security – praag.org

BRICS face huge security issues says Putin

Security issues are an important sphere in the activity of BRICS member states (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) and they are related to the challenges the world community is currently facing, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday at a meeting with the Security Council secretaries of the BRICS countries.

“Obviously, for our organization, for BRICS, it’s an important sphere of activity, considering the challenges the entire international community and our countries have to face at present. It’s obvious that the fight against organized crime, terrorism, financial crime is certainly on the agenda of the international community,” Putin said.

According to the president, it is also obvious that BRICS member countries are facing major threats. “It is also clear that our countries are facing considerable threats in connection with violation of international law norms, in connection with violation of sovereignty of different states, their activity spheres,” Putin said.

Source: Itar-TASS

SA, Zim cement defence and security

Ministers from South Africa and Zimbabwe have discussed mutual issues of defence and security.

They’ve pledged to strengthen the fight against cross-border crime, using intelligence agencies from both countries.

Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has been quick to dismiss claims that migrants are responsible for most crimes.

“It is not just foreign nationals who are involved in soft criminality,” she said.

“Our correctional facilities are overflowing and 99% of people who are in our correctional facilities are in fact South Africans.”

They’ve also discussed the recent xenophobic attacks in South Africa.

Zimbabwe has praised its neighbour for how it dealt with the violence.

With 27 signed memorandums of understanding and agreements between them, South Africa and Zimbabwe continue to build their relationship.

The two countries have further committed to strengthening their security relations while helping to maintain peace and stability in the SADC region.

French intel chief questions NATO claims

France’s intelligence chief has questioned NATO’s claims of Russia preparing to attack Ukraine as their agents failed to spot any activities signaling this – either before or after the crisis began.

A statement by the chief of France’s military intelligence, General Christophe Gomart, was published on the National Assembly’s website.

“NATO announced that the Russians were about to invade Ukraine. But, according to French intelligence, there is nothing to corroborate this hypothesis – we determined that the Russians were deploying neither command posts nor logistical facilities, including field hospitals, needed for a military incursion,” General Gomart told a parliamentary hearing.

NATO’s top brass has been incanting mantras about a “Russian invasion” ever since the crisis in Ukraine began a year ago. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, as well as his predecessor Anders Fogh Rasmussen, have lashed at Russia on numerous occasions, claiming that the Russian military is present on the ground in Ukraine, but failing to provide evidence supporting these claims.

“Our conclusion eventually proved correct because even if some Russian soldiers had indeed been seen on the Ukrainian side of the border, it was just a ploy, meant to bring pressure to bear on President Poroshenko, rather than an attempt to invade Ukraine,” General Gomart said.

The French intelligence chief’s remarks came in the context of France’s role in NATO. Gomart noted that at the moment the alliance is dominated by US intelligence, while France’s intelligence is taken not taken into consideration so much.

“France will not be fooled. France has its own sources of information and we are aware what the explanation for the crisis in Ukraine is,” Philippe Migault, expert on Ukraine from the University of International and Strategic Relations, said.

Meanwhile an American RC-135U reconnaissance aircraft was buzzed by a Russian Sukhoi Su-27 fighter jet over the Baltic Sea near Russia’s Kaliningrad Region, according to the Pentagon.

Major-General Igor Konashenkov, spokesman for the Russian Defense Ministry, said that the interception was launched after “Russian air defense radars spotted an unidentified air target over the Baltic Sea making steady progress toward the national border.” The aircraft had its transponder turned off, Konashenkov said.

The head of Russia’s Upper House Committee for Foreign Relations, Konstantin Kosachev, called on to NATO to stop their “hysterics” over flights by the Russian Air Force, “presenting them as aggression and demonizing Russia.”

“In connection with the incident over the Baltic one should keep in mind that Russia is a Baltic country, whereas the US is not,” Kosachev said.

Frants Klintsevich, of the United Russia party, said the report showed US intelligence has been working to fulfill a political order.

Meanwhile, on Friday five Northern European states, non-NATO Finland and Sweden included, signed a declaration on the expansion of military cooperation to counter “Russian aggression against Ukraine.”

Since Finland and Sweden intend to interact with NATO on a matching contribution basis, which might indicate a desire to join the alliance, Moscow will view this declaration as an act of aggression, Norwegian defense analyst Janne Haaland Matlary warned.

