MI5 Internet Bibliography

In August 2007 the British Security Service, MI5, will assume lead responsiblity for 'national security intelligence work' in the North. MI5 has a long history of involvement here and an equally long history of involvement in illegal activities. MI5 for instance was aware in advance that Pat Finucane was to be murdered but did not intervene, it allowed the 1998 Omagh bombing to proceed, it destroyed covert recordings in the shoot-to-kill cases, ran agents involved in multiple murders and sought to undermine opposition groups in Britain itself.

The Bloody Sunday Tribunal, the Commission of Inquiry into the Dublin, Monaghan and Dundalk Bombings and the Stevens and Stalker investigations all faced major difficulties when co-operation was sought from the 'Box' as MI5 is known. More recently the Security Service has been complicit in the kidnapping/rendition of British citizens to third countries and in supplying information to other intelligence agencies in the full knowledge that this information was being used during the torture of alleged suspects. MI5 officers have been involved in interrogations at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan and in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba both centres notorious for the use of torture.

In her latest 2006 Annual report the Police Ombudsman, Nuala O'Loan, has expressed 'significant concerns' about the proposed role for MI5 given that the Security Service is under no legislative obligation to co-operate with her investigations into agent handling and management of intelligence.

•   Paul Murphy Statement - Statement by then Secretary of State on new role for Security Service
    http://www.nio.gov.uk/media-detail.htm?newsID=10949

•   Peter Hain comments during Second reading of Bill
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/4804212.stm

•   NIO - Discussion Paper - Outlines transfer of primacy from PSNI to MI5 for intelligence work
    http://www.nio.gov.uk/devolving_police_and_justice_in_northern_ireland_a_discussion_paper.pdf ()

•   MI5 Base - Article about MI5 move to a new base in preparation for its expanded role.
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/low/northern_ireland/4713790.stm

•   Oversight Commissioner - Article detailing concern of commissioner, also link to oversight commissioner's report.
  •   http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/low/northern_ireland/5050002.stm
  •   http://www.oversightcommissioner.org/reports/pdfs/june2006.pdf ()

•   Ombudsman concerned by MI5 move in 2006 Annual Report
  •   http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/5195574.stm
  •   See also the Annual Report at page 6 http://www.policeombudsman.org/

•   MI5 Questions - Parlamentary questions asked by Mark Durkan MP concerning MI5 membership and budget.
  •   http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmhansrd/cm060307/text/60307w22.htm#60307w22.html_wqn5
  •   See link to various statements from the SDLP on MI5 http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=MI5%2BSDLP&hl=en&lr=&rls=GGLD,GGLD:2005-03,GGLD:en&start=0&sa=N

•   'Concern' over MI5 policing plan
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/4703560.stm

•   Omagh families demand MI5 meeting - Anger over alerts not passed to RUC
    http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/story.jsp?story=680772

•   BelfastTelegraph feature - Report on how London is keeping control of intelligence powers.
    http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/features/story.jsp?story=679187

•   MI5 Scrutiny - Report by Chris Thornton on who will scrutinise the role of MI5.
    http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/features/story.jsp?story=679302

•   Local bodies could be briefed on MI5's new Ulster activity - report by Chris Thornton
    http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/story.jsp?story=679521

•   Viewpoint: MI5, secrets, informers and the PSNI
    http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/opinion/story.jsp?story=679408

•   MP warns MI5 will not have tools to cope with terrorism - Chris Thornton
    http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/story.jsp?story=698909

•   See blog from Belfast Gonzo on sluggerotoole.com
    http://www.sluggerotoole.com/index.php/weblog/comments/analysis_quis_custiodet_ipsos_custiodes/
    See further blogs at Sluggerotoole.com   http://www.sluggerotoole.com/index.php/weblog/comments/debate_on_mi5_role_continues/

•   Hansard debates - House of Commons debates on the MI5 issue.
    http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmhansrd/cm060313/debtext/60313-17.htm#60313-17_spnew0
    http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmhansrd/cm060313/debtext/60313-20.htm#60313-20_spnew0

•   Chilcot Review - Article about Chilcot review into Castlereagh break-in. Concerns over review raised in second article with regard to MI5.
  •   http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/1889847.stm
  •   http://www.sdlp.ie/policy/documents/pdINTELLIGENCE%20GATHERING%20IN%20THE%20NORTH.shtm
  •   see statement from Gerry Kelly MLA Sinn Fein   http://www.sinnfein.ie/gaelic/news/detail/13055
  •   see March 2006 testimony of Maggie Beirne (CAJ) to the US House Committee on International Relations (search pdf file for MI5)
      http://wwwa.house.gov/international_relations/109/bei031506.pdf

•   Amnesty Report 1999 - AI response to Patten report, calls for review into MI5 accountability.
    http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGEUR450501999?open&of=ENG-2U3

