Civil liberties group upset by S.I.S. issue

Press, 26 August 1977, Page 4

Civil liberties group upset by S.I.S. issue

The Canterbury Council, ifor Civil Liberties has criti-, Icised the Government’s' approach to the proposed legislation on the Security In-i telligence Service. The council’s secretary (Dr K. Clements) said that the! council would rather see, instead of a law which en-l [abled the S.LS. to tape tele-: phones and intercept mail, a law which prevented such’ actions except for “highlvt unusual circumstances when •jthe security of State is - affected.” It should then be permitted only by the authority of a ■ magistrate. ■ This would remove the risk i of political interference made i possible if the permission

(Were given by the Prime: Ministei. i The council also considered that the bill should be considered by a select committee! j which would hear submis-l [sions from the public. This was important because it was "far from clear whether the benefits outweigh; I the disadvantages,” said Dr ; Clements. . Since the Prime Minister had acknowledged that the > ;issue was a sensitive one,! ’this made it all the more important for as much public debate as possible, said Dr I'Clements. i He said that Sir Guy Powles’s report had in fact ;-shown that the S.LS. had : been acting illegally by tapi Ding telephones and interfer-