seen someone taking photos? multiple mobiles?

seen someone taking photos?
Originally uploaded by robinhamman

The Metropolitan Police recently launched a new anti-terrorism campaign asking people to contact police if they see someone taking photos in potentially sensitive public places. One such poster reads:

“Terrorists use surveillance to help plan attacks. Have you seen anyone taking pictures or filming CCTV cameras or making notes about other security arrangements? Has it made you suspicious? If you have seen this or know someone who takes an unusual interest in security measures, we need to know.”

Several amateur photographers in the UK have told the BBC of their experiences being stopped and searched by police for taking photographs in public places. The BBC asked a legal expert Hanna Basha, a partner at solicitors Carter-Ruck, to explain the law:

“If you are a normal person going about your business and you see something you want to take a picture of, then you are fine unless you’re taking picture of something inherently private, but if it’s the London Marathon or something, you’re fine.”

Another poster in the campaign says:

“Terrorists need communication. They communicate with others to plan meetings or buy materials and chemicals. To avoid possible detection they use multiple anonymous pay-as-you go mobile phones and swap SIM cards and handsets. If you are suspicious about someone who uses phones in this way, we need to know.”

This may explain why I’ve recently been getting alarmed looks as I use my cameraphone to document my daily passing through of train stations and when I swap my sim from mobile to mobile on the platform when my battery dies. Surely the posters could include a disclaimer that mentions that people who use live mobile to web video streaming services and upload mobile photos to flickr might, although perhaps a bit odd in the eyes of many, be quite harmless.