View source for Welsh Extremism and Counter Terrorism Unit

The [[Welsh Extremism and Counter Terrorism Unit]] (WECTU) is a single [[Special Branch]] created by the four Welsh police forces. Its remit covers international Terrorism, Irish-related terrorism and domestic extremism.<ref>Linda Major, [http://209.85.229.132/search?q=cache:1dt08p8dZAkJ:www.south-wales.police.uk/fe/fileloader/load_docs.asp%3FfilePathPrefix%3D9087%26fileLanguage%3Dw+Welsh+Extremism+and+Counter+Terrorism+Unit&cd=13&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk Evaluation of the Collaboration Programme in Wales],Police Authorities Wales, 23 June 2008, p.6.</ref>

WECTU was formerly heaed by then Assistant Chief Constable of South Wales [[Giles York]].<ref>[http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2008/05/20/how-wales-leads-the-way-in-counter-terrorism-91466-20934309/ David James, [http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2008/05/20/how-wales-leads-the-way-in-counter-terrorism-91466-20934309/ How Wales leads the way in counter-terrorism], Western Mail, 20 May 2008.</ref> 

George Monbiot has accused WECTU of lacking public accountability: 
::The [[Association of Chief Police Officers]] (Acpo) now runs three units whose purpose is to tackle another phenomenon it has never defined: domestic extremism. These are the [[National Extremism Tactical Coordination Unit]] (Netcu), the [[Welsh Extremism and Counter-Terrorism Unit]] and the [[National Public Order Intelligence Unit]]. Because Acpo is not a public body but a private limited company, the three bodies are exempt from freedom of information laws and other kinds of public accountability, even though they are funded by the Home Office and deploy police officers from regional forces.<ref>George Monbiot, [http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/may/18/police-protest-freedom-of-speech As the political consensus collapses, now all dissenters face suppression], guardian.co.uk, 18 May 2009.</ref>

==Finance==
WECTU's budget of approximately £3.5 million per annum is largely funded though the [[Home Office]] and [[ACPO TAM]].<ref>Linda Major, [http://209.85.229.132/search?q=cache:1dt08p8dZAkJ:www.south-wales.police.uk/fe/fileloader/load_docs.asp%3FfilePathPrefix%3D9087%26fileLanguage%3Dw+Welsh+Extremism+and+Counter+Terrorism+Unit&cd=13&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk Evaluation of the Collaboration Programme in Wales],Police Authorities Wales, 23 June 2008, p.7.</ref>

==External Resources==
*Paul Mobbs/The Free Range Network, [http://www.fraw.org.uk/download/ehippies/q02/index.shtml NETCU, WECTU and NPOIU: Britain's Secretive Police Force], 1 April 2009.

==Notes==
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[[Category:UK Police Intelligence]]