General Chat

combat terrorism?

The Government's focus on tackling terrorism is damaging other vital intelligence and security work, MPs heard.

The all-party Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) warned that MI5, MI6 and GCHQ were increasingly focused on counter-terrorism at the expense of other activities.

But Home Secretary Jacqui Smith insisted that the agencies were given the funding needed to counter the "range of threats" facing the UK.

She also set out plans for greater transparency and accountability of the ISC, which was dubbed the Prime Minister's "poodle" by Labour former defence minister Peter Kilfoyle.

Ms Smith said spending on counter-terrorism will rise to £3.5 billion by 2010-11.

Opening debate on the committee's annual report, she said: "The ISC notes that the increased funding for the agencies over the next three years is commensurate with the increased threat that the UK faces and the requirements of the agencies to counter them.

"However, the committee also expresses concern that aspects of key intelligence and security work are suffering as a consequence of the focus on counter-terrorism priorities.

"I would like to take this opportunity to reassure the House that both government and the agencies remain very focused on the range of threats to the UK.

"Although the increase in agency funding was driven largely by the need to respond to the terrorist threat, we continue to resource capabilities to counter other threats effectively as well."

The ISC is made up of MPs and peers appointed by the Prime Minister and is responsible for overseeing the work of MI5, MI6 and GCHQ


http://uk.news.yahoo.com/pressass/20080717/tuk-terror-focus-undermining-mi5-work-6323e80.html

I've just read this article and still none the wiser. Can someone enlighten me?

No...pmsl

The security services are responsible for lots of things - GCHQ monitors radio and mobile phone traffic, MI6 is military intel and MI5 is more like homeland security, although they all overlap.

Things they do are monitor extremist organisations like animal rights groups, neo-nazi groups, any group or organisation that may pose a threat to the state, that sort of thing. MI6 would tend towards the more military aspects of intelligence.

Special Branch of the police also work in close conjunction with them.

well that was quick lol

Good job there's somebody knowledgable on here, innit lol

Thanks Eldrick :-) I suppose I thought terrorism covered all of this but you're right they overlap.

Takes deep breath... also...... lots of terrorism is funded by..... criminal activity, lol!!

Love

Daff xxx

Secret......what they do is .......secret.......at least that is their answer to every question you may ask.........by the very nature of their work, they have to remain under cover.........so they could be protecting the country.......or just sitting around drinking coffee and playing cards.......we will never know.....

ahhh but the drinking coffee and playing cards could be their cover lol

Eeeeeexactly Secret!.....

.....seriously though, about 18 months ago an article I read said that MI5 had foiled two important threats to the City........could not say what threats......of course, that's secret....we can only trust that whatever they are doing, it is in our best interests......so we can sleep safely in our beds.....