10/04/2010 04:14 PM
Data Privacy
New US Demands for Information Angers European Parliament
US officials are demanding access to additional European police databases in
their hunt for potential terrorists traveling to the US. The demands include
DNA samples, fingerprints, access to criminal registers and other
information. The request is being opposed by members of the European
Parliament.
Under massive pressure from the United States government, European Union
member states are moving to provide American security officials with access
to data in European police databases. Last week, Austria gave in to pressure
from Washington to provide access to data including DNA samples, criminal
registries and fingerprints.
Without the data exchange, the US ambassador in Vienna made clear to the
Austrian chancellor’s office that Washington would quickly remove Austria
from the list of countries that enjoy a visa waver for travel to the United
States. Other countries, including Germany, had already quietly acquiesced
to Washington’s firm wishes.
snip...
The original demands made by the US angered many politicians across Europe
and an initial deal was halted until the European Parliament extracted
concessions from Washington.
dsl/SPIEGEL
URL:
* http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,721131,00.html
http://homelandsecuritynewswire.com/impact-cyberattack-us-could-be-order-magnitude-surpassing-911
Impact of cyberattack on U.S. could be “an order of magnitude surpassing”
9/11
Published 4 October 2010
Former director of national intelligence and director of the National
Security Agency Mike McConnell and Bush administration Homeland Security
Adviser Fran Townsend say the United States is unprepared for a cyberattack
and must overhaul its defenses; they said a large-scale cyberattack against
the United States could impact the global economy “an order of magnitude
surpassing” the attacks of 9/11; McConnell: “The warnings are over; it could
happen tomorrow”
Speaking at the Washington Ideas Forum at the Newseum in Washington, D.C.,
last week, former director of national intelligence and director of the
National Security Agency Mike McConnell said that the United States is
unprepared for a cyberattack and must overhaul its defenses.
snip