Thread by @copscampaign

Next up today at the #spycopsinquiry – and again you can see the moving transcript for yourself at – is 'HN96' – who used the cover name 'Michael James'

(1)

He infiltrated the Socialist Workers Party (SWP) and Troops Out Movement (TOM).
His real name is restricted.
He will be giving oral evidence for most of today.
(2)

You can read more about Michael James (HN96) on pages 256 – 268
of the CTI opening statement:
ucpi.org.uk/wp-content/upl…
(3)

We know that he joined the #spycops unit, the SDS, at the end of 1978. He found out about the unit soon after joining Special Branch, and expressed an interest in joining it to Superintendent Geoffrey Craft.
(4)

He says that a few months later, Chief Inspector Pryde phoned him to tell him he was about to be selected for the squad.
(5)

He was told he was being brought in to 'replace' HN296 (cover name Geoff Wallace) but not to infiltrate the same groups as Wallace had done (since 1975)
(6)

He received a lot of advice from Geoff, but no formal training or official written guidance about how to conduct himself. He felt he was expected to use his 'common sense', and includes dealing with the issue of sexual relationships.
(7)

In his witness statement, he states that he does not think anyone ever sat him down and said he should not have sexual relationships, but common sense dictated that was definitely not allowed.
(8)

He stole his identity from a deceased child, using the place and date of birth of 'Robert Michael James' to construct his cover identity.
(9)

The SDS managers deployed him in East London, and tasked him with infiltrating the SWP. He says this group was seen as 'the most disruptive, from a public order perspective, that were currently active'.
(10)

He found cover accommodation in Hackney
...and subsequently lived with another of the #spycops - HN106 – cover name Barry Tompkins - in Hackney for around 3 years.
(11)

He says this HN106 is the only undercover he discussed details of his deployment with.
(12)

His cover employment was that he was a painter & decorator.
His first report is dated February 1979, shortly after he entered the field.
Most of his reports from his first two years are about the SWP.
(13)

He concentrated on the Hackney district of SWP, and says he only attended their meetings. but came across activists associated with other groups, including Red Action and the Revolutionary Communist Party (RCP).
(14)

There were three branches in the district: Clapton, Hackney and Stoke Newington.

He says he got to know them all. He was well-known, was always willing to help out, and of course he had a van, so would often give them lifts, including to demonstrations.
(15)

As well as selling the Socialist Worker, he socialised with the party members. He describes forming 'friendships' but not 'close friendships' with some of them.
(16)

HN96 was provided with around 700 intelligence reports by this Inquiry. He says that some of these (especially those about RCP meetings) have been falsely attributed to him).

(17)

He says 'public order intelligence was still one of the SDS's main roles at the time when he served in the unit – suggesting that it ceased to be so later?
(18)

There is more in his statement about reporting. His reports include personal information about people he was spying upon, and their children's ages/ schools etc.
(19)

One report is about a SWP member coming out of hospital after a 'nervous breakdown'; another details 'private sexual behaviour'; another a marriage.
(20)

Activists' trade union connections are reported on – a new SWP member works as a fire-fighter and is said to be a Fire Brigades Union (FBU) rep.

@fbunational
(21)

@fbunational Another SWP activist works as a journalist, so is a member of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) – she is reported as campaigning vs the closure of a local paper, the Camden Journal.
@NUJofficial
(22)

@fbunational @NUJofficial By September 1979, 'Michael' was trusted enough within the SWP to be elected onto the Hackney district committee – he says someone else put him forward for this, and he was reluctant, because he was trying to avoid prominence.
(23)

@fbunational @NUJofficial He agreed to do it, conscious that it would give him more access to intelligence and information. He says this Committee didn't really make decisions – they followed orders from national headquarters – and he did not seek to influence what they did.
(24)

@fbunational @NUJofficial He is referred to as a 'District Book Organiser' in February 1980, but doesn't recall what this was.
(25)

@fbunational @NUJofficial He says that the SWP was a Trotskyist organisation, but its full-time members were 'realistic' about their ability/ power. He states that Special Branch were not concerned that the SWP represented a threat to UK democracy.
(26)

@fbunational @NUJofficial However he says that the party had the 'capacity to cause serious public order issues' and that some 'elements' within the party were trouble-makers who might engage in violence.
(27)

@fbunational @NUJofficial He admits that the majority of SWP members were entirely peaceful, blaming the 'younger' ones for being keen on criminal damage and disorder, but at the same time saying he was not aware of any criminality carried out by SWP members.
(28)

@fbunational @NUJofficial In contrast, he describes Red Action's main aim: “to get into violent confrontations with the National Front (NF)”.
(29)

@fbunational @NUJofficial This group was made up mostly of former SWP members, who had been forced to leave the party because they wanted to be more 'confrontational' in their resistance to far-right fascism.
He considered them to be a threat to public order but not a serious threat to democracy.
(30)

@fbunational @NUJofficial From 1981 onwards, his focus shifted towards the Troops Out Movement (TOM).

