PSNI under pressure over spying revelations

Two human rights organisations are seeking an inquiry into Britain’s surveillance of journalists after police were found to be spying on those investigating British state collusion in loyalist atrocities.

Amnesty International and the Committee on the Administration of Justice (CAJ) have called on the Policing Board in the north of Ireland to act following developments in a case involving journalists Barry McCaffrey and Trevor Birney.

Last week, a hearing in London heard the PSNI subjected at least eight unnamed journalists to regular phone surveillance.

The human rights groups have penned a letter expressing concern at what they described as “a pattern of potential unlawful activity” by the PSNI.

It states: “It now appears that there was routine surveillance of the phone data of journalists, and possible surveillance of the spouse of one journalist as well as their lawyer.

“Public disquiet at the intrusive, covert and possibly unlawful use of surveillance powers by the PSNI is considerable.”

The two organisations have called for the Policing Board, the North’s police authority, to establish an inquiry on the full extent of PSNI surveillance activity “in the interests of transparency”, and for a full report.

Evidence of wholesale and long-term spying by the PSNI on those the force branded “troublemaker” journalists and lawyers emerged last week at the Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT) in London.

It has also been revealed that the PSNI accessed Mr Birney’s wife’s data with the aim of uncovering his sources, and spying on the electronic data of journalists, and plans to do the same to lawyer Niall Murphy.

The PSNI has also now been accused of stalking after it emerged it had “physically followed” an individual from the Police Ombudsman’s Office.

Barry McCaffrey has said the scandal extends beyond the north of Ireland, with MI5, the French authorities and the FBI involved in the spying at various stages.

“Only an independent public inquiry can restore the public’s confidence in policing,” he said.

“The untold damage that has already been caused by this shameful attack on press freedom will only worsen if the Policing Board and [Justice Minister] Naomi Long fail to act urgently.”

PSNI chief Jon Boutcher has said he will provide a public report by the next full meeting of the board in June, but is refusing to comment further. He said he did not want to “speculate about what might or might not have happened in the past”.

Amnesty International said the proposed publication of the PSNI report is “wholly insufficient” to restore public confidence, adding the force cannot be “allowed to mark its own homework”.

“Public confidence in policing and police oversight can only be restored through full accountability for these potentially unlawful surveillance activities,” it said.

The scandal has confirmed a continuation of sectarian policing in the North and brought fresh calls for the force to be disbanded.

Saoradh said the recognition by the establishment that the PSNI “are a law unto themselves” would be welcomed by republicans, but criticised the “hypocrisy” which it said has seen the PSNI’s treatment of activists ignored, including “harassment, vilification, internment, property damaged and stolen, strip-searching children, torture, physical abuse, and even murder”.

“In what sort of liberal democracy would this be tolerated?

“If the purpose of journalism is to report the facts, they have failed, either by design default or direction. We have warned of this for years and been met with a wall of silence from the establishment media. Today it’s us, tomorrow it’s you.”

Urgent Appeal