SECURITY SERVICE WINS BATTLE AGAINST POLICE
The security service (usually known as MI5) and the Metropolitan Police Special Branch (part of the London police force) have for several weeks been engaged in a semi-public row about who should be mainly responsible for the "fight against terrorism" in mainland Britain. The argument was resolved this week in favour of MI5.
Two very large bombs which exploded in London the day after the general election (April 10), killing and wounding several people, have had the effect of intensifying the debate.
In the wake of the ending of the cold war and the collapse of communism, MI5 has found that its traditional target has disappeared, whereas IRA terrorism on the mainland has not diminished at all. It therefore seeks the lead role in gathering and disseminating intelligence - a function traditionally held by the metropolitan police special branch since 1883.
The police resent this encroachment, but they also cast doubts on the effectiveness of MI5. They point out that it has no power of arrest, and little experience of preparing evidence strong enough to gain a conviction in court. In particular, they point to the fiasko of the Gulf war, when many Iraqis living in Britain were detained, pending deportation, on the grounds that they were sympathetic to Saddam. This information came from MI5 files and in many cases turned out to be hopelessly incorrect - some of the Iraqis were longstanding opponents of the Ba'ath regime. The police also say - rightly - that MI5 is not publicly accountable. Until this year, even the name of its director general was an official secret, and it still never has to answer for its action.
MI5, for its part, says that the police are ineffective at catching terrorists on the mainland.
According to police sources, MI5 wishes to increase its role in Europe - it is concerned about the increasing success which national police forces are having in exchanging information. MI5 denies this.
Sources: "The Guardian", 23..4.92, "Observer", 26.4.92 and other sources.Comment
These developments should probably be seen in the context of increasing blurring of the division between security and policing roles throughout Europe, as reported in previous issues of the Circular. It is notworthy, that MI5 allegedly wants to work more in Europe. Collaboration between security services almost certainly occurs but does not appear to be well documented yet.
Jolyon Jenkins