He was invited to social events by members before being invited to their meetings.
(31)

@fbunational @NUJofficial The SDS office encouraged him to pursue this, as they had an interest in Irish affairs and nobody else deployed inside TOM at that time.

(32)

@fbunational @NUJofficial This led to him meeting the Irish Socialist Party. He started going to more TOM meetings and fewer SWP ones, but notes that they all drank in the same pubs so he still saw his SWP comrades.

(33)

@fbunational @NUJofficial There was some overlap between TOM and the Revolutionary Communist Tendency (RCT), as they were known at that point.

HN96 was involved in campaigning about the 'H' Block hunger strike, a sit-in at the TUC headquarters...

(34)

@fbunational @NUJofficial He was put forward for a position on TOM's national steering committee and accepted it: the role of 'Membership & Affiliations Secretary'.
You can imagine how pleased his managers were about this.
(35)

@fbunational @NUJofficial From November 1981 onwards – until the end of HN96's deployment – all minutes of this national steering committee are sent in to Special Branch.
(36)

@fbunational @NUJofficial He took on other roles in TOM – acting as treasurer for various organising committees. This gave him more access to info about upcoming demonstrations and events, and meant he could report accurately on numbers expected etc.
(37)

@fbunational @NUJofficial One report suggests that he joined a TOM delegation to Northern Ireland, but he has no recollection of this.

We know that he did attend TOM's national conference in Manchester in 1982.

(38)

@fbunational @NUJofficial He was able to provide some very thorough reporting about TOM when he was debriefed, around the time of his exfiltration, in 1983.
(39)

@fbunational @NUJofficial He was able to tell Special Branch all about the organisation: its finances, bank account details, members, affiliated groups (which included the Acton branch of trade union UCATT, for example) and activities.
(40)

@fbunational @NUJofficial He didn't know about any criminality committed by TOM members.

The last reports we have from HN96 are dated April 1983, and it is believed that his deployment ended that spring.
(41)

@fbunational @NUJofficial Now we'll hear more from the man himself. He is being questioned by Steven Gray, who works for the @ucpinquiry.

His evidence is scheduled to take up much of today's hearing.
(42)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry He was asked about joining the unit – he says it was just one conversation he had with Craft.

We were shown HN96's witness statement, which is now available for download from the @ucpinquiry website.
ucpi.org.uk/publications/f…

(43)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry The Inquiry Counsel read from it:
It contained an explanation for the SDS's preference for married officers.

“The thinking was that having a personal life away from the job allowed you to retain an objective distance form your work and the group you were reporting on.”
(44)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry He says these are comments made by senior supervising officers – and thinks this would have been Ike Ferguson
(45)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry “One of the main dangers of the unit was over-involvement with the role”:
Could he explain this further?
HN96 spoke of the danger of spending too much time in role.
(46)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry In what ways did he think an SDS officer might do this?

He said “you had to be very careful not to over-expose yourself to their other life you were leading” - he tried to operate professionally
(47)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry Counsel asked him again – what kind of behaviour would you see in an 'over-involved officer'?

HN96 spoke about the risk of #spycops losing sight of their 'perspective' and the aims of their deployment, and possibly exposing themselves as a result.
(48)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry Why not use single officers for this work?
Why use married ones?

“They had something to go back to” he responded

(49)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry HN96 went on to say that having a wife at home allowed married officers to lead a more balanced life and insisted it was about this general balance, more than just about the possibility of sexual relationships.
(50)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry After HN96 joined the SDS, he suggested to the managers that they should speak to his wife.

This was before his first undercover deployment began, probably a few months before, while he was working in the unit's back office.
(51)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry He confirmed that this was his idea. His wife agreed. He recalls being surprised that the senior officers didn't have this kind of thing in place already
(52)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry What concerns did he and his wife have?

Mostly, how to stay in touch while he was in the field.
There were no mobile phones back then.
How could she contact him if she needed to?

