‘Defense collected data in secret and on a large scale in the Netherlands’ | Inland

The newspaper writes that large amounts of data on a wide variety of subjects ended up in a computer system built by Defense to automatically predict a corona wave or social unrest. This emerges from a reconstruction of the Land Information Maneuver Center (LIMC). Defense set this up in mid-March to gain insight into the corona crisis and the spread of disinformation.

According to NRC, it is controversial that an armed forces investigate their own population on their own territory “also because Defense is not allowed to do much on Dutch territory. She may, for example, assist the police, a ministry or intelligence service if they so request. Military personnel then act according to the rules and under the supervision of that authority. In this case the LIMC is acting on its own initiative, ”the newspaper writes.

Image of terror

Defense responds in the newspaper and says that the military of the LIMC do not look at individuals because they are not allowed to do so, that they only use open sources and their analyzes are for internal use only. NRC states that their research shows something else: that from the start the center shares the analyzes with, for example, the terrorism coordinator NCTV and the National Police. The NRC writes: “In addition to open sources, the LIMC also uses ‘semi-closed sources’, behavioral analyzes and information from military liaisons in, for example, hospitals and nursing homes. Confidential sources are also mentioned in documents, such as the internal registration system of the police and a technical briefing at a ministry, ”says NRC.

D66 MP Salima Belhaj wants a parliamentary debate on the case and tells NRC: “Defense should not take on any tasks of the police or AIVD.”

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