US: We will catch whistleblower; Shatter warns against 'Big Brother' tactics
The Attorney general of the United States has warned the whistleblower who leaked details on the country’s internet spying tactics that he will be caught.
It came as Justice Minister, Alan Shatter, called for greater transparency on when data was being accessed.
Eric Holder, in Dublin for talks with European Union home affairs and justice ministers and officials, made the declaration as Edward Snowden remains on the run.
Mr Holder reiterated claims that the defence contractor turned fugitive had damaged US national security and the safety of Americans and their allies.
“I can assure you that we will hold accountable the person who is responsible for these extremely damaging leaks,” Mr Holder said.
“The national security of the United States has been damaged as a result of these leaks. The safety of the American people, the safety of the people who reside in allied nations have been put at risk as a result of these leaks.
“We are presently in the process of this investigation and I am confident that the person who is responsible will be held accountable.”
He disappeared from a luxury Hong Kong hotel this week after giving his first interviews on the online surveillance.
Mr Snowden, 29, a former technical assistant at the CIA, revealed himself as the source of top-secret documents about the National Security Agency’s (NSA) monitoring of phone and internet data after he walked away from his job in Hawaii with security contractor Booz Allen Hamilton.
EU officials pressured the US Attorney General for assurances that the system exposed by the now infamous Snowden does not infringe European citizens' privacy rights.
Mr Shatter said it was important that the public does not feel as though “Big Brother” is watching them.
He called for greater transparency on how the data spy system operates to ensure it does not “over-reach” its purpose of protecting against global safety threats.
He demanded that citizens’ privacy rights are “recognised and respected” and that the system works in a “balanced and proportionate” way.
The minister was joined by European Commissioner for Justice Viviane Reding, who said US security measures should not be conducted at the expense of the public’s rights.
“I have heard the explanations and reassurances and I made it clear that the basic rights of citizens are not negotiable,” Ms Reding said.
Mr Shatter added: “People I think in Europe want to know the extent to which the systems are used in the context of Prism.
“We now know that it’s a particularised system which may target an individual or an organisation based on solid evidence as opposed to a catch-all system.
“But there is a need for greater transparency in the context of the occasions in which it is utilised.
“But we do understand also that in the context of information and transparency, it’s important that information isn’t made available that would inhibit the United States’ or Europe’s capacity to protect its citizens from terrorist activities.”
FBI director Robert Mueller said yesterday that the US government was taking all necessary steps to prosecute Snowden.
Mr Holder assured European officials that spies could only snoop on foreign individuals and organisations with a court order and oversight from Congress.
He said surveillance will only be allowed where there is documented evidence to support suspicions that an individual has links to “terrorism, hostile cyber activities or nuclear proliferation”.
Mr Holder insisted “appropriate or documented foreign intelligence” is required to give spies the green light.
Mr Holder said internet service providers supply the US government with information on individuals only when they are lawfully required to under the Prism programme.
“The Government cannot target anyone under the court-approved procedures for this programme unless there is an appropriate and a documented foreign intelligence purpose for the acquisition,” he said.
“That is, such as for the provision of terrorism, hostile cyber activities or nuclear proliferation, and the foreign target is reasonably believed to be outside the US.
“We cannot target every foreign person overseas without a valid foreign intelligence purpose.”
The AG said all activities involved with the programme are subject to “an extensive oversight regime”, involving the US executive, legislature, judicial bodies, Congress and the courts.
Britain's Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said yesterday that the way Britain’s spies monitor communications is “proportionate” and subject to “proper scrutiny”.
He said intelligence services could not arbitrarily access communications data, following reported links between UK eavesdropping agency GCHQ and the US’s controversial Prism internet monitoring programme.
