The new National Technical Assistance Centre (NTAC), an internet
surveillance centre scheduled to be opened this month, will not be
fully functioning until early 2003, according to a report by
Computing magazine.
The NTAC was set up last year under the Regulation of
Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA), which came into force in October
2000 introducing new rules on the interception of communications
data.
The NTAC was designed to make technically possible certain RIPA
provisions including the interception of communications and the
decryption of lawfully seized data such as encrypted e-mail
messages.
The centre has already been decrypting data since summer 2001
and it was scheduled to begin internet interceptions this month.
However, Computing reports that the go-live date will now be in
“early 2003”. It appears that no reason for the delay was
given.
