M.I,5-Pe rsecution . bug ging an d counter-survei llance

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-=. MI5: bugging and counter-surveillance -=
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PO: >Did you ever look for. the bugs in your house ? If not, why not ? I mean if
PO: >I thought that was happening to me, I'd search the place. from top to bottom,
PO: >I mean I live there I would know. if anything was out of place. If I was
PO: >really suspicious, I would call in one. of those bug detection teams which
PO: >have those machines that pick up the transmitted radio. waves. This
PO: >reminds me of BUGS, that new programme on. BBC1 on

That's exactly what we did. We went. to a competent, professional detective
agency in. London, paid them over 400 quid to debug our house. They used
scanner devices which go to. over 1 GHz and would pick up any nearby
transmitter. in that range, they also checked the phones and found
nothing... but if the tap was. at the exchange, then they wouldn't find
anything,. would they?

CS: >Doesn't this suggest to you that there are, in fact, no bugs to be. found?

You. can assume that they've done this sort of thing to other people in more
"serious" cases, where they would know the targets. would suspect the
presence of electronic surveillance. So they will have. developed techniques
and devices which are not readily detectable either by visual. inspection or
by electronic means. What those. techniques might be, I couldn't guess.

In this case, the existence of bugging devices was clear from. the
beginning, and they "rubbed it in" with what was. said by the boy on the
coach. It was almost. as if they wanted counter-surveillance people to be
called. in, who they knew would fail to detect the bugging devices, causing
loss of credibility to. the other things I would have to say relating to the
harassment.

I did all the things someone in my situation would do to try. to find the
bugs. In. addition to calling in professional help using electronic
counter-surveillance, I made a close. visual inspection of electrical
equipment, plus. any points where audio or video surveillance devices might
have been concealed. Of course, I. found nothing. Normal surveillance
"mini-cameras". are quite noticeable and require visible supporting
circuitry. It seems to me the best place to put a small video. surveillance
device would be additional. to a piece of electronic equipment such as a TV
or video. It would be necessary to physically break in to. a property to fit
such a. device.

3759

I had that whereby to know and judge of it. But I have so often found
my right judgement at fault, that at last I have come to distrust myself and
then others. I have seen changes in all nations and men, and thus, after
many changes of judgement regarding true justice, I have recognised that our
nature was but in continual change, and I have not changed since; and if I
changed, I would confirm my opinion.

The sceptic Arcesilaus, who became a dogmatist.

376. This sect derives more strength from its enemies than from its friends;
for the weakness of man is far more evident in those who know it not than in
those who know it.

377. Discourses on humility are a source of pride in the vain and of
humility in the humble. So those on scepticism cause believers to affirm.
Few men speak humbly of humility, chastely of chastity, few doubtingly of
scepticism. We are only falsehood, duplicity, contradiction; we both conceal
and disguise ourselves from ourselves.

378. Scepticism.--Excess, like defect of intellect, is accused of madness.
Nothing is good but mediocrity. The majority has settled that and finds
fault with him who escapes it at whichever end. I will not oppose it. I
quite consent to put there, and refuse to be at the lower end, not because
it is low, but because it is an end; for I would likewise refuse to be
placed at the top. To leave the mean is to abandon humanity. The greatness
of the human soul consists in knowing how to preserve the mean. So far from
greatness consisting in leaving it, it consists in not leavi