Blair rejects leak inquiry call (about terror arrests)

[muriel_volestrangler]

Source: BBC

Tony Blair has rejected a call for an independent inquiry into leaks of anti-terrorism intelligence used in police investigations.

The PM was responding to calls from Tory leader David Cameron for an inquiry to establish whether any leaks had come from ministers or their aides.
...
DAC Clarke had said there were a "small number of misguided individuals who betray confidences".

By doing so, they had compromised investigations, revealed sources of life-saving intelligence and "put lives at risk" during major investigations.

Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6591793.stm

---

Cameron brought this up after a speech last night by the UK's counter-terrorism chief:

Terror chief warns of media leaks

"The recent investigation in Birmingham into an allegation that a British serviceman had been targeted by a terrorist network is but one example of this," said DAC Clarke.

"On the morning of the arrests, almost before the detainees had arrived at the police stations to which they were being taken for questioning, it was clear that key details of the investigation and the evidence had been leaked.

"This damaged the interview strategy of the investigators, and undoubtedly raised community tensions.

"I have no idea where the leaks came from, but whoever was responsible should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6589869.stm

See suspicions on DU at the time: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=2710210#2710968

Blair's reply is pretty weak - "we don't know who leaked this, therefore we can't have an inquiry about it". Cameron is right to point out that the point of the enquiry is to find who did it. We have the primary evidence - the huge amount of detail that made it into parts of the media (eg Sky News - prop. Rupert Murdoch) so quickly.

[LeftishBrit]

1. I'd have thought ...

that when you don't know 'whodunnit' is exactly when you do need an inquiry!

[maddezmom]

2. quit being so logical

:hi:

[muriel_volestrangler]

3. Terror leaks: both Home Office and police implicated

The Guardian has been told that an aide to John Reid, the home secretary, was responsible for one of those leaks, and has also learnt that there is strong suspicion among the highest-ranking police at Scotland Yard that one of their own officers also briefed the media.
...
· Journalists on at least one tabloid paper were tipped off the night before the raids, with the result that some travelled there before anyone had been arrested.

· The following morning, while one suspect remained at large, a small number of journalists were receiving briefings on lurid details of the alleged plot.

· A senior Whitehall official told reporters from two tabloids that a number of Muslim soldiers had agreed to act as bait in an attempt to trap the plotters.

The Guardian has been told by a well-placed source that this information - which later proved to be inaccurate - came from one of Mr Reid's officials.
...
Defence lawyers are expected to argue that it will be impossible for any of the men arrested in Birmingham to receive a fair trial as a consequence of the leaks at the time of their arrest. One lawyer, Tayab Ali, said he had been told by a senior West Midlands officer that the disclosures may have been an offence under the Official Secrets Act.

http://politics.guardian.co.uk/terrorism/story/0,,2065627,00.html