MI6 chief defends secrecy in first public speech

Published on Thursday 28 October 2010 12:15

The Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service, MI6, today issued a warning that its secrets must not be compromised if it is to continue protecting the country.

In the first public speech by a serving MI6 Chief, Sir John Sawers (pictured) said that every day he received reports of terrorists "bent on maiming and murdering" people in Britain.

He said that if MI6 was to succeed in countering the threat it was essential that its agents and other intelligence agencies could be sure that their secrets were protected.

"Secrecy is not a dirty word. Secrecy is not there as a cover up. Secrecy pays a crucial part in keeping Britain safe and secure," he said in a speech to the Society of Editors in London.

Sir John said that he was confident that MI6 officers operated with the "utmost integrity" and would have "nothing whatsoever" to do with torture.

Yet he said that the service also had to operate in the real world, and needed to work with agencies from other countries which were not always "friendly democracies".

"Suppose we received credible intelligence that might save lives, here or abroad. We have a professional and moral duty to act on it. We will normally want to share it with those who can save those lives," he said.

"We also have a duty to do what we can to ensure that a partner service will respect human rights. That is not always straightforward.

"Yet if we hold back, and don't pass that intelligence, out of concern that a suspect terrorist may be badly treated, innocent lives may be lost that we could have saved.

"These are not abstract questions just for philosophy courses or searching editorials, they are real, constant operational dilemmas. Sometimes there is no clear way forward. The more finely-balanced judgments have to be made by ministers themselves."

He went on: "If we know or believe action by us will lead to torture taking place, we're required by UK and international law to avoid that action. And we do, even though that allows the terrorist activity to go ahead.

"Some may question this, but we are clear that it's the right thing to do. It makes us strive all the harder to find different ways, consistent with human rights get the outcome that we want."