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Indymedia Seizure question in Parliament by Birmingham MP Lynne Jones

Sara N Dipity | 18.10.2004 19:38 | FBI Server Seizure | Indymedia | Repression | Birmingham | London

A parliamentary question has just been asked by Lynne Jones MP for Selly Oak, Birmingham. I'm not sure who suggested that she ask the question or if she may have asked it spontaneously. (She's not my MP, and I don't actually vote - I'm not eligible to vote.)

Although Lynne Jones was the first MP to ask a Written Question about the Indymedia Servers being seized, Richard Allan and Jeremy Corbyn asked questions during the following days. Here are the questions.

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Written Questions for Answer on Wednesday 13 October 2004
(notice given on Monday 11 October)

(#289) Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he authorised the seizure of web servers belonging to Indymedia.
(191015)

For more about Lynne Jones see -
 http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/?pid=10323

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On the Friday 15th, another Written Question was asked by Richard Allan
(notice given on Tuesday 12th October)

(#36) (N) Mr Richard Allan (Sheffield, Hallam): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which UK law enforcement agencies were involved in the seizure of computer disks containing material published by Indymedia from the London offices of Rackspace.

(the N indicates that an answer is required by a particular date)

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The following question was submitted on the 18th
(notice given on Thursday 14 October)

(#48) Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, under what powers, and acting under what information, officials of his Department seized web services belonging to Indymedia; and if he will make a statement.

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Hopefully these questions will help us to get more info about the seizure than we currently have.

To watch for answers, go to-
 http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmhansrd.htm

It's likely that the answers will come out in about a week. They will be under the Home Department Answers under a heading that will reflect the content.

Sara N Dipity
- Homepage: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200304/cmordbk1/41013w01.htm

Comments

Hide the following 4 comments

Great, NICE ONE! Now get YOUR MP to do the same! :-)

18.10.2004 20:58

Ask your MP to ask David Blunket / the Home Office / Parliament about what happened and to register your concern about the whole thing.

It's easy, it doesn't take a minute... just send a message by going to this website:

www.faxyourmp.com

Ozymandias
- Homepage: http://www.faxyourmp.com


Richard allan asked a second question

19.10.2004 13:41

— Richard @ 2:58 pm

Have just checked with the Table Office in the House of Commons and my other question on Indymedia has been accepted. It reads:

Mr Richard Allan (Sheffield, Hallam): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which UK law enforcement agencies were involved in the seizure of computer disks containing material published by Indymedia from the London offices of Rackspace.

Should be specific enough….

It is down for answer on Monday 18th October. This does not mean I will necessarily get a definitive answer on that date. The Home Office could just issue a holding reply. But it does mean that people in the Home Office will now be working away compiling a response and will have to ask the question of all the relevant agencies.

m
- Homepage: http://www.richardallan.org.uk/


Even he of the night

19.10.2004 15:19



I emailled my MP about this too- It being none other than Micheal Howard (Tory leader)
He has passed the email on to KerFlunkett for a reply.

I dont suppose it'll get any more than the usual flannel in reply though...

Queen of kent


Two more Written Questions

22.10.2004 01:57

These are two more IMC/Rackspace written questions, which brings the total written questions on IMC server seizure to 7 I think?


Written Questions from 21 October, 2004
 http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200304/cmordbk1/41021w01.htm

(#157)
David Taylor (North West Leicestershire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent representations he has received from the Federal Bureau of Investigations concerning the activities of UK-based customers of the US company Rackspace; and if he will make a statement.
(193230)

Notices given on Wednesday 20 October
 http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200304/cmordbk2/41025o01.htm
(#187)
John McDonnell (Hayes & Harlington): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on what (a) grounds and (b) legal authority the web servers of the news agency Indymedia were seized on 7th October.
(193709)

(#188)
John McDonnell (Hayes & Harlington): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations he has received from foreign governments with regard to the seizure of computer equipment from the independent news agency, Indymedia on 7th October.
(193714)

Related IMC stories

14/10/04
 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2004/10/299002.html
 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2004/10/299003.html

Written Question Person