The Dutch Government Keeps Its Eyes – And Its Spies – On The Media
PJM Groningen: The Dutch CIA has come out and admitted that it has been spying on journalists. The reason has nothing to do with homeland security: Big Brother was keeping an eye on journalists who dared to write articles critical of the government, reports Michael Van Der Galien.
In what has caused quite a stir in this tiny country, reports have surfaced in the last couple of weeks that the Dutch intelligence service (the AIVD – the Dutch equivalent to the CIA) has, for years, spied on newspapers and news networks.
One of the ‘victims’ of the AIVD’s enthusiasm is Fr√©nk van der Linden, a journalist for the Nieuwe Revu. At the time when the AIVD kept an eye on him, he was writing for De Tijd. When he found out about it Van der Linden was – unsurprisingly – “quite pissed off.”
Why, people wondered, would the AIVD spy on journalists? Not just spying on them, though, they even infiltrated newspaper and news networks. Why? What’s the reason behind it?
The activities of the government in this regard first came to light when the Dutch news agency GPD accused theDutch Ministry of Social Affairs of spying on them . Shortly after the accusations were shared with the public, the Ministry confirmed that it had done so.
The reason? “The department wanted to know whether, and if so when, newspapers would publish negative articles about the department itself and about the government in general.”
All in all, government officials logged into the database of the GPD some 300 times.
Back to Van der Linden: the AIVD’s spies kept an eye on him because he sometimes expressed views not deemed correct. In this case, he seemed to – in the eyes of the spies – to sympathize a bit too much with those living in the Mideast.
Now, although this is certainly a problem in the Dutch media (as it is in the American media), that’s obviously not reason enough to stalk someone and to spy on him. What’s more, as far as I remember, the freedom of the press is one of the most important freedoms one has in a democracy.
Later word came out that Van der Linden is far from the only victim. It seems that the spying on journalists has been going on for years. Aside from Van der Linden, two journalists for the Dutch newspaper de Telegraaf were spied on as well.
In fact, the Dutch Secretary of State (or Minister of Domestic Affairs as we call it) Guusje ter Horst, refused to distance herself from the practice when the Union for Journalists called on her to condemn it.
The Union for Journalists is, of course, the main critic of the government in this regard. Journalists are often a bit too sensitive when it comes to their own freedom, but they are, in this case, exactly right.
Before commenters start arguing that everything has changed after 9/11 and that, as a result, the government should be able to infiltrate, not terrorist networks but newspapers, magazines and networks, let me say this:
The AIVD started spying on Van der Linden in 1999. That’s two years before 9/11. We can be quite short about the ‘they need to do it because of terrorism’-defense (which is also the defense of the Minister): they don’t.
There are many ways for the government to keep an eye on extremists. The journalists they spied on, however, aren’t extremists. What’s more, when the government decides to infiltrate newspapers, etc., it has to have a great defense (excuse?). If it doesn’t, it shouldn’t do it. The freedom of the press is more important than ‘perhaps something useful will surface.’
It’s also important to point out that the Social Department didn’t spy on the GPD in order to keep an eye on terrorists / Islamic extremists. Their reason to spy on the news agency was to find out whether and if so, when, the news agency would report negative things about the government.
That’s not fighting terrorism, that’s Big Brother.
So, will the government stop spying on journalists? The sad answer is no, probably not. The current Minister continues to defend it and the coalition partners don’t seem to care all that much either. The only ones getting angry are journalists themselves and members of the opposition.
Michael van der Galiën, based in the Netherlands, is founder and editor of The Van Der Galiën Gazette and Chief Political Reviewer at the Monsters and Critics books section
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7 Comments
1. Rich Rostrom:What if the government suspects that media personnel are operating as agents of influence for political or criminal gangs, or foreign governments? Or are taking payoffs to shape the news for hostile groups? The Tamil Tigers planted operatives as employees in the offices of legislators in the U.S., Canada, and Australia; why not at newspapers or TV channels?
If no one is allowed to look, how would anyone ever know it was happening?
Dec 2, 2007 - 1:19 am 2. njcommuter:This is in a nation that allows euthanasia and free access to recreational drugs. According to prevailing theories, Big Brother shouldn’t be there. But those who believe that responsibility is important may see a link.
Dec 2, 2007 - 10:11 am 3. Yaakov Watkins:The question I have (and you probably won’t answer) is:What do you mean by spying?
Is is using google on reporters? Is it watching TV news and taking notes? Is it tailing reporters to see who they associate with? Is it talking with people who know them?
All of those activities are legal for anyone and are also known as investigative reporting.
Dec 2, 2007 - 11:29 am 4. Evil Pundit:Given the propensity of journalists to spy on both the government and the people, and to misreport, manipulate and even fabricate the news to serve their own political agenda, I can have no sympathy at all for them.
If journalists in general perhaps served some valuable public function, they might reasonably expect to have some limited exemption from the scrutiny that government bodies apply to everyone else. However, large sections of the profession have proven corrupt, and indeed could be regarded as the enemies of liberty.
Dec 2, 2007 - 4:37 pm 5. Robert:“the freedom of the press is one of the most important freedoms one has in a democracy”
Personally, I’d say that the right to self defense and to keep and bear arms is more important than freedom of the press. Without that one, the government can take away your free press pretty easily.
And las tI checked, the dutch don’t HAVE a right to keep and bear arms.
Dec 3, 2007 - 6:35 am 6. southdakotaboy:As long as they aren’t killing stories or punishing people for what they write it is no big deal. Reporters stalk and harrass people for stories all the time. As the old saying goes; “What’s good for the goose is good for the gander”.
