Geronimo wasn't killed in Pakistan

This is from Intercontinental Cry:

Geronimo wasn't killed in Pakistan. Geronimo wasn't even his name.

Terror threat increased without evidence of threat

According to MI5...

The Home Secretary said in a statement:

"The Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre has today raised the threat to the UK from international terrorism from SUBSTANTIAL to SEVERE. This means that a terrorist attack is highly likely, but I should stress that there is no intelligence to suggest than an attack is imminent."

So no threat of an imminent attack then, just a highly likely terrorist attack at some point in the future. Next century maybe? A terrorist force that has yet to be formed campaigning on an issue yet to exist?

Not the most helpful statement from the Home Secretary. Rising the fear factor is a well rehearsed political move that the US have a long history of. Let's hope that Labour are not playing this game in the run up to an election.

Are you a terrorist?

Earlier this week the local news carried a story about a man who was stopped under Section 44 of the Terrorism Act (2000) for taking photos of Burgess Hill's Christmas lights. Also a BBC journalist was stopped after taking photos of St Pauls. Earlier this year a man was arrested in Chatham High St for taking photos.

Section 44 allows the police to designate "no photo" zones where they can stop, search and question people. The police won't tell us where these zones are - that would spoil the fun of it I suppose!

In February this year, this was extended under the Counter Terrorism Act 2008, so that taking photos of police or armed forces is now illegal.

Apart from the absurdity of Chatham High St or Burgess Hill being a terrorist target, the assault on basic human rights is simply dreadful. At what point does taking photographs become "looking at and trying to remember"? What about painting them?

Just when will Google be prosecuted for Google Earth and Street View?

If I wanted to take a photo for illegal purposes, I would use a small camera, probably mounted on something less obvious - like a mobile phone. Fortunately those haven't been invented yet...

Anti terror billboards

I'm sure we have all seen these new billboards going up telling us to spy on our neighbours 'cause they are probably terrorists. I find the whole campaign just another appalling attempt to scare us into subservience.

This great website (http://jamesholden.net/billboard/) allows you to put your own words on them. I sure there is something funny to say about the lack of recycling in that town...

Section 78 of the Counter Terrorism Act 2008

Video from Beau Bo D'or - might be a lost on anyone who doesn't remember Camberwick Green.

Remember children, it is now illegal to shoot a policeman with a camera.