European Parliament Wants Snowden, NSA Chief to Testify on Spying

[Catherina]

How about you allow him to fly over your airspace and give him IRONCLAD guarantees first? Frankly, after France, Portugal, Spain and Italy's shameful behavior, and the complicity of other nations that refused Snowden's asylum requests, that's some gall to want Snowden to testify. They can subscribe to the Guardian like the rest of us.


European Parliament Wants Snowden, NSA Chief to Testify on Spying

By Ryan Gallagher | Posted Thursday, July 18, 2013, at 2:31 PM

The European Parliament is gearing up to launch an investigation into the recently revealed NSA surveillance programs—and lawmakers are drawing up an interesting list of witnesses who they want to invite to interview about the snooping.

In September, the parliament is set to begin a series of hearings as part of the inquiry, which was established following the exposure of sweeping spy efforts that extend across the world. Now, members of the parliament are putting forward names for individuals they want to call in to answer questions. Among those suggested so far are a series of high-profile figures at the center of the surveillance revelations, including Edward Snowden, the whistle-blower who leaked the secret documents on the spying; NSA chief Gen. Keith Alexander; and Guardian journalist Glenn Greenwald, who was passed the documents by Snowden and has published several scoops based on them in recent weeks.

...

Last week, at a meeting about the scope of its inquiry into the NSA’s surveillance, members of the European Parliament’s civil liberties committee agreed that they would invite U.S. authorities, surveillance and privacy experts, data protection authorities, and representatives from parliaments in EU members states to participate in a series of at least 12 public hearings scheduled for before the end of the year. On Thursday, German member of the European Parliament Jan Albrecht published a list of individuals he is requesting be invited. Aside from Snowden and Greenwald, it includes a host of top surveillance experts, plus NSA whistle-blowers Thomas Drake and William Binney, who have both in recent years spoken out publicly about the agency’s growing spying capabilities. Dutch MEP Sophie In ‘t Veld, vice chair of the civil liberties committee, confirmed in an email Thursday that she intends to invite Gen. Alexander. The inquiry’s conclusions will eventually be presented in a report to the parliament and could have implications for data-sharing agreements between Europe and the United States.

...

http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2013/07/18/european_parliament_wants_snowden_nsa_chief_to_testify_on_u_s_spying.html

[hr]

Suggested Witnesses for the LIBE Inquiry, Jan Philipp Albrecht, 11.7.2013

1) Intelligence / Law Enforcement

Heads of national police and intelligence agencies
Rob Wainwright, Director of Europol
Ilkka Salmi, Director of the EU Intelligence Analysis Centre (INTCENT), formerly SITCEN

2) Whistleblowers

Edward Snowden, ex-CIA, for Booz Allen Hamilton at NSA
Mark Klein, ex-AT&T, discovered the “secret room” built to divert backbone data
Thomas Drake, ex-NSA, disclosed classified information on the NSA's wire-tapping program
William (Bill) Binney and J. Kirk Wiebe, ex-NSA, leaked information on the NSA Trailblazer programme
missing: any European whistleblowers!

3) Academics and investigative journalists, technical and legal experts

a) on fact-finding

Glenn Greenwald, The Guardian
James Bamford, wrote the seminal books about the NSA
Duncan Campbell, wrote the first STOA study on Echelon (1999)
Erich Möchel, expert on ETSI lawful interception standards
Caspar Bowden, wrote EP study on Cloud Security and Privacy (2012)
Dr. Christopher Soghoian, principal technologist and senior policy analyst, ACLU
Prof. Josef Foschepoth, wrote a book on NSA interception in Germany since WWII (2012)
Dr. Gus Hosein, executive Director, Privacy International, on the UK situation
Dr. Ian Brown, Oxford Internet Institute, EU COM expert on security and privacy
Prof. Douwe Korff, expert on CoE law and infringements by PRISM and TEMPORA
Frank Rieger, spokesperson of the Chaos Computer Club, expert on secure communications
Dr. Ben Hayes, Statewatch, expert on the "surveillance-industrial complex"
Nicky Hager, wrote the first book about the NSA

b) on recommendations

Gerhard Schmid, EP ECHELON Rapporteur 2000-2001
Jacob Applebaum, TOR Project, on interception
Smari McCarthy, Icelandic Modern Media Institute, on whistleblower protection and interception security
Caspar Bowden, on cloud security
Ben Emmerson, UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism
Frank Larue, UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, on whistleblower protection
Florian Walther, Chaos Computer Club, on IT-Security of EU institutions (he already testified in LIBE in the hearing on the cyberattacks directive, 2011)

http://www.janalbrecht.eu/themen/datenschutz-und-netzpolitik/vorgeschlagene-zeugen-fuer-die-nsa-untersuchung-im-innenausschuss.html

[Luminous Animal]

1. Very interesting.

[Catherina]

2. I don't think there's enough room under the bus for the EU Parliament! n/t

[sabrina 1]

30. Lol, I think we have a fleet of buses now. So someone will manage to stuff them under one of them.

He should not under any circumstances trust these puppets of the US. If they want his testimony, he should do by Skype. But I guess even the puppets in Europe have finally had enough. Let's hope so.

