University emasare phone calls listened to by security services Special Branch and MI5. They are running the vetting operation in co-operation with most of the country's universities. The scheme was set up September 11 attacks in America, when universities were asked to quietly gather information on international students.
In particular students are being targeted from India, Pakistan, Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Syria, Libya, Israel and North Korea. Applicants from those states are vetted, and asked to list their parents, previous study courses and employment. Those causing suspicion are then flagged for further monitoring.
Details of students' telephone numbers, email and home addresses are being passed by universities to the police, MI5 and the Foreign Office.
According to rightwing newspaper the .... Daily Telegraph, in many large universities it is official policy to have a senior academic who liases with the security services and police about students they suspect are carrying out undercover activities.
MI5 and Ml6 have also used academics to after the recruit British students. Scotland Yard Special Branch officers are able to monitor e-mails and mobile telephones and universities are expected to pass on suspicious meetings, activities or absences.
The National Union of Students should be organising a campaign against this legislation, rather than acknowledging the difficulties for the government.
According to the Telegraph, NUS vicePresident Chris Weavers said: " think there needs to be very strong justification for any such surveillance.
Just assuming that any individual from a certain country might be a risk is utterly unrealistic. He then went on to say; "We ve seen many people from the United Kingdom who have been involved in terrorists attacks."
If the Telegraph are quoting him correctly, Chris needs to get his facts right. It is true that hundreds of Muslims have been arrested and detained under David Blunkett's new anti-terror legislation, but almost all have been released without charge. of human rights is Bush and Blair's War on dents. South London, Britain's Guantanamo Bay."
The justification for this further erosion Terror, a fig leaf for the implementation of racist legislation against Muslims, migrants, asylum seekers and now international stuThe Home Office is detaining asylum ices seekers without trial in Britain under the since the Anti-Terrorism Act of 200l. Currently 15 Second men are being held in Belmarsh Prison in World War. This
is now an issue which
The security services are recruiting more people to implement this new legislation. It is the biggest expansion of the security serv- revelations
.... affects students directly. The NUS should call for walkouts over these