Met hacking claim: IPCC asks whistleblowers to come forward

Met hacking claim: IPCC asks whistleblowers to come forward

Police watchdog is investigating claims unit used hackers in India to obtain passwords of campaigners and journalists

A watchdog investigating claims that a Scotland Yard unit illegally accessed the private emails of hundreds of political campaigners and journalists has appealed for whistleblowers to come forward.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) launched its investigation after an anonymous individual alleged that the unit used hackers in India to obtain the passwords of the email accounts of the campaigners, and some reporters and press photographers. Two were alleged to work for the Guardian, although neither was named.

The individual, who said he or she worked for the intelligence unit that monitors the activities of political campaigners, outlined the claims in a letter to the Green party peer Jenny Jones. It was alleged that the police regularly checked the email accounts to collect information about protests.

In a statement on Thursday, the IPCC said it would like to make contact with the author of the letter, who is believed to be a serving or retired officer. The IPCC also said it would like to speak to any other current or former police officers or staff members with information about these allegations.

Sarah Green, the IPCC’s deputy chair, said: “These are clearly serious allegations and the IPCC is conducting a comprehensive investigation into the matters raised. This will be a complex investigation given the potential involvement of foreign participants.
“We would like to hear from the officer who brought these allegations to light or any other officers or police staff who may be able to provide information of use to the IPCC investigation.”

The IPCC confirmed in March that it had launched the investigation into the claims made in the letter. The author of the letter had named 10 campaigners, along with the passwords they had used to open their emails.

Lawyers at Bindmans working for Jones have contacted eight of the campaigners and asked them to volunteer their passwords. Seven gave passwords identical to the ones listed, while one responded with a password that closely resembled the one in the letter. Two cannot be traced.

In its statement on Thursday, the IPCC said it was looking at whether officers from the national domestic extremism and disorder intelligence unit (NDEDIU) “contacted Indian counterparts and if the services of computer hackers in India were obtained to access email accounts. It will also examine if any officers within NDEDIU used any information gained from this contact if it took place.”

In a related investigation, the IPCC has uncovered evidence that the Metropolitan police unit shredded a large number of documents despite an official instruction that the files should be preserved to be scrutinised by a public inquiry into the undercover infiltration of political groups. The public inquiry is being led by a senior judge, Lord Justice Pitchford.

The author of the letter alleged that the documents were destroyed as they revealed that police officers had “engaged in illegal activities to obtain intelligence on protest groups”.

The IPCC is also investigating claims that the unit destroyed files it had compiled on the political activities of Jones. The allegations – brought to light by David Williams, a whistleblower who worked for the unit – were revealed by the Guardian last year.

Jones said: “I have no doubt that a significant number of police officers knew of this illegal activity. I can understand their reasons for being reluctant to come forward as whistleblowers but it is in the public interest for them to do so.

“The IPCC investigation, combined with the Pitchford inquiry into undercover policing, give brave policing professionals a chance to expose bad practice and restore their reputation for political neutrality.”

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Rob Evans
@robevansgdn
Thursday 11 May 2017 14.38 BST  Last modified on Thursday 11 May 2017 15.06 BST

Hi Keitei,thanks for your post on probable hacking of phones?
You only have to look at the Rupert Murdoch empire involvement and hacking of Phones,Yates of the Yard,Ian Morgan unsolved Murder,Millie Dowler,the Royal family,Squidgy tapes,Leveson Inquiry,these practise where learnt by the British Army in Northern Ireland,MI5,espionage Operations?
If any one doubts that the MP's from the House of Common's,Lords have never been involved in subterfuge of hiding their"Predilection's" from the Public's gaze,when about to be unmasked by Journalists,or even undercover Police Officers Warned off by MI5,that the IPCC will have any clout to properly investigate this culture,to  uncover the Cover ups your openly naive,this isn't a Criticism,just look at the D notices in order to protect who the Public or their"special fiends"?
You openly have to despair the UK's future standing in life when  hits the Fan,"Who are you Gonna Call Ghost Busters?
People are becoming aware of the "Scandals"that have been hushed up?
Donald Trump,Epstein,various American Artists Comedians,Bill Cosby,Bill O'Reilly,Clinton's,Bush Clan,they all appear to be linked to a "Skull& Cross Bones"guise of unsolved Murders,child disappearances?
Then what the public learned of the Marc Dutroix affair within the European Union Empire and how they quickly tried to suppress any trails being for the Public consumption,unsolved deaths of judges,to protect the"Proletariat" of what the Bourgeoisie where practising?