They discussed these arrangements with the managers.
(53)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry At that stage he said they didn't yet have a 'full and clear' understanding of his new role and what it would really entail.
(54)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry His understanding was that this visit to the family home/ partner then became standard practice for the SDS.
(55)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry He was deployed for 4.5 years, and doesn't believe it had any adverse effects on his welfare, or that of his family.
(56)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry “Training is too strong a word” for what he got when he joined. He recalled receiving “words of wisdom” from HN296
(57)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry HN96 says he always attended the #spycops meetings at their safe-houses.

He laughed when asked how many fellow officers he discussed his doings with.
(58)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry He went on to talk about “picking their brains”.

Asked which he remembered from the list, he mentioned HN21, HN80 and HN126.

(59)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry Asked how freely the #spycops spoke about their deployments?
He said they didn't do this - “there was an unspoken rule” not to discuss details of anyone's deployment.
(60)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry He gave an example of how things worked – recalling advice given to him by HN296 – to avoid getting too deeply involved/ avoid becoming a leader in the group/ avoid being someone who's expected to be available at all hours.
(61)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry He decided to act helpful and willing and middle-of-the-road, ie inconspicuous.
(62)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry He likes to think he was selected for the SDS because he was a “sensible, mature, thinking officer” who was capable of using his common sense.
(63)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry He described the atmosphere of the safe-house meetings as “relaxed” and admitted that they sometimes drank together then.
(64)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry He said that his strategy was to place himself in the middle of any hierarchy – and explained more about what sort of person he would pretend to be – settling on the phrase “a willing hand”.

He tried not to get too close to members of the group
(65)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry Asked if he understood that he was not permitted to participate in criminal activity, he said “Clearly, I was a police officer”

He says he knew how police officers were expected to behave; he'd been in the force for a long time before joining the #spycops
(66)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry He said he “already knew how to put a report together” and this was left to his judgement and common sense.

(67)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry He was asked more about his cover identity – who instructed him to steal the name of a deceased child?
This was either McIntosh or Ferguson.
(68)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry Why was it considered necessary to use a real identity, of a real person?

“Good question, sir”
HN96 went on to admit that he wished he'd thought more about this at the time.
(69)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry He went along with what he thought was accepted practice.

Did he stop and think about this being morally questionable?

No. He didn't think the child's family would know about it.

(70)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry Incredibly, he went on a but of a rant about how anyone could use this technique at the time – the records were open for anyone to search – so that's why he did it. (!)
(71)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry But was it moral?
He went on to claim that it's actually immoral to criticise this practice now.
(72)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry He travelled to Blackpool once, to check out the if the child's family were still living in the area.

Local Special Branch assisted him with this.

Having discovered that they'd moved house, he didn't do any more.
(73)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry He told his targets that he had a girlfriend, in case anyone ever saw him with his wife, and didn't have problems with sexual relationships with those he spied on.

(74)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry He says people didn't ask him much about himself, so although he had a back-story all prepared, he very rarely had to share it with activists.

(75)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry He volunteered the information that he spent time with activists of both sexes, he was friends with women.

His story of having a girlfriend worked. He wasn't given any formal guidance about this.
(76)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry The #spycopsinquiry then took a 15 minute break.

You can see the reactions of 'Alison' from @out_of_lives and @tombfowler to this morning's evidence so far at facebook.com/514251120/vide…

#Spycops

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry @out_of_lives @tombfowler We recommenced - with Counsel asking HN96 more about the identity theft.

Having told us that he didn't suffer from any moral qualms about stealing a dead child's identity back then...

How does he feel now?
(78)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry @out_of_lives @tombfowler He still doesn't have “strong views” about this

– and although he's seen media coverage of how those families feel about this #spycops practice,
is unwilling to express any criticism of the unit

– continuing to claim that nobody was caused any distress at the time..

(79)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry @out_of_lives @tombfowler Next, he was asked about his cover accommodation. His first 'duff flat' was a bed-sit, which lasted for 6 months.

He then found a new, bigger, place, a flat in Hackney that he ended up sharing with another of the #spycops

HN106 (cover name 'Barry Tompkins').

(80)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry @out_of_lives @tombfowler Why did he think it would be a good idea to share the flat with HN106?
“It was a nice sized flat” he says, and the “best” accommodation available to him.

(81)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry @out_of_lives @tombfowler He went on to explain that he didn't want activists to start suggesting that they could stay there with him, so sharing the space with HN106 would help avoid that.

(82)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry @out_of_lives @tombfowler He says the two officers socialised together, their wives knew each other.

