Plots to steal weapon secrets 'foiled by MI5'
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Britain's Security Service claimed yesterday that it had thwarted 20 attempts by foreign agents to steal secrets for producing weapons of mass destruction.
MI5 said Russian and Chinese spies were posing as trade officials, businessmen and science delegates to obtain sensitive material from British institutions and businesses. The Security Service also claimed its agents had foiled plans by the al-Qa'ida terror network to attack targets in the United Kingdom.
The disclosures were made in a new Security Service information booklet, which warned of an "increased threat" to British interests from long-range ballistic missile systems and other weapons of mass destruction.
The MI5 document stated: "Much of the material, technology and expertise required for weapons of mass destruction [WMD] programmes can be found in the UK, and many of those seeking to proliferate WMD try to acquire these here." The Security Service said that in 1999-2000 it foiled "20 proven or suspected attempts by proliferating countries to acquire WMD-related goods or expertise from the UK". It also highlighted the "increased threat" that such technology or expertise would fall into the hands of international terrorist groups.
The warnings come in the fourth official MI5 booklet and the first to be published since the 11 September attacks on America.
It said the international terrorist threat was no longer confined to "established groups" but also came from "unaffiliated, loose-knit networks of individuals with a much broader agenda" – a trend that was likely to continue.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments