* Jump to content [s] * Jump to site navigation [0] * Jump to search [4] * Terms and conditions [8] * Sign in * Register * Text larger * smaller guardian.co.uk home Search: ____________________ Location [guardian.co.uk] Search * News * Sport * Comment * Culture * Business * Money * Life & style * Travel * Environment * Blogs * Video * Jobs * A-Z * News * Technology * Computer security Police officers among BNP members listed on web * Ian Cobain and Esther Addley * guardian.co.uk, Wednesday November 19 2008 00.01 GMT * The Guardian, Wednesday November 19 2008 The entire membership list of the British National party has been posted on the internet, identifying thousands of people as secret supporters of the far right and exposing many to the risk of dismissal from work, disciplinary action or vilification. Around 13,500 names and home addresses were posted on a website late on Monday evening, apparently by a disgruntled member of the party's own leadership. As well as names and addresses the list includes the home and mobile phone numbers and personal email addresses of BNP members. It is thought that the list may include lapsed members of the party and the names and addresses of people who have expressed an interest in joining the party, but have not signed up. Many of the members' occupations are listed, revealing a small number of police officers, two solicitors, four ministers of religion, at least one doctor and a number of primary and secondary school teachers. Last night the BNP's spokesman Simon Darby said the police had been called in to investigate the data security breach. Describing the posting as "malevolent and spiteful" he said: "This isn't a question of us mislaying the information, this is theft." The BNP list also included the names and ages of children who have become members of the party after a parent has taken out a family membership, and several people who have joined the party at the age of 16. Against the name of a woman said to be a serving police officer and living on the Wirral, Merseyside, for example, is the note: "Discretion required re employment concerns - police officer", along with the names and ages of a number of her children. Other notes against the names of individuals include: "Discretion requested (employment concerns), government employee, IT consultant" and "activist (discretion requested), teacher (secondary school)". The BNP is known to go to considerable lengths to conceal the identities of members. Membership lists are held on computer spreadsheets, usually by an official based in York. He sends limited lists to local organisers as encrypted attachments to emails which can be accessed only by officials who have been given a password. The BNP conceded that very few people would have had access to its full membership list. The party said that the list was not up-to-date, featuring no members who had signed up since late 2007, and claimed that it included the names of people who had never been members of the party. The party also said it had obtained an injunction earlier this year at the high court in Manchester to prevent the misuse of its membership list. The BNP's leader, Nick Griffin, confirmed on the party's website that much of the list was genuine, and that it contained data that was stored at some point between November 30 and December 2 2007. He added: "This latest attack is not really directed against our own people, who are already tough-minded and know that nothing ever comes of this sort of bluster, so much as against the thousands of [members of the UK Independence party] who are thinking of joining us. "It probably will frighten some of them, but it's water off a duck's back to the stout hearts of the British National party." Last night, internet chat rooms frequented by British supporters of the far right were buzzing with anger, indignation - and considerable alarm. One typical posting said: "The most shocking thing is some of the comments by the names! God help anyone who is in the army, the prison service, healthcare, a police officer or a teacher." It is thought that the information commissioner, who enforces the Data Protection Act, may investigate the matter, looking not only at the posting of the membership list, but at the amount of information that the BNP has been storing about its members. A spokesperson for the Information Commissioner's Office said: "Following media reports that the personal details of BNP members have been incorrectly disclosed, we will be contacting the party to establish the full facts. We will then decide what action, if any, is appropriate. "We encourage all organisations to alert the Information Commissioner's Office if they discover a security breach has occurred." The membership list reveals that the BNP has a handful of members in Australia, one in Oman and around 17 living in