Guardian: Police recorded trying to recruit protestor as spy

[Shoestring]

The following important article from The Guardian reveals that police have been secretly recorded trying to recruit an environmental activist as a spy. I would assume similar tactics are used to recruit infiltrators of other groups, such as 9/11 truthers and anti-war groups. The police in fact told this activist they had "hundreds of informants feeding them information from protest organisations and 'big groupings' from across the political spectrum."

Tactics the police used reportedly included:

• Indicating the woman "could receive tens of thousands of pounds to pay off her student loans in return for information about individuals within Plane Stupid."
• Warning the woman "that her activity could mean she will struggle to find employment in the future and result in a criminal record."
• Explaining that her being a spy "could assist her if she was arrested. 'People would sell their soul to the devil,' an officer said."
• Warning the woman that she could be jailed alongside "hard, evil" people if she received a custodial sentence.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/apr/24/strathclyde-police-plane-stup id-recruit-spy
Police caught on tape trying to recruit Plane Stupid protester as spy

Climate change activist taped men who offered cash for information about group's members and activities

By Paul Lewis
The Guardian, 24 April 2009

Undercover police are running a network of hundreds of informants inside protest organisations who secretly feed them intelligence in return for cash, according to evidence handed to the Guardian.

They claim to have infiltrated a number of environmental groups and said they are receiving information about leaders, tactics and plans of future demonstrations.

The dramatic disclosures are revealed in almost three hours of secretly recorded discussions between covert officers claiming to be from Strathclyde police, and an activist from the protest group Plane Stupid, whom the officers attempted to recruit as a paid spy after she had been released on bail following a demonstration at Aberdeen airport last month.

Matilda Gifford, 24, said she recorded the meetings in an attempt to expose how police seek to disrupt the legitimate activities of climate change activists. She met the officers twice; they said they were a detective constable and his assistant. During the taped discussions, the officers:

• Indicate that she could receive tens of thousands of pounds to pay off her student loans in return for information about individuals within Plane Stupid.

• Say they will not pay money direct into her bank account because that would leave an audit trail that would leave her compromised. They said the money would be tax-free, and added: "UK plc can afford more than 20 quid."

• Accept that she is a legitimate protester, but warn her that her activity could mean she will struggle to find employment in the future and result in a criminal record.

• Claim they have hundreds of informants feeding them information from protest organisations and "big groupings" from across the political spectrum.

• Explain that spying could assist her if she was arrested. "People would sell their soul to the devil," an officer said.

• Warn her that she could be jailed alongside "hard, evil" people if she received a custodial sentence.

The meetings took place in a Glasgow police station last month and in a supermarket cafe on Tuesday. Gifford used a mobile phone and device sewn into her waistcoat to record what they described as a "business proposal" that she should think of as a job.

They intimated that in return for updates on Plane Stupid's plans she could receive large sums of money in cash.

When lawyers acting for Plane Stupid contacted Strathclyde police this week to establish the identities of the detective constable, they were initially told by the human resources department there was no record of his name.

But when the Guardian contacted the force, they acknowledged officers had had meetings with Plane Stupid activists.

Continued at:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/apr/24/strathclyde-police-plane-stup id-recruit-spy

[Chi_of_life]

As an eye witness and survivor from the 7/7 attacks an intelligence officer
I know this is the norm now in Britain.

I witnessed it happen to the original UK 911 truth organisation.
They infiltarted it, caused splits up and then set up XX XXX XXXXXX XX to set the agenda and steer people gently away from starting a 7/7 truth campaign.

XXXX XXXXX, XXXXXX XXXXXXX and XXXXXX are the principle MOD members.

[TonyGosling]

[paul wright]

[Frazzel]

I dont think that the forum should be a place to put up lots of accusations and counter accusations no matter who its from.

[Thermate911]

[Lee]

The effectiveness of any movement is debatable.

It may not have achieved or be achieving 100% what this or that person or group wants or expects.

Because of perceived lack of results, whether justifiable or not, many may believe the movement has been infiltrated.

It may or may not have been.

I don't trust anyone involved 100% and never have.

Some groups actively discourage meetings and hierarchy within movements simply because they can be infiltrated through those means.

But perhaps that advice is given out by those who wish to prevent structural solidity and a swelling of numbers.

How deep is the rabbit hole again?

Lots of people think they know "what's goin' down".

That attitude is often evidence to the contrary.

The movement through the internet has created an interesting paradigm shift with many people all across the world 'waking up' and distrusting old media and news sources in favour of their own/collective research.

Unfortunately that shift has not left behind petty mindedness, ego and all the other all too human factors that create little squabbles such as this one.

However I would suggest Mr Obachike provide actual evidence for his allegations or remove them. Not because of 'libel' this or 'hurting the movement' that but because it just casts doubt about his own testimony regarding 7/7.

Can you believe someone who claims something as true without providing any evidence or have I missed it...?

I have not followed his particular story closely enough to understand what evidence there is to back up his 'eyewitness' claims.

Is there any?

It would seem that far too many people here may be too readily believing of his eyewitness claims as true.

It seems to me that this kind of squabble is all too indicative that the movement is infiltrated and may not achieve its aims.

Who the infiltrator(s) is/are is still unclear.

But someone willing to make accusations without evidence or proof is highly suspicious and may indeed cause the 'split' that he's warning us of.

False Flag Infiltration...?

I usually don't participate in these sorts of arguments anymore as I find them tiresome, counterproductive and unresolvable through argument.

But there's my tuppence worth.

[Pugwash]

In total agreement with Lee's comments above. (and adding my tuppenny worth)

Wherever noted, site administrators need ensure unfounded personal attacks on other members integrity on this site should be me removed as an initial response.
Where administrators wish to pursue such claims to verify or dismiss outwardly unsupported allegations it should be done via direct one-to-one communications afforded within this site.

[TonyGosling]

[kbo234]

[scubadiver]