“Finland and Sweden have also decided to keep their exercises to NATO standards, which implies a step on the way toward NATO. Today, there are no political grounds for them to join NATO, public opinion is not frightened enough, and referendums will be required. But what is happening now still looks like a preparation for membership,” Matlary told Aftenposten newspaper on Friday.

Germany sells fifth nuclear submarine to Israel

Germany’s Federal Security Council has approved the export of a fifth submarine to Israel.

It’s the penultimate submarine promised to Israel by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and will be handed over by the company Thyssen Krupp.

Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper revealed the approval, citing the Federal Security Council’s report to the parliamentary Economics Committee.

Germany’s Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW) builds the new Air Independent Propulsion Dolphins and the decision to sell them has been criticized for two reasons. One, in that German taxpayers are shouldering a third of the cost.

Secondly, the vessels are reportedly capable of being equipped with nuclear weapons.

Peter Roberts is an expert in sea power and naval weapons systems at the Royal United Services Institute in London and told Sputnik News that Israel will want to produce and develop nuclear capability on the new submarines.

“That’s the long term aspiration”, says Roberts. “But does it have it right now? No.

“These are new batch of submarines that Israel is receiving which have a markedly increased capability on what they’d had previously in terms of range, covertness and ability to reach different parts of the world then they had previously been able to do.”

Roberts adds that the submarines have the capability to become nuclear armed, “but probably not right now.”

“Several hurdles have to be overcome before it can be armed with a nuclear warhead.”

He explains that the key to being able to arm the submarines with nuclear weapons is down to the delivery mechanism.

“The Israelis rely on the fact they could fire the Popeye submarine missile — a system that the Americans successfully launched in 2002. But traditionally the Israelis only keep the Harpoon anti-ship missile.”

“These are the first submarines that will be able to fire this missile, the size of the torpedo tubes allow it to be fired, they have a bigger tubes for bigger missiles.

“The submarines would have the ability to launch them [missiles] — it’s the weapon itself that is the critical part and developing that weapon and navigation system for the guidance from within a submerged submarine is a further challenge.”

Peter Roberts says it’s difficult to say whether the submarines are distinctly designed for nuclear weapons.

“The Israelis will want to add this to their golf bag of capability which will give them huge resilience in their nuclear forces — but they’re not there yet.”

According to an article written by Anthony Bellchambers for Global Research, the Dolphin Class nuclear powered submarines “that have already been converted by the Israeli navy to being armed with ICB nuclear missiles…has given the Israeli state ‘deep sea dominance’ that is now virtually irreversible.”

Adding that German Chancellor Merkel agreed to supply Israel with the vessels “without any prior consultation with the EU.”

‘Terrorists raise money in SA’

Millions of rand stolen from local businesses could end up in hands of terrorists, warns Werksmans attorney Berhard Hotz.

He was speaking in Sandton on Wednesday. Hotz investigates white collar crime and commercial fraud.

He said money that had been stolen from a South African company had landed up in the hands of terrorists at least once. “There is a lack of intelligence,” he said.

He knew of two fake NGOs, previously based in South Africa, who raised money for “orphans” but the money was instead sent to Islamic terror organisations in the Middle East.

International anti-terrorism organisations had detected that the sale of diamonds funded the global arms trade and would continue to do so as diamonds were predicted to grow in value.

Hotz argued that mining for diamonds in South Africa, could provide a legitimate “veneer” for terrorist organisations to make money to fund operations, he said.

Additionally. Hotz knew of secret organisations that transferred money from South Africa to Somalia, using passwords, and leaving no paper trail.

He said good IT systems prevented hacking of data. There are Eastern European syndicates in Ukraine, stealing data with very sophisticated software.

Russian planes everywhere: UK media hypes intercept

Most media reports based on the NATO statement failed to mention that the Russian planes did not cross any borders and remained within international airspace in every mentioned case

Two Royal Air Force jets reportedly threatened to shoot down a Latvian cargo plane, rushing at supersonic speeds to intercept it, after the plane failed to respond to air traffic control over Kent in Southern England and sent authorities into panic mode.

Russian planes everywhere

The excitement surrounding the intercept – apparently based on post-9/11 terrorist attack fears – came amid a heightened terror alert in the UK at the time of the allied military campaign against the Islamic State.

