalf of its customers. "There has been a history of problems, failures, fatal errors and overcharging." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serco The Prevent Strategy: a cradle to grave police-state http://www.cageuk.org/publication/prevent-strategy-cradle-grave-police-state Apologists for terror or defenders of human rights? The Cage controversy in context Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 ... government has drawn the entire public sector into its controversial counter-extremist agenda, meaning that public servants once responsible for the welfare of citizens – including children – must now monitor their behaviour, appearance and political views, feeding into the most unaccountable and repressive elements of the state. Increasingly marginalised by a media smear campaign, Cage has now achieved the status of public pariah once reserved for critics of government policy on Northern Ireland before the peace process. https://www.opendemocracy.net/ourkingdom/tom-mills-narzanin-massoumi-david-miller/apologists-for-terror-or-defenders-of-human-righ CAGE to sue David Cameron for calling it 'extremist' ISIS and Jihadi John supporting group ... seeking legal advice on whether Mr Cameron is "guilty of defamation". As well as potentially launching legal action against the Prime Minister, CAGE also announced today it has applied for a judicial review against UK charity watchdog, the Charity Commission. CAGE says the commission "exceeded its role as government regulator" by pressuring donors to stop funding it and claims the Charity Commission "spread false information based on misleading reports in certain sections of the media". It said the commission "demonised" CAGE because Jihadi John approached it for advice before he left to fight for ISIS in Syria. The organisation is not stopping there on the warpath against the establishment — it has also complained to the United Nations (UN) about "sustained attacks on its ability to do its advocacy work", which it says involves campaigning for the rights "of those adversely affected by the war on terror" http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/592855/CAGE-sue-David-Cameron-called-extremist-ISIS-Jihadi-John-supporting-group Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2015/6/contents/enacted ꕤ