I could tell this email was pretty explosive.". I was quite nervous. It was intended for someone else but had been distributed to everyone in her section. KATHARINE GUN: It was a full nine to 10 months after the event. Neither have many others, especially . Her act of whistle-blowing is portrayed in the recent film Official Secrets . So, I called him and asked him if he could do anything to help track down Frank Koza, or the reality or otherwise of this individual. The Case Against Mary Katherine Higdon 43:11. Angola, Cameroon, Bulgaria, Chile, GAVIN HOOD: Pakistan and Mexico. Iraq War was in March. AMY GOODMAN: And talk about whatI mean, you risked everything. You cannot talk to anyone about your intelligence work. At the time, the paper, their paper, The Observer, was openly supporting the Iraq invasion, leading up to it. Was it? This is the trailer. When she leaks an NSA memo to the press exposing the American covert manipulation of allies, she will be forced into the spotlight. And Rhys Ifans plays the outraged insanity rather well, to my embarrassment, but he does a good job. Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! By Nick Wall/IFC Films/Everett Collection. Official Secrets recounts Gun's story, from her fateful decision (which of course accomplished nothing in the end, even though the leak quickly went public) to her bizarre criminal trial. He was forced to resign, because it showed that he called President Trump inept, and he said, you know, the singular reason that the Trump administration pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal was because it was signed by President Obama, and other issues. TINTIN: And now youre upset at being asked to do that to members of the Security Council. And he had told me over two meetings, A, we know that Saddam Hussein has no weapons of mass destruction. Due to the pandemic, the event was then canceled. His wife then took the help of MP Nigel Jones and managed to free him, and gave him the right to stay in the UK. Yes, in 2003, Gun was working for British intelligencethats GCHQ, the intelligence agency similar to the NSA, the National Security Agencywhen she leaked a memo revealing the United States was collaborating with Britain in collecting sensitive information to hold over U.N. Security Council members to get them to support the Iraq War. Ross weighs about 50 kg or 110 lbs. Discover Katharine Gun's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Were joined also by Martin Bright, who is the journalist who reported Guns revelations in The Observer, as well as Ed Vulliamy. Nowadays, everyone can invent their own news - and call out stories - on social media, and . Gun also received the Sam Adams Award, which is awarded to intelligence agents who take a stand for ethics and integrity. AMY GOODMAN: So, bugging these six countries. Instead, the memo had been produced on the front page in its entirety. Between the worlds greatest democracy and a murderous dictatorship, it seemed easy to know whom to believe. Katharine was charged with an offense under section 1 of the Official Secrets Act 1989 on 13 November 2003. Katharine Gun. Maybe reporters decided it was a fake, Katharine thought; maybe she'd just entirely misjudged its significance. So, we had a terrible moment where we had seen organizations follow the story up. These Romantic Movies Are Guaranteed To Make You Cry, The Greatest Romantic Comedies That Youll Watch On Repeat, 26 Movies Every Woman Should See At Least Once. Katharine Gun (ne Harwood), 47, is married to Yasar Gn, a Turkish Kurd, with whom she has a 13-year old daughter. GAVIN HOOD: Yes. Don't worry, we'll never share or sell your information. And those six swing nations, their delegates, they wanted , AMANPOUR: When you say swing nations, they were once at that the U.S. and the U.K. were trying to get on side . It stunned Katharine Gun at the time she discovered this duplicity during her work at GCHQ, and it still stuns to see it displayed on the screen, especially actual news reports from the period. When you go to court, you face years in prison. But they not only are saying they are going to crack down hard on the leaker, but theyre also saying they will crack down on the press, any press that reports this in Britain. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. But its not hard to guess from the, In 2013, Gun spoke with journalist Martin Bright, who published Guns leaked memo and plays a major role in the film, in an interview published by. I went with Blair on his last visit to Iraq as prime minister, in 2007. Katharine Teresa Gun, fdd Katharine Teresa Harwood 1974, r en brittisk lingvist och visselblsare. Thats Keira Knightley playing Katharine Gun, whos in our studio now, the whistleblower, former British spy, worked for British intelligence, explaining why she leaked this memo, which would get to the press, which would get to The Observer, which brings us to our next two guests, Martin Bright and as well as Ed Vulliamy. It was an extraordinary