For Argyll

Alan Hinnrichs from Scotland Against Criminalising Communities has, through a freedom of Information request, forced a disclosure from Argyll and Bute Council that gives grave cause for concern. The council has admitted to using legislation introduced to combat terrorism and organised crime to enable it to spy on people for suspected noise pollution and for suspected benefit fraud - on ten occasions between 2006 and 2008. The specific legislation involved is the Regulation of Investigatory Powers. This is not the first instance of such misuse of the many anti-terrorist laws scrambled through by David Blunkett in the aftermath of the London underground bombings. It is. however, disturbing that the practice has come so close to home.