Media reports mirrored the panic frenzy triggered by the incident, but in a peculiar way: first saying that the cargo plane was “Russian” and then switching to a “Russian-made” reference, RT reported.

Both takes were wrong: the Antonov design bureau, the producer of An-26 planes, is a Ukrainian company founded in Soviet times, and the plane in question belonged to a Latvian-registered company, ironically called RAF-Avia.

However, the British media seemingly capitalized on the latest NATO reports of “unusual” increased activity of Russian military aircrafts over the Atlantic and the Black Sea.

NATO stated that it has intercepted four groups of Russian planes since Tuesday. “These sizeable Russian flights represent an unusual level of air activity over European airspace,” the alliance said.

Most media reports based on the NATO statement failed to mention that the Russian planes did not cross any borders and remained within international airspace in every mentioned case.

“I am instructed by Her Majesty’s Government of the United Kingdom to warn you that, if you do not respond immediately to my orders, you will be shot down,” radioed one of the jets, according to an audio recording circulating in UK media.

The incident occurred at about 5pm local time after the Latvian Antonov An-26 aircraft failed to make contact with air traffic controllers.

British Typhoons were tasked with intercepting the cargo plane. “To fulfill their quick reaction role, they were cleared to travel at supersonic speed,” an RAF spokesperson said, adding that the speed explains the loud noise people heard in the air.

Many locals took to Twitter, describing how their houses shook after the loud bangs.

Communications with the civilian pilots were restored only after the jets intercepted the plane.

The Latvian plane was then escorted to London’s Stansted Airport at around 5:20 pm “All three people who were on board have been spoken to by police,” AP quoted Essex Police spokeswoman Emma Thomas as saying. “It was established that everything was in order and the reason for the short loss of communication was due to a change in airspace.

Armed robbers on the loose

Footage clearly shows two black men walking up to the shop, where there are three staff and no customers, with criminal intent.

The armed robbery has gone viral on YouTube with more than 22 000 views, but no arrests have been made.

The five blacks robbed a jewellery shop in Franschhoek.

On October 2, employees of Tracey’s Diamonds were held at gunpoint by a group of robbers pretending to be customers.

It is understood they drove off in three vehicles.

Over the past few weeks there have been a spate of mall attacks.

The Franschhoek robbery was the sixth attack after those in Canal Walk and two V&A Waterfront robberies. Since then there have been another 10, including the one at Waterstone Village in Somerset West on Sunday and the Paarl Mall robberies on Monday, when staff arrived at the Vodacom, Incredible Connection and King Pie shops to find the premises had been looted.

Police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Andrè Traut said robbers gained entry through the roof, making off with an undisclosed amount of goods.

Centre manager Faizah Berhadien said Paarl Mall had 24-hour security and all areas were monitored by CCTV.

Police have released pictures of four men linked to the Somerset Mall and Brackenfell Mall robberies. Two have been named as Zandisile Nelani and Siyabonga Gwangqa.

On September 21, a jewellery shop was robbed in Somerset Mall. A cellphone shop was robbed in Brackenfell on May 15.

Pictures of the robbers were obtained from surveillance cameras at the malls.

Traut said: “Two of the suspects have been identified and their photographs have been issued for publication as they are wanted on a charge of armed robbery.”

Traut said Nelani and Gwangqa were also wanted for an earlier robbery.

“They were released on bail following their arrest for an armed robbery… at a cellular telephone shop in Woodstock in March, and they failed to return to court.

Jews increasing security in SA

Synagogues around the country have increased security in recent weeks, putting up concrete barriers and closing roads during worship.

The synagogues are also protected by 24-hour security thanks to terrorism and anti-Semitic threats against the Jewish community.

On their website, the Great Park shul in Houghton said that to protect worshippers during Shabbat, Yom Tov and throughout the year, they have employed a trained security officer.

The Star called CSO (Community Security Organisation) this week to enquire about security upgrades at synagogues.

The journalist was told they had received prank calls from people pretending to be journalists and they needed to verify the journalist’s identity before they would speak.

The journalist was asked for her telephone numbers, what nationality her surname was, her e-mail address, the number of her newsdesk and who was on duty at that moment.

She was also asked if there were Jewish members at her office and who they were.

