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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| UK 'ignored spy's al-Qaeda fear' | UK 'ignored spy's al-Qaeda fear' |
| (about 6 hours later) | |
| UK intelligence services were warned of the threat posed by al-Qaeda in the mid 1990s but did not act quickly enough, says a spy who infiltrated the network. | UK intelligence services were warned of the threat posed by al-Qaeda in the mid 1990s but did not act quickly enough, says a spy who infiltrated the network. |
| The agent told the BBC he warned his handlers that al-Qaeda was better organised than was previously thought. | The agent told the BBC he warned his handlers that al-Qaeda was better organised than was previously thought. |
| Known by the pseudonym of Omar Nasiri, he worked for intelligence in the UK and France, and trained in Afghanistan. | Known by the pseudonym of Omar Nasiri, he worked for intelligence in the UK and France, and trained in Afghanistan. |
| Mr Nasiri also claimed a senior al-Qaeda operative planted evidence to provoke the US into war against Iraq. | Mr Nasiri also claimed a senior al-Qaeda operative planted evidence to provoke the US into war against Iraq. |
| Ibn Sheikh Al-Libi fabricated links between al-Qaeda and Iraq when being questioned by US forces in late 2001, he said. | Ibn Sheikh Al-Libi fabricated links between al-Qaeda and Iraq when being questioned by US forces in late 2001, he said. |
| Al-Qaeda was far more organised, coherent and determined than was appreciated at the time Spy lifts lid on al-Qaeda | Al-Qaeda was far more organised, coherent and determined than was appreciated at the time Spy lifts lid on al-Qaeda |
| BBC security correspondent Gordon Corera said the revelations had provided an "insight into the emergence of al-Qaeda in the 90s". | BBC security correspondent Gordon Corera said the revelations had provided an "insight into the emergence of al-Qaeda in the 90s". |
| He said French authorities had been concerned about Algerian terrorists and British authorities feared attacks in the UK. | He said French authorities had been concerned about Algerian terrorists and British authorities feared attacks in the UK. |
| But the details given by the agent, who worked for both the French and British intelligence services, showed that "people were not necessarily looking at those global interconnections". | But the details given by the agent, who worked for both the French and British intelligence services, showed that "people were not necessarily looking at those global interconnections". |
| Chemical weapons | Chemical weapons |
| He added that the "legacy" of the Afghan training camps of the 1990s was being seen in the form of global attacks. | He added that the "legacy" of the Afghan training camps of the 1990s was being seen in the form of global attacks. |
| Mr Nasiri trained at al-Qaeda's camps in Afghanistan and met senior figures from the group. | Mr Nasiri trained at al-Qaeda's camps in Afghanistan and met senior figures from the group. |
| He described the use of chemical weapon experiments and claimed radical Muslim cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri was given terror training in London. | He described the use of chemical weapon experiments and claimed radical Muslim cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri was given terror training in London. |
| The spy also said that to maintain his cover the French and UK services reluctantly gave him money to pass to al-Qaeda, and he did not know how the money was spent. | The spy also said that to maintain his cover the French and UK services reluctantly gave him money to pass to al-Qaeda, and he did not know how the money was spent. |
| When asked if he ever forgot he was a spy while in Afghanistan, "Omar" replied: "Oh yeah, all the time." | When asked if he ever forgot he was a spy while in Afghanistan, "Omar" replied: "Oh yeah, all the time." |
| Al-Qaeda first came to prominence after the attacks on 11 September 2001 in the US. | Al-Qaeda first came to prominence after the attacks on 11 September 2001 in the US. |