moment. Gun, outraged by the USA's actions, printed a copy of the email and took it home. Because I have processed it now, and Im probably a lot more clear in my thinking, explained Gun, who met with Knightley before filming. I was trembling like a leaf. By signing up, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy & to receive electronic communications from Vice Media Group, which may include marketing promotions, advertisements and sponsored content. And, guys, you do not want to miss this story and what would then take place. The person responsible for the jeopardy to face Blair and the coalition in invading Iraq was as well as Bush and Blair themselves a young translator at GCHQ, Katharine Gun. "I got into the office, turned on my computer and looked through my emails," says Katharine, more than 16 years later. So I was bailed until . The following Monday morning, Katharine could immediately tell there was an atmosphere in the office. Now, the political thriller, In case you arent too familiar with Guns story, I dont want to give too much away about what the movie shows. MARTIN BRIGHT: Yes. The Crown Prosecution Service was about to charge her. We're sitting together in a quiet room at the headquarters of human rights organisation Liberty, just around the corner from the streets through which she'd been marching. In 2003, she leaked top-secret information to The Observer, concerning a request by the United States for compromising intelligence on diplomats from member states of the 2003 Security Council. How old were you at the time? Katharine Gun was a translator at GCHQ, when she received an email in her inbox from Frank Koza, a leading figure in the American National Security Agency. ; Democrats Reintroduce, Mississippi Enacts Transgender Healthcare Ban for Youth Amid Spate of Anti-Trans Laws in Red States, Tennessee Gov. Katharine Teresa Gun (ne Harwood) (born 1974) is a British linguist who worked as a translator for the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ). Copyright All rights reserved | Husband: Not Available: Sibling: Not Available: Children: Not Available: Katharine Gun Net Worth. Currently, Katharine Ross is 82 years old as she was born on 29th January 1940. I did, rather naively, try calling the press office and getting an interview. These worries crystalized when GCHQ sent her to San Diego for a conference and she was invited on to an American aircraft carrier. I felt guiltylike, I leaked this memo, and now theres going to be a witch hunt for the person who did it, and Im not going to be able to deny it. Ms. I mean, you were the man of the hour. Katharine was amongst them. On January 23 2003, Gun, who worked . In 2003, Katharine Gun exposed a plot by U.S. security officials to spy on United Nations members as they ramped up pressure to secure a resolution to go to war with Iraq, and she leaked the . Gun says the film-makers were not projecting backwards what we learned later. It seemed as if the decision to go to war had already been made, that all the diplomacy then taking place was a charade. It wasnt, of course, but hindsight and history may end up judging Guns decisions more kindly than Bushs or Blairs. Former British intelligence officer Katharine Gun didn't set out to become a whistle-blower. AMY GOODMAN: And then everyoneFOX, CNNand then they all cancel. KATHARINE GUN: [played by Keira Knightley] I translated signals intelligence, and I reported anything of interest to my clients. because my husband wouldn't . Forty years later, JoBeth Williams and Craig T. Nelson tell all about the horror classics secrets, tragedies, and controversies. . Yes, in 2003, Gun was working for British intelligencethat's GCHQ, the intelligence agency similar to the . And also, the memo itself contained language that was consistent with intelligence service language, so we had experts look at that, as well. In January 2003, 28-year-old GCHQ translator Katharine Gun received an email from the US National Security Agency that would turn her world upside down. In February, Gun attended a demonstration in opposition to the Iraq War. You didnt know who Katharine Gun was, who had leaked it, but you had the story of the memo that was going to get the goods on these U.N. Security Council members, which would force them to vote for the invasion of Iraq. The CIA knows it. Were looking at the real-life political thriller of a British intelligence specialist, Katharine Gun, who risked everything to blow the whistle on U.S. dirty tricks at the United Nations in the lead-up to the Iraq invasion in 2003. It isn't a crime, it's a responsibility.". Someone within the antiwar movement, who was a former journalist, took the memo initially to another newspaper. Katharine spent that night in a cell underneath the local police station. Ad Choices, In any walk of life, you can choose to do the right thing, whistle-blower Katharine Gun, whom Knightley plays in the film, told, Jimmy Kimmel Roasts Fragile Snowflake Donald Trump for Allegedly Trying to Censor Him, Scene