When The Star’s photographer went to take photos of security measures at shuls, he was stopped and asked for identification by security. He was later called and also interrogated in the same manner as the journalist and asked if his photograph could be seen. He did not allow this.

“A new secure parameter wall has just been built around the entire shul campus to better secure shul facilities,” the website said.

The Sandton shul said on their website that anyone wishing to enter the property may be subject to security questioning and/or searching.

Some of the security tips on the website relate to keeping safe, like leaving valuables at home while walking to shul.

Some of the other tips are:

* Do not accept and bring parcels (gifts, bags, food, etc) to the shul from any person other than your immediate family.

* Do not provide information about the shul to unknown people – refer them to the shul office for assistance.

* Do not walk to and from shul alone, but rather try to form walking groups.

* Do not leave any unidentified objects (gifts, bags, food, etc) lying in or around the shul – all unidentified objects may be removed by security and or the South African Police Service.

Joburg metro police (JMPD) spokesman Chief Superintendent Wayne Minnaar said because of the safety of communities and the protection of properties, the JMPD was working with various bodies of the Jewish community during this period.

“There will be closures of some streets at different places and certain times,” Minnaar said.

These extra security measures are due to terrorism and anti-Semitic world events, members of the Jewish community said.

Mary Kluk, national chairwoman of the SA Jewish Board of Deputies, said Jewish communities around the world were experiencing a sharp increase in anti-Semitic incidents and threats.

“Regrettably, the South African Jewish community is no exception and since the war in Gaza this anti-Semitic rhetoric has reached levels unseen for many decades.”

Kluk said they were concerned about an increased security risk to their community over holy days.

“Internationally, a number of countries have released statements about increased risk of terrorism worldwide and we believe the South African Jewish community is not immune to such threats,” she added.

Kluk said the community was working with the South African authorities to ensure precautions were taken to ensure their safety.

There had been a lot of anti-Semitic hate speech on social media since the war in Gaza, she pointed out.

She said organisations and individuals had received numerous threatening messages, one of which said: “Hitler was right, pity he didn’t finish off all Jews.”

There had been no direct threats to synagogues, Kluk said.

Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein said the security measures were part of “an unfortunate reality in the world where there is an increased threat of jihad terrorism”, and that this was a message that all South Africans needed to take seriously.

Armoured vehicles to be deployed at malls in Gauteng

The police will deploy Nyala armoured vehicles at malls across Gauteng in a fight-back against the upsurge in shopping centre robberies by seemingly highly organised gangs.

But detectives made a breakthrough early yesterday when they arrested five men, in raids in Brixton and in Doornfontein, Johannesburg.

The men, aged between 28 and 44, were found with a 9mm pistol and three semi-automatic rifles.

Gauteng police commissioner Lieutenant-General Lesetja Mothiba said the men were linked to at least two recent mall robberies, including Saturday’s at Black Chain Shopping Centre, in Diepkloof, Soweto.

They are also suspected of being involved in ATM bombings, taxi violence and robberies at business premises.

The police said there had been 11 robberies at malls across Gauteng since the middle of last month targeting cellphone shops and Apple iStores.

The police said they will strengthen their deployments at 12 Gauteng shopping centres, which they refused to name. Armoured vehicles will be part of the deterrent.

Criminologist Rudolph Zinn said the recent spate of shopping centre robberies had been predicted.

“Two or three years ago there was a security summit and what came out is that these guys are going to start hitting malls.”

He said the reason for this was that hijackings, house robberies and ATM bombings were becoming more difficult to pull off.

Armed security guards are hamstrung in engaging robbers in malls because of the danger of hitting bystanders in a shoot-out.

They are targeting cellphones, said Zinn, because phones are small but have a high black market value.

Hennie Lochner, a senior researcher in the department of police practice at Unisa, said blacklisted phones can be reactivated.

The police are to brief mall managers in Gauteng on improving security.

Source: timeslive.co.za

No law or policy for ‘mastering the Internet’

Britain’s GCHQ is scanning servers in multiple foreign countries for vulnerable ports, according to German newspaper Heise. Using a tool called Hacienda, the intelligence agency seeks to ‘master the internet’ for sources of espionage.

Spanish for estate, Hacienda can port scan all of the servers in a country to provide information on user endpoints and scan for potential vulnerabilities. The ability to port scan is not new, but the scale of its use by government spies, with 27 countries scanned by 2009, has shocked many familiar with the software.

