Surveillance, Secrecy and Sovereignty

US Forces use British Bases in Cyprus

Martin — Tue, 07 Feb 2023 10:34:37 +0000

US Forces use British Bases in Cyprus Martin Tue, 02/07/2023 - 10:34

MHAC badges, tea towels and shopping bags now available.

Martin — Mon, 05 Dec 2022 12:00:38 +0000

MHAC badges, tea towels and shopping bags now available. Martin Mon, 12/05/2022 - 12:00

MHAC Supporters Meeting 24 October 2022

Martin — Thu, 20 Oct 2022 10:20:02 +0000

Starts

Monday, October 24, 2022 - 11:00

Ends

Monday, October 24, 2022 - 13:00

Supporters Meeting

11am on Monday 24th October 2022

Will be held on Zoom. (Link available from mail@themhac.uk)

You will be welcome to participate.

Agenda will include:

Tuesday evening demonstrations

Feed back from CND event on 16th October 2022

Developments at Menwith Hill

Comments on the militarisation of space.

Bases

NSA/USAF Menwith Hill

Issues

Surveillance, Secrecy and Sovereignty

Accountability

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CND Conference 2022

Martin — Mon, 10 Oct 2022 10:09:24 +0000

Starts

Sunday, October 16, 2022 - 11:45

Ends

Sunday, October 16, 2022 - 16:30

“Keep Space for Peace” Week and Menwith Hill – Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament

“The Menwith Hill base has been shrouded in secrecy for decades and it has taken the actions of courageous whistle-blowers, dogged campaigners and investigative journalists to bring to light its role in a vast state surveillance apparatus, assassination programme and US missile defence.”

By Dave Webb, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament

In 1999 the United Nations General Assembly declared the 4th to 10th October as World Space Week to “celebrate the contributions of space science and technology to the betterment of the human condition”

The Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space has been calling for several years now for global actions and events during this week to “Keep Space for Peace” some will be held online – but other live at bases and towns and cities across the world – a list of events that have been notified so far is available here.

The U.K.’s role in the militarisation of space has been outlined in a recent report issued by CND and Drone Wars UK. Called “For Heaven’s Sake” it goes into some details of how the UK government and the MoD are considering space as a serious development for war fighting.

This year Keep Space for Peace Week is being held from October 1th – 8th and In the UK there is a focus on bases associated with space activities – Menwith Hill (October 16th) and Fylingdales (October 9th).

The event at Menwith Hill is being hosted by Yorkshire CND as a public participation component of CND’s Annual Conference, and so we will focus on that here.

Menwith Hill

‘RAF’ Menwith Hill is situated 8 miles outside Harrogate in North Yorkshire on the A59 to Skipton. From the outside it looks like an ordinary RAF station, but there are no runways present and no aircraft are stationed there. The base is in fact run by the United States National Security Agency (NSA) and is their largest overseas electronic spying and surveillance base. The Government Communications Head Quarters (GCHQ), the UK equivalent of the NSA, also has a large presence and the two organisations work closely together.

The base can be seen from miles away when approaching by road from Leeds. Over 30 clearly visible giant ‘golf balls’ stand out clearly and each one holds a satellite dish that receives data from a specific satellite that it is aimed at. That data has been intercepted from other satellites or from ground transmitters, When it arrives at Menwith Hill huge computer systems sift through it, searching for anything that may be of interest to the US and/or UK intelligence services. Any items of interest are then fed back to NSA HQ in Maryland, USA.

In 2013 material released by US whistle-blower Edward Snowden exposed Menwith Hill’s role in “mass surveillance and extrajudicial killings,” and provided “a snapshot of transparency” about its activities. It has been revealed that eavesdropping technology at Menwith Hill is capable of collecting data from hundreds of millions of emails and phone calls a day and of pinpointing communication devices on the ground. The UK and US intelligence agencies have also been exposed as using these capabilities to spy on leaders of allied nations, aid agencies and vast swathes of the population.

Menwith Hill is also involved in the US “space wars” programme — three of the base’s satellite dishes act as down link stations for space-based components of the US missile defense system.

In October 2021 Yorkshire CND and the Menwith Hill Accountability Campaign (the successor to the Campaign for the Accountability of American Bases, which campaigned so passionately against all U.S. military bases in the UK) launched a joint report called “Menwith Hill in 3D: Domes, Data & Drone Strikes”. Written by Barnaby Pace, the title was chosen to emphasise the major roles that Menwith Hill plays for the U.S. and the U.K.

