The British on intelligence: a collection (SIS, MI5, GCHQ & more)

[davidbfpo]

'The Doughnut' is the nickname for the HQ of GCHQ, the UK's SIGINT / COMINT organisation (similar to the NSA) and its Director is about to retire, so he gave an interview:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...n-our-own.html

His questioner, Charles Moore, gives him an "easy ride" IMHO and some phrases do jar.

I certainly don't recall this being public information:

...a monument to colleagues who died on active service – five in Afghanistan.

[davidbfpo]

Yesterday Ian Lobban, GCHQ's retiring Director gave his official exit speech; choosing Churchill's WW2 Cabinet War Rooms in London. This is the official version:http://www.gchq.gov.uk/press_and_med...delivered.aspx

He ends with:

My staff are the embodiment of British values, not a threat to them

One critical blogger has responded, with a passage by passage critique, which in my opinion is the better read:https://p10.secure.hostingprod.com/@...ry-speech.html

The anonymous author almost ends with:

Most current GCHQ staff are probably not a threat to British values, but the automated infrastructure of snooping is a huge threat to us all, including such privileged insiders themselves.

A shorter response, on a US website, cites Professor Ross Anderson,, of Cambridge University, a critic:

Presumably their definition of liberty is their liberty to do what they want.

Link:http://motherboard.vice.com/read/bri...s-surveillance