Mailing List Archive

> And if they do say it's allowed, it doesn't mean that you won't be breaking
> the law. 8-(. But you would almost never be convicted of breaking the
> law -- remember Matrix Churchill 8-) 8-)

For those non-UK resident who might be confused at this point...

Matrix Churchill was an industrial manufacturing group who were approached
by a middle-eastern concern and asked to produce 'extremely high grade'
piping for oil refineries. MC were aware that the country in question
was subject to a UK govt notice, such that any 'munitions' or otherwise
questionable exports would require an export licence. For whatever reason,
MC applied through the correct channels for an export licence and proceeded
to manufacture and export these 'pipes', only to find (following
a dawn raid on the river port in Middlesbrough, my home town) that the
'pipes' were really components for an alleged IRAQUI SUPER GUN.

[.a gun is used to kill people. it is a bad thing]

The issue here is not a question of how naieve (or not) MC may have been
in accepting the order and proceeding with manufacture and export of
notifiable technology, rather it is in the fact that an official body (the
UK govt, fer chrissakes) covertly sanctioned the export of notifiable
technology and then at the 11th hour proceeded to prosecute the company
to which they had given official sanction.

The story ends with MC's leading players being equitted, but not until
they'd been dragged through the courts, at their own expense for a year.

There is no shame in being cautious.

> David.

Ay. [.professing extreme ignorance of facts, legality or even his own
senses the time of writing, nonetheless attesting to the perils of
assuming that you're safe in their hands]

>We (that is, my assistant and I) have contacted the Department of Trade and
>Industry, who are responsible for helping with export issues. They confirm
>that an export license _is_ generally required for crypto software. They also
>say that noone has ever asked them about this with reference to the Internet!

>Anyway, they will give me an answer, eventually. First I have to write to them
>and explain what I'm trying to export. That's going to be nice and easy. Not!

And if they do say it's allowed, it doesn't mean that you won't be breaking
the law. 8-(. But you would almost never be convicted of breaking the
law -- remember Matrix Churchill 8-) 8-)

David.