They persuaded the unit's managers that this unusual arrangement made sense. And might even have “operational benefits”.
(83)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry @out_of_lives @tombfowler He says the bedsit was “awful: it wasn't very good” - because the police's budget didn't stretch to anything better.

He thought a better home would fit better with the rest of his cover story (he owned a vehicle, etc)...

(84)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry @out_of_lives @tombfowler Counsel cut him off from rambling, and asked more about this arrangement.
They shared use of this flat for 3 years?
Yes.
(85)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry @out_of_lives @tombfowler How often were they both there at the same time?
It varied; they came and went as required by their work.

He says it was rare for them to both be there together.

(86)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry @out_of_lives @tombfowler Did they discuss their undercover lives in the flat?
He denies this. He says they conversed, but not in depth.
(87)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry @out_of_lives @tombfowler There was then a sudden break, while the #spycopsinquiry worried in case he's inadvertently blurted out a name he shouldn't have
(88)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry @out_of_lives @tombfowler While you're waiting you can read HN96's witness statement for yourself:
ucpi.org.uk/publications/f…

However in this, his own witness statement, he says
“the only other UCO I regularly discussed things with was HN106.
We shared accommodation and we were friends”.

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry @out_of_lives @tombfowler When we recommenced, Counsel asked about this, pointing out that “the impression is created” that he did indeed talk with HN106 – it sounds like he's the only one he shared things with.
(90)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry @out_of_lives @tombfowler Was it easier to discuss their #spycops work at home in the cover flat, rather than in front of the managers at the safe-house?

HN96 insisted that he didn't discuss details of deployments with his fake flat-mate.
(91)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry @out_of_lives @tombfowler In HN106's witness statement (paragraphs 29-36) ucpi.org.uk/publications/f…

he mentions Operation Herne enquiring if he had a sexual relationship undercover, and a second woman, with whom he says he had a purely platonic friendship...

Can HN96 tell us anything about this?
(92)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry @out_of_lives @tombfowler No, he says he didn't know anything about HN106's undercover life and what he got up to.

He says there was no schedule – he didn't know when HN106 might turn up – so wouldn't have noticed him not turning up.
(93)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry @out_of_lives @tombfowler He said that in his opinion, 'Barry' was a “professional officer who did his best”.
(94)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry @out_of_lives @tombfowler Is he surprised to learn about him staying overnight with this woman, who was connected to his target group, the SWP?

No, not surprised, but they worked on a need-to-know basis, and didn't gossip like this.
(95)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry @out_of_lives @tombfowler He says he is unaware of HN106's relationships.

He didn't know that activists referred to this woman as 'Barry's girlfriend'.
(96)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry @out_of_lives @tombfowler He began by targeting the SWP, and then moved on to spy on the Troops Out Movement (TOM).

He went in 'cold' – he didn't receive any briefings or intelligence about the organisation before he was deployed.
(97)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry @out_of_lives @tombfowler Didn't he use his time in the back-office to do some background reading or research?

He mumbled something about there not being an opportunity...
(98)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry @out_of_lives @tombfowler Was he told what Special Branch wanted him to report, about the SWP or about individuals who he encountered?

He says the reporting was left to the officers' own judgement.

(99)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry @out_of_lives @tombfowler Did he know that sometimes the SDS was responding to requests from the security services?

“Not that I recall, no”

<nb: every other officer who's been asked this has said that SDS reports were routinely copied to MI5 and everyone knew this>

(100)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry @out_of_lives @tombfowler ucpi.org.uk/publications/s…

We were then shown [UCPI000013647] – an intelligence report from December 1979 – asking for help identifying a student, and for any more personal information about him.

(101)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry @out_of_lives @tombfowler It says that he is a member of the SWP and lives in a housing association. There is a <redacted> photo attached.

(102)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry @out_of_lives @tombfowler He knows what 'Box 500' refers to, but says he doesn't recall such enquiries coming from 'Box 500'.
(103)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry @out_of_lives @tombfowler He submitted his draft report at the SDS's meetings at their safe-houses.
These took place twice a week and he says he always attended. This was a chance to see the other #spycops and socialise with them. He confirmed that they sometimes drank alcohol.
(104)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry @out_of_lives @tombfowler HN304 has given evidence about these meetings at the safe-house – he has described free and open discussion (including discussion of the target groups' organisational skills) and the now-infamous #spycops “jokes and banter”.
(105)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry @out_of_lives @tombfowler HN96 is unwilling to accept this description.