Stealer: The True Lies of Elisabeth Finch, Part 1, Scene Stealer: The True Lies of Elisabeth Finch, Part 2. She tried to stop the impending . I talked to a couple of colleagues about it, about even taking it to the editor, because you dont want to take a half-baked story to your editor, particularly at the time of intense prewar preparation. Tell us the moment. She saw a newspaper advert for GCHQ. AMY GOODMAN: So it was sort of chicken scratch on the back. AMY GOODMAN: Which takes us to Mr. Martin Bright. A union rep got in touch to offer support, and once news broke that an unnamed woman had been arrested for the leak the story caught the attention of the organisation whose offices we're sitting in. Target. I remember the first time I really understood what love was or at least what a nine-year-old could understand as romantic love. "It felt like the protests were what would stop the war," she says. During that period of purgatory, I ask, did she regret it all? Starring: Keira Knightley, Matt Smith, Matthew Goode. At the time, her actions received very little attention from journalists in the United Statesunless you were watching Democracy Now! The diplomats were due to vote on a second United . He said there were no WMD left, just a few old mustard gas shells already given to the UN weapons inspectors. We came up with an idea for a defence that I acted out of necessity but generally there isn't one for breaching the Official Secrets Act.". AMY GOODMAN: And what did you do with it? Now the public knew. Robbie Robertson Reflects on His Legendary Rock Career, Iraq War Whistle Blower Katharine Gun Shares Her Story, Jack Goldsmith Discusses the Limits of Executive Power, + Major support for Amanpour and Company is provided by the Anderson Family Charitable Fund, Sue and Edgar Wachenheim, III, Candace King Weir, Jim Attwood and Leslie Williams, Mark J. Blechner, Seton J. Melvin, Bernard and Denise Schwartz, Koo and Patricia Yuen, the Leila and Mickey Straus Family Charitable Trust, Barbara Hope Zuckerberg, Jeffrey Katz and Beth Rogers, the Filomen M. DAgostino Foundation and. Yasar Gun : All you do is listen to people talking! The British governments own lawyers were afraid that without specific UN authorization, the war might be illegal; British soldiers could even be prosecuted for war crimes. And what happened? Truth has a habit of . Katharine McPhee shared a sweet snap of her 6-month-old son, Rennie, playing with husband David Foster in the cabin of a private jet. KATHARINE GUN: Well, no, I was in a shock when I saw it. So, when I met Yvonne Ridley, who is the former journalist who handed me the document, it was immensely infuriating. The original content of this program is licensed under a. And she sees this memo that says that the evidence for going to war would not be based on intelligence of whether there were WMD, but on trying to get something on the U.N. Security Council members, personal or whatever, to get them to vote for the invasion, to back President George W. Bush. That was when reality hit. Indeed, the Government Communications Headquarterswhich is the equivalent of the U.S.s NSAimmediately began interviewing each person who had received the email. AMANPOUR: OK. Katharine Gun worked as an analyst for Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), the British equivalent of the secretive U.S. National Security Agency. What Really Happened During the Making of. Chicago Mayor Lightfoot Loses Election; Candidates Backed by Police & Teacher Unions Head to Runoff, Death Toll from Migrant Shipwreck Reaches 67 While Italy Cracks Down on, Student Debt Relief in Jeopardy as Conservative Supreme Court Justices Question Bidens Plan, Longest Alabama Strike Ends as Warrior Met Coal Miners Return. KATHARINE GUN: No. Ezra Millers Messiah Delusions: Inside. Wise man. That night, Katharine posted the letter to a contact whose identity she continues to withhold. Former employee of Britain's global surveillance center GCHQ (Government Communications Head Quarters) Katharine Gun smiles as she speaks to . AMY GOODMAN: So, but talk about this, your argument to the editors. KATHARINE GUN: The idea was to gather information that they could use to bribe them or, you know, threaten them into voting yes for the resolution. And I justyou know, I just collapsed. Within half an hour, the prosecution had decided to drop its case, for reasons that to this day remain mysterious. GUN: Well, simply the e-mail was from the NSA, which is the U.S. equivalent of GCHQ, and it was asking for our assistance, GCHQs assistance, in collecting information from six of the swing U.S. Security Council swing nations. Yasur Gunnis is the husband of Katharine Gun, a linguist who specializes in translating Mandarin Chinese into English. We thought it was really interesting to talk to you at this time. Sound familiar? MARTIN BRIGHT: No, it was a very unusual situation. The advice was that, by accepting what she'd done was illegal, the jail time might end up reduced. There were a million people