We do have to despair, I agree entirely.

Strangely enough on the same page as the above article, another headline

Retiring police chief will avoid any discipline over alleged coverup

Cdr Chris Greany will not face possible censure arising from IPCC inquiry after notifying force that he was leaving


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Keitei wrote:We do have to despair, I agree entirely.

Strangely enough on the same page as the above article, another headline

Retiring police chief will avoid any discipline over alleged coverup

Cdr Chris Greany will not face possible censure arising from IPCC inquiry after notifying force that he was leaving


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Hi Keitei,doesn't this just show the"Hypocrisy"of the Political system in the UK,When a former Prime Minister,David Cameron changes Laws for any serving Council Official,to be charged with,"Misconduct in Public Office" Social Care Workers,yet senior Commanders can openly flounce the same rules?

Nothing will ever change.  Whistleblowers are reluctant to come forward as they know they will not be protected - we have seen this with the NHS whistleblowers charter - several known whistleblowers have been suspended for  years on full pay and gone on to win at industrial tribunals leaving the taxpayer with hefty bills as per.

The great British Tax payer, what would these people do without them?  I despair, I really do.

plebgate wrote:Nothing will ever change.  Whistleblowers are reluctant to come forward as they know they will not be protected - we have seen this with the NHS whistleblowers charter - several known whistleblowers have been suspended for  years on full pay and gone on to win at industrial tribunals leaving the taxpayer with hefty bills as per.

It takes a brave or stupid person to blow the whistle on any Government body, as I know to my personal cost.

With hindsight I was stupid, I should have just said "f**k it" & let the malpractice continue.

That way I'd have got further promotions & would be enjoying a far better standard of living in my retirement.

Philip Anders wrote:

plebgate wrote:Nothing will ever change.  Whistleblowers are reluctant to come forward as they know they will not be protected - we have seen this with the NHS whistleblowers charter - several known whistleblowers have been suspended for  years on full pay and gone on to win at industrial tribunals leaving the taxpayer with hefty bills as per.

It takes a brave or stupid person to blow the whistle on any Government body, as I know to my personal cost.

With hindsight I was stupid, I should have just said "f**k it" & let the malpractice continue.

That way I'd have got further promotions & would be enjoying a far better standard of living in my retirement.

Did it do any good though?
Raise awareness, for instance?
At least you didn't end up in the woods with your wrists cut.

Colin Sutton is on record with his hearsay revelation/ criticism of Operation Grange's remit and has declared the source of a gypsy's warning telephone conversation out of bounds and he will never be in a position to reveal the name of the caller.

That's kinda neat - not in a good way I hasten to add.

Get'emGonçalo wrote:

Philip Anders wrote:

plebgate wrote:Nothing will ever change.  Whistleblowers are reluctant to come forward as they know they will not be protected - we have seen this with the NHS whistleblowers charter - several known whistleblowers have been suspended for  years on full pay and gone on to win at industrial tribunals leaving the taxpayer with hefty bills as per.

It takes a brave or stupid person to blow the whistle on any Government body, as I know to my personal cost.

With hindsight I was stupid, I should have just said "f**k it" & let the malpractice continue.

That way I'd have got further promotions & would be enjoying a far better standard of living in my retirement.

Did it do any good though?
Raise awareness, for instance?
At least you didn't end up in the woods with your wrists cut.

My whistleblowing was fairly low down the order & wouldn't have brought down the Government so no danger of me doing a Dr Kelly & no, it didn't do any good or raise awareness because people weren't made aware of my concerns.
The only effect was one of the high-ups was sacked but I was transferred & kissed goodbye to any further promotion.

Absolutely - in my experience, government (local/national) will always find a way to sack whistleblowers, and it seems the private sector is no different.

We have so much whistle-blowing going on in Ireland at the moment that it's like the wind section of an orchestra. All the whistle-blowers have, especially in the past, been appallingly treated. Even a serving politician who highlighted concerns over police malfeasance found herself pulled over and breath-tested while driving. She was arrested and handcuffed at the side of the road. Conveniently, the media were there to catch the whole event. She was proved by susbsequent blood tests to be innocent but the same media were not so quick to highlight that fact. I'm not surprised people keep schtum.

Yet another example of what happens to a whistle blower
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The people at the top get massive salaries and certainly don't want their lack of action/bad management made public.  

They get these massive salaries because they are the best peope for the job apparently.   They are having a laugh surely?