•   Cory Collusion Inquiry - Report into killing of Pat Finucane looks at role of Security Service. Confirms that Security Service was aware of a number of threats to Pat Finucane but decided not to warn him or intervene. See paragraph 1.290
  •   http://www.nio.gov.uk/cory_collusion_inquiry_report_(with_appendices)_pat_finucane.pdf ()
  •   See BIRW response to Stevens 3 including role of MI5 http://www.birw.org/BIRW%20response%20to%20Stevens%203.html
  •   See Force Research Unit index on PFC website http://www.patfinucanecentre.org/fru/fruindex.html
  •   See Pat Finucane index on PFC website http://www.patfinucanecentre.org/index.html#murderpf
  •   The transcript of the UTV programme, Justice on Trial, includes a number of interviews highlighting the central role played by MI5 in co-ordinating FRU and RUC Special Branch. http://www.patfinucanecentre.org/pf/pf07122001a.html

•   Stalker Affair Looks at problems faced by John Stalker in gathering evidence, also allegations of evidence being destroyed by MI5.
  •   http://www.charter88.org.uk/publications/violations/lashmar2.html
  •   http://wwa.rte.ie/news/2000/0523/north2.html

•   Holroyd Allegations - Allegations of illegal methods used by MI5 in Northern Ireland.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Holroyd

•   Fabricating Terrorism Report - Role of MI5 in rendition and torture.
    http://www.cageprisoners.com/downloads/FabricatingTerrorism_Report.pdf ()

•   Torture Testimony - Article from 2003 where MI5 expert has admitted information obtained from tortured prisoners would be used as evidence in court.
    http://www.guardian.co.uk/humanrights/story/0,7369,1003351,00.html

•   "MI5, Camp Delta and the story which shames Britain"
    http://www.craigmurray.co.uk/archives/2006/03/mi5_camp_delta.html

•   MI5-Head - Statement made in 2005 by the head of MI5 Dame Eliza Manningham-Buller on the use of intelligence from a third state which may have been obtained by the use of torture.
    http://www.statewatch.org/news/2005/oct/mi5-hol.pdf ()

•   Livingstone Questions MI5 Role - Article which highlights a lack of confidence in MI5 following recent anti-terror raids in London.
    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=390236&in_page_id=1770

•   Sunday Times - MI5 accused of cover-up following the July 7^th bombings in London.
    http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-2179602,00.html

•   Operation Kratos, the controversial policy put in place by the Metropolitan Police to deal with suicide bombers, was signed off on at a meeting at MI5 HQ. The policy was to lead to the killing of 27-year-old Jean Charles de Menezes in Stockwell tube station in London in 2005.
    http://www.guardian.co.uk/attackonlondon/story/0,,1725935,00.html

•   Shayler Issue - Allegations by former MI5 agent on failures and cover-ups of the service.
    http://www.thememoryhole.org/spy/shayler/reasons.htm

•   Bloody Sunday Inquiry, various: Observer C, withholding of information, misleading the inquiry
    http://www.birw.org/bsireports/71_99/report90.html

•   Lobster - the Journal of Parapolitics - has a wealth of archive material relating to MI5, the Wallace affair and the North.
    http://www.lobster-magazine.co.uk/MI5.html

•   Denis Donaldson.
    In April 2006 a former leading Irish republican, Denis Donaldson, was found murdered in Donegal where he had gone to ground after it emerged that he had worked as an agent for Special Branch and MI5.
  •   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denis_Donaldson
  •   http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/4877680.stm

•   Stakeknife
    In 2003 it emerged that the British Army Force Research Unit agent within the IRA known as "Stakeknife", was in fact Fred Scappaticci.
  •   Stakeknife/scappaticci: MI5 "must have known about agent  http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,953845,00.html
  •   British Irish Rights Watch file: Stakeknife http://www.birw.org/Stakeknife.html

•   Liberty Director - letter to the Guardian
  •   Wire-taps and MI5
      http://www.liberty-human-rights.org.uk/press/press-releases-2002/mi5-true-spies-24-oct-2002-.shtml
  •   http://www.liberty-human-rights.org.uk/press/press-releases-2003/liberty-wins-key-case-on-telephone-tapping-a.shtml

•   "Beatings, sex abuse and torture: how MI5 left me to rot in US jail"
    http://observer.guardian.co.uk/politics/story/0,,1426368,00.html

•   "British agents 'broke rules' in Abu Ghraib"
    http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,7374-1519492,00.html

•   The Independent: Britain complicit in human rights abuses in Guantanamo
    http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article12522.htm

•   MI5 Infiltration and subversion of Unions and left wing/civil rights organisations
    http://www.guardian.co.uk/guardianpolitics/story/0,,817849,00.html

•   Extensive background from wikipedia
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MI5

•   search database at Statewatch.org
    http://www.statewatch.org/news/index.html

•   Relevant legislation

•   In theory complaints about the conduct of the security service, MI5, can be made to the Investigatory Powers Tribunal, - and pigs can fly!
    http://www.ipt-uk.com/default.asp?sectionID=15

•   Parliamentary oversight of the Security Service is provided by the Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC), established by the Intelligence Services Act 1994.
    http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/intelligence/

•   Eliza Manningham-Buller, Director General, profile
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4077822.stm

•   MI5 website- Link to official website of the security service
    http://www.mi5.gov.uk