[Rex]

3. Oh come on now! Everyone knows the EU parliment

is...umm...is...dam I got nothing.

Don't worry, someone will come along and say it is not important and that we should ONLY be focused on Snowden and what color socks he has on!

[Catherina]

4. My friend you're killing me!

That was too funny.

[Rex]

7. Hehe.

I wonder if we can actually ignore the rest of the planet? EU...meh who is that? Russia...don't we buy cookies from his kids? China...nope just our most favored trading partner and the #1 moneymaker for the GOP. Nothing to see here.

This stuff writes itself Catherina, I just add a few comments because I cannot help myself!

[Catherina]

10. It sure does lol. The snowfall is turning into an avalanche

I hope we're wise enough to use this opportunity to better our country. I hope Carter speaks out more because he has the most stature to but it would be hard.

[zappaman]

16. What about Denmark? n/t

[Rex]

21. If he heads there then...you know...

Olfactory lobes, pungent smells...bear claws...

[pinboy3niner]

22. Snowden is nobody's pastry!

Okay, I couldn't help myself on that one, even if it might also appeal to the kill-the-messenger mob.

My bad!

[Rex]

25. That is funny!

It is hard not to find something in all this to laugh at, even if it is 'serious shit'.

[tritsofme]

24. You are right, even though it wasn't your intention.

The EU Parliament is a almost completely toothless, powerless and largely irrelevant institution, they are not a real policymaking player in the EU.

[sabrina 1]

31. It will take incredible, pretzel like contortions, that's for sure, considering what puppets to

the US and Wall St the EU 'leaders' have been up to now. Although I have to admit, I am often amazed at how adept they can be at spinning and turning and twisting and whatever they feel is necessary. So it will be interesting to watch at least.

[ProSense]

5. So they want

Suggested Witnesses for the LIBE Inquiry, Jan Philipp Albrecht, 11.7.2013

<...>

2) Whistleblowers

Edward Snowden, ex-CIA, for Booz Allen Hamilton at NSA
Mark Klein, ex-AT&T, discovered the “secret room” built to divert backbone data
Thomas Drake, ex-NSA, disclosed classified information on the NSA's wire-tapping program
William (Bill) Binney and J. Kirk Wiebe, ex-NSA, leaked information on the NSA Trailblazer programme
missing: any European whistleblowers!

....him to testify against the U.S. government? Yeah, I'm sure that's going to happen.

NSA veteran: "So he is transitioning from whistle-blower to a traitor."
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023035550

[Laelth]

6. They're putting on a show for their citizens.

Most of their governments are complicit. They still have to put on a good show.

-Laelth

[Catherina]

14. I agree but I think they're also very concerned about industrial espionage

Last edited Thu Jul 18, 2013, 08:43 PM - Edit history (1)

I'm not sure how this is being set up or by whom. It could be their equivalent of Congressman Conyers

We know it's not Merkel or Hollande

[Laelth]

18. I share your curiosity.

I have no inside info. regarding who might have led the push for this. I suspect they're all worried about industrial espionage, as they should be.

Let us hope that some good comes out of it all.

-Laelth

[sabrina 1]

33. Very likely and yes, most of them are puppets. However even a puppet can begin to wonder

sometimes, when the puppet master turns out to be something other than what they had hoped for.

[pinboy3niner]

8. A lot of gall, indeed

And to add insult to injury, you should see the flightplan they sent with the invitation...

[Catherina]

13. Was it a flightplan or a road map lol?

[pinboy3niner]

19. Let's just say...it was a DUzy!

[Catherina]

20. Something like this I think

[rhett o rick]

9. They have reserved a room for Snowden at the Ecuadorian embassy. nm

[Catherina]

15. If he could make it there, he'd be halfway home.

Once he gets his Russian papers, he'll be able to. I hope the US, the UK or any of our other sordid allies aren't camped out at the embassies waiting for him.

[bunnies]

11. Cant he just skype?

Seems to me he should be able to testify remotely from wherever he is.

[Catherina]

12. I think that would be the smartest. Same for Greenwald. n/t

[bunnies]

17. Plus they'd be able to have lawyers with them at the time of the hearing.

I sure as hell would.

[tritsofme]

23. There is hardly a less relevant body than the EU Parliament

I can assure you that neither Snowden nor General Alexander will be there. I'm sure Greenwald takes any PR he can get.

[Rex]

26. The Texas Legislator.

I can think of some.

[tritsofme]

27. What is it that makes you think that?

How much you like or dislike something doesn't have much to do with its relevance.

[Rex]

28. Oh sorry I thought you meant useless.

nt.

[sabrina 1]

34. US Congress is close.

[tritsofme]

36. No, not really.

[MannyGoldstein]

29. Another crappy White House plan to capture Snowden

Half-dimensional chess!

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

32. Well, Obama said he wanted a discussion. Let's see if he follows through.

[RobertEarl]

35. They should invite Obama?

He could tell them not to worry, he has this.

That, sure, we spy on you, duh. Hey, we are the world's Empire! We have soldiers in all your countries and we be spying on you.

Maybe he could get one of his rap stars to write up a little ditty? Like:

We bad
you sad

we spy
you cry

NSA goin' find you
and then we goin' fly you