German prosecutor given Das Boot over Netzpolitik treason charge

Netzpolitik.org, the website at the centre of the treason scandal in Germany, is the real winner in the whole furore as a senior German official was forcibly retired over the scandal, editor Markus Beckedahl told el Reg this morning. Last night, Germany's chief federal prosecutor Harald Range was given the boot by German …

[Paul Crawford]

Downfall?

"but it was his decision to pursue Beckedahl and fellow journalist Andrew Meister for treason that led to his downfall."

So when will we see a matching Hitler-rant parody?

[Graham Marsden]

Re: Downfall?

Damn, you just beat me to that one...

[Hollerith 1]

Maybe in Germany

"Either the government is full of incompetent people, which I can’t really believe, or there is a cover-up,” he said.

Maybe nobody can believe the German government is full of incompetent people, but here in the UK, I doubt many people think otherwise of their own.

[Edwin]

Pick the odd man out in this line

"...Glenn Greenwald, Julian Assange and dozens of other journalists..."

I don't know that even the most charitable view could qualify Assange as a journo...

[bill 36]

what ship? I see no ship

ahem

der Stiefel i think you mean :>)

[FlossyThePig]

Re: what ship? I see no ship

Just another example proving that Jennifer Baker should stick to English, especially after the rude French last week.

[Rob Carriere]

Re: what ship? I see no ship

Oh come on. You must have heard of multilingual puns.

[GrumpenKraut]

Re: what ship? I see no ship

Of course it means "Unterseeboot", which you cannot see because it's submerged. Simple!

[Evil Auditor]

Re: what ship? I see no ship

@Flossy

First, this is El Reg, having a long history of (foreign) language abuse. Second, it probably was the (sub)editor who chose the headline.

And third, it's quite a good headline!

[Andrew 98]

Re: what ship? I see no ship

Surely not the first time 'Das Boot' has landed someone in deep water.

[Charlie Clark]

The official status of the investigation is still not clear.

It's officially on hold pending review. This has been a bit of an omnishambles. The secret service reports to the interior ministry and named the journalists in the initial request for investigation. The Chief Prosecutor didn't really have much choice but to do some kind of preliminary investigation, though he should have dropped it quickly due to the special protection that journalists enjoy in these cases, and also because of the fact that he was so obviously being set up. Getting fired was the best way for a quick exit (at 67 he's past retirement anyway).

The justice ministry was also in a bind as direct political interference "drop the case" would call the independence of the judiciary into question. But it did express scepticism that the case was unwarranted and the cabinet office was quick to support the view.

The case is very much one of wheels within wheels with the secret service more than a little pissed off at having its right to spy curtailed by pesky journalists and do-gooders. Range's previous decision not to pursue espionage against the Chancellor and the contortions the NSA committee is having to go through to get information are indicative of what is going on behind the scenes.

This looks like a goal for the justice ministry but only once we know how the new Chief Prosecutor behaves, will really be able to call this one.

[Intractable Potsherd]

Fractional omnishambles?

Charlie, you have raised an interesting question with your "... a bit of an omnishambles". I have always regarded an omnishambles as something that can't be reduced - it is either an entire omnishambles, or it is something else - a bit like a fractional balloon is "a bit of rubber".

What do others think? The El Reg measurements bureau needs to know!

[channel extended]

Now for the US

If only we could get some of the over zealous prosecutors here in the US fired.

Aaron Swartz anyone?