Bishop Hill Why do they want to know?
Jan 27, 2010 Climate: CRU FOI Via a correspondent, I have obtained a copy of the form that the police are sending round to sceptics as part of their investigation of the climategate leaks. Some of the questions being asked are pretty surprising:
18) What is your stance on climate change?
19) Are you a current or past member of any political or environmental organisation/ group? Details:
20) Do you contribute to, participate in, or administer any internet based website, forum, blog, etc. including any related to climate change? Details:
Is it just me, or is this rather sinister from a civil liberties point of view? I simply can't see that contributing to a blog is relevant to the inquiry. One can't help but get the impression of innocent people having police files being built on them, simply because the forces of law and order (in the shape of NDET) haven't got anything better to do.
Meanwhile, it is interesting to note that the offence being investigated is described in the form as, variously, a theft, a leak and a breach. But never a hack.
One thing we can say about the hacker/leaker is that he/she was possessed of some relatively sophisticated IT skills, so it's also interesting to see that the police seem to have no interest in whether any of the people they are quizzing have this skillset.
Very odd.
Reader Comments (62)
I wonder what the European Court of Human Rights thinks of such questions. As I understand it the ECHR has the power to overrule UK law.
As has been said the simplest advice is to answer questions you wish to and do not answer those you do not. They are not permitted to make any judgement based on the answers, and of course any answers you give would be retained by them.
If in doubt, say nowt.
Did Jonathan Leake the e-mails?
"Are you now or have you ever been..... a member of the Communist party" - the McCarthy witchunts of the 1950's.
these questions are chilling. and if they're not illegal in the Uk they bloody well should be.
Axiomatic. Government corruption is discovered. The government investigates the witnesses and victims, not the criminals.
I'm a bit puzzled can I ask for some info on this? In what *context* are the police asking these questions? Are these to preface witness statements, or is this supposed to be evidential in some way? Can anyone forward a form, or provide some kind of context? I't s pretty bizarre to ask anyone their reading habits during the course of a police investigation...
To a jones point, fear is what law enforcement uses to get confessions. It is a typical interrogation tactic. Another great tactic is that they appear to be your friend and on your side.
I wouldn't answer anything. I am not sure how the laws are outside the US, but as our Miranda rights clearly warn, you have the right to remain silent. Anything you say to police CANNOT help you and CAN ONLY be used against you. Unfortunately, many good and innocent people think they have nothing to hide and so fully cooperate with police by answering all their questions and in many cases screw themselves.
Also, even answering police by denying any wrong-doing may screw you. By answer at all...even denial, you have given up your right to remain silent. I don't fully understand the law here, but this is the implication in a presentation by Law Prefessor James Duane:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8z7NC5sgik
CARBON TAX IS THEFT - PLAIN AND SIMPLE.
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=181254384531#/group.php?gid=181254384531&v=wall
Off topic, but when will the inquiry at Penn State be finished? And will they share their conclusions?
@Dennis
"All perfectly proper and above board"
Yes, your irony meter needs new batteries.
I wonder if the plod are also giving these forms to the CRU crew and other warmists?
In the UK, I forget which particular "justice" act introduced it, but exercising your right to silence WILL be used AGAINST you in court.
I dearly hope that the whistle blower is identified and named. How else will he/she ever get the dukedom that has been so justly earned?