INSIDERS AND FRONT-OF-HOUSE-SHOOTERS: IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT CHECKPOINT OPERATIONS

摘要

Andrew Parker, Head of Britain's MI5, recently stated in a speech to the Royal United Services Institute that, "We have seen the threat shift more to increasing numbers of smaller-scale attacks and a growing proportion of groups and individuals taking it upon themselves to commit acts of terrorism." His comments were made in the aftermath of the Edward Snowden 'affair' in which the former contractor for the US' National Security Agency opted to disclose classified documents to The Guardian newspaper in the UK which, to the horror of those in the security services, the paper irresponsibly, in my view, opted to publish. Whilst the decision to print the expose was justified by the paper's management on the basis that they felt the general public had a right to know how their personal data was being utilised -the security agencies were reported to have direct access to the numerous computer systems, including those at Apple, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Skype, Yahoo and YouTube - it had also, according to Parker, handed "the advantage to the terrorists."