Garda Ombudsman offices bugged

Iwannahurl

According to today's Sunday Times, the Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) was subject to a sophisticated surveillance operation which used “government-level technology” to hack into its emails, wi-fi and phone systems.

Link: http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/ireland/article1373695.ece?CMP=OTH-gnws-standard-2014_02_08

It seems the surveillance was detected last year after the GSOC engaged security consultants in the UK to investigate whether its HQ was bugged.

The consultants allegedly discovered that a phone in the GSOC offices was bugged. The bugged room was "regularly used to hold case conferences on sensitive investigations".

"A test of the line confirmed the phone was being used to eavesdrop on meetings", according to the Sunday Times sources.

Very odd. Who might be motivated to put the GSOC under surveillance? And who would have the technology and expertise?

I genuinely thought this was going to be about creepy crawleys.

Iwannahurl

Deleted User wrote: »

I genuinely thought this was going to be about creepy crawleys.

And you might be right, in a manner of speaking...

spockety

Iwannahurl wrote: »

According to today's Sunday Times, the Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) was subject to a sophisticated surveillance operation which used “government-level technology” to hack into its emails, wi-fi and phone systems.

Link: http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/ireland/article1373695.ece?CMP=OTH-gnws-standard-2014_02_08

It seems the surveillance was detected last year after the GSOC engaged security consultants in the UK to investigate whether its HQ was bugged.

The consultants allegedly discovered that a phone in the GSOC offices was bugged. The bugged room was "regularly used to hold case conferences on sensitive investigations".

"A test of the line confirmed the phone was being used to eavesdrop on meetings", according to the Sunday Times sources.

Very odd. Who might be motivated to put the GSOC under surveillance? And who would have the technology and expertise?

Odd? Are you serious?

Who would have both the motivation and the technology required to listen in on the dealings of the ombudsman?

Come on...

Menas

It does seem a very strange target all right. And bloody boring...imagine listening thru that drivel for weeks on end.

bumper234

Guards bugging the ombudsman, could an be interesting couple of days

Tramps Like Us

Those who have been following things will know that there is an obvious suspect, the Garda! More and more corruption coming into view, obviously this carry on is massively illegal

wendell borton

A agency dealing with highly confidential info shouldn't be using wifi.

Santa Cruz

Tramps Like Us wrote: »

Those who have been following things will know that there is an obvious suspect, the Garda! More and more corruption coming into view, obviously this carry on is massively illegal

Don't rule out Israeli/CIA/M15 plot

Menas

Tramps Like Us wrote: »

Those who have been following things will know that there is an obvious suspect, the Garda! More and more corruption coming into view, obviously this carry on is massively illegal

If this holds true then there will be an all mighty ****storm.

Gummy Panda

spockety wrote: »

Odd? Are you serious?

Who would have both the motivation and the technology required to listen in on the dealings of the ombudsman?

Come on...

King Nidge?

Cee-Jay-Cee

The guards can't investigate it and nor can gsoc so who will investigate it? I'd say it's a crock of ****.

Santa Cruz

Maybe Andy Coulson and the Murdoch gang have arrived

EyeSight

nobody suspects the press? after the UK phone hacking i wouldn't be surprised

Icaras

CJC999 wrote: »

The guards can't investigate it and nor can gsoc so who will investigate it? I'd say it's a crock of ****.

The Coast Guard?

Iwannahurl

Icaras wrote: »

The Coast Guard?

The Savage Eye?

DrumSteve

Mossad?

Sure if we can't find anyone else to blame, theyll do.

tomwaterford

if this traced to the gaurds.....in any normal country there would be sackings.....in all fairness no one else would have reason to bug ombudsman office

BMJD

Sinn Féin!!!

Mikros

Allowing WiFi access to a sensitive network is a shocking lapse in security by GSOC if it is true.

tomwaterford

BMJD wrote: »

Sinn Féin!!!

yes because they have reason to listen into ombudsman:rolleyes::rolleyes:

iForgetMyPW

Why the **** are they using wifi, are they really that stupid

BMJD

tomwaterford wrote: »

yes because they have reason to listen into ombudsman:rolleyes::rolleyes:

Course not but since there are elections on the way, it's mud-slinging season.

Arthur Beesley

Iwannahurl wrote: »

The Savage Eye?

The Brown Eye?

tomwaterford

Arthur Beesley wrote: »

The Brown Eye?

the savage ear

Sunnyisland

Not at all surprised by this, Anyone or Any organisation who are deemed by certain powerful people in this country to be against the status quo are deemed a threat, may they be journislists ,organisations, or individuals, It's happened before here and there is no reason to think it ever stopped.

joe swanson

Lets all jump to conclusions before any facts are known.

could be anyone. Could even be a false flag to make people jump to conclusions.

That said, it should be fully investigated.

RustyNut

If the Gardai are planting bugs or intercepting calls or emails or whatever is there any oversight. Do they need a warrant or can they just bug anyone as and when they want?
If that was the case it would seem to be very open to abuse.

Tramps Like Us

RustyNut wrote: »

If the Gardai are planting bugs or intercepting calls or emails or whatever is there any oversight. Do they need a warrant or can they just bug anyone as and when they want?
If that was the case it would seem to be very open to abuse.

