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| MI5 under fire over 7/7 bombers | |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| A parliamentary committee is to examine MI5's handling intelligence about two of the 7 July London suicide bombers. | A parliamentary committee is to examine MI5's handling intelligence about two of the 7 July London suicide bombers. |
| On Monday, five men were given life sentences for a foiled plot to build a huge fertiliser bomb for a UK attack. | On Monday, five men were given life sentences for a foiled plot to build a huge fertiliser bomb for a UK attack. |
| It emerged that MI5 tailed two of the 7/7 bombers while investigating that case, but took no action. | It emerged that MI5 tailed two of the 7/7 bombers while investigating that case, but took no action. |
| MI5's chief said it had done all it could. But the Intelligence and Security Committee will look again at why the 7/7 bombers were not picked up. | MI5's chief said it had done all it could. But the Intelligence and Security Committee will look again at why the 7/7 bombers were not picked up. |
| MI5 is facing questions over what it told MPs about the suicide bombers. | MI5 is facing questions over what it told MPs about the suicide bombers. |
| The committee, which oversees the work of security services and comprises MPs and Lords, is also expected to examine claims that West Yorkshire Police special branch was not told about the MI5 surveillance operation. | |
| Committee chairman Paul Murphy MP has indicated that police were informed. | |
| Under surveillance: Picture from 2004, more than a year before London bombings.Enlarge Image | Under surveillance: Picture from 2004, more than a year before London bombings.Enlarge Image |
| During the fertiliser plot investigation, the security service watched two of the London suicide bombers - ringleader Mohammad Sidique Khan and Shehzad Tanweer. | During the fertiliser plot investigation, the security service watched two of the London suicide bombers - ringleader Mohammad Sidique Khan and Shehzad Tanweer. |
| They came under surveillance as MI5 watched the fertiliser bomb plotters in early 2004 - 15 months before Khan, Tanweer and two other men killed 52 people in London. | They came under surveillance as MI5 watched the fertiliser bomb plotters in early 2004 - 15 months before Khan, Tanweer and two other men killed 52 people in London. |
| Meanwhile, the revelation that one of the 7 July bombers met up with one of the fertiliser bomb plotters - Omar Khyam - at a terrorist training camp in Pakistan has caused concern. | |
| However, the head of Pakistan's National Crisis Management Centre, Brigadier Javed Iqbal Cheema, said those who attended such camps had already been radicalised. | |
| He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "What we need to understand is that a person who spends a lot of money and travels to Pakistan...[is] already motivated for a particular reason, a particular cause or for an objective." | |
| Rachel North, who survived the blast on the Piccadilly Line train, said she was shocked and appalled when she learned the true picture. | Rachel North, who survived the blast on the Piccadilly Line train, said she was shocked and appalled when she learned the true picture. |
| WHAT MI5 TOLD COMMITTEE We have been told in evidence that none of the ... 7 July group had been identified (that is named and listed) as potential terrorist threats prior to July ISC report into MI5, 2006 | |
| "Now that we have discovered these men were very much on the radar of the security service and could have been stopped, that is going to be very difficult to come to terms with," she said. | "Now that we have discovered these men were very much on the radar of the security service and could have been stopped, that is going to be very difficult to come to terms with," she said. |
| "This has fuelled my desire for an independent inquiry because it appears we have not been told the truth about what happened and what we knew about these bombers prior to 7/7." | "This has fuelled my desire for an independent inquiry because it appears we have not been told the truth about what happened and what we knew about these bombers prior to 7/7." |
| One critical issue is what MI5 told both the public and politicians in the wake of the 7 July attacks. The media were briefed that Khan and fellow bombers were "clean skins" - men with no previous record of terrorist associations. | One critical issue is what MI5 told both the public and politicians in the wake of the 7 July attacks. The media were briefed that Khan and fellow bombers were "clean skins" - men with no previous record of terrorist associations. |
| The Intelligence and Security Committee later reported that Khan was not "named and listed" by MI5 before the bombings. | The Intelligence and Security Committee later reported that Khan was not "named and listed" by MI5 before the bombings. |
| Its chairman, Mr Murphy, told the BBC on Monday that he stood by the committee's findings. | Its chairman, Mr Murphy, told the BBC on Monday that he stood by the committee's findings. |
| Speaking to the BBC's Newsnight, he said MI5 had not identified Khan "until after he died". | Speaking to the BBC's Newsnight, he said MI5 had not identified Khan "until after he died". |
| Evidence following the end of the trial reveals MI5 photographed Khan as he met other extremists, followed him home - and by the summer of 2004 they knew his surname and that he owned a car. | Evidence following the end of the trial reveals MI5 photographed Khan as he met other extremists, followed him home - and by the summer of 2004 they knew his surname and that he owned a car. |
| EVIDENCE SINCE TRIAL Khan followed Feb 2004Photographed with extremistsRecorded talking with plot ringleaderHome address seenCar ownership and surname known June 04 | EVIDENCE SINCE TRIAL Khan followed Feb 2004Photographed with extremistsRecorded talking with plot ringleaderHome address seenCar ownership and surname known June 04 |
| Home Secretary John Reid has dismissed calls from some MPs and campaigners for an inquiry into the 7 July bombings, saying it would not be the "correct response". | Home Secretary John Reid has dismissed calls from some MPs and campaigners for an inquiry into the 7 July bombings, saying it would not be the "correct response". |
| "It would divert the energies and efforts of so many in the security service and police who are already stretched greatly in countering that present threat," he said. | "It would divert the energies and efforts of so many in the security service and police who are already stretched greatly in countering that present threat," he said. |
| "Our responsibility as a government is to try and minimise the chances of any other group of families ever having to suffer as the families of 7/7 did suffer." | "Our responsibility as a government is to try and minimise the chances of any other group of families ever having to suffer as the families of 7/7 did suffer." |
| But Liberal Democrat leader Sir Menzies Campbell said: "The information revealed in this trial will spark widespread public concern and debate about the operational capabilities of the security service, and the reliability of government information in the aftermath of the 7 July bombings." | But Liberal Democrat leader Sir Menzies Campbell said: "The information revealed in this trial will spark widespread public concern and debate about the operational capabilities of the security service, and the reliability of government information in the aftermath of the 7 July bombings." |
| Shadow Home Secretary David Davis said MI5's unprecedented decision to rebut the allegations on its website was "not the answer". | Shadow Home Secretary David Davis said MI5's unprecedented decision to rebut the allegations on its website was "not the answer". |
| "Whether deliberately or not, the government have not told the British public the whole truth about the circumstances and mistakes leading up to the July 7 attacks," he said. | "Whether deliberately or not, the government have not told the British public the whole truth about the circumstances and mistakes leading up to the July 7 attacks," he said. |