09-09-2010, 07:22 PM
Operation Ore is an important and complex subject.
It was an early US-instigated investigation into images of child abuse on an internet website. Credit card records produced a list of thousands of people, many rich and famous, whose credit cards had made purchases at the site.
In early 2003, there is strong circumstantial evidence to suggest that PM Tony Blair issued D-notices to ban reporting of Operation Ore names on grounds of national security. It is further alleged that several Labour MPs, including cabinet ministers, were on the Operation Ore list of names.
Note that whilst the British state could control publication in Britain, both British and US intelligence agencies had access to the Ore names.
The potential for leverage and blackmail is clear and obvious.
Subsequent investigations by such as Duncan Campbell and Jim Bates suggested that the credit card evidence was not as clearcut as investigators initially thought (eg the possibility of identity theft and fraudulent purchases had not been checked), and that the front url did not always lead to a child pornography site.
However, Bates himself - as the article above states - was later arrested for child pornography offences. He claims to have been set up.
Ultimately, it is clear that - putting the identity and credit card fraud to one side - thousands of people did use their credit cards to purchase something. That something was quite possibly images of child abuse.
From the deep political perspective, the existence of the list of Operation Ore names, including politicians, generals, judges and police officers, is of great importance. That list was known and undoubtedly used for leverage by intelligence agencies - particularly in the 1999-2005 period.
Some on that list may have been entirely innocent of the charge of accessing paedophile material.
Some were almost certainly guilty.
It was an early US-instigated investigation into images of child abuse on an internet website. Credit card records produced a list of thousands of people, many rich and famous, whose credit cards had made purchases at the site.
In early 2003, there is strong circumstantial evidence to suggest that PM Tony Blair issued D-notices to ban reporting of Operation Ore names on grounds of national security. It is further alleged that several Labour MPs, including cabinet ministers, were on the Operation Ore list of names.
Note that whilst the British state could control publication in Britain, both British and US intelligence agencies had access to the Ore names.
The potential for leverage and blackmail is clear and obvious.
Subsequent investigations by such as Duncan Campbell and Jim Bates suggested that the credit card evidence was not as clearcut as investigators initially thought (eg the possibility of identity theft and fraudulent purchases had not been checked), and that the front url did not always lead to a child pornography site.
However, Bates himself - as the article above states - was later arrested for child pornography offences. He claims to have been set up.
Ultimately, it is clear that - putting the identity and credit card fraud to one side - thousands of people did use their credit cards to purchase something. That something was quite possibly images of child abuse.
From the deep political perspective, the existence of the list of Operation Ore names, including politicians, generals, judges and police officers, is of great importance. That list was known and undoubtedly used for leverage by intelligence agencies - particularly in the 1999-2005 period.
Some on that list may have been entirely innocent of the charge of accessing paedophile material.
Some were almost certainly guilty.
"It means this War was never political at all, the politics was all theatre, all just to keep the people distracted...."
"Proverbs for Paranoids 4: You hide, They seek."
"They are in Love. Fuck the War."
Gravity's Rainbow, Thomas Pynchon
"Ccollanan Pachacamac ricuy auccacunac yahuarniy hichascancuta."
The last words of the last Inka, Tupac Amaru, led to the gallows by men of god & dogs of war
"Proverbs for Paranoids 4: You hide, They seek."
"They are in Love. Fuck the War."
Gravity's Rainbow, Thomas Pynchon
"Ccollanan Pachacamac ricuy auccacunac yahuarniy hichascancuta."
The last words of the last Inka, Tupac Amaru, led to the gallows by men of god & dogs of war