in the streets, the Parliamentary Labour party was in revolt, cabinet ministers were resigning; there might be regime change in Britain before it happened in Iraq. to your inbox each morning. "Official Secrets," which opened Friday in New York and . JACQUELINE JONES: [played by Katherine Kelly] Intelligence may be being manipulated to take this country to war. And then, on Monday morning, I went back into my workplace, and I just photowell, I made a copy of it, and I printed it out and folded it up into my handbag and put it for the end of the day to take it out of the office. Gun was cleared of a charge under the Official Secrets Act after being fired for revealing a secret e-mail. Official Secrets is a 2019 British drama film based on the case of whistleblower Katharine Gun, who leaked a memo exposing an illegal spying operation by American and British intelligence services to gauge sentiment of and potentially blackmail United Nations diplomats tasked to vote on a resolution regarding the 2003 invasion of Iraq. I do not gather intelligence so that the government can lie to the British people.A colleague whispers to her: Intelligence may be being manipulated to take this country to war. These scenes are set before the invasion, before the shattering truth emerged that Saddam did not have weapons of mass destruction and the war had been based on a lie, or more delicately a false prospectus. I asked her why she decided to leak the memo. We speak with a British whistleblower whose attempts to expose lies about the Iraq invasion was called "the most important and courageous leak" in history by. The message requested Katharine's assistance in co-ordinating an illegal US-UK spy operation which would secure UN authorisation for the Iraq invasion. We speak with Katharine Gun; the British journalists who reported on Guns revelations in The Observer newspaper, Martin Bright and Ed Vulliamy; and Gavin Hood, director of Official Secrets.. AMANPOUR: so you could get a U.N. resolution for the war, correct? That meant winning over temporary members of the Council, countries such as Angola, Bulgaria, Chile and Mexico. I do not gather intelligence so that the government can lie to the British people. AMY GOODMAN: So, you go to your top editors, and you say, Ive got this piece of paper. In fact, Katharine had ripped off the top. It's taken a long time for Katharine to feel comfortable talking about everything that happened. KATHARINE GUN: Detective, I dont object to being asked to collect information that could help prevent a terror attack. Never heard of Gun? Its like hes more me than I am. And this was before Isis, which exists, in part, because of events set in train by the war. Bush had agreed to this to help Blair. This is Democracy Now! As the build-up to war continued, Gun felt increasing dismay. I mean, my first reaction was shock and anger. People are cheering you. Several weeks later she was surprised to see the email she had printed out on the front page of a newspaper. KATHARINE GUN: I was arrested. AMY GOODMAN: Twenty-seven years old, working for thewell, for British intelligence. Yeah, and those are the. For eight months she was bailed and bailed again, repeatedly. You've never seen war, you've never smelled it! Courtroom porn and social media have turned innocent bystanders into a mass of mudslingers. But I felt like straightaway it was emblazoned across my forehead: Its me! And what did you think? It was only September 2002 but the carrier was about to leave for the Gulf. But, many in the U.S. might not know the story of the 2003, In 2003, Gun worked for GCHQ, the British government agency that is equivalent to the National Security Agency across the pond. Bush never wanted yet another UN resolution and when one failed to arrive, Blair decided it wasnt needed after all. [1]Katharine Gun arbetade som versttare fr Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ). AMY GOODMAN: So you had nothing to do with what was going on, covering stuff in Iraq or working on that issue. She was brought up in Taiwan her parents moved there to work when she was three and so was fluent in Mandarin. As of 2020, Gun and her husband Yasar live in both Turkey and Britain. Our obligation is to the truth. The film stars Matthew Goode, Katherine Kelly, Keira Knightley and Ralph Fiennes. Your viewers will recall them; I hope not, for their sake, but some of them will. The movie tells the story of Katharine Gun (played by Keira Knightley), a translator with the U.K.'s GCHQ who, in 2003, leaked top secret documents to journalist Martin Bright (Matt Smith) that . You may not know the name Katharine Gun unless you live in the United Kingdom, but she was a pivotal figure in the run-up to the Iraq War.Or at least, she could have been. GUN: Well, no, I was a recipient alongside about a hundred other recipients of that e-mail. AMY GOODMAN: Because Chile was one of the six. KATHARINE GUN: Actually, time-wise, I was bailed for eight months. 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