Where are they Now ? No 678 Katherine Gun - unemployed and unemployable whistleblower

On BBC4 @ 9.00 am this morning Katherine Gun a Chinese translator who worked at UK Spy HQ, GCHQ in Cheltenham. A recording of an interview was played about her life since releasing a damaging memo from the US National Security Agency which routinely crossed her desk at GCHQ.

This asked GCHQ to help the NSA for help in digging the dirt on the six Security Council members who were holding up the 2nd UN vote on invading Iraq pre-emptively.(Tony Blair's very, very, very close friend and unelected FO Minister Lady " very, very long legs" Amos was of course simultaneously scurrying about Africa with a bag of loot and aposse of MI5/6/7/8/9 opertaives trying to blackmail the same people)

This memo eventually via a friend found it's way into the Observer newspaper in an article by Martin Bright.Revealed: US dirty tricks to win vote on Iraq war (See text of e-mail in footnote).

After confessing, an arrest and interview she was charged with a straightforward Official Secrets offence. She revealed at the time to the BBC that it was through the newspaper article that followed her leak that she was contacted by Liberty via her union at GCHQ - the government's communications centre.

In her interview broadcast today she explained that Liberty took up her legal case, organised and paid for it ... naively she says they immediately asked for every bit of paper from Lord Goldsmith, the lying, cheating, conniving then Attorney general - result - Magical - case dropped. Whoop de do !!!!

But consider dear lady the gaff was blown, the e-mail was public property thanks to the Observer and of course would be accepted by the diplomatic circus everywhere as the unremarkable stock in trade tactics of the UKUSA / ECHELON mode of politicking and international fixing.

She has, of her own admission been unable to make a living (now happily a mum) and escaped prison which could have spooked her ex-colleagues. Look ! Your friendly caring, sharing, local spy centre looks after even the naughty chuildren.

Up pops Liberty led by a doe eyed, slim, cashmere scarf wearing, Telly Genic Ex Home Office lawyer happy to foot any bills and run the defence (introduced by her Union ?) - the immediate result of which is the dismissal of all charges (25th Feb 2004) and the removal totally, forever for any chance of public and juridical examination of evidence, cross examination of Ministers, etc., etc., - end of case and general public and press loss of interest.

The BBC were of course more than happy to report that the attorney general's office told them the decision to drop the charge had nothing to do with Lord Goldsmith's advice.

Now evidently the BBC are happy to keep an eye on her progress and allow her ex colleagues to dwell on the unwelcome results of blowing the whistle.

FOOTNOTE :

To: [Recipients withheld]
From: FRANK KOZA, Def Chief of Staff (Regional Targets)CIV/NSASent on Jan 31 2003 0:16 Subject: Reflections of Iraq Debate/Votes at UN-RT Actions + Potential for Related Contributions
Importance: HIGHTop Secret//COMINT//X1
All,
As you've likely heard by now, the Agency is mounting a surge particularly directed at the UN Security Council (UNSC) members (minus US and GBR of course) for insights as to how to membership is reacting to the on-going debate RE: Iraq, plans to vote on any related resolutions, what related policies/ negotiating positions they may be considering, alliances/ dependencies, etc - the whole gamut of information that could give US policymakers an edge in obtaining results favorable to US goals or to head off surprises. In RT, that means a QRC surge effort to revive/ create efforts against UNSC members Angola, Cameroon, Chile, Bulgaria and Guinea, as well as extra focus on Pakistan UN matters.

We've also asked ALL RT topi's to emphasize and make sure they pay attention to existing non-UNSC member UN-related and domestic comms for anything useful related to the UNSC deliberations/ debates/ votes. We have a lot of special UN-related diplomatic coverage (various UN delegations) from countries not sitting on the UNSC right now that could contribute related perspectives/ insights/ whatever. We recognize that we can't afford to ignore this possible source.

We'd appreciate your support in getting the word to your analysts who might have similar, more in-direct access to valuable information from accesses in your product lines. I suspect that you'll be hearing more along these lines in formal channels - especially as this effort will probably peak (at least for this specific focus) in the middle of next week, following the SecState's presentation to the UNSC.

Thanks for your help