“In 2009, the British spy agency GCHQ made port scans a ‘standard tool’ to be applied against entire nations,” Heise reports. “Twenty-seven countries are listed as targets of the Hacienda [program].”

The process of scanning entire countries and looking for vulnerable network infrastructure to exploit is consistent with the meta-goal of “Mastering the Internet”, which is also the name of a GCHQ cable-tapping program. Targeted protocols include SSH, HTTP and FTP, among others.

Systems may be attacked simply because they might eventually create a path towards a valuable espionage target, even without indications this will ever be the case. Based on this logic, every device is a target.

The database resulting from the scans is shared with other spy agencies in the UK, US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. MAILORDER is described in the documents as a secure transport protocol used between the ‘Five Eyes’ spy agencies to exchange collected data.

System and network administrators face the threat of industrial espionage, sabotage and human rights violations created by nation states indiscriminately attacking network infrastructure and breaking into services.

GCHQ says it will not comment on “intelligence matters” but reiterates that everything that it does is done within a strict legal framework. “It is a longstanding policy that we do not comment on intelligence matters,” a GCHQ spokesperson told The Inquirer.

“All of GCHQ’s work is carried out in accordance with a strict legal and policy framework, which ensures that our activities are authorized, necessary and proportionate, and that there is rigorous oversight, including from the Secretary of State, the Interception of Communications and Intelligence Services Commissioners and the Parliamentary Intelligence and Security Committee.

“All our operational processes rigorously support this position,” they added.

British intelligence is permitted to go further in surveillance than similar agencies in other Western countries, according to Edward Snowden. The former NSA contractor believes the powers of the British intelligence establishment are not restricted effectively enough by “law or policy”. The lack of legal restrictions allows UK intelligence services to target more people than is necessary.

Source: RT

Have hackers made passwords obsolete?

New startups looking for ways to keep their users secure should know one thing, a top Google security executive said Tuesday: “Passwords are dead.”

Speaking on a TechCrunch Disrupt panel called “Spies Like Us,” Heather Adkins, Google’s manager of information security, told moderator Greg Ferenstein that in the future, the “game is over for” any startup that relies on passwords as its chief method to secure users and their data.

Adkins, speaking alongside Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers managing partner Ted Schlein and author James Bamford, said that looking ahead, “our relationship with passwords are done,” and that “passwords are done at Google.”

She talked briefly about Google’s use of two-step authentication and the fact that the search giant has been working to innovate in the area of non-standard password security. As a result, she said, any startup that still relies on standard passwords needs to ensure that it has an abuse team set up to deal “with customers getting compromised.”

Although Adkins didn’t offer any real specifics on how Google will innovate beyond today’s security, she did say the company is experimenting with hardware-based tokens as well as a Motorola-created system that authenticates users by having them touch a device to something embedded, or held, in their own clothing. “A hacker can’t steal that from you,” she said.

Later in the conversation, which also touched on the NSA scandal, cybersecurity, and the weaponization of offensive cyber technologies, Adkins pointed out that hackers intent on making money from their bad acts had consistently found ways to exploit Google users who had yet to turn on two-factor authentication. Essentially, she explained, hackers were able to get into such users’ accounts, turn on two-factor authentication themselves, and lock the users out before utilizing those accounts to send spam. “They are finding new ways to make money off it,” she said. “Ways we hadn’t anticipated.”

Finally, Adkins argued, technology companies need to step up and build products that protect users so “they don’t rely on not getting fooled.” Ultimately, she said, anyone starting a new technology company should be sure that one person is designated to focus on security and privacy, and that one of the first 25 employees should work full time on security and privacy. – cnet.com

Journalism under threat

By Alan Rusbridger
Guardian Editor

On Sunday morning David Miranda, the partner of Guardian columnist Glenn Greenwald, was detained as he was passing through Heathrow airport on his way back to Rio de Janeiro, where the couple live. Greenwald is the reporter who has broken most of the stories about state surveillance based on the leaks from the former NSA contractor Edward Snowden. Greenwald’s work has undoubtedly been troublesome and embarrassing for western governments. But, as the debate in America and Europe has shown, there is considerable public interest in what his stories have revealed about the right balance between security, civil liberties, freedom of speech and privacy. He has raised acutely disturbing questions about the oversight of intelligence; about the use of closed courts; about the cosy and secret relationship between government and vast corporations; and about the extent to which millions of citizens now routinely have their communications intercepted, collected, analysed and stored.

