[Reader-list] MoD uses counter-terrorism powers to spy on wounded soldiers

[Rajendra Bhat Uppinangadi]

Dear Taha, and all in the list,

    I do not understand your apprehension that if the authorities verify the
claim, genuineness of a wounded soldier, it should be seen in any other
light.? Instances are too many in the society, where the poverty alleviation
programmes make the richer more rich, BPL cards are held by land lords and
the rich and powerful, but not by genuine poor. Individuals join terror
action, not for faith, but for the wealth such actions yield if not to them,
to their dependents.

With emphasis on material aspects of life, even intellectuals mortgage and
prostitute their wares of intellectuals property for wealth.  In the guise
of advocacy of rights, duties are often given shortshift, in the
circumstances even Taha posting his personal prejudice against ID cards, is
like saying we do not want any laws, as these aws are abused.! Laws will be
abused, were abused and will be, are being abused, but it does not mean
there should not be any societal laws and we should live with might is right
as credo for living.?If the system has failed and has flaws, it is because
of few individuals who are escaping the clutches of laws, some who use power
to do so. But more individuals have been able to live , live with dignity,
because of the societal laws.

Regards.

Rajen.

On Tue, Jul 21, 2009 at 9:57 PM, Taha Mehmood
<2tahamehmood at googlemail.com>wrote:

>
> http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/defence/5854169/MoD-uses-counter-terrorism-powers-to-spy-on-wounded-soldiers.html
>
>
> MoD uses counter-terrorism powers to spy on wounded soldiers
> Hundreds of injured servicemen who submitted compensation claims have
> been secretly filmed by Ministry of Defence officers to check whether
> they are exaggerating or lying, it has emerged.
>
> Published: 7:00AM BST 18 Jul 2009
>
> The secret surveillance of claimants is being carried out under the
> controversial Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA),
> originally intended to help the police and MI5 monitor terrorists in
> the UK.
>
> All injured servicemen and women who have begun the compensation
> process have been sent letters, via their solicitors, warning them
> that they could be filmed.
>
> It reads: "Claims are investigated thoroughly and can involve an
> assessment of the claimant's physical capability undertaken covertly
> by surveillance when necessary and proportionate."
>
> If there is suspicion of fraud, their case will be "routinely" passed
> on to the MoD police for investigation.
>
> Since April 2004, 284 servicemen have been covertly filmed, which
> represents about one per cent of the claims brought against the MoD,
> the department confirmed.
>
> Military commanders and soldiers wounded in action have called the
> practice a "national disgrace".
>
> Warren Ward, a former soldier who was wounded by a mortar bomb in
> Basra, said the letter had left him feeling "like a benefits cheat".
>
> "I'm not a scrounger. I did my duty as a soldier for my country," he said.
>
> Diane Dernie, mother of paratrooper Ben Parkinson who was left unable
> to walk or speak after sustaining horrific injuries in Afghanistan,
> said: "I can barely believe it.
>
> "We are talking about young men who are terribly maimed, or who see
> their friends killed and mangled and then have to clear up the
> remains.
>
> "I've seen these people make incredible efforts to get well again, yet
> the MoD is treating them as potential fraudsters – and for what?"
>
> Lord Guthrie, the retired Chief of the Defence Staff, also condemned
> the MoD's use of RIPA.
>
> "I find this extraordinary, but sadly it is rather typical of the
> attitude in the Ministry of Defence and Whitehall
>
> "I have never heard of such tactics before. I think it's a terribly
> unfortunate thing for the MoD to decide to do."
>
> It has recently been disclosed that local councils have been using
> RIPA powers, which allow covert filming, bugging and recruiting
> members of the public to act as "intelligence sources", provoking
> outrage.
>
> The MoD has defended its use, saying they only employ surveillance in
> a minority of cases where fraud is suspected, and have saved several
> million pounds of the defence budget in doing so.
>
> A spokesman said: "The MoD, like the insurance industry, is at risk of
> fraudulent claims. If, during the process of determining liability,
> evidence suggests that a claim has been exaggerated, surveillance may
> be used to verify details. It is used in less than one per cent of
> cases and should be of no concern to individuals with a legitimate
> claim."
> _________________________________________
> reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city.
> Critiques & Collaborations
> To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with
> subscribe in the subject header.
> To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list
> List archive: &lt;https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/>




-- 
Rajen.