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Frontex closes surveillance gaps in the air and in space
High-flying drones are to reconnoitre the EU’s external borders from the stratosphere, a static zeppelin is already observing close to the ground. With interception systems in space, the EU border agency wants to locate and possibly tap satellite telephones in… Further reading
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German police use drone to combat social benefit fraud
Along with Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia is one of the pioneers in the use of police drones. Now an unmanned aircraft is being used to track organised fraudulent benefits to the disfavor of the job centre The German Federal Criminal Police… Further reading
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Border drones (Part 1): Unmanned surveillance of the EU’s external borders by Frontex
Since 2009, the EU Border Agency Frontex has been hosting training events on drones and inviting manufacturers to regular demonstrations. There, border police from Schengen member states were presented market-available unmanned systems for the surveillance of land and maritime borders.… Further reading
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Sea rescue in the Aegean: Greek secret service persecutes human rights observers
The government in Athens is targeting organisations and individuals who observe and document human rights violations. An “information management” agency set up with EU funding is involved in the investigation. Once again, Greek authorities are striking a blow against European… Further reading
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Quitting EU adviser: Gilles de Kerchove invents “left-wing terrorist” threat
A handful of property damages in Italy could lead to left-wing activism being pursued more closely by police and secret services across the European Union. The initiative bears the hallmarks of the German Office for the Protection of the Constitution.… Further reading
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New regulation: Europol becomes quasi-secret service
The EU police agency processes billions of personalised “big data”, much of it from governmental hacks or intelligence sources. The new Europol vice-director, who was trained in the French military, plays a special role. Now it’s up to the EU… Further reading