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Northern Ireland police kept inspectors in dark over surveillance of journalists | Computer Weekly

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Northern Ireland police kept inspectors in dark over surveillance of journalists | Computer Weekly


Northern Ireland police failed to disclose two covert surveillance operations against journalists to the UK’s independent surveillance watchdog in breach of their statutory obligations.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland kept inspectors from the Investigatory Powers Commissioner’s Office (IPCO) in the dark about two covert operations against  journalists in 2018 and 2023, it has been disclosed.

Brian Leveson, the investigatory powers commissioner, confirmed in a letter to Northern Ireland’s policing board that the PSNI only informed IPCO about the covert operations in 2025, after they had become public.

The disclosure, in letters published in the Northern Ireland Policing Board’s annual human rights report, first reported by The Detail, comes as the PSNI is preparing to publish a review by barrister Angus McCullogh KC into police surveillance of journalists and lawyers in Northern Ireland.

Covert surveillance in 2018

In August 2018, the PSNI authorised an unlawful surveillance operation in a failed attempt to identify a confidential journalistic source suspected of supplying information to journalists Barry McCaffrey and Trevor Birney.

The then chief constable of the PSNI authorised a Directed Surveillance Authorisation (DSA) to allow the PSNI to monitor an individual suspected of leaking information to the two journalists.

But according to Leveson, the PSNI failed to disclose the existence of the surveillance operation against the journalists to IPCO inspectors during the watchdog’s annual inspection in spring 2019, in breach of its statutory obligations.

“There is no indication in the 2019 inspection report for PSNI that my inspectors were notified of any covert activity conducted against journalists, or with the intention of identifying a journalistic source,” he wrote in a letter to the Policing Board.

Leveson said that he had received no explanation for the PSNI’s omission. “The question remains why the DSA was not specifically brought to my inspectors’ attention in 2019, given its stated objective of identifying a journalistic source,” he said.

The PSNI did not inform IPCO of the surveillance operation until after the Investigatory Powers Tribunal disclosed it publicly in its judgment in favour of the two journalists in 2024, awarding them costs.

Independent inquiry

Barry McCaffrey and Trevor Birney told Computer Weekly that the PSNI had consistently failed to take oversight seriously during the journalist’s legal battle with the PSNI.

“It’s quite clear that the PSNI is incapable of acting honestly with any of these oversight bodies. They don’t take it seriously at all, or they show them complete disrespect by failing to properly and honestly interact with them,” said McCaffrey.

He said that the only way of getting to the truth was to hold an independent public enquiry.

 “We now see with Brian Leveson that they have withheld evidence even when IPCO was asking for it and we fear that there are going to be more incidents of this when the McCullough review comes out,” he added.

2023 operation spied on Twitter

The PSNI also failed to disclose a surveillance operation against another unnamed journalist in 2023 to IPCO inspectors.

The operation targeted the covert monitoring of social media posts on X by investigative journalist Dónal MacIntyre.

In a letter to the policing board, Leveson said that the PSNI had failed to alert inspectors to the operation despite being asked to do so.

“This authorisation was not brought to my inspectors’ attention, despite their specific enquiry regarding any operations involving confidential journalistic or legally privileged material” he added.

The inspection was led by judicial commissioner Declan Morgan, the retired former Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland, who sought specific assurances from IPCO on surveillance authorisations issued agaist journalists. He reported that he identified no issues on non-compliance with the management of confidential information.

As Lord Chief Justice, Morgan ruled in 2019 that the Durham Police, which was assisting the PSNI, had unlawfully used search warrants in an attempt to identify Birney and McCaffrey’s sources.

Boutcher: journalistic risk not identified

 PSNI Chief constable, Jon Boutcher told the policing board that he had no explanation why the PSNI had not disclosed the 2018 surveillance operation to IPCO inspectors.

“No reason or record can be located to explain why this was not highlighted to IPCO as intended,” he said.

