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There are six known secret anti terrorist policies of the Metropolitan Police. They are Operations Clydesdale, Rainbow, Kratos, Trammel, Camion and Lightning. None of them have had the operational details formally disclosed, and as a result, little information is known on these.
Operation Clydesdale has had no publicity within the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), and must therefore be considered as classified as the better known Operation Kratos. This deals with a prospective raid against a suicide bomber, and also authorises officers to shoot-to-kill if they think it is necessary to reduce the threat to themselves and the general public. [1]
Operation Rainbow was started on 23 May 1995, as a response to the 1993 Bishopsgate bomb that wreaked havoc throughout the city of London. Operation Rainbow is the only currently running overt Anti Terrorist policy of the MPS, and is the longest running police operation ever. The operation co-ordinates responses to, and provides information about the threat of Terrorism to the city. It has been described as a ‘London success’ that has contributed enormously to the protection of Londoners from terrorist attacks. The main focus that Operation Rainbow is based upon is the viewing of CCTV. The unit constantly maintains a database of recording CCTV areas throughout London, which is available to all officers for use not only in the prevention of terrorism but other investigations, such as anti social behaviour and robberies. [2]
Operation Rainbow is by far the most mentioned policy but the details are still sketchy as contradicting sources confuse the matter. According to some, "This is a team of officers who are constantly updating our contingency plans in relation to vulnerable sites in the Borough". The Rainbow title is also that of a unit, [3] and indeed is known, in another quote, "Staff in the operation Rainbow unit conducted briefings, talks and seminars delivering their message to 1,655 officers and support staff". So, it can be correctly assumed that the Rainbow name applies to the unit and the operation controlled by the unit. "Operation Rainbow continues to organise and develop the overt aspects of the MPS counter terrorism strategy. This includes routine patrolling, informed awareness…" [ citation needed ]
Operation Lightning is a national intelligence gathering operation run by SO15 (Counter terrorism Command) designed to record and analyse suspicious sightings or activity at or near to any prominent buildings or structures. [3] This would include the public transport system throughout the United Kingdom, and would include the cooperation of the British Transport Police, as in relation to the transport network. It would also probably include the cooperation of SO18 (aviation and airport policing) and SCD10 – Surveillance (covert policing).[ citation needed ]
Operation Trammel is an operation run by SO13 designed to identify criminals linked with terrorist organisations by the use of 'key indicators'. This would include credit card related fraud and forged documents used to fund terrorism. [3] This policy would not have such a high-profile role, as the results would not be as evident to the press, it would merely be treated as another 'terrorism related arrest'
Operation Camion is designed to identify and deal with individuals who support international terrorist groups linked to the Al-Qaeda network, who are engaged in the theft of vehicles containing hazardous material (material with nuclear, biological or chemical dangers or high explosive capabilities) and theft of marked emergency services vehicles or identifiable military vehicles that would not normally attract suspicion. [3] There have been expressions of incredulity by the public that fully operating emergency vehicles (specifically NHS West Midlands Ambulances and Surrey Police cars) have been found for sale on Internet auction sites such as eBay. The Mirror published an article on this policy on 10 July titled "TERROR ALERT @ EBAY Surplus emergency vehicles could be used as car bombs". [4]
See Operation Kratos for details.
Counter-terrorism, also known as anti-terrorism, incorporates the practice, military tactics, techniques, and strategy that government, military, law enforcement, business, and intelligence agencies use to combat or prevent terrorism. Counter-terrorism strategy is a government's plan to use the instruments of national power to neutralize terrorists, their organizations, and their networks in order to render them incapable of using violence to instill fear and to coerce the government or its citizens to react in accordance with the terrorists' goals.
The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), formerly and still commonly known as the Metropolitan Police and informally as the Met Police, the Met, Scotland Yard, or the Yard, is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement in the Metropolitan Police District, which currently consists of the 32 London boroughs. The MPD does not include the "square mile" of the City of London, which is policed by the much smaller City of London Police.
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The Anti-Terrorist Branch was a Specialist Operations branch of London's Metropolitan Police Service, formed to respond to terrorist activities within the capital and the surrounding areas.
Operation Kratos referred to tactics developed by London's Metropolitan Police Service for dealing with suspected suicide bombers, most notably firing shots to the head without warning. The tactics were developed shortly after the 11 September 2001 attacks, based in part on consultation with Israeli and Sri Lankan law enforcement agencies on how to deal with suicide bombers. Little was revealed about these tactics until after the mistaken shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes on 22 July 2005, in the wake of the 7 July 2005 London bombings. The term is no longer used by the Metropolitan Police, although similar tactics remain in force.
The Specialist Operations directorate is a unit of the Metropolitan Police of London, UK responsible for providing specialist policing capabilities including national security and counter-terrorism operations. The Specialist Operations Directorate is currently led by Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu.
