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Metropolitan Police 'gathered information' on 18 family campaigns Metropolitan Police gathered information on 18 family campaigns
(35 minutes later)
The Met Police collected information on 18 justice campaigns - including Stephen Lawrence's - a report into a now defunct undercover unit says. The Met Police collected information on 18 justice campaigns - including that of Jean Charles de Menezes - a report into a now defunct unit has said.
Campaigns for two men shot dead by mistake in London - Jean Charles de Menezes and Harry Stanley - were among those targeted, the BBC understands. Campaigns for two men shot dead by mistake in London - Mr Menezes and Harry Stanley - were among those targeted, the BBC understands.
Operation Herne - which released the report - is investigating the Special Demonstration Squad. Operation Herne - which released the report - is investigating the Special Demonstration Squad (SDS).
The police chief heading it cited a failure of senior management.The police chief heading it cited a failure of senior management.
In his report into undercover operations, Derbyshire Chief Constable Mick Creedon said undercover police had gathered information relating to 18 families and campaigns for justice over the course of 35 years. In his report into undercover operations, Derbyshire Chief Constable Mick Creedon said undercover police had gathered information relating to 18 families and campaigns for justice over the course of 35 years.
He said his review had found the campaigns were "mentioned" in records held by the Metropolitan Police's - now disbanded - Special Demonstration Squad. He said his review had found the campaigns were "mentioned" in records held by the Metropolitan Police's - now disbanded - SDS.
'Very upsetting'
The campaigns, from 1970 to 2005, were the result of deaths in police custody, deaths following contact with the police - including two shootings - and people who had been murdered.The campaigns, from 1970 to 2005, were the result of deaths in police custody, deaths following contact with the police - including two shootings - and people who had been murdered.
The report has not named which campaigns were the subject of information gathering, but alongside Stephen Lawrence, the BBC understands they also include: Claims that police were instructed to find information that could discredit the family of murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence are already being investigated.
The latest report has not named which campaigns were the subject of information gathering, but the BBC understands they include:
In each of these cases and others, Scotland Yard had come under intense media and community pressure amid allegations that police officers were not being held to account for alleged failings.In each of these cases and others, Scotland Yard had come under intense media and community pressure amid allegations that police officers were not being held to account for alleged failings.
The lawyer for the Menezes family said she had been informed by the Met that information was gathered on them after his death. The lawyer for the Menezes family said she had been informed by the Met that information was gathered on them after the Brazilian's death.
On Wednesday, the mother of Ricky Reel, found dead after a suspected racist attack, told BBC News she had been informed by an officer from Operation Herne, the undercover review, that police had gathered intelligence on her in 1998 and 1999. They said the information was "very upsetting" and an "absolute disgrace to know the police were spying on us after everything we've been through".
She called for a public inquiry into the spying claims and told the BBC: "This was happening at a time we were feeling very low, we should have been left alone to grieve for our son, instead of being spied upon. They are considering legal action against Scotland Yard, they said.
It comes after the mother of Ricky Reel, found dead after a suspected racist attack in 1997, told BBC News she had been informed by an officer from Operation Herne that police had gathered intelligence on her in 1998 and 1999.
She called for a public inquiry into the spying claims, and told the BBC: "This was happening at a time we were feeling very low, we should have been left alone to grieve for our son, instead of being spied upon.
"As soon as I heard it, the room started spinning and I felt sick.""As soon as I heard it, the room started spinning and I felt sick."
Speaking ahead of the report's publication, Sir Hugh Orde, president of the Association of Chief Police Officers, called on the Metropolitan Police to make public as much information as possible. Mr Creedon said the gathering of information was "unavoidable" because undercover SDS officers were targeting groups that were seeking to align themselves with the campaigners or were present at meetings when information was shared.
He said it appeared there had been "a failure of the senior management of the Met at the time to treat material gathered properly and indeed to destroy material properly - when it shouldn't have been gathered in the first place."
Chief Constable Creedon said the gathering of information was "unavoidable" because undercover SDS officers were targeting groups that were seeking to align themselves with the campaigners or were present at meetings when information was shared.
However. he said the intelligence should have been properly assessed and deleted if it had no operational value.However. he said the intelligence should have been properly assessed and deleted if it had no operational value.