Goldsmith denies gag attempt (Al Jazeera Memo)

[sabra]

http://politics.guardian.co.uk/media/story/0,12123,1651285,00.html

Goldsmith denies gag attempt
The Guardian


The attorney general mounted a robust defence yesterday of his advice to newspapers that they risked breaching the Official Secrets Act if they published details from a confidential memo reportedly detailing a conversation between George Bush and Tony Blair.

Lord Goldsmith insisted he was acting on his own initiative and was not attempting to gag newspapers but merely pointing out the legal position. His warning was sent out after the Daily Mirror said a memo recorded a threat by the US president to take "military action" against the Arabic TV station al-Jazeera. The prime minister replied that that would cause a big problem, according to the Mirror.

David Keogh, a former Cabinet Office official, and Leo O'Connor, a researcher, are to appear before Bow Street magistrates next week on charges under the Official Secrets Act.

The attorney general's note said: "You are reminded that to publish the contents of a document which is known to have been unlawfully disclosed by a crown servant is in itself a breach of section 5 of the Official Secrets Act 1989." Lord Goldsmith said he was acting on his own initiative in sending the notice. "I'm not acting at the request or under the instructions of anybody else in relation to this."

[ChairmanAgnostic]

1. backtrack city, eh?

I guess the unrest within his own party is such that he has to 'splain away his effing bloody-minded shortsighted decision.

[TomInTib]

2. Maybe they figure the Epanymondas effect will prevail

"If an object is spun at ever increasing speed, said object will eventually disappear"

[babylonsister]

3. Great word-new one to me! Edit to add

dctionary.com never heard of it!

[TomInTib]

7. This may be a tad sensitive here and you would have to be of a

certain(ahem)generation (old) to know.
Epanymondas is an Indian legend. A tiger who chased his prey around and around a tree at increasing speed. He finally became nothing but a blur and when the dust cleared all that was left of him was a pool off yellow cream. And that is where butter came from.

American children of the 1930s thru the late 50s read about Epanymodas in a wonderful little book called "Little Black Sambo" which was banned in the early 60s.

[babylonsister]

8. Thanks

for educating me!

[jimshoes]

10. I remember that book

at the time I did not equate it with racism though. Too young.

[54anickel]

4. Soooo, PUBLISH IT!!!! n/t

[Roy]

5. Nooo... don't publish it.....

since the content is already known, just keep the pressue on to publish it and the controversy alive, and let the idiots twist in the wind til this time next year.

[54anickel]

6. Ewww, good thinking! As much as I'd like to see it, watching them

twist and try to spin it for a while could be worth a wait.

[stepnw1f]

9. You Neo_Nuts Are Screwed

Your whole apparatus is being exposed. Awesome!!!