Douglas Edwards (alias)

This article is part of the Undercover Research Portal at Powerbase - investigating corporate and police spying on activists

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Part of a series on undercover police officers
'HN326'
Alias:	Douglas Edwards
Deployment:	1968-1971
Unit:	Special Demonstration Squad
Targets:	Anarchist groups, Independent Labour Party, Tri-Continental and Dambusters Mobilising Committee

Douglas Edwards is the cover name of a former Special Demonstration Squad undercover officer who infiltrated various groups including anarchist groups, the Independent Labour Party, Tri-Continental and Dambusters Mobilising Committee from 1971 to 1976. They are also known by the cipher HN326 for the purposes of the Undercover Policing Inquiry and Operation Herne (for the N cipher system see N officers).

As an SDS officer

In his personal statement, he wrote:

Discretion and secrecy was the order of the day - stum und krum. Say nothing about anything. this was communicated to me right from the very start. Even other members of my unit were not aware of my undercover name and which groups I infiltrated. It was very much "keep quiet about the whole thing". To be honest, I can't recall a conversation about secrecy at the end of my deployment. It was just the nature of the job that you didn't talk about it.

... At the time of my deployment, I was living with my parents. I told them I was on the Drugs squad...

According to his risk assessment:

He was recruited by Special Branch management into the Special Operations Squad, whose function was to monitor protest groups who were a major concern of the Government. He had no formal induction or form of training (3.3).

3.4 At the time of his recruitment was informed by his senior management (Detective Chief Inspector & Detective Inspector) that the Unit he was seconded to was highly secret and was to be deployed as a result of ongoing large-scale public disorder being a major concern of the Government at that time (late 1968)."

Not offered or provided with support during his deployment; it was ad hoc and uncoordinated (4.19).

After deployment, he resumed duties in Special Branch (4.16)

See profile for more detailed analysis of his time undercover.

He did not use the identity of a dead child.

In the Undercover Policing Inquiry

The MPS applied in August 2017 for an restriction order over his real name with open versions published bar an additional threat assessment: open application, personal statement, risk assessment (Kevin Shanahan).

No application over his cover name was made and it was formally released in August 2017.

According to Mitting (Aug 2017):

He has been careful to preserve his anonymity and is worried about disclosure of his real name. He is concerned that it may be discovered by organisations such as undercoverresearch.net and fears media intrusion. He suffers from conditions which may be exacerbated by worry. His cover name will be published.

The application was heard at hearing of 21 November 2017, and Mitting ruled in its favour on 5 December 2017, saying:

[HN326] has been careful to preserve his anonymity and is worried about the consequences of disclosure of his real name, in particular media intrusion. He suffers from conditions which may be exacerbated by worry... I am satisfied that publication of HN326's real name would interfere with his right to respect for his private life and that the interference is not necessary to permit the terms of reference of the Inquiry to be fulfilled.

The Restriction Order was made on 8 December 2017. See also the NPSCP submissions of 5 October 2017.