the United States. Strangely, some of the members' hobbies are also listed. One gives her occupation as "holistic therapist" and her pastimes as "metaphysics, cartoon drawing". Another lists his hobbies as "fantail doves, koi carp, gardening". There are also one or two insights into reasons that people have left the party. Against the name of one lapsed member from Gillingham, Kent, is the note: "Objects to being told he shouldn't wear a bomber jacket." • Additional reporting Duncan Campbell, Paul Lewis * Print this Printable version * Send to a friend Send to a friend * Share this Share * Clip this Clip * Contact us Contact us * larger | smaller Email Close Recipient's email address ____________________ Your name ____________________ Add a note (optional) _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ Send Your IP address will be logged Share Close * Digg * reddit * Google Bookmarks * Yahoo! My Web * del.icio.us * StumbleUpon * Newsvine * livejournal * Facebook * BlinkList Contact us Close * Contact the Technology editor tech@guardian.co.uk * Report errors or inaccuracies: reader@guardian.co.uk * Letters for publication should be sent to: letters@guardian.co.uk * If you need help using the site: userhelp@guardian.co.uk * Call the main Guardian and Observer switchboard: +44 (0)20 7278 2332 * + Advertising guide + License/buy our content Technology * Computer security Politics * Police · * Freedom of information · * BNP and the far right UK news More news * More on this story * BNP leader Nick Griffin in Burnley Police scour BNP membership to find officers breaching ban Every police force in UK scouring leaked BNP membership list for names of serving officers * Interactive Interactive: the far right map of Britain * List reveals bitter party infighting * Hidden heartlands: Leicester has 80 party members * BNP row: On the blogs * 21.12.06: Inside the secret world of the BNP * Audio Haroon Siddique: It's created a media frenzy Related Nov 20 2008 Police scour BNP membership to find officers breaching ban Nov 19 2008 Officer on leaked BNP list will be investigated, say police Nov 19 2008 Lola Adesioye: The leaked list of BNP members offers an opportunity for dialogue Nov 19 2008 BNP list may lead to sackings * Print this Printable version * Send to a friend Send to a friend * Share this Share * Clip this Clip * Contact us Contact us * Article history Article history Email Close Recipient's email address ____________________ Your name ____________________ Add a note (optional) _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ Send Your IP address will be logged Share Close * Digg * reddit * Google Bookmarks * Yahoo! My Web * del.icio.us * StumbleUpon * Newsvine * livejournal * Facebook * BlinkList Contact us Close * Contact the Technology editor tech@guardian.co.uk * Report errors or inaccuracies: reader@guardian.co.uk * Letters for publication should be sent to: letters@guardian.co.uk * If you need help using the site: userhelp@guardian.co.uk * Call the main Guardian and Observer switchboard: +44 (0)20 7278 2332 * + Advertising guide + License/buy our content About this article Close Police officers among BNP members listed on web This article appeared in the Guardian on Wednesday November 19 2008 on p1 of the Top stories section. It was last updated at 00.14 on November 19 2008. Most viewed on guardian.co.uk * 24 hours * 7 days * Most talked about 24 hours 1. 1. Bloodbath on the high street: Woolworths shares hit £1 2. 2. International friendly: Germany 1-2 England 3. 3. India v England - live! 4. 4. Indian frigate destroys 'mothership' as raids off Somalia continue 5. 5. 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Browse technology jobs Related information Technology * Computer security Politics * Police · * Freedom of information · * BNP and the far right UK news Fit squad Operation Leopard May 30 2008: The Guardian spends a day with Operation Leopard officers to find out who they are stopping and how well the initative works More video Nov 19 2008 BNP membership list posted online by former 'hardliner' Nov 18 2008 Jackie Ashley: No wonder there is such fierce opposition to direct election of police authorities – the far right is gearing up for a takeover Aug 4 2008 Police officers paid £150m in bonuses May 3 2002 Police check on BNP election papers SAT-PIC_MINI.jpg One day on the Five Links estate May 30 2008: Follow the actions taken by police officers during one day of Operation Leopard More interactives * License/buy our content | * Privacy policy | * Terms & conditions | * Advertising guide | * Accessibility | * A-Z index | * Inside guardian.co.uk blog | * About guardian.co.uk | * Join our dating site today * guardian.co.uk © Guardian News and Media Limited 2008 Go to: [guardian.co.uk home......] Go
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