LONDON- By a slim majority on Friday, a tribunal ruled that the policy allowing British security service agents to commit serious crimes including violence is lawful.
Human rights groups argued that this was against British law and that the Human Rights European Convention for MI5 domestic spy agency who do not work directly for the government, like informants or intelligence provider, are allowed to commit criminal activities like murder and torture.
The government said that the MI5 cannot operate, gather intelligence and prevent terrorist attacks without the use of agents who can partake in criminality.
This, however, does not give the agents immunity from prosecution.
IPT (Investigatory Powers Tribunal) deals with intelligence service complaints and they backed that view too, referring to the recent militant fatal attacks. Two of the five members of the IPT, however, expressed their disagreement with the decision.
“This case raises one of the most profound issues which can face a democratic society governed by the rule of law. The events of recent years, for example in Manchester and London in 2017, serve vividly to underline the need for such intelligence-gathering and other activities in order to protect the public from serious terrorist threats. ” the IPT said in its ruling.
The interior ministry agrees with this decision stating that covert agents are MI5’s essential tools that keep the country safe by doing their job.
(Photos syndicated via Reuters)
This story has been edited by BH staff and is published from a syndicated field.
