fbpx
Wikipedia

Special Branch (Metropolitan Police)

November 14, 2023

Special Branch was a unit in the Metropolitan Police in London, formed as a counter-terrorism unit in 1883 and merged with another unit to form Counter Terrorism Command (SO15) in 2006. It maintained contact with the Security Service (MI5) and had responsibility for, among other things, personal protection of (non-royal) VIPs and performing the role of examining officer at designated ports and airports, as prescribed by the Terrorism Act 2000.

Special Branch detectives on an undercover operation at the London Docks, 1911.

History edit

In response to the escalating terror campaign in Britain carried out by the militant Irish Fenians in the 1880s, the Home Secretary Sir William Harcourt established the first counter-terrorism unit ever in 1883, named Special Irish Branch, to combat Irish republican terrorism through infiltration and subversion. It initially formed a section of the Criminal Investigation Department within the London Metropolitan Police.[1]

Harcourt envisioned a permanent unit dedicated to the prevention of politically motivated violence through the use of modern techniques such as undercover infiltration. This pioneering branch was the first to be trained in counter-terrorism techniques.[2] Its name was changed to Special Branch as it had its remit gradually expanded[when?][3] to incorporate a general role in counter-terrorism, combating foreign subversion, and infiltrating organized crime and trades unions,[4][5] becoming the largest Special Branch in the United Kingdom. Although it later became independent of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), its officers were entitled to use the prefix "Detective" in front of their ranks.

Special Branch investigated the General Post Office Tower bombing in 1971 and the following year the investigative wing of its "X squad" became the Anti-Terrorist Branch (SO13).[6] It also investigated the sieges at Balcombe Street in 1975 and the Iranian Embassy in 1980, the Libyan Embassy shooting in 1984, along with the bombings at Hyde Park and Regents Park in 1982, Harrods in 1983, Brighton in 1984 and Bishopsgate in 1993.

The Nezar Hindawi attempted bombing of El Al flight from Heathrow to Israel in 1986 was also investigated by Special Branch, along with Provisional IRA mortar attacks on Downing Street in 1991 and Heathrow in 1994 and their Canary Wharf bomb in 1996. Beyond that campaign, it led the investigations into the racist and homophobic 1999 London nail bombings along with Richard Reid in 2001 and the bombings and attempted bombings in London in July 2005. The formation of SO13 had begun a process which on 2 October 2006 culminated in Special Branch and SO13 merging to form Counter Terrorism Command (SO15).[7]

Commanding Officers edit

Notes edit

[note A] DCI - Detective Chief Inspector
[note B] DSU - Detective Superintendent
[note C] CDR - Commander

References edit

  1. ^ Bowman, Timothy (2019). "Ireland: Rebellion and counter-insurgency, 1848–1867". Small Wars & Insurgencies. 30 (4–5): 895–912. doi:10.1080/09592318.2019.1638547. S2CID 203083810.
  2. ^ Aniceto Masferrer, Clive Walker (2013). Counter-Terrorism, Human Rights and the Rule of Law: Crossing Legal Boundaries in Defence of the State. Edward Elgar Publishing. p. 294. ISBN 9781781954478.
  3. ^ Wisnicki, Adrian (2013). Conspiracy, Revolution, and Terrorism from Victorian Fiction to the Modern Novel. Literary Criticism and Cultural Theory. Routledge. p. 150. ISBN 978-1-135-91526-1. With the collapse of Parnell's political career in 1891 and the general, if temporary, demoralization of the Irish cause, the Special Branch's interests shifted to other revolutionary and anarchist groups, and the word Irish dropped out of the name.
  4. ^ Barckley Sumner (17 March 2021). "Norman Tebbit's admission about government involvement in spying on trade unionists must be fully investigated". Unite The Union. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
  5. ^ Patrick Maguire (18 March 2021). "Special Branch spied on union leaders, Norman Tebbit admits". The Times, News UK. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
  6. ^ "UK | Special Branch to close in merger". BBC News. 9 September 2005. Retrieved 11 June 2009.
  7. ^ . Met.police.uk. Archived from the original on 3 July 2009. Retrieved 11 June 2009.
  8. ^ Wilson & Adams (2015) p. xiii.

