Former US spy slams UK's ID card plans

A former US spy turned leading privacy activist has slammed the UK's ID card plans, saying they will weaken national security and lead to abuses of government power.

Bill Scannell is a former agent at the National Security Agency (NSA) and now a huge privacy advocate, currently heading up a campaign against the introduction of a national driving licence across the US.

The US Real ID legislation was railroaded through Congress on the back of a budget bill, with virtually no debate or consultation, and all states must now have a standard driving licence by 2008. But already costs have spiralled way above the original $100m estimated by the government.

In an interview with silicon.com in London last week, just after the House of Lords blocked the UK's ID cards legislation, Scannell warned that a national ID card scheme would do little to improve security or guard against the threat of terrorism.

He argued that police would end up relying on automated ID checks instead of using their own judgement and intelligence. "It comes down to something that can be very dangerous, a false sense of security. It's going to make policemen less suspicious."

Scannell also hit out at people who claim only those who have something to hide are against the introduction of national ID cards and said there is already evidence in the US that people with the same or a similar name to people on terrorist and security watch-lists have been put on 'no-fly' lists and had their ability to travel freely restricted.

He said: "When people say they have nothing to fear or hide quite often they have a hell of a lot to fear because it is a computer and a database making that judgement, not a person."

Scannell claims the control and security governments seek through ID and surveillance checks are short-sighted and dangerous.

He said: "If we take a cursory glance at Israel you can't argue that an Israeli citizen is safer today than they were 30 years ago. When people are willing to die all the bets are off and no security measures will work."

Speaking as a former government agent, Scannell also warned of the potential abuse of a national identity register by those in power.

He said: "When you know what the tools of the state really are you are wary of unrestricted power. Governments abuse their power. That's a fact."

And Scannell hit out at the big multinational IT consultancies and vendors involved in building national ID schemes. He said: "Who does this benefit? Is this being foisted upon us by private companies?"

The UK's House of Lords is due to debate and vote on more amendments to the government's ID card legislation this week.