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A firearms unit is an armed unit within each territorial police force in the United Kingdom. For the most part, the police forces of the United Kingdom are unarmed; however, all have firearms units to provide the police force with the capability to deal with terrorists and armed criminals. A police officer cannot apply to join the firearms unit without first finishing their two-year probationary period, with a further two years in a core policing role for some forces. Firearms unit is the most common name outside of the capital, while that of London's Metropolitan Police Service is called the Specialist Firearms Command, Trojan or SC&O19. Within the media it is sometimes compared to the SWAT units of the United States.
Special Tasks and Rescue Group is the Police Tactical Group of the South Australia Police.
The Terrorism Act 2006 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that received Royal assent on 30 March 2006, after being introduced on 12 October 2005. The Act creates new offences related to terrorism, and amends existing ones. The Act was drafted in the aftermath of the 7 July 2005 London bombings, and some of its terms have proven to be highly controversial. The government considered the act a necessary response to an unparalleled terrorist threat; it has encountered opposition from those who feel that it is an undue imposition on civil liberties, and could increase the terrorism risk.
Counter Terrorism Command (CTC) or SO15 is a Specialist Operations branch within London's Metropolitan Police Service. Counter Terrorism Command was established as a result of the merging of the Anti-Terrorist Branch (SO13) and Special Branch (SO12) in October 2006, bringing together intelligence, operations, and investigative functions to form a single command. CTC has over 1,500 police officers and staff, and a number of investigators based overseas.
The United Kingdom is made up of four constituent countries: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. In Northern Ireland, all police officers carry firearms. In the rest of the United Kingdom, only some police officers carry firearms; that duty is instead carried out by specially-trained firearms officers. This originates from the formation of the Metropolitan Police Service in the 19th century, when police were not armed, partly to counter public fears and objections over armed enforcers as this had been previously seen due to the British Army maintaining order when needed. The arming of police in Great Britain is a perennial topic of debate.
The New Jersey Transit Police Department (NJTPD) is a transit police agency of the New Jersey Transit Corporation in the state of New Jersey. As provided by NJS Title 27:25-15.1, New Jersey Transit Police Officers have "general authority, without limitation, to exercise police powers and duties, as provided by law for police officers and law enforcement officers, in all criminal and traffic matters at all times throughout the State and, in addition, to enforce such rules and regulations as the NJ Transit Corporation shall adopt and deem appropriate." The primary focus of NJTPD is providing police services to the numerous bus depots, rail and light rail stations throughout New Jersey. The New Jersey Transit Police Department is the only transit police agency in the United States with statewide authority and jurisdiction.
The counter-terrorism page primarily deals with special police or military organizations that carry out arrest or direct combat with terrorists. This page deals with the other aspects of counter-terrorism:
The Emergency Preparedness Operational Command Unit (CO3) is a branch of the Central Operations directorate within London's Metropolitan Police Service. The unit's role is to ensure that the communities and the police of London are prepared and ready to deal with major terrorist attacks. This includes the forming of contingency plans, and organising training events for the Metropolitan Police to test their CBRN response. The unit was formed in 2004, under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, which puts a responsibility on the Chief Officers of the MPS to ensure that the police are prepared.
The Metropolitan Police of Greater London is organised into four main directorates, each with differing responsibilities. These are Frontline Policing, Met Operations, Specialist Operations, Professionalism and six civilian staffed support departments under the umbrella of Met Headquarters. Each is overseen by an Assistant Commissioner, or in the case of a support department a director of police staff which is the equivalent civilian grade.
Andrew Christopher Hayman, CBE, QPM is a retired British police officer and author of The Terrorist Hunters. Hayman held the rank of Chief Constable of Norfolk Constabulary and Assistant Commissioner for Specialist Operations at London's Metropolitan Police, the highest-ranking officer responsible for counter-terrorism in the United Kingdom. Hayman was directly responsible for the investigation into the 7 July 2005 London bombings. He has also spoken for the Association of Chief Police Officers, first on drugs policy, and later on counter-terrorism.
Peter John Michael Clarke, CVO, OBE, QPM is a retired senior police officer with London's Metropolitan Police most notably having served as a Deputy Assistant Commissioner with the Specialist Operations directorate, commanding the Counter Terrorism Command.
The National Counter Terrorism Policing Network (NCTPN) is the national collaboration of police forces in the United Kingdom working to prevent, deter and investigate terrorism in the United Kingdom. The Network is governed by the National Police Collaboration Agreement Relating to Counter Terrorism Activities Made Under Section 22A of the Police Act 1996. The Network is accountable to the United Kingdom Government and the National Police Chiefs' Council Counter Terrorism Coordination Committee which is chaired by the Metropolitan Police Service Assistant Commissioner of Specialist Operations (ACSO) who also acts as the National Lead for Counter Terrorism Policing. The Network is also functionally coordinated by the Senior National Coordinator for Counter Terrorism who is usually a Metropolitan Police Service Deputy Assistant Commissioner co-located within the Counter Terrorism Command.
