Forest Gate Raid
This article is part of the Counter-Terrorism Portal project of Spinwatch. |
The Forest Gate Raid was a counter-terrorism operation that was conducted at a house in Forest Gate at 4am on 2 June 2006 on suspicion that a “chemical weapon” was being produced by two brothers – Abdul Kahar Kalam, who was shot by police during the raid, and his brother, Abdul Koyair. Security Sources stated that the operation was based on intelligence that indicated a “viable” chemical device was present at the house that had the potential of producing casualties “in double or even triple figures”. This was the official reason for the operation.[1]
No chemical weapon was ever found and both men were released without any charges being brought against them.
The Raid
The raid was carried out by approximately 250-300 police officers, including armed police officers. They were backed up by fire-fighters, health officials and biochemical experts from the MoD biological warfare research centre at Porton Down.[2] Porton Down Members swept the house and ensured it was safe from any chemical or biological dangers.[3]
Whilst the raid and investigation was ongoing, an air exclusion zone was imposed around the scene, which banned aircraft flying below 2,500 feet above the site of the site - the house of the two brothers.[1] However, local residents were not evacuated form their homes becuase, as the BBC reported, "the threat of explosions was not deemed serious enough or [the] police did not want to alert the suspects".[1]
Intelligence Leading to Operation
Deputy Assisstant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service and commander of SO15, Peter Clarke, stated that the operation was based on “specific intelligence”.[1]
Initial media reports suggested that the intelligence regarding the operation had emerged from “foreign sources” and had been received by the intelligence services (MI6). [4] The press then reported that the information was in fact supplied by an associate of the two brothers (Abu Bakr Mansha) who was alleged to be an MI5 informant. His supposed handed told the press that he had “checked out his [Abu Bakr Mansha's] story as ‘plausible’”.[4] The Daily Mail reported that the Mansha had himself claimed to have seen the device". [2]
Abu Bakr Mansha was himself convicted of plotting to kill a decorated British soldier in January 2006 but denied providing intelligence to the police. His lawyer, Sara O'Keefe stated that the police had indeed visited Mansha in prison but argued that "this was not his choice and he gave them no intelligence or information."[5]
Shooting of Suspect
The initial line that was advanced in the press and media was based around a struggle ensuing between the Police and the Abdul Kahar Kalam. Immediately after the incident, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) stated that they would launch an independent investigation into what had actually happened. The shot man stated that he was shot without warning or signal. His lawyer stated: "He was not asked to freeze, given any warning and did not know the people in his house were police officers until after he was shot.[6]
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Raid police hunt chemical device, BBC News, 3 June 2006, accessed 03.09.10
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Ben Taylor, ‘Police won’t find a thing; wounded terror suspect hits out as poison bomb officers scour his home; backlash over ‘cyanide’ swoop’, The Daily Mail, 5 June 2006, accessed via LexisNexis on 01.09.10
- ↑ Justin Penrose, ‘Diagram of poison bomb sparked raid; experts warned of deadly threat’, Sunday Mirror, 4 June 2006, accessed via LexisNexis on 01.09.10
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Sophie Goodchild and Francis Elliot, Tip-off by local informant led to Forest Gate raid; Muslims fear lasting damage to relation with police as ‘series of…(title incomplete), Independent on Sunday, 11 June 2006, accessed via LexisNexis on 01.09.10
- ↑ Terror raid intelligence denial, BBC News, 24 June 2006, accessed 03.09.10
- ↑ John Steele, ‘Police fear bomb has been moved', The Telegraph, 5 June 2006, accessed via LexisNexis on 01.09.10
