EN288

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 National Public Order Intelligence Unit
'EN288'
Alias:	unknown
Deployment:	unknown
Role:	undercover

EN288 is the cipher given to a former undercover officer of the National Public Order Intelligence Unit who was deployed in the 2000s against unknown targets. Sir John Mitting, chair of the Undercover Policing Inquiry, has ruled that the Inquiry will restrict the officers real and cover name in the Inquiry.

• For the EN cipher system see EN officers page.

As a police officer

As well as serving undercover during their deployment to the NPOIU, they also worked undercover for a number of years infiltrating seroius and organised crime groups who pose a risk to his life and family. They are also concerned that they will be subject to physical attack and direct action as a result of their 'involvement in domestic extremism deployments'.

In the Undercover Policing Inquiry

• 14 August 2017: application for anonymity over real and cover names made.

• 2 May 2018: Mitting minded to restrict real and cover names, writing:

In the course of a police career of significant length, EN288 was deployed on a number of occasions as an undercover officer in circumstances which gave rise to a real risk to life and limb. The risk to life from one of them remains and may engage Article 2 of the European Convention. The risk to safety from at least one other deployment also remains. Both risks engage Article 8. Publication of a cover name might prompt evidence from members of the groups against which EN288 was deployed who do not pose a risk to life or limb; and the risk of identification of the real name of EN288 is not great. However, even running a small risk would amount to a disproportionate and unjustified interference in the right of EN288 to respect for an aspect of private life - physical integrity - and, if Article 2 is engaged, would infringe it.

• 9 July 2018: Inquiry releases gisted versions of the restriction order application and personal witness statement for the officer and Mitting directed that any submissions in response to these applications were to be made by 20 July 2018.

• 30 October 2018: Mitting rules to restrict both real and cover names, writing:

The 'Minded to' note and this ruling are not based "on the basis of the officer's say so". The threat of serious physical harm was and is reliably established.