November 14, 2023
special, branch, metropolitan, police, special, branch, unit, metropolitan, police, london, formed, counter, terrorism, unit, 1883, merged, with, another, unit, form, counter, terrorism, command, so15, 2006, maintained, contact, with, security, service, respon. Special Branch was a unit in the Metropolitan Police in London formed as a counter terrorism unit in 1883 and merged with another unit to form Counter Terrorism Command SO15 in 2006 It maintained contact with the Security Service MI5 and had responsibility for among other things personal protection of non royal VIPs and performing the role of examining officer at designated ports and airports as prescribed by the Terrorism Act 2000 Special Branch detectives on an undercover operation at the London Docks 1911 Contents 1 History 2 Commanding Officers 3 Notes 4 ReferencesHistory editIn response to the escalating terror campaign in Britain carried out by the militant Irish Fenians in the 1880s the Home Secretary Sir William Harcourt established the first counter terrorism unit ever in 1883 named Special Irish Branch to combat Irish republican terrorism through infiltration and subversion It initially formed a section of the Criminal Investigation Department within the London Metropolitan Police 1 Harcourt envisioned a permanent unit dedicated to the prevention of politically motivated violence through the use of modern techniques such as undercover infiltration This pioneering branch was the first to be trained in counter terrorism techniques 2 Its name was changed to Special Branch as it had its remit gradually expanded when 3 to incorporate a general role in counter terrorism combating foreign subversion and infiltrating organized crime and trades unions 4 5 becoming the largest Special Branch in the United Kingdom Although it later became independent of the Criminal Investigation Department CID its officers were entitled to use the prefix Detective in front of their ranks Special Branch investigated the General Post Office Tower bombing in 1971 and the following year the investigative wing of its X squad became the Anti Terrorist Branch SO13 6 It also investigated the sieges at Balcombe Street in 1975 and the Iranian Embassy in 1980 the Libyan Embassy shooting in 1984 along with the bombings at Hyde Park and Regents Park in 1982 Harrods in 1983 Brighton in 1984 and Bishopsgate in 1993 The Nezar Hindawi attempted bombing of El Al flight from Heathrow to Israel in 1986 was also investigated by Special Branch along with Provisional IRA mortar attacks on Downing Street in 1991 and Heathrow in 1994 and their Canary Wharf bomb in 1996 Beyond that campaign it led the investigations into the racist and homophobic 1999 London nail bombings along with Richard Reid in 2001 and the bombings and attempted bombings in London in July 2005 The formation of SO13 had begun a process which on 2 October 2006 culminated in Special Branch and SO13 merging to form Counter Terrorism Command SO15 7 Commanding Officers edit1883 Adolphus Williamson DCI note A 1887 John Littlechild DCI 1893 William Melville DSU note B 1903 Patrick Quinn DSU 1918 James McBrien 1929 Edward Parker 1936 Albert Canning 1946 Leonard Burt CDR note C 1958 Evan Jones 1966 Ferguson Smith 1972 Victor Gilbert 1977 Robert Bryan 1981 Colin Hewett 1986 Simon Crawshaw 1987 Peter Phelan 1991 John Howley 1996 Barry Moss 1999 Roger Pearce 2003 Janet Williams CDR note C 8 Notes edit note A DCI Detective Chief Inspector note B DSU Detective Superintendent note C CDR CommanderReferences edit Bowman Timothy 2019 Ireland Rebellion and counter insurgency 1848 1867 Small Wars amp Insurgencies 30 4 5 895 912 doi 10 1080 09592318 2019 1638547 S2CID 203083810 Aniceto Masferrer Clive Walker 2013 Counter Terrorism Human Rights and the Rule of Law Crossing Legal Boundaries in Defence of the State Edward Elgar Publishing p 294 ISBN 9781781954478 Wisnicki Adrian 2013 Conspiracy Revolution and Terrorism from Victorian Fiction to the Modern Novel Literary Criticism and Cultural Theory Routledge p 150 ISBN 978 1 135 91526 1 With the collapse of Parnell s political career in 1891 and the general if temporary demoralization of the Irish cause the Special Branch s interests shifted to other revolutionary and anarchist groups and the word Irish dropped out of the name Barckley Sumner 17 March 2021 Norman Tebbit s admission about government involvement in spying on trade unionists must be fully investigated Unite The Union Retrieved 30 October 2022 Patrick Maguire 18 March 2021 Special Branch spied on union leaders Norman Tebbit admits The Times News UK Retrieved 30 October 2022 UK Special Branch to close in merger BBC News 9 September 2005 Retrieved 11 June 2009 Metropolitan Police Service Specialist Operations Met police uk Archived from the original on 3 July 2009 Retrieved 11 June 2009 Wilson amp Adams 2015 p xiii Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Special Branch Metropolitan Police amp oldid 1175045018, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.