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19 Nov 2008
An extensive membership list of the far-right British National Party (BNP) has been stolen and leaked online.
The BNP has confirmed that the list from November 2007 has been leaked, but said that some addresses have been added since then.
The list contains 10,000-12,000 names, addresses, phone numbers, email adresses and additional information, and was posted on a Google blog for a short while before being taken down.
"Detailed analysis by our membership department proves conclusively that the core list dates from between 30 November and 2 December 2007," said BNP leader Nick Griffin.
"We have already sent formal demands to the web hosts to remove the list, pointing out to them that the publication of this year-old list constitutes contempt of court because a court order preventing its release or use was made and consented to by the group of disgraced former employees who first misappropriated it."
Analysis of the members, all of whom have to be 'indigenous Caucasians' under party rules, has reportedly found 16 serving and more than 50 former soldiers, several police officers (who are barred from joining by law) and overseas members in California, Ireland and Saudi Arabia.
The publication of the names has sent the membership into a panic, according to postings on the NorthWestNationalists blog.
"I've just had a call, I'm on it too," wrote one anonymous poster. "I want my f****** member money back, like has been mentioned here, I could lose my f****** job. I'm bloody angry."
A serving soldier also expressed disbelief and called for Nick Griffin to stand down. "Me too, I'm on the list, I could be chucked out of the army. What is going on? Piss up in a brewery comes to mind. I want some answers, NOW," he w rote.
The leak is almost certainly the work of an insider, and highlights the dangers of not protecting important data from prying employees. While there are numerous technologies to do this, very few organisations implement them.
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Thanks for the input
Dear Mr. Harrington, Thank you for your comments. While I appreciate your defence of your members' interests I find it ironic that you should be defending BNP members under the European Convention on Human Rights, legislation that the BNP fought so hard to overcome. With your own background as a former official in the National Front I'm sure you can see the irony of the situation. Certain right wing groups with whom the BNP shares ties (Redwatch et al) have for years been publishing the personal details of left wing people deemed as a threat. It seems that is what is sauce for the goose is not sauce for the gander in some people's minds. Yours, Iain Thomson
Posted by: Iain Thomson 25 Nov 2008
Rights are universal
Leaving aside Employment Law any attempt to ban BNP members from professions seems to me to amount to interference with the exercise of their right to freedom of association under Article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights. Further it would be difficult to argue that in accordance with the requirements of paragraph 2 of Article 11, the interference had been prescribed by law and had pursued a legitimate aim. Any member of our Union who is also in the BNP will be vigorously protected should they come under pressure from bullying employers in the same way we would a member of any other Party. Currently only the Police and Prison Service ban members of the BNP. Such bans have yet to be properly tested by the Courts. Our Union takes the view that there are people of all political persuasions in those services yet only one viewpoint is deemed unacceptable. This is discriminatory. Only if there is actual evidence of wrongdoing should someone be subject to disciplinary procedures. Clearly there was nothing wrong with the behaviour of those listed as working as Prison Officers, policemen etc as there membership came as a shock. As a Trade Union we will uphold our member's employment rights and work to ensure that no-one in this country loses their livelihood due to this new McCarthyism. Yours sincerely Patrick Harrington General Secretary Solidarity Trade Union www.solidaritytradeunion.org
Posted by: Pat Harrington 23 Nov 2008