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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 authorizes 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 behavior 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 organize 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 analyze 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, 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 organizations 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.
Counterterrorism, also known as anti-terrorism, relates to the practices, military tactics, techniques, and strategies that governments, law enforcement, businesses, and intelligence agencies use to combat or eliminate terrorism.
The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), formerly and still commonly known as the Metropolitan Police, is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement and crime prevention within Greater London. In addition, it is responsible for specialised tasks throughout the United Kingdom, such as dealing with counter-terrorism throughout the UK, and the protection of certain individuals, including the monarch, royal family, governmental officials, and other designated figures. Commonly referred to as the Met, it is also referred to as Scotland Yard or the Yard, after the location of its original headquarters in Great Scotland Yard, Whitehall in the 19th century. The Met is presently headquartered at New Scotland Yard, on the Victoria Embankment.
The Specialist Firearms Command (MO19) is the firearms unit of the Metropolitan Police Service. Formed in 2005, the Command is responsible for providing a firearms-response capability, assisting the rest of the service, which is not routinely armed.
The Anti-Terrorist Branch was a Specialist Operations (SO) branch of London's Metropolitan Police Service, formed to respond to terrorist activities within the capital and the surrounding areas.
Operation Kratos was a set of 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 in London, England. It is responsible for providing specialist policing capabilities, including national security and counter-terrorism operations. The Specialist Operations directorate is currently led by Assistant Commissioner Matt Jukes.
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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 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 SCO19. 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 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 terrorismand 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. The 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 and also hosts the Counter Terrorism Policing headquarters.
In the United Kingdom police firearm policy varies by constituent countries. In Northern Ireland, all police officers carry firearms whereas in the rest of the United Kingdom, firearms are carried only by specially-trained firearms officers.
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 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:
Project Griffin was originally introduced by the City of London Police and Metropolitan Police in April 2004 to help "London's financial sector better protect itself against terrorist threats". It has since spread to businesses and security services as a way to get educated about counter-terrorism and crime prevention, be the 'eyes and ears' for the police and be prepared for major emergency. The goal of the program is to bring together the police, fire brigade, ambulance services, private security industry and other government agencies in deterring, disrupting and support operations targeting terrorist and extremist activity.
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.
Counter Terrorism Policing is the national collaboration of police forces working to prevent, deter, and investigate terrorism in the United Kingdom.
Special Branch was a unit in the Metropolitan Police in London, formed as a counter-terrorism unit in 1883 and merged with another unit to form Counter Terrorism Command (SO15) in 2006. It maintained contact with the Security Service (MI5) and had responsibility for, among other things, personal protection of (non-royal) VIPs and performing the role of examining officer at designated ports and airports, as prescribed by the Terrorism Act 2000.
