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The intelligence and security committee maintains secrecy for good reasons The intelligence and security committee maintains secrecy for good reasons
(3 months later)
One of the great dilemmas of a free and democratic society is how we reconcile preserving our liberty with the need to allow our intelligence agencies to intercept our mail and tap our telephones. What is equally important, however, is to examine, constantly, how much information about the activities of the intelligence agencies can be shared with the public without harm to the legitimate needs of national security.One of the great dilemmas of a free and democratic society is how we reconcile preserving our liberty with the need to allow our intelligence agencies to intercept our mail and tap our telephones. What is equally important, however, is to examine, constantly, how much information about the activities of the intelligence agencies can be shared with the public without harm to the legitimate needs of national security.
The intelligence and security committee – the ISC – which I chair, is composed of senior parliamentarians, entirely independent of the government. We have the power and the duty to investigate the actions of MI5, MI6 and GCHQ to uncover the truth.The intelligence and security committee – the ISC – which I chair, is composed of senior parliamentarians, entirely independent of the government. We have the power and the duty to investigate the actions of MI5, MI6 and GCHQ to uncover the truth.
Until now the ISC has held all its evidence sessions in private. This has been crucial because the whole point of our work is to get access to and examine not only the heads of the intelligence agencies but also to see their top secret files, documents and intelligence raw material. It is obvious that such matters can only be dealt with in private session. Notwithstanding that, the ISC has decided, and obtained agreement from MI5, MI6 and GCHQ, to have an occasional evidence session in public, before the television cameras.Until now the ISC has held all its evidence sessions in private. This has been crucial because the whole point of our work is to get access to and examine not only the heads of the intelligence agencies but also to see their top secret files, documents and intelligence raw material. It is obvious that such matters can only be dealt with in private session. Notwithstanding that, the ISC has decided, and obtained agreement from MI5, MI6 and GCHQ, to have an occasional evidence session in public, before the television cameras.
We had been planning to have our first public session of evidence this week. The Guardian has rebuked us for postponing this session until the autumn. We are unrepentant. We have postponed (not cancelled) the session for very serious reasons.We had been planning to have our first public session of evidence this week. The Guardian has rebuked us for postponing this session until the autumn. We are unrepentant. We have postponed (not cancelled) the session for very serious reasons.
Our immediate priority is to do detailed work both on the intelligence aspects of the murder in Woolwich of Lee Rigby, and to examine the allegations against GCHQ arising out of the leaking of secrets by Edward Snowden. To do that seriously requires us not just to ask GCHQ and MI5 whether various allegations are true or false. We need to see any relevant reports, intercepts and other raw intelligence material. Most of this will be highly classified material.Our immediate priority is to do detailed work both on the intelligence aspects of the murder in Woolwich of Lee Rigby, and to examine the allegations against GCHQ arising out of the leaking of secrets by Edward Snowden. To do that seriously requires us not just to ask GCHQ and MI5 whether various allegations are true or false. We need to see any relevant reports, intercepts and other raw intelligence material. Most of this will be highly classified material.
The Guardian suggests that these issues should, nevertheless, have been raised in a public hearing, before the cameras, this week. With respect, that is very unconvincing. Any questions that we asked in public session, and the answers that we received, would of necessity have been so general and superficial as to be of little public benefit. No doubt the Guardian would have then criticised us for such an inadequate investigation.The Guardian suggests that these issues should, nevertheless, have been raised in a public hearing, before the cameras, this week. With respect, that is very unconvincing. Any questions that we asked in public session, and the answers that we received, would of necessity have been so general and superficial as to be of little public benefit. No doubt the Guardian would have then criticised us for such an inadequate investigation.
We are determined that our public sessions with the intelligence chiefs will not be done for entertainment. There is much, of value, that can be discussed in public. What is the need for intelligence agencies when the cold war has been over for more than 20 years? What is the current threat from al-Qaida and other terrorist organisations? Do the intelligence agencies need the £2bn of public funds that they receive? How do they co-operate with other countries' intelligence agencies in the western world and elsewhere?We are determined that our public sessions with the intelligence chiefs will not be done for entertainment. There is much, of value, that can be discussed in public. What is the need for intelligence agencies when the cold war has been over for more than 20 years? What is the current threat from al-Qaida and other terrorist organisations? Do the intelligence agencies need the £2bn of public funds that they receive? How do they co-operate with other countries' intelligence agencies in the western world and elsewhere?
Our public sessions will not, however, be occasions when we can carry out detailed investigations of specific allegations. That needs to involve access to secret information, and that will continue to be done – as the public would expect – in secret.Our public sessions will not, however, be occasions when we can carry out detailed investigations of specific allegations. That needs to involve access to secret information, and that will continue to be done – as the public would expect – in secret.
Just as the citizen's entitlement to privacy has to be balanced with the need to obtain secret intelligence to protect the citizen from terrorist attack, so too we cannot escape the fact that secret information revealed to honest citizens will also be read and acted upon by terrorists and criminals. Getting the balance right is never easy, but the ISC, with parliamentarians from all parties, has only the public interest in mind in the decisions it takes.Just as the citizen's entitlement to privacy has to be balanced with the need to obtain secret intelligence to protect the citizen from terrorist attack, so too we cannot escape the fact that secret information revealed to honest citizens will also be read and acted upon by terrorists and criminals. Getting the balance right is never easy, but the ISC, with parliamentarians from all parties, has only the public interest in mind in the decisions it takes.
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