In this work he is regularly helped by David Miranda. Miranda is not a journalist, but he still plays a valuable role in helping his partner do his journalistic work. Greenwald has his plate full reading and analysing the Snowden material, writing, and handling media and social media requests from around the world. He can certainly use this back-up. That work is immensely complicated by the certainty that it would be highly unadvisable for Greenwald (or any other journalist) to regard any electronic means of communication as safe. The Guardian’s work on the Snowden story has involved many individuals taking a huge number of flights in order to have face-to-face meetings. Not good for the environment, but increasingly the only way to operate. Soon we will be back to pen and paper.

Miranda was held for nine hours under schedule 7 of the UK’s terror laws, which give enormous discretion to stop, search and question people who have no connection with “terror”, as ordinarily understood. Suspects have no right to legal representation and may have their property confiscated for up to seven days. Under this measure – uniquely crafted for ports and airport transit areas – there are none of the checks and balances that apply once someone is in Britain proper. There is no need to arrest or charge anyone and there is no protection for journalists or their material. A transit lounge in Heathrow is a dangerous place to be.

Miranda’s professional status – much hand-wringing about whether or not he’s a proper “journalist – is largely irrelevant in these circumstances. Increasingly, the question about who deserves protection should be less “is this a journalist?” than “is the publication of this material in the public interest?”

The detention of Miranda has rightly caused international dismay because it feeds into a perception that the US and UK governments – while claiming to welcome the debate around state surveillance started by Snowden – are also intent on stemming the tide of leaks and on pursuing the whistleblower with a vengeance. That perception is right. Here follows a little background on the considerable obstacles being placed in the way of informing the public about what the intelligence agencies, governments and corporations are up to.

A little over two months ago I was contacted by a very senior government official claiming to represent the views of the prime minister. There followed two meetings in which he demanded the return or destruction of all the material we were working on. The tone was steely, if cordial, but there was an implicit threat that others within government and Whitehall favoured a far more draconian approach.

The mood toughened just over a month ago, when I received a phone call from the centre of government telling me: “You’ve had your fun. Now we want the stuff back.” There followed further meetings with shadowy Whitehall figures. The demand was the same: hand the Snowden material back or destroy it. I explained that we could not research and report on this subject if we complied with this request. The man from Whitehall looked mystified. “You’ve had your debate. There’s no need to write any more.”

During one of these meetings I asked directly whether the government would move to close down the Guardian’s reporting through a legal route – by going to court to force the surrender of the material on which we were working. The official confirmed that, in the absence of handover or destruction, this was indeed the government’s intention. Prior restraint, near impossible in the US, was now explicitly and imminently on the table in the UK. But my experience over WikiLeaks – the thumb drive and the first amendment – had already prepared me for this moment. I explained to the man from Whitehall about the nature of international collaborations and the way in which, these days, media organisations could take advantage of the most permissive legal environments. Bluntly, we did not have to do our reporting from London. Already most of the NSA stories were being reported and edited out of New York. And had it occurred to him that Greenwald lived in Brazil?

The man was unmoved. And so one of the more bizarre moments in the Guardian’s long history occurred – with two GCHQ security experts overseeing the destruction of hard drives in the Guardian’s basement just to make sure there was nothing in the mangled bits of metal which could possibly be of any interest to passing Chinese agents. “We can call off the black helicopters,” joked one as we swept up the remains of a MacBook Pro.

Whitehall was satisfied, but it felt like a peculiarly pointless piece of symbolism that understood nothing about the digital age. We will continue to do patient, painstaking reporting on the Snowden documents, we just won’t do it in London. The seizure of Miranda’s laptop, phones, hard drives and camera will similarly have no effect on Greenwald’s work.

The state that is building such a formidable apparatus of surveillance will do its best to prevent journalists from reporting on it. Most journalists can see that. But I wonder how many have truly understood the absolute threat to journalism implicit in the idea of total surveillance, when or if it comes – and, increasingly, it looks like “when”.