He said that the PSNI had not reported the later 2023 surveillance operation to IPCO as it had not identified that it related to journalistic material.

 “As this application had not been highlighted correctly in conjunction with journalistic material, it was not identified when preparing for the 2024 inspection and not highlighted to the IPCO inspectors,” he added.

 He said that the material sought was limited to “public tweets” and did not seek private communications.

Barry McCaffrey (left) and Trevor Birney (right)

 Up to 16 BBC journalists targeted

Following the IPTs’ ruling in favour of Trevor Birney and Barry McCaffrey, other journalists have made complaints that they were unlawfully spied on.

Former BBC journalists, Vincent Kearney has filed a complaint against the PSNI, and up to another 16 BBC journalists have also raised concerns about unlawful surveillance by the PSNI or MI5, according to the policing board.

Computer Weekly reported in July that the PSNI engaged in sustained surveillance of BBC journalists in Northern Ireland from at least 2006 to 2022.

Surveillance against BBC journalists allegedly took place during multiple PSNI operations, codenamed Operation Oxbow in 2009, Operation Settat in 2011, Operation Basanti in 2014 and Operation Grimmicaeie in 2022.

Data published by the policing board, shows that the number of complaints to the Investigatory Powers Tribunal relating to the PSNI’s use of surveillance powers, rose from 9 in 2022, to 16 in 2023 and 33 in 2025.

The PSNI received “notifications to disclose” information in 3 cases in 2022, raising to 6 cases in 2023, and 19 in 2024, which according to the policing board “might indicate that these are not hopeless cases.”

Oversight mechanism ‘not working’

 Amnesty International said the admission that the PSNI covert surveillance operations targeting journalists, including one later ruled unlawful, were withheld from the UK’s surveillance watchdog is “deeply concerning”.

 “The PSNI not only authorised covert surveillance designed to identify journalists’ confidential sources, in flagrant violation of press freedom, but then withheld details of those operations from the very watchdog charged with holding them to account,” said Patrick Corrigan, Amnesty International’s Northern Ireland Director.

  “There must now be an overhaul of the mechanisms designed to provide oversight of police surveillance activities across the UK,” he said. 

Daniel Holder of the Belfast-based human rights group the Committee on the Administration of Justice (CAJ) called for the  government to  implement the 1999 Patten Commission’s recommendation for a dedicated Commissioner for Covert Law Enforcement in Northern Ireland.

 “We cannot continue with an oversight system that is dependent on the PSNI and other bodies here exercising such covert powers voluntarily telling the oversight body what they are doing, or hope that such matters are turned up in limited dip-sampling,” he said.

 IPCO ‘not dependent on voluntary disclosures’

 A spokesperson for IPCO said that the investigatory powers commissioner Brian Leveson will personally raise the issues with the PSNI chief constable, Jon Boutcher.

 In response to the failures, the PSNI had enhanced its central record of surveillance authorisations and would implement training on the “acquisition and management of information relating to journalists,” the spokesperson added.

 IPCO said that its oversight regime is not dependent on voluntary disclosures.

 “Inspectors use proactive techniques, including ‘dip sampling’ of authorisations, to identify compliance issues and verify responses to requests for information,” the spokesperson said.

  “The requirement for PSNI to highlight journalist-related authorisations provides an additional layer of assurance in the oversight process,” the spokesperson added.

 Policing board “open to all courses of action’

The chair of the Northern Ireland policing board, Mukesh Sharma, said that the Board has expressed its serious concerns regarding the use of covert surveillance.

“The Board awaits the findings of the McCullough Review and remains open to all courses of action to ensure proper accountability,” he said.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland’s deputy chief constable, Bobby Singleton said that the PSNI welcomed the policing board’s human rights report.

“We will continue to work closely with the Policing Board’s Independent Human Rights adviser as we consider and respond to the content and recommendations of this wide-ranging report,” he said.



