Coroner criticises failure to share MI5 intelligence on Fishmongers’ Hall killer – The Guardian

Posted November 4th, 2021 in coroners, intelligence services, news, police, probation, terrorism by sally

‘Collective failures by the security services, police and probation officers before the terrorist killings at Fishmongers’ Hall in London must be addressed to avoid a similar attack in future, a coroner has warned.’

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The Guardian, 3rd November 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Is Prevent a waste of time? – Daily Telegraph

‘As the counter-terrorism programme comes under scrutiny again following the killing of Sir David Amess, is it fit for purpose?’

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Daily Telegraph, 18th October 2021

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

GCHQ’s mass data interception violated right to privacy, court rules – The Guardian

‘The UK spy agency GCHQ’s methods for bulk interception of online communications violated the right to privacy and the regime for collection of data was unlawful, the grand chamber of the European court of human rights has ruled.’

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The Guardian, 25th May 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Longer jail terms and stricter monitoring as new terror laws gain Royal Assent – Ministry of Justice

‘The biggest shake-up of terrorist sentencing and monitoring in decades has been granted Royal Assent today (29 April 2021) – giving the courts, police and security services greater powers to protect the public.’

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 29th April 2021

Source: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice

Security services and police to face questions over London Bridge attacker – The Guardian

Posted April 12th, 2021 in inquests, intelligence services, news, police, recidivists, rehabilitation, terrorism by tracey

‘The security services and police are to face questions over whether they missed the chance to stop a convicted terrorist out on licence with an electronic tag who stabbed two people to death. On Monday, the inquests open into the deaths of Jack Merritt, 25, and Saskia Jones, 23, who were killed in the November 2019 attack at Fishmongers hall, near London Bridge at a prisoner rehabilitation conference.’

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The Guardian, 12th April 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Dawn Sturgess novichok death inquest to look at role of Russian state – The Guardian

Posted March 31st, 2021 in inquests, intelligence services, medical treatment, news, poisoning, Russia by tracey

‘The role the Russian state played in the death of a Wiltshire woman who was poisoned with the nerve agent novichok is to be investigated in detail at her inquest. Heather Hallett said she would carry out a “fearless” inquiry into the death of Dawn Sturgess including digging into who directed the operation to bring novichok into the UK.’

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The Guardian, 30th March 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

MI5 undercover agent policy held lawful – UK Human Rights Blog

‘In Privacy International & Ors v Secretary of State for Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs & Ors [2021] EWCA Civ 330, the Court of Appeal held that the policy which authorises officers of the Security Service (MI5) to run undercover agents who participate in the commission of criminal offences is lawful.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 26th March 2021

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

MI5 policy allowing agents to commit crimes was legal, say judges – The Guardian

‘MI5’s partially secret policy of allowing agents to participate in serious crimes in pursuit of intelligence was legal, three court of appeal judges have concluded.’

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The Guardian, 9th March 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

New Acts – legislation.gov.uk

Ministerial and other Maternity Allowances Act 2021

Covert Human Intelligence Sources (Criminal Conduct) Act 2021

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

Peers vote to ban spies from committing murder, rape and torture under new law – The Independent

Posted January 14th, 2021 in bills, intelligence services, investigatory powers, murder, news, rape, spying, torture by tracey

‘Peers have voted to ban spies from committing murder, rape and torture under a controversial new law – three months after MPs refused to bring in the same restrictions.’

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The Independent, 13th January 2021

Source: www.independent.co.uk

‘Child spies’ bill could face Lords defeat as Tory peers rebel – The Guardian

‘Tory peers, bishops and crossbenchers could inflict defeat on the government after an outcry over new guidance which allows state agencies to use children as undercover spies as part of the government’s covert intelligence bill.’

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The Guardian, 13th January 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

MI6 kept quiet about ‘criminality’ of agent with ‘licence to kill’ – The Guardian

‘MI6 failed to make clear to the foreign secretary that a “high risk agent” operating overseas had probably engaged in “serious criminality” until it was pointed out by an independent regulator last year.’

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The Guardian, 15th December 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Protesters spied on by undercover officers call for ‘end to political policing’ as inquiry begins – The Independent

‘Undercover Policing Inquiry to begin more than five years after being announced by Theresa May.’

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The Independent, 1st November 2020

Source: www.independent.co.uk

The Covert Human Intelligence Sources (Criminal Conduct) Bill 2020 – Garden Court Chambers

‘The Government recently submitted the Covert Human Intelligence Sources (Criminal Conduct) Bill to Parliament. This Bill seeks to put the ability of undercover operatives to commit criminal offences in the course of their deployment on a statutory footing. It will be achieved by amending the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) to allow a diverse range of state agencies to authorise their Covert Human Intelligence Source (CHIS) to commit criminal offences where necessary for protecting national security, preventing or detecting crime or disorder, or protecting the economic wellbeing of the UK. This will have the effect of making such activity “lawful for all purposes”, which, without providing so explicitly, effectively means full civil and criminal immunity for those who act within the terms of the authorisation.’

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Garden Court Chambers, 8th October 2020

Source: www.gardencourtchambers.co.uk

Individual privacy versus national security: where is the line? – Lamb Chambers

‘Oscar Davies discusses the recent Privacy International case and its wider implications, in which the CJEU held that UK law went too far in permitting “general and indiscriminate” access of bulk communications data to MI5, MI6 and GCHQ.’

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Lamb Chambers, October 2020

Source: www.lambchambers.co.uk

What Is The Covert Human Intelligence Sources Bill? – Each Other

Posted October 13th, 2020 in bills, immunity, intelligence services, news, police by sally

‘The Covert Human Intelligence Sources Bill has received criticism from both Tory and Labour MPs – leading to 19 Labour MPs defying the party’s leadership to vote against it. But why do some find it controversial?’

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Each Other, 9th October 2020

Source: eachother.org.uk

UK set to introduce bill allowing MI5 agents to break the law – The Guardian

Posted September 24th, 2020 in bills, human rights, intelligence services, murder, news, terrorism, torture by sally

‘A bill allowing confidential informants working for MI5 and the police to break the law will be introduced on Thursday amid a row about whether committing crimes such as murder and torture should be explicitly banned.’

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The Guardian, 24th September 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Reforms to UK’s antiquated spying laws published by Law Commission – Law Commission

‘Reform is needed to bring the law into the 21st century and protect the United Kingdom from espionage (spying) and unauthorised disclosures (leaks), according to a report from the Law Commission that has been laid in Parliament today [01 September 2020].’

Press release

Law Commission, 1st September 2020

Source: www.lawcom.gov.uk

MI6 apologises for court ‘interference’ – BBC News

Posted July 28th, 2020 in intelligence services, investigatory powers, news, tribunals by sally

‘MI6 officers have been accused of attempting to interfere in a major legal battle over crimes linked to intelligence agencies.’

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BBC News, 27th July 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Russia report: What would tougher spy laws mean for UK? – BBC News

Posted July 23rd, 2020 in intelligence services, news, reports, Russia, spying by sally

‘After the UK government is accused of underestimating the threat of Russian interference, ministers are considering strengthening security laws to require all foreign agents to register in the UK in future. What might that involve and what are the challenges?’

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BBC News, 22nd July 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk