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MI5 fails to block book of secret wars
Neil Millard15.04.09
THE intelligence services have failed in their bid to stop the publication in Britain of a book said to contain the names of as-yet unidentified officers.
The book, Secret Wars: One Hundred Years Of British Intelligence Inside MI5 And MI6, could not be kept from the public using an injunction as the courts recognised it is already widely available in America. Some of the book is even on the internet, including the index.
The book, by Gordon Thomas, marks the centenary of MI5 and MI6. MI5 is releasing an official history in October, written by Cambridge historian Christopher Andrew, and MI6's official history by Queen's University Belfast professor of history, Keith Jeffrey, will be released next year.
Secret Wars was published two months ago in America and will be published in Britain on 4 May. Despite opposing the book's British release, Whitehall officials have already said no officer has had to be taken away from operations.
Thomas's sources include former MI6 officer Richard Tomlinson; Annie Machon, former partner of David Shayler; and former MI5 officer Peter Wright. Past governments unsuccessfully tried to ban Mr Wright's memoirs Spycatcher and Mr Tomlinson's, The Big Breach.
Reader views (5)
I always thought that it was Socialist governments that has secret police etc as we are told. How wrong can you be. Liberal lefties have opposites so, What do they stand for then.
T H Leeds
- Thomas Hayes, Leeds UK
They r very good at controlling peoples' organisations.
- Scunibuni, GOOLE
If you live in other countries; or even read your own history; you will know all about MI5 and MI6.
- Mickyinlondon, london
These people are traitors and are selling this nation and it's people out for a quick buck.
These Liberal-lefties are destroying the very fabric of our society.
- Frank, Home Counties, England.
I sometimes wonder at how much 'intelligence' our 'intelligence' services have, given that the information is available elsewhere, why then try and block it here? A knee jerk reaction? Doesn't the Government's legal people know this? Why waste time and money on trying to prevent it then? In short, I'm very unimpressed with them.
- Ralph, GB