The report reiterates that the UK government has publicly stated that all activities at the base are carried out with the ‘full knowledge and consent’ of British officials” making them complicit partners and in its conclusion states: “The Menwith Hill base has been shrouded in secrecy for decades and it has taken the actions of courageous whistle-blowers, dogged campaigners and investigative journalists to bring to light its role in a vast state surveillance apparatus, assassination programme and US missile defence.”

There will be a walk around the base on Sunday 16th October 2022. Walk will start at 2pm from the entrance to the Nature Reserve close to the Main Entrance to the Base. Park on the small road on the there side of the road leading to a farm and the sewage works.

see:

https://labouroutlook.org/2022/10/07/keep-space-for-peace-week-and-menwith-hill-campaign-for-nuclear-disarmament/

Bases

NSA/USAF Menwith Hill

Issues

Surveillance, Secrecy and Sovereignty

Global issue

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US Air Force Deployment in the UK

Martin — Fri, 03 Jun 2022 19:57:30 +0000

US Air Force Deployment in the UK Martin Fri, 06/03/2022 - 20:57

Ukrainian Pacifist Movement

Martin — Thu, 24 Feb 2022 13:12:41 +0000

Ukrainian Pacifist Movement Martin Thu, 02/24/2022 - 13:12

Independence from America Event 2022

Martin — Tue, 15 Feb 2022 12:15:47 +0000

Starts

Saturday, July 2, 2022 - 14:00

Ends

Saturday, July 2, 2022 - 16:30

Independence from America event 2022

Location: Main Gates of Menwith Hill

2pm on Saturday 2nd July 2022.

Annual event calling for an end to US Military Occupation of the UK. The event will draw attention to the concerns around one of the world's largest surveillance bases in Yorkshire.

The programme is still being developed so if you have contributions or ideas about what should be on the programme please contact mail@themhac.uk

All are welcome.

Come and meet others concerned about working for a more peaceful world.

Attachments

Poster for Independence from America Event 2022

Report on event held on 2nd July 2022

Bases

NSA/USAF Menwith Hill

Issues

How long to say goodbye?

Surveillance, Secrecy and Sovereignty

Comments

Menwith Hill and the US

Oh diddums are you a nuclear target for the Russians ?

I live in Greater London, we used to be a target for 4 Soviet nukes. The solution isn't to remove the targets numpty. It is to strengthen the UK's Nuclear Deterrent, max Trident warheads out, 192 per boat. Certify the F35A as nuclear capable for the B61 or ALCM. SLCM for the Astutes SSN. Get the total UK warheads up to 600.

We are in Cold War 2, go to 5% GDP, place BAOR in Estonia ? restart Challenger production, increase RN surface fleet, accelerate F35 delivery. Sellafield has 139 tons of Plutonium get Aldermaston busy making warheads.

Your solution to give up is a bad choice. I prefer the iron fist in the iron glove.

Simon Alford

2 July 2022

Nuclear targets

Simon Alford is following the often expressed view. Namely the best deterrence is a stronger military response which may well lead to Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD). A more sustainable solution is working for peace. It is hard and dangerous work, strongly opposed by the arms manufacturers. There are a number of useful and well tried tools that can be used to build peace. The tools include developing a real understanding of other nations, diplomacy and cultural exchanges that build human links between people. Think outside the box and try to see the reasons for conflict in other ways. The best peace work is done during times when there is no conflict and prevent it arising. We need courage to think afresh.

Martin Schweiger

2 July 2022

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North Yorkshire Pension Funds investments linked to bombing Yemen

Martin — Thu, 20 Jan 2022 16:54:36 +0000

North Yorkshire Pension Funds investments linked to bombing Yemen Martin Thu, 01/20/2022 - 16:54

Why is Britain still complicit in the war in the Yemen?

Martin — Thu, 20 Jan 2022 13:25:08 +0000

Why is Britain still complicit in the war in the Yemen? Martin Thu, 01/20/2022 - 13:25

Supporters Meeting 20 January 2022

Martin — Sun, 12 Dec 2021 19:30:15 +0000

Starts

Thursday, January 20, 2022 - 11:00

Ends

Thursday, January 20, 2022 - 12:30

Supporters Meeting

11am on Thursday 20th January 2022

Meeting will be held on Zoom.

Agenda will include:

Follow up of 3D Report

Discussions with North Yorkshire Police

Planning Applications

Raising the profile of the campaign

Development of MHAC Website

All are welcome.

Zoom link can be requested at: mail@themhac.uk

Bases

NSA/USAF Menwith Hill

Issues

Accountability

Ministry of Defence Police

Surveillance, Secrecy and Sovereignty

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