We are not there yet, but it may not be long before it will be impossible for journalists to have confidential sources. Most reporting – indeed, most human life in 2013 – leaves too much of a digital fingerprint. Those colleagues who denigrate Snowden or say reporters should trust the state to know best (many of them in the UK, oddly, on the right) may one day have a cruel awakening. One day it will be their reporting, their cause, under attack. But at least reporters now know to stay away from Heathrow transit lounges.

Tight security at Mandela hospital

Nine police officers were manning the entrance of the Pretoria hospital where critically-ill former president was being treated on Thursday.

The officers were screening all vehicles entering the hospital through the Park Street entrance at 6am.

Another police contingent was manning the other entrance on Celliers Street.

Despite the biting cold, local and international media started regrouping outside the hospital after 5am.

A dozen candles burnt through the night next to the Celliers Street entrance.

The candles were placed next to a miniature art gallery established by well-wishers on the security wall of the Medi-Clinic Heart hospital in Arcadia, east of Pretoria.

Numerous passers-by momentarily stopped on Thursday morning, observing the various presents brought for Madiba.

Multicoloured balloons, flowers, pictures and paintings of Madiba, hundreds of get-well-soon cards, flags and banners totally eclipsed the Medi-Clinic signboard at the Celliers Street entrance.

Some of the messages read: “No one knows the time, including Jesus and the angels, only God knows. No one will take you from us except our heavenly father. From Lynel Dlamini”

A message printed in a large frame read: “From the bottom of our hearts, we as Northern Sudanese love you and pray for you. We pray for our hero, our man Madiba to be out of this sickness with all power render[ed] from Allah the Almighty.”

Another well-wisher wrote: “Tata Madiba. You are in my prayers. A father to our country. One we will always look up to. Sending you all my love and well wishes from Cape Town. Love you always. From Charne Snyders”.

Others wrote: “Madiba you are my hero. Will pray forever for you. From Judia Tivane Holm [from] Mozambique”.

“Madiba be well. Long live freedom. Long live Justice. Long live hope. From Shabana Azmi [and] Sandeep Chachna [from] India

“I will always love you Tata. From Johanisa Ruiters. From Noupoort, Northern Cape.”

Before 3am, most journalists had left and only a handful were milling around near the hospital.

Numerous tents, generators, broadcasting cameras on tripods and broadcast vans had become a permanent feature on the street’s sidewalk since Madiba was admitted for a recurring lung infection on June 8.

Tshwane metro police officers were parked near the large fleet of media cars, which occupied all the parking spots near the entrance.

The metro police barricaded Celliers Street, allowing media vehicles and cars of residents of the street.

On Wednesday, President Jacob Zuma left the hospital at 10.15pm in a black BMW. He was escorted by a number of official cars with blue flashing police lights, which waited for him a street away from the hospital’s Park street entrance.

Zuma was followed by Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula in a black Lexus.

Shortly after Zuma’s visit, the presidency said that Zuma had cancelled his visit to Mozambique on Thursday.

“President Zuma has decided to cancel his visit to Maputo, Mozambique tomorrow June 27, where he was due to attend an SA Development Community Summit regional infrastructure investment conference,” spokesman Mac Maharaj said in a statement. – Sapa

Streets in Pretoria being cordoned off for Obama visit

Tshwane Metro have confirmed on Tuesday that several streets in the CBD were currently being cordoned off in preparation for the visit of US president Barack Obama.

Several streets in the Pretoria were closed off on Tuesday in preparation for the visit of US President Barack Obama, the Tshwane metro police said.

Spokesman Superintendent, Isaac Mahamba said several streets in central Pretoria were currently closed off as a dry run for security measures for the coming visit by president Barack Obama.

Mahamba was unable to confirm which streets would be affected by the security drill due to security reasons, but according to reports Pretorius and Beatrix Streets were currently closed off. Motorists were advised to use alternative routes on Tuesday.

President Barack Obama is reportedly due to arrive in South Africa with his family on 28 June for his first substantive visit to Africa since he took office.

It is currently still unknown if President Barack Obama will make a visit to the ailing former president Nelson Mandela that is being treated at the Medi-clinic Heart Hospital.

Reports indicated that the Obama family are due to meet with President Jacob Zuma in Pretoria on 29 June before travelling to Soweto and then to Cape Town on Sunday. – looklocal