Britain’s intelligence agencies thwarted a deadly attack on the leadership of the anti-Gaddafi rebels in Libya, Foreign Secretary William Hague disclosed yesterday.
The Gaddafi regime tried to attack the NTC in Benghazi
The agencies were able to warn the National Transitional Council in Benghazi of the danger after discovering details of the planned attack by Muammar Gaddafi’s former regime, Mr Hague said.
He said the agencies - which include the Secret Intelligence Service, MI6, and the electronic “listening” agency GCHQ – had played a key role in the conflict which brought Colonel Gaddafi’s 42-year dictatorship to an end.
“Throughout the conflict in Libya, the agencies used their global capabilities to provide insight into the intentions of pro-Gaddafi forces and to understand the progress of the battles around Brega, Misurata and finally Tripoli,” he said.
“They worked to identify key political figures, develop contacts with the emerging opposition and provide political and military intelligence. Most importantly, they saved lives.
“For example the Gaddafi regime tried to attack the National Transitional Council in Benghazi, and to kill some of the Western representatives in Libya. The agencies obtained firm intelligence, were able to warn the NTC of the threat, and the attacks were prevented.”
It is understood the disrupted attacks in Libya referred to a series of planned suicide and car bomb attacks organised by Gaddafi’s security chief Abdullah al-Senussi targeting the NTC and foreign diplomats which were uncovered by MI6 in the spring.
Benghazi was the scene of an earlier debacle when a party of SAS soldiers and an MI6 officer were covertly dropped into Libya to make contact with the rebels, only to be arrested by the people they were supposed to be helping.
In his speech, Mr Hague described a recent operation involving the agencies working together to disrupt a UK network travelling to an undisclosed country for terrorist training.
“The agencies were able to detect their intentions. Agents recruited by (MI6) reported on what the group were doing. This revealed that members of the network had discussed mounting attacks in the UK,” he said.
“Once the plot was revealed, we were able to approach the Government in question and work with it to arrange the lawful arrest of a key figure in the network which disrupted the conspiracy before such plans could be developed.”
Mr Hague was delivering a rare public speech on the work of the intelligence agencies, which he described “vital assets” with a “fundamental and indispensable role” in keeping the nation safe.
The disclosure of the agencies’ involvement in Libya comes amid criticism that MI6 had been too close to the former Gaddafi regime and was involved in the extraordinary rendition of anti-Gaddafi activists. Speaking at the Foreign Office, Mr Hague acknowledged Britain’s standing in the world had been damaged by allegations that MI5 and MI6 officers had been complicit in the extradition and torture of terrorist suspects.
But while he said the Government was determined to tackle the issue, he strongly defended controversial proposals for secret court hearings in civil cases when evidence involving sensitive intelligence material was being discussed.