Dec 3, 2007 - 6:45 am 7. Ann Frank:The reporters just need to stop whinning.
Hi, will Zonta get involved in helping these women or best left for this type of soldiers? Notice how Islam doesn’t talk of suing him, like the Dutch?
Sincerely—Ann.
MAXIM
Islam, is clearly the enemy: ask any parent to require their children to get on their knees and kiss the ground, to show gratitude of being born/created; then, pay attention to the absolute look of disgust on their face and you might begin to realize how God feels’ about Islam.
But that’s okay, Islam, get on your knees and kiss the ground—make Satan real proud.
Practice the art of forgetting your God given Wings and stay in the Dark—secure Satan’s company, after death, and in darkness.
Cover God’s beauty with black rags; walk and pray to the God of Darkness—you’ll find him hidden in a black block, in Mecca.
Maxim;
Mehrouz Adam Naimi
To the people of the yellow sun, China;
Your people still hold Eve’s and my reflections, as we played and gazed into the marvel of Eden’s sun. I am Persia, when there was only one; I am Adam—human—just ask Mary or Christ, if I am not the first born son. I played alone in Eden—before Eve—under the warmth and light of your sun.
I come to your Army—I bear no arms—I come alone, I ask for your help in making “Iran”, Persia again. Kill one and all who stand in your way, is the only note I placed in each soldiers’ head—simplicity, the obvious key, to any victory. Twenty-five hundred years of history, I assure you, Islam’s temporary victory and Iran’s temporary history / betrayal will not stand.
From Persia’s beginning, It’s military (The Zartosht) celebrated each year by jumping over fire to mock and show mastery over the Devil. This celebration also signified God’s promise of justice / hell for those who follow the Devil’s way.
Persia’s lose and mistakes need to become your wisdom for secured security and prosperity. I dare say a front (Islam) that we will have to share; please take the inevitable moment and see if I am right or wrong—Islam / suppression above all, is the enemies’ only way. China, we are dealing with a gang that is far worse than anything you experienced in your fight against the “Red Devils”—no disrespect to your moment of pain and sorrow, of course. The simple truth: years of oil wealth and Religious front / mask, cattle wives and endless supplies of blow-up boys and girls, has made this gang a WORLD WIDE ANTAGONIST.
I hope we see eye to eye on these reasons and prospects, sooner then later: meet the coming storm / front on another’s land; true allies, who will also have the wealth / resources in oil and such, to share / repay—Persia understands; most important, it is every human’s right to travel and study God’s history without the present terror caused by the Islamic gangs.
The power to write is one thing but, for that written word to effect and change the world is a privilege I take most seriously—I, like everyone, will have to answer to a higher power (God); the very one who sent me here.
Sincerely,
Mehrouz Adam Naimi
03/24/2008
Mr.. Ahmadinejad,
Thank you, for showing your guilt all over the letter to President G. W. Bush—as well as Ayatollah Khomanie’s.
Thanks’ as well, for making my case on the “Phenomenon” that is apparently not exclusive to the Islamic Iran—yeah, I remember real well the TOTAL lose of family and real wealth, during the “phenomenon” of your (or should I say Saudi’s) Islamic Iranian revolution.
…so, I guess that you can see me as one of the many privileged Persian’s who have absolutely NOTHING to lose and everything to gain in teaching you lose and pain—simply put, your reflection. I have become a teacher as well—not by choice–my dear enemy; but, the only difference between you and I will be the absolute pleasure I’ll take in teaching you and yours’, on the battlefield.
Sincerely;
Mehrouz Adam Naimi
P.S. Words of genuine advise, from an genuine adversary: don’t ever use the word “humanity” in any of your communications.
DANGER IN FEAR
Don’t have fun—in FEAR of losing sight and falling back to the tail end of it.
Don’t ride—in FEAR of the fall and becoming a victim of it’s broken dreams.
Don’t enjoy pussy—in FEAR of entering into a new disease.
Don’t stand—in FEAR of the embarrassment that you may be told to sit back down.
Don’t speak—in FEAR of the trials-n-tribulations, and the necessary lessons’ it brings.
Don’t observe—in FEAR of having to face an enemy.
Don’t listen—in FEAR of the conning elements of the enemies’ cries, as he/she holds’ the same mask as you.
Don’t use your hands—in FEAR of having to bear arms.
Don’t use your legs—in FEAR of having to charge against an enemy.
Don’t mind the world—in FEAR of having to judge and become a vital part of a unit that understands the ugly reality of “kill or be killed”.
Don’t fight for what you instinctively know to be right; liberty—in FEAR of falling on the battlefield.
Don’t shine—in FEAR of standing out in MECCA, were you’re sure to die.
Don’t reach for the stars—in FEAR of the possible falls.
Don’t laugh—in FEAR of having to succumb to tears, someday.
Don’t breath air—in FEAR of the endless excuses; but for know, we’ll start with carbon monoxide.
Don’t drink water—in FEAR… well, we all know why.
Don’t live—in FEAR of the inevitability of death.
Don’t ascend to heaven—in FEAR of the questionable sins’ of being created as ADAM; human.
Don’t come any were near me, cause I FEAR you the most—in FEAR that I’m sure to kill you.
Don’t you dare think of approaching GOD, cause he’ll have none of it!—your justified/pathetic FEARS.
Sincerely;
Mar 28, 2008 - 11:39 amMehrouz Adam Naimi