Revealed: Robot Spyplanes to Guard Europes' Borders--Independent

From the new World Media Watch up now at http://www.zianet.com/insightanalytical
Tomorrow at Buzzflash.com

More story summaries in my Journal


2/The Independent, UK Published: 04 June 2006

http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/article624667.ece



REVEALED: ROBOT SPYPLANES TO GUARD EUROPE’S BORDERS

By Severin Carrell

Fleets of unmanned "drone" aircraft fitted with powerful cameras are to be used to patrol Europe's borders in a dramatic move to combat people-smuggling, illegal immigration and terrorism.

The Independent on Sunday can today reveal that the tiny planes will fly at more than 2,500 feet over the English Channel and Mediterranean beaches as part of a £1bn programme to equip Europe's police forces, customs officers and border patrols with hi-tech surveillance and anti-terrorism equipment.

The aircraft, called unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), are already being used by the Belgian government to catch tankers illegally dumping oil in the North Sea. Several ships' captains have already been prosecuted.

SNIP

Alongside the new "spies in the sky", officials in Brussels have launched more than a dozen research projects to develop new technologies for counter-terrorism, policing and border security. They include body scanners that can see through clothing and detect explosive vests, guns or chemical weapons; portable devices that can "see" through walls and detect people moving inside buildings; and tiny radio tags that would be fitted on people inside buildings under surveillance.

However, the research programme, which will start in earnest early next year, has caused alarm among civil liberties groups and MPs. They accuse officials in Brussels of breaking EU law by starting these projects before they had been agreed by MEPs and member states. A new report by the London-based civil rights group Statewatch and the Transnational Institute in Amsterdam claims that Brussels and the European defence companies are desperate to catch up with spending in the US, where President Bush has pledged to spend $1bn (£530m) a year on "homeland security".

Ben Hayes, the author of the report, said: "Everyone agrees with more money for the police and security services to combat terrorism, but the danger is that EU policy is increasingly skewed towards a particular brand of 'security', based on military, police and corporate interests."

MORE


Note: one of these drones is already patrolling along the US-Mexico border....

Been awhile now since the US Congress has been debating about the issue on immigration policies, reforms, etc.

I agree that deporting about millions of illegals could damage the country's economy considering that those individuals have been part of the whole economic system of our country for years now. they're everywhere, and have while there's a need to protect the border, we must also think about their welfare, and consider on the humanistic side what will become of those people.

Besides, it's quite impossible to have them all sent back to where they came from. But certainly, i'm not into just granting them quick amnesty. let them be registered, and work for their way to gaining US citizenship. but while doing this, the government should take care of our border to at least lessen the numbers of illegals.

see this links:
1.) http://www.votersdomain.com/article.php?aid=4511&tid=84&from=search
2.) Stepping Up Border Security (http://www.votersdomain.com/article.php?aid=1996&tid=13&from=search)

- - - - -

I must study politics and war that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy. My sons ought to study mathematics and philosophy, geography, natural history, naval architecture, navigation, commerce, and agriculture, in order to give their children a right to study painting, poetry, music, architecture, statuary, tapestry, and porcelain.
-John Adams US diplomat & politician (1735 - 1826)

:yourock:

Welcome to DU!! :toast: