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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Police feared 'airport stand-off' | Police feared 'airport stand-off' |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| An Israeli general wanted for alleged war crimes escaped arrest in the UK because British police feared an armed confrontation at Heathrow airport. | An Israeli general wanted for alleged war crimes escaped arrest in the UK because British police feared an armed confrontation at Heathrow airport. |
| Documents seen by BBC News reveal how Major General Doron Almog managed to fly back to Israel when police failed to board his plane in September 2005. | |
| He stayed on board for two hours after a tip-off that he was facing detention. Police were concerned about a potential clash with Israeli air marshals or armed personal security on the plane. | |
| Maj Gen Almog had flown to the UK for social and charitable visits to Jewish communities in Solihull, in the West Midlands, and Manchester. | Maj Gen Almog had flown to the UK for social and charitable visits to Jewish communities in Solihull, in the West Midlands, and Manchester. |
| Lawyers acting for Palestinian campaigners lobbied the Metropolitan Police to act over allegations he had ordered the destruction in 2002 of more than 50 Palestinian homes in the Gaza Strip. | Lawyers acting for Palestinian campaigners lobbied the Metropolitan Police to act over allegations he had ordered the destruction in 2002 of more than 50 Palestinian homes in the Gaza Strip. |
| Campaigners say the homes were destroyed by the Israeli army as retribution for a Palestinian militant attack, in contravention of the laws of war protecting civilian property. Israel says destruction of Palestinian houses is among the necessary measures it takes to protect its citizens. | |
| The Met initially refused to get involved, citing massive pressures on counter-terrorism teams in the wake of the London bombings. | The Met initially refused to get involved, citing massive pressures on counter-terrorism teams in the wake of the London bombings. |
| But the legal representatives successfully applied to a judge for an arrest warrant for a private prosecution. | But the legal representatives successfully applied to a judge for an arrest warrant for a private prosecution. |
| Decisions log | Decisions log |
| A decisions log prepared for the Independent Police Complaints Commission, which has investigated the incident, shows officers decided to detain the general at Heathrow's immigration control. | A decisions log prepared for the Independent Police Complaints Commission, which has investigated the incident, shows officers decided to detain the general at Heathrow's immigration control. |
| Destroyed: Palestinians accused Maj Gen Almog of an attack on homes | |
| They then planned to take him to a police station to consider executing the warrant. | They then planned to take him to a police station to consider executing the warrant. |
| However, news of the warrant leaked to the Israeli Embassy. | However, news of the warrant leaked to the Israeli Embassy. |
| Officials tipped off the general and he and his wife refused to leave the El Al flight for the two hours it sat at the London airport's terminal. | Officials tipped off the general and he and his wife refused to leave the El Al flight for the two hours it sat at the London airport's terminal. |
| The documents now show Det Supt John MacBrayne, a senior counter-terrorism officer who was responsible for the operation, could not get confirmation that his team had the right to board the plane. | |
| El Al, Israel's national airline, had refused permission. | El Al, Israel's national airline, had refused permission. |
| In his log, he wrote: "Another consideration [was] that El Al flights carried armed air marshals, which raised issues around public safety. | In his log, he wrote: "Another consideration [was] that El Al flights carried armed air marshals, which raised issues around public safety. |
| "There was also no intelligence as to whether Mr Almog would have been travelling with personal security as befitted his status, armed or otherwise." | "There was also no intelligence as to whether Mr Almog would have been travelling with personal security as befitted his status, armed or otherwise." |
| The officer concluded there were real risks to the police and public and also had concerns about the "international impact of a potentially armed police operation at an airport". | The officer concluded there were real risks to the police and public and also had concerns about the "international impact of a potentially armed police operation at an airport". |
| Apology to Israel | |
| When Maj Gen Almog arrived back in Israel, the planned arrest caused a minor diplomatic storm, with Israeli foreign minister Silvan Shalom describing the incident as an "outrage". | When Maj Gen Almog arrived back in Israel, the planned arrest caused a minor diplomatic storm, with Israeli foreign minister Silvan Shalom describing the incident as an "outrage". |
| In turn, the then UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw apologised to his counterpart for any embarrassment caused. | In turn, the then UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw apologised to his counterpart for any embarrassment caused. |
| Hickman and Rose, lawyers for the Palestinians, demanded an inquiry. | Hickman and Rose, lawyers for the Palestinians, demanded an inquiry. |
| A spokesman for the Independent Police Complaints Commission said its review had not identified the source who leaked details of the planned arrest. | A spokesman for the Independent Police Complaints Commission said its review had not identified the source who leaked details of the planned arrest. |
| It also concluded police had not broken rules by failing to board the aircraft to execute the warrant. | It also concluded police had not broken rules by failing to board the aircraft to execute the warrant. |
| John O' Connor, a former head of Scotland Yard's flying squad, told BBC One's Breakfast programme: "All they needed to do was to stop the plane from taking off and negotiate through the Foreign Office." | |
| He said he felt the arrest had been "written off" putting "British justice is in the dock." | He said he felt the arrest had been "written off" putting "British justice is in the dock." |