The Big Breach - Index of

The Big Breach; From Top Secret to Maximum SecurityCompliments of http://www.192.comadvised. `Unless you've really got something to hide, I'd tell them.'There was another copy buried on the internet, so it would not be aproblem to lose the files. `Also,' added Wadham, `if you cooperate thejudge should knock a few months off your sentence.' Ratcliffe andPeters filed back into the room a few minutes later. `The passphrase is``MI6 are stupid tossers'',' I told them.`We should have thought of that one,' Peters grinned.Even A-cat prisoners have the right to speak confidentially to theirlawyers, enshrined in `rule 37' of the prison regulations. If I neededto telephone Wadham, informing Mr Richards beforehand supposedlyensured that the automatic recorder would be turned off. Likewise, ifan envelope was marked `rule 37', supposedly the censors would not openit. But like most of the other prisoners, I had little confidence thatthis rule would be respected, especially in the lead up to mycommittal. MI6 would be keen to learn how I would plead because itwould allow them to use I/OPS to ensure favourable spin in the press. Ilater learned that my efforts at discretion were futile and that MI6always knew in advance of my intentions. Over on spur 1 were threeAlgerian students who had been on remand for nearly a year under thePrevention of Terrorism Act. Ironically I first came across their fileswhile in PTCP section. The DST asked MI5 to arrest them because oftheir alleged links to the FIS, the Algerian Islamic Fundamentalistgroup, but MI5 had been reluctant to deploy their limited A4surveillance resources. In retaliation the DST withdrew theircooperation with us on operations such as BELLHOP, so with someinternal politicking, MI5 were persuaded to take an interest in thestudents. Their telephones were bugged, they were put under footsurveillance and were eventually arrested for allegedly conspiring toobtain explosive materials. The evidence was weak and the three wereadamant that they were not guilty. They came up for trial at the OldBailey shortly before my committal. But the CPS made a basic error intheir opening statements by revealing knowledge that the Algerians haddisclosed only to their defence lawyers in the Belmarsh legal visitsrooms. The defence realised that these visits had been bugged andchallenged the CPS. When the CPS refused to explain their source, thejudge dismissed the case and the defendants were released.Suspiciously, whenever Wadham or Davies met me in Belmarsh, we werealways allocated the same room that was used by the Algerians.Our cells were regularly searched by the screws. Without warning,specially trained three-man search teams with sniffer dogs would enterthe spur and choose one or two prisoners. The inmate was stripsearched,then ejected from his home. Anything illicit in the cell wasconfiscated and the prisoner punished with a spell in the block. Theytook silver foil because it could be used to melt heroin beforeinjection, matches as the heads could be used for incendiary devices,polythene bottles because they could be filled with chopped fruit andsugar to brew into `hooch'. The search teams also took two large,heavy-duty black suitcases into each cell. Nobody knew what was in thembut the rumour was that they contained portable photocopiers. `You justsee,' Dobson told me. `They'll be round your cell with those suitcasesa few days before you go up in court.' And he was right; I wassubjected to a lengthy search just two days before committal. So evenif they had not already learnt of my intended `guilty' plea by buggingpage- 185 - To purchase the original limited edition hardback version of this bookplease call 08000 192 192 or go to http://www.192.com