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Onnit’s Instant Melatonin Spray Is the Easiest Part of My Nightly Routine

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Onnit’s Instant Melatonin Spray Is the Easiest Part of My Nightly Routine


I’ve always approached taking melatonin supplements with skepticism. They seem to help every once in a while, but your brain is already making melatonin. Beyond that, I am not a fan of the sickly-sweet tablets, gummies, and other forms of melatonin I’ve come across. No one wants a bad taste in their mouth when they’re supposed to be drifting off to sleep.

This is where Onnit’s Instant Melatonin Spray comes in. Fellow WIRED reviewer Molly Higgins first gave it a go, and reported back favorably. This spray comes in two flavors, lavender and mint, and is sweetened with stevia. While I wouldn’t consider it a gourmet taste, I appreciate that it leans more into herbal components known for sleep and relaxation.

  • Photograph: Molly Higgins

Onnit

Instant Melatonin Mist

Keep in mind that melatonin is meant to be a sleep aid, not a cure-all. That being said, one serving of this spray has 3 milligrams of melatonin, which takes about six pumps to dispense. While 3 milligrams may not seem like a lot to really kickstart your circadian rhythm, it’s actually the ideal dosage to get your brain’s wind-down process kicked off. Some people can do more (but don’t go over 10 milligrams!), some less, but based on what experts have relayed to me, this is the preferable amount.

A couple of reminders for any supplement: consult your doctor if and when you want to incorporate anything, melatonin included, into your nighttime regimen. Your healthcare provider can help confirm that you’re not on any medications where adding a sleep aid or supplement wouldn’t feel as effective. Onnit’s Instant Melatonin Spray is International Genetically Modified Organism Evaluation and Notification certified (IGEN) to verify that it uses truly non-GMO ingredients.

Apart from that, there may be some trial and error on the ideal amount for you, and how much time it takes to kick in. Some may feel the melatonin sooner than others. For my colleague Molly, it took about an hour. Melatonin can’t do all the heavy lifting, so make sure you’re ready to go to bed when you take it, and that your sleep space is set up for sleep success, down to your mattress, sheets, and pillows.



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I Tested Bosch’s New Vacuum Against Shark and Dyson. It Didn’t Beat Them

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I Tested Bosch’s New Vacuum Against Shark and Dyson. It Didn’t Beat Them


There’s a lever on the back for this compression mechanism that you manually press down and a separate button to open the dustbin at the bottom. You can use the compression lever when it’s both closed and open. It did help compress the hair and dust while I was vacuuming, helping me see if I had really filled the bin, though at a certain point it doesn’t compress much more. It was helpful to push debris out if needed too, versus the times I’ve had to stick my hand in both the Dyson and Shark to get the stuck hair and dust out. Dyson has this same feature on the Piston Animal V16, which is due out this year, so I’ll be curious to see which mechanism is better engineered.

Bendable Winner: Shark

Photograph: Nena Farrell

If you’re looking for a vacuum that can bend to reach under furniture, I prefer the Shark to the Bosch. Both have a similar mechanism and feel, but the Bosch tended to push debris around when I was using it with an active bend, while the Shark managed to vacuum up debris I couldn’t get with the Bosch without lifting it and placing it on top of that particular debris (in this case, rogue cat kibble).

Accessory Winner: Dyson

Dyson pulls ahead because the Dyson Gen5 Detect comes with three attachments and two heads. You’ll get a Motorbar head, a Fluffy Optic head, a hair tool, a combination tool, and a dusting and crevice tool that’s actually built into the stick tube. I love that it’s built into the vacuum so that it’s one less separate attachment to carry around, and it makes me more likely to use it.

But Bosch does well in this area, too. You’ll get an upholstery nozzle, a furniture brush, and a crevice nozzle. It’s one more attachment than you’ll get with Shark, and Bosch also includes a wall mount that you can wire the charging cord into for storage and charging, and you can mount two attachments on it. But I will say, I like that Shark includes a simple tote bag to store the attachments in. The rest of my attachments are in plastic bags for each vacuum, and keeping track of attachments is the most annoying part of a cordless vacuum.

Build Winner: Tie

Image may contain Appliance Device Electrical Device Vacuum Cleaner Mace Club and Weapon

Photograph: Nena Farrell

All three of these vacuums have a good build quality, but each one feels like it focuses on something different. Bosch feels the lightest of the three and stands up the easiest on its own, but all three do need something to lean against to stay upright. The Dyson is the worst at this; it also needs a ledge or table wedged under the canister, or it’ll roll forward and tip over. The Bosch has a sleek black look and a colorful LED screen that will show you a picture of carpet or hardwood depending on what mode it’s vacuuming in. The vacuum head itself feels like the lightest plastic of the bunch, though.



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Right-Wing Gun Enthusiasts and Extremists Are Working Overtime to Justify Alex Pretti’s Killing

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Right-Wing Gun Enthusiasts and Extremists Are Working Overtime to Justify Alex Pretti’s Killing


Brandon Herrera, a prominent gun influencer with over 4 million followers on YouTube, said in a video posted this week that while it was unfortunate that Pretti died, ultimately the fault was his own.

“Pretti didn’t deserve to die, but it also wasn’t just a baseless execution,” Herrera said, adding without evidence that Pretti’s purpose was to disrupt ICE operations. “If you’re interfering with arrests and things like that, that’s a crime. If you get in the fucking officer’s way, that will probably be escalated to physical force, whether it’s arresting you or just getting you the fuck out of the way, which then can lead to a tussle, which, if you’re armed, can lead to a fatal shooting.” He described the situation as “lawful but awful.”

Herrera was joined in the video by former police officer and fellow gun influencer Cody Garrett, known online as Donut Operator.

Both men took the opportunity to deride immigrants, with Herrera saying “every news outlet is going to jump onto this because it’s current thing and they’re going to ignore the 12 drunk drivers who killed you know, American citizens yesterday that were all illegals or H-1Bs or whatever.”

Herrera also referenced his “friend” Kyle Rittenhouse, who has become central to much of the debate about the shooting.

On August 25, 2020, Rittenhouse, who was 17 at the time, traveled from his home in Illinois to a protest in Kenosha, Wisconsin, brandishing an AR-15-style rifle, claiming he was there to protect local businesses. He killed two people and shot another in the arm that night.

Critics of ICE’s actions in Minneapolis quickly highlighted what they saw as the hypocrisy of the right’s defense of Rittenhouse and attacks on Pretti.

“Kyle Rittenhouse was a conservative hero for walking into a protest actually brandishing a weapon, but this guy who had a legal permit to carry and already had had his gun removed is to some people an instigator, when he was actually going to help a woman,” Jessica Tarlov, a Democratic strategist, said on Fox News this week.

Rittenhouse also waded into the debate, writing on X: “The correct way to approach law enforcement when armed,” above a picture of himself with his hands up in front of police after he killed two people. He added in another post that “ICE messed up.”

The claim that Pretti was to blame was repeated in private Facebook groups run by armed militias, according to data shared with WIRED by the Tech Transparency Project, as well as on extremist Telegram channels.

“I’m sorry for him and his family,” one member of a Facebook group called American Patriots wrote. “My question though, why did he go to these riots armed with a gun and extra magazines if he wasn’t planning on using them?”

Some extremist groups, such as the far-right Boogaloo movement, have been highly critical of the administration’s comments on being armed at a protest.

“To the ‘dont bring a gun to a protest’ crowd, fuck you,” one member of a private Boogaloo group wrote on Facebook this week. “To the fucking turn coats thinking disarming is the answer and dont think it would happen to you as well, fuck you. To the federal government who I’ve watched murder citizens just for saying no to them, fuck you. Shall not be infringed.”



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