He says it would be “unrealistic” to expect a bunch of men to sit around and not talk about the “opposite sex”

He tries to explain what he means by the discussion being non-specific... no names...
(106)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry @out_of_lives @tombfowler Is this why he had this pre-planned cover girlfriend story?
He says he wanted to forestall any issues of being spotted with his wife,

and also put any men off chasing him
(107)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry @out_of_lives @tombfowler Asked about reporting, HN96 took the opportunity to mansplain to the Inquiry that Special Branch “is an intelligence agency”

He says much of their reporting was put in storage, and “never saw the light of day again”.

(108)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry @out_of_lives @tombfowler How did he know that SB's intelligence was used for vetting purposes, for government positions?

(109)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry @out_of_lives @tombfowler He was vetted himself, before he was allowed to join Special Branch.

And he knew from hias time in the Branch (before joining the #spycops ),that this kind of vetting was being carried out, and that the security services were involved.

(110)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry @out_of_lives @tombfowler ucpi.org.uk/publications/s…
Next we saw a report
[UCPI0000013171]
from February 1979. This included the employment details of two SWP members.
(111)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry @out_of_lives @tombfowler There was some laughter when Counsel pointed out that HN96s assertion about these reports never seeing the light of day again was not being borne out by the fact that we're all looking at it now.

(112)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry @out_of_lives @tombfowler “I was just trying to paint a reasonable picture of people”
HN96 says.

(113)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry @out_of_lives @tombfowler ucpi.org.uk/publications/s…
The next report [UCPI000015384], from June 1981, is all about one individual member of the SWP – he is an inspector, employed by the Department of Health & Social Security (DHSS)

(114)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry @out_of_lives @tombfowler At first he refutes that this is his report

then seeks to justify it by saying this person was a member of a
'far-right.. far-left wing.. Trotskyist party”

<he accidentally gets mistaken>

<it's all the same>

(115)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry @out_of_lives @tombfowler He repeats that this file could have disappeared and never been seen again
<prompting groans in the hearing room>

Going on to say
“there was no clear direction on what was acceptable and what wasn't acceptable”
the #spycops used their 'common sense'
(116)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry @out_of_lives @tombfowler Why did he decide to report this kind of information about another woman, a student and former SWP district officer?
ucpi.org.uk/publications/s…
[UCPI0000021293]

(117)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry @out_of_lives @tombfowler There's a <redacted> photo of the woman. The report mentions her divorce and the age of her daughter.
He doesn't think it's a big deal to have mentioned the child and her age.

(118)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry @out_of_lives @tombfowler He says he knew it wouldn't be used in an aggressive or detrimental way” by the police.

It would probably just get filed.

(119)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry @out_of_lives @tombfowler Again, he was just trying to 'paint a picture'
(120)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry @out_of_lives @tombfowler ucpi.org.uk/publications/s…

The next report [UCPI0000013300], from 1979, was about a teenage member of the Clapton branch, who was either 15 or 16 at the time.

(121)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry @out_of_lives @tombfowler HN96 confirmed that he had no problems reporting on children below the age of 18.

Saying that if they were under 12, maybe that would be different.

(122)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry @out_of_lives @tombfowler He explains that in this particular case he was keen to imply that an SWP member who worked as a teacher in the school was “attempting to recruit young school pupils”

<There is no evidence that this was happening>

(123)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry @out_of_lives @tombfowler In his witness statement, HN96 disputes that he was involved in producing the next report
13873] – which details a woman being discharged from hospital following a 'nervous breakdown'- due to its geographical location.

(124)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry @out_of_lives @tombfowler He is asked if there was a good purpose for the police to collect this sort of personal information about SWP members in 1980?

He said they all fed into Special Branch, which acted as a conduit for intelligence/ information.

(125)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry @out_of_lives @tombfowler Having been clear that the SDS's primary goal was to assist the policing of public order situations, can HN96 explain why this kind of information was being gathered and retained?

(126)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry @out_of_lives @tombfowler No, not without going on about the Conservative Party for some reason...
something about how the #spycops weren't asked to carry out any analysis of the info they gathered...
"we were a small cog in a big machine"

(127)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry @out_of_lives @tombfowler He insists that it was fair to report on individuals who were involved in these targeted groups.

(128)

@fbunational @NUJofficial @ucpinquiry @out_of_lives @tombfowler After this, we took a break for lunch

#spycops
(129)