Magilla Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 Looks like this is going to be the next trick pulled out of the WikiLeaks hat: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12205690 Personally I think this is data theft, industrial espionage and must surely breach EU data protection laws if published, yet they will claim the moral high ground. Your thoughts? Can you claim protection under EU data protection laws if the laws are being used to hide a criminal act? Even if there are cases to answer for tax evasion, shouldn't it be handed over to the relevant authorities rather than some website that sees itself as a self appointed arbiter? http://www.international-adviser.com/article/uk-strikes-new-deal-to-buy-stolen-bank-data-in-tax-evasion-battle The last time HMRC bought the data, so I have no doubt they'll be interested in seeing this data, especially as it'll be free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mj.scuba Posted January 17, 2011 Author Share Posted January 17, 2011 http://www.international-adviser.com/article/uk-strikes-new-deal-to-buy-stolen-bank-data-in-tax-evasion-battle The last time HMRC bought the data, so I have no doubt they'll be interested in seeing this data, especially as it'll be free. A poor decision IMO. How would UK.gov react if another foreign power purchased data stolen from UK banks or state secrets? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andygardener Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 Looks like this is going to be the next trick pulled out of the WikiLeaks hat: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12205690 Personally I think this is data theft, industrial espionage and must surely breach EU data protection laws if published, yet they will claim the moral high ground. Your thoughts? Tircky one. Switzerland aren't in the EU so data protection laws are not an issue but this has clearly breached Swiss banking secrecy law. But, in a case where a non-EU nation enacts laws which facilitate criminal behaviour by EU citizens, ie tax fraud, do we support the rule of law in a nation whose laws allow our citizens to commit tax fraud in secret or is it more important to look after our own interests as taxpayers and implement our own laws and bring those who break them to justice, even if through rather unconventional means? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magilla Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 A poor decision IMO. How would UK.gov react if another foreign power purchased data stolen from UK banks or state secrets? If it proved they were in some way guilty of a criminal act, I have no doubt they'd be outraged. If some of the records show someone as being "above board" then that would be gross invasion, but as I understand it the records in question show tax evasion and criminal activity, the reason they were stolen in the first place. Why shouldn't those people be exposed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mj.scuba Posted January 17, 2011 Author Share Posted January 17, 2011 Why shouldn't those people be exposed? Well, it assumes guilt before any due process of law, since if they didn't think they'd done something worth exposing they wouldn't publish it. What if any of those people turn out to have done nothing wrong, yet they will have still had their private personal or business finances aired in public. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andygardener Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 Well, it assumes guilt before any due process of law, since if they didn't think they'd done something worth exposing they wouldn't publish it. What if any of those people turn out to have done nothing wrong, yet they will have still had their private personal or business finances aired in public. I understand that concern but what if any procedures do official channels have in place to deal with this. Let's assume person A has commited a crime here (tax evaision). Person B a swiss finds this out but to declare it would break swiss law on banking secrecy. Is there any formal way person B can allert us without breaking his law? I don't think there is. Would we accept his testimony through a formal channel thus giving HMG approval to lawbreaking in switzerland? I doubt it. So while it's unconventional maybe assange has finally been of some use at last. We're skint, so the more tax dodgers are made to pay up the better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magilla Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 Well, it assumes guilt before any due process of law The due process of law comes after any evidence is collected, it isn't circumvented. since if they didn't think they'd done something worth exposing they wouldn't publish it. Indeed, so hopefully any errors will be avoided. What if any of those people turn out to have done nothing wrong, yet they will have still had their private personal or business finances aired in public. Then that would be a gross invasion of privacy, but as I understand it that is not the case with the current data. The person handing it over is fully knowledgable about the accounts, and he knows who's doing what (so he says). It doesn't really seem any different to any type of whistleblowing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricgem2002 Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 Well, it assumes guilt before any due process of law, since if they didn't think they'd done something worth exposing they wouldn't publish it. What if any of those people turn out to have done nothing wrong, yet they will have still had their private personal or business finances aired in public. if they havent done anything wrong why would they conceal money in a foreign country? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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