A judge has to give them permission

Manach

Offhand in the 80's when the then government bugged various people, including the Irish Times, legislation was introduced and the right to privacy recognised. So if this is proved to be true and if a state body is involved, this would be illegal in so many ways.

tomwaterford

Manach wrote: »

Offhand in the 80's when the then government bugged various people, including the Irish Times, legislation was introduced and the right to privacy recognised. So if this is proved to be true and if a state body is involved, this would be illegal in so many ways.

it will be interesting to see who is behind this for all sorts of reasons.....though I have strong suspicion they will never be found:rolleyes::rolleyes:

My name is URL

What does 'government level technology' mean when it comes to the Irish government?

tomwaterford

My name is URL wrote: »

What does 'government level technology' mean when it comes to the Irish government?

e-voting machines....or ipads

http://www.independent.ie/business/irish/government-spends-16000-on-shiny-new-ipads-26782473.html

Crann na Beatha

This post has been deleted.

My name is URL

Phoenix wrote: »

Surprised no one has accused the Russians/Putin/FSB:rolleyes:

Why, did they find a dash-cam too?

Crann na Beatha

This post has been deleted.

Peregrine

My name is URL wrote: »

What does 'government level technology' mean when it comes to the Irish government?

2 paper cups and a string.

wazky

Nimrod 7 wrote: »

2 paper cups and a string.

Ah now, don't be ridiculous.

They have moved onto tin cans and string.

My name is URL

Have any Irish news agencies bothered to report on this?

RTE has a story about a giraffe in Copenhagen been put down, and some flappy bird game been removed from the android app store as some of its main headlines.. but no mention at all about this :rolleyes:

hatrickpatrick

Next time people complain about the Ombudsman either not getting anything done, or being blocked by the courts / gardai / government, I hope they remember this.
If nothing else, it just shows what they're up against. Some people in this country simply don't want anyone in authority to be held accountable or subject to their own rules, simple as that. :mad:

janvankul

This sounds like pure nonsense to me. Why would anyone want to listen in on the guards in Ireland???

Let's say there wifi was hacked. Password was probably guard123.

Fecking idiots

Nodin

My name is URL wrote: »

What does 'government level technology' mean when it comes to the Irish government?

I presume they meant "state level"....as in its the kind of gear difficult to come across for the private individual.

who_ru

My name is URL wrote: »

Have any Irish news agencies bothered to report on this?

RTE has a story about a giraffe in Copenhagen been put down, and some flappy bird game been removed from the android app store as some of its main headlines.. but no mention at all about this :rolleyes:

RTE won't report this story until they've been told what to say by Govt/Police.

rolliepoley

Cops being bugged by cops, bent and nothing but bent.

flutered

why would anyone go to the expense and trouble to earwig on, what is virtually a toothless organisation.

My name is URL

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

Next time people complain about the Ombudsman either not getting anything done, or being blocked by the courts / gardai / government, I hope they remember this.
If nothing else, it just shows what they're up against. Some people in this country simply don't want anyone in authority to be held accountable or subject to their own rules, simple as that. :mad:

Yep.. just look at this story from yesterday as a prime example of that.

Garda commissioner vetoed complaint against his own office

A complaint against Commissioner Martin Callinan’s intentions to promote a senior officer who was under investigation was made in January 2012 through the confidential recipient system in place. The complaint was handed to the commissioner to deal with and he quickly responded that the complaint had no basis.

There is no mechanism within the system for an outside agent to adjudicate on a complaint against the commissioner.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/garda-commissioner-vetoed-complaint-against-his-own-office-258141.html

KyussBishop

Why would foreign agents give toss about the Garda Ombudsman? That's a ridiculous suggestion.

Probably the most blindingly obvious suspects here, would be members of the Gardaí themselves, for flushing out whistleblowers and discovering members of the public trying to expose corruption (so they can be targeted and harassed, to shut them up).

Steppenwolfe

I'm wondering why they were suspicious of being bugged. Also, the article states the espionage was uncovered last year. Why are we only hearing about it now and through a newspaper article. There's not a word about it yet on the RTE news site either.

RustyNut

flutered wrote: »

why would anyone go to the expense and trouble to earwig on, what is virtually a toothless organisation.

Thats the right question. Who would have something to gain from the information gained by bugging them.

Steppenwolfe

RustyNut wrote: »

Thats the right question. Who would have something to gain from the information gained by bugging them.

Maybe an organisation they will be investigating shortly? An organisation who's whistle blowers were silenced publically and called disgusting by the head of that organisation. The same head who threatened legal action if the whistleblowers had the temerity to give evidence to a public committe. That alone is a scandal imo, and speaks volumes of the mindsets of the powers involved. This has the potential to be dynamite.

tomwaterford

janvankul wrote: »

This sounds like pure nonsense to me. Why would anyone want to listen in on the guards in Ireland???

Let's say there wifi was hacked. Password was probably guard123.

Fecking idiots

rolliepoley wrote: »

Cops being bugged by cops, bent and nothing but bent.

thing is ombudsman is independent of the gaurds...and investigates complaints against the gaurds......now who I wonder would want to bug the meeting room of the ombudsman office:rolleyes: