Downing Street Says » Security and Terrorism

» Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Security and Terrorism

Put that Sir Paul Levy had suggested that there should be an inquiry into who leaked what in the wake of Peter Clarke’s speech yesterday, and did we support that, the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman (PMOS) said that rather than talk about inquiries, what was important was that we fully supported what Peter Clarke had said. The Home Secretary had categorically set out his position on this, and that was all that should be said. What was important was that we kept the focus on what Peter Clarke was talking about, and as yesterday’s first meeting of the new Committee underlined, the threat from terrorism remained severe. Therefore, we had to be focused on that.

Put that Peter Clarke had emphasised an unauthorised leak, the PMOS replied that what people had to ask was whether there was a realistic possibility of finding out who had come out with the leak. The PMOS added that that was not a matter for him to decide, and the important thing was that we fully supported Peter Clarke in his view that leaks of this kind were against the national interest.

Asked if there might be a move towards the police having to sign the Official Secrets Act, the PMOS said that what was important was that we focused on what we had to do to counter terrorism. Peter Clarke’s speech covered many other aspects apart from the leak, and what was important was that we kept the focus on that counter terrorist effort, rather